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Purchasing Strategies - Questions & Success Stories
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While you may need to pay full sticker on Fit (depending on the market), you should not let yourself being run into some totally false claims or official papers. It may not be as simple due to limited supply, but perhaps another dealership may be more truthful. Don't expect great off-sticker deals, as their over invoice markup is rather small, but don't let be scammed into some bogus claims, either.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
Any piece of paper you have is just as valid if not more than the one a dealer produces. You don't have to show them your numbers and if I were you I'd tell them I don't want to see your numbers. Just tell them your price and be ready to walk if not satisfied.
Now, if the Fit is being priced similarly at various dealers in your area, you will then know the market price for your area. If you're not willing to bite on this price either go outside your area or fall in love with something else.
Sorry, but this is the way the car biz operates.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
A word of caution for 'yoda05378'. Edmunds shows MSRP at the top of their "TMV Pricing Report" (page no.3) and the destination charge at the bottom, the two figures must be added for the actual MSRP.
The Monroney sticker on the car always includes the destination charge so don't fall for an additional adder (to the Monroney sticker) for "destination charge". This trick has been pulled more than once by unscrupulous dealers.
Again caution,
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
I have heard about this, too. Personally, I am in the market for an Acura MDX. Was talking to this guy from Auto-flex, a leasing company that also "facilitates" car sales. He quoted me $2500 off MSRP after a day, and then added,
"Since you are looking at the MDX, have you considered the Volvo XC-90? I can get one for you for $8,000 off invoice. Thats about $11K off MSRP. But, you will have to buy the car through me, the dealer will not give you this discount".
This threw me off (I admit, I have that greed element inside me, too). So I restarted considering the Volvo, priced one at $52,000, and thinking "Wow, I could get this for $41K", but hesitating from all the negative reviews I read on the Volvo forums on their customer service.
Then this Acura dealer calls earlier this week to check if I am still in the market. I had declined his earlier offer of $3000 off MSRP. After exchanging pleasantries, I told him "I am not going to pay more than $500 over invoice, and I want the steel blue color. I've been tracking your inventory, you had one, but I guess you've sold it last week. Can you get another one for me"?
After gathering where I got my numbers and all, he started shouting, "I will give you the deal for $500 over invoice but you have to come down right now and pick a car off the lot. I am not going to order a car for you at that price. This offer is valid only for today".
I was surprisingly calm, "My offer to you of $500 over invoice is valid for today only, too. You need to get me a Steel blue color 2007 MDX with Taupe leather and the Tech/Ent package and the options I want on it. I can wait for a few days while you get the car and install the options". Long story short, I thanked him for his time and told him no deal.
This is getting as ridiculous as buying airline tickets on priceline. But this time I am determined - to buy the car I want at the price I want to pay. Thanks for letting me rant.
Now I have to think what to do with that Auto-flex/Volvo quote. Is the big discount worth it, considering the low reliability, high maintenance and poor customer service?
Best regards, - MS.
I can't imagine any of them being sold for 500 over invoice.
It was the last week of the month and he was trying to push a unit perhaps for a total sales bonus, spiff, etc. I wouldn't be suprised to see that price was for that day only as it's a new month.
I assume that buying at the start of a new model year is about the worst thing you can do insofar as finding the lowest price. And I have some other questions about what to expect when buying at the start of the model year. Specifically:
1. Will I likely be able to place an order with the dealer prior to the actual new model release date?
2. Is the price likely to drop significantly if I wait a few months until the backlog goes down?
3. If my local dealers are all charging something over MSRP, would it make sense to try some dealers in other cities (I live in Sacramento but travel to LA and SF frequently)?
4. Do buying services (e.g., AAA, Costco, carsdirect.com)
offer greater or lessor benefits at the start of the model year?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
Bob
If you have two vehicles that you rarely drive, can't see the point in buying another one..
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Because he'd have to trade for the color you wanted and the dealership would'be incurred greater costs, wouldn't get the holdback on the vehicle sold to you, and probably wouldn't have been able to book the sale by the last day of the month.
Yes
2. Is the price likely to drop significantly if I wait a few months until the backlog goes down?
Who knows. If they are selling everyone they can get, then no. If not, then yes.
3. If my local dealers are all charging something over MSRP, would it make sense to try some dealers in other cities (I live in Sacramento but travel to LA and SF frequently)?
Only if you could get a lower price. If their market is the same as yours, it wouldn't be worth it.
