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In the meantime, they have readjusted all their Jaguar prices to be equal to MSRP. Who needs CarsDirect if I can go myself to a dealer and get a car for MSRP?
Here's a link to the message containing the link to ZDNet.
>
Read the message, come back, and let's discuss their business model, and their ideas for cars over the net.
What do YOU guys think??
If they continue to conduct business in the same manner they did with me, then I hope they enjoy good success. The amazing part is, I never had to sign anything- it was all done over the phone on my end.
If they continue to conduct business in the same manner they did with me, then I hope they enjoy
good success. The amazing part is, I never had to sign anything- it was all done over the phone on my end. If they don't, then I'll just be happy knowing I got a great deal with little effort.
I also checked on their prices for availability of a BMW Z3, and CarsDirect.com found a lower price than any of the dealers my wife had been shopping.
If you read the Waxes and Polishes topic in the Maintenance conference, you will find posts from buyers who would prefer that their new cars be delivered with the "cosmoline" or other protective films still on the car, so they can wash and prep it themselves. If those buyers bought through CarsDirect.com, maybe the dealer would refrain from prepping the car.
The point is (and I know it's been made in other forums) that car sales need to change from the current system, which adds costs (the dealer) without benefit to educated shoppers who know what they want. Internet buying needs to work here the way it worked on travel agents and computer sales, creating a market that offers savings to a certain class of buyers.
Has anyone run into any reluctance by a dealer about taking a check from CarsDirect in conjunction with the invoice pricing special?
The recent publicity in the WSJ makes me a bit more comfortable that their check will clear. I am picking up a 528i tomorrow and their portion of the cost is $2,750. In a worse-case scenario, I don't want to be held liable if the check is returned.
I would appreciate hearing from anyone that has purchased a car during the invoice pricing special. Thanks in advance.
Who knows what true internet buying of autos may mean to traditional dealers. They may be forced to change to survive. Those who can adapt most quickly will probably do the best. Bottom line is that I think it will be good for consumers. It is not very often that increased competition is bad for consumers.
Needless to say, they were a bit skeptical at first, but it worked out just fine.
As a matter of fact, I know several people at that dealership who rushed to the CarsDirect website when they found out about my deal, but they were too late. Acura is not even offering an employee discount on the TL, it's so popular.
Anyway, don't worry about the check. If you'd like to e-mail me, I could probably hook your dealership up with the people who worked the deal at mine.
Brian, I know that there a companies that are
trying to negotiate to be the "internet's first
virtual dealer", but it hasn't been done yet.
(Being that the physical dealers would pitch one
HELL of a fit considering that they have paid
MILLIONS of dollars to secure a dealership for a
particular brand), so I don't expect that to show
up real soon, unless the manufacturers do itthemselves.
The physical dealers would not have to be suffering fits about the possible advent of the virtual dealer, if they'd simply taken the bull by the horns in the first place. I see no reason why they cannot offer this service, in addition to their traditional service. It's really a no brainer, so why they don't is beyond me. Any of you salesman (or sales managers, if you're out there), care to offer an explanation? It seems doubtful to me that manufacturers will do it, because, if they were interested in doing direct sales, they would have a long time ago.
The existing dealerships throughout the country posses a tremendous amount of lobbying power with both legislators and their manufacturers. In fact, many states still have laws that prohibit factory owned stores. So the existing dealerships will likely put up a huge fight against completely on-line dealerships. Still having said this, with the increasing popularity of services such as Auto-By-Tel, some manufacturers are exploring the sale of vehicles over the internet. General Motors recently began the national roll-out of their GM BuyPower Web Site. This is not a completely virtual dealership service, it actually refers customers to existing GM dealers. I would not be surprised if several other manufacturers came out with services that are similar to BuyPower in the future. However, I personally believe that it is next to impossible to eliminate the sale of vehicles through actual dealerships any time in the near future.
Your Host
(In case you are wondering why, Porsches are cheaper in the US than anywhere else in the world. And as such, the US serves as the delivery point for MOST of the grey-marketers around the world. Porsche doesn't want this going on, so they try to make their dealers aware of 3rd party involvement, and tell them to avoid it, or suffer penalties).
That's why CarsDirect's own website has a special caution specifically for Texas shoppers which says that their services are not available here.
However, Michelle at CarsDirect said that despite what their own site says, she will help me buy another car. I already bought one Jetta through CarsDirect, and my wife likes it so much that she wants to buy one too.