4. Do buying services (e.g., AAA, Costco, carsdirect.com)
offer greater or lessor benefits at the start of the model year?
All the buying services negotiate prices with the dealers but they aren't always cheap prices. When I bought my Odyssey back in 2000, the approved AAA and BJ's Wholesale dealers were selling at MSRP with required options - the special deal was that they had them in stock.
I have visited my local VW dealer a couple of times. The first time was a couple of weeks ago; I had just finished some garden work and was actually on my way to the local HD to pick up some stuff when I stopped in to look at a couple of cars on the lot. There were a gaggle of guys on the doorstep, and they sent out what seemed to me to be a really green salesman (since I must have looked like heck). I explained that I wasn't buying anytime soon, that I was gathering info, etc. He gave me his card and asked me to let him know when I was ready to buy.
I stopped by again last Friday night, just to look at a new color car that they had recently had arrive, and the same salesman came out to chat with me (this time I was considerably more professionally dressed as I was coming home from work) Again, I let him know that I wasn't ready to buy yet - partly because it just wasn't "time" but also because they didn't have any colors that I wanted (red, green, or yellow) He told me that he could get any color I wanted, and I asked him if it would be an order or a dealer trade. He replied that it would be a dealer trade. I also told him that I hadn't test driven a car yet - and he was nice and encouraged me to do so as soon as possible. Later that night I brought my DH with me and test drove one of their Triple whites (ick) and the salesman asked me afterwards what my timeframe was.
I was completely honest with him - I told him that I wouldn't likely buy until after my July vacation; that if I were to buy, I'd want either green, yellow, or red; and that I was only prepared to pay for a model with no options, manual, and as close to invoice as possible. I followed up with "I'd like to pay as close to 20k as is possible (knowing invoice on a base is ~21500). I also let him know that although I can get my credit union to finance, I'd go through VW credit to help the deal (plus they have a good financing deal available) He has my card, and tells me to tell him when I am ready.
Meanwhile I am searching other local dealer's inventory to see what colors and added options are out there, and there is another dealer who has a yellow, practically base model, with an internet price I can do (21,9 - before TTL) and a complete base model in beige (ick) with an internet price of 21,6. I'd like to bring this into my salesguy and show him, just to let him know that this is the kind of deal I can get behind if he can make it happen, and if not I have other options (fine print says that 295 in dealer fees applies for the internet price - but I think I could haggle that).
Good strategy? Key is that I don't need the car, I just would like it, but only if it fits my (self-imposed) budget.
I bought twice starting out with internet pricing and neither purchase had a 'dealer fee for internet pricing'.
Seems like the BIG PRINT might be giving you a good deal but the LITTLE PRINT is negating a possible good deal.
Shop at dealers that don't play games. Your adventure only starts when you deal with guys that play games. Remember, they have a service department that you may need to do business with someday
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
I hate that!
Every other business understands what overhead is and does not charge an extra fee for it. Dealerships and repair shops just assume customers are stupid I guess.
If the yellow car is what you want and the price is what you want, then buy it and don't wait for July.
Dealers can promise you the moon and the stars, but if it's not sitting on their lot, it's not a deal, it's just chit-chat.
You're joking, right?
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I couldn't agree more...those are probably the last two cars I would want my daughter driving off to college in but hey, mechanics and tow truck drivers need to make a living too !!
Actually, I mentioned the Miata as an option but the base models are several thousand more than they are looking to spend. We'll see what happens....
It's usually written up as "shop supplies fee". The Toyota dealer where I take mine charges it, but they do send me flyers with some pretty hefty discounts on service.
We broke it out as a separate charge because we were not required by law to dispose of oil filters in any special way. State law said you could throw them in the dumpster after they drained for 24 hours, but we recycled them because it was the right thing to do.
It is used like the extra fees added onto a purchase afteer the price is agree upon.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I guess that's why I havn't had any service done at a dealer since 1987. Why not just raise your prices to cover that stuff?
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
The only thing left for you to do is to decide when you want to buy, then go shopping. If you're deal is doable a your price, there'll be a dealer who'll pull the trigger in short order.
Just pick a day when you want to buy.
I agree, but they're just using what the phone and cable companies do, advertise a reasonably low price but then add junk fees on top to get the price higher, it's an insult to ones intelligence.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
What happens to new 2007 vehicles that are not sold when the 2008's arrive?
When buying last years model - how much should you shoot