Regards,
Tomcat
Guess the "Cars at Invoice" promotion is not the only good deal that they have going. Not too bad of a price at all when most everyone else is charging full MSRP.
They've got some really good financing info/rates as well.
Guess the "Cars at Invoice" promotion is not the only good deal that they have going. Not too bad of a price at all when most everyone else is charging full MSRP.
They've got some really good financing info/rates as well.
Subsequently, used Carsdirect to get a price of $1370 over invoice. Had to call them twice to get some attention, but they were great when they started working on it. They found the car I was looking for in about an hour. I put in a down payment directly to the dealer and will take delivery in two weeks. I will pay the stated price directly to the dealer, and it appears Carsdirect will subsidize the dealer directly for some additional amount (my guess is several hundred dollars).
Seems as good or better than Autobytel, Autoweb and Carpoint with less hassle!
After looking at everything under the sun for my first vehicle, I finally settled on a new 1999 Nissan Frontier. I recently graduated from college, and so I qualified for an additional $500 college grad cash on the Frontier. After shopping the local dealerships, they wouldn't come down to my price. I never mentioned the college grad cash in negotiation, and didn't plan on doing so until we agreed on a price (it was strange that the dealers didn't know about it--I mentioned that I had recently graduated).
So I tried Carsdirect.com. After filling out all the info, they called within an hour to confirm the online quoted price (the college grad rebate was not considered yet). They said they would locate the truck for me. I told them about the additional $500, and they said they would look into it.
About three days later they called back and told me they found the truck I wanted, and the would have to subsidize the dealer $476 to keep my quoted price. But here was the catch: they used the $500 college grad rebate as cash to the dealer. Unlike other manufacturer's college grad rebate programs, Nissan's is handled by the DEALER, not the customer. But it is still Nissan's cash to you, so you should be able to negotiate a price and then mention the rebate. The dealer doesn't lose any money on the sale--you gain $500.
Basically, Carsdirect.com opted to use that $500 rebate to lower their cost from $976 to $476. Had I been any other John Q. Public that hadn't just graduated college, Carsdirect would have had to pay $976 to make their guaranteed price. Why couldn't they extend that privelige to me so that I could take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime discount? I know...it's just business.
In the end, I bought from a local dealer because without that $500 rebate, Carsdirect was actually $100 more than what the local dealer offered. I stress again that the staff of Carsdirect was friendly and helpful, and I would still recommend them to the typical buyer. My situation was a special one, and so I chose the dealer.
DannyL
I looked up the price of a 1999 Ranger SuperCab XLT and the CarsDirect price is about $500 UNDER invoice. Using another buying service, I can get a price $60 less than that, but that would be including the current $1,000 rebate and a $400 college grad rebate. Since, I haven't said anything to CarsDirect about these rebates, can I get another $1,400 off the CarsDirect price?
- The Merg
But in your case, it doesn't even matter. Nissan lets the dealer handle the processing of their college grad rebates. If I understand Ford's program, once negotiate your price, you buy the vehicle from the dealer and never have to mention that you're a college grad. You apply for the $400 from the factory directly *after* you buy the Ranger. You send them proof of purchase and proof of graduation, and that's it.
DannyL
What's the deal with the $250 refundable deposit that CarsDirect.Com says they want in order to get the ball rolling on my car? Who gets/keeps that money? What if they are unsuccessful in matching me with a deal I want? I am trying to buy a loaded 1999 Windstar SEL which has become end-of-the-model year scarce and CarsDirect is my last chance after having exhausted the options at all the local dealerships.
Any comments or info would be welcome. Thanks.
My mother-in-law got $1000 off MSRP by herself!!!
I used CarsDirect.com to get my '99 3.2TL at invoice. They were very prompt, professional, and courteous in the handling of my purchase. Of course this was a promotional deal and I don't expect to get this type of cut rate again. But, the next time I go to buy a car you can be sure I will check with CarsDirect.com AND Autobytel AND my local dealer. These car buying companies certainly can make it easier to purchase a car but the bottom line is that it doesn't replace shopping around for the best available price.
With CarsDirect, you are still dealing with a dealership. Because of this, if you have a car to trade-in, you would do it when you go to sign the sales contract or pick up the new car. Of course, you could just sell it on your own or sell it to some other dealer.
- The Merg
I have sent the order to them on the internet, now waiting for them to contact me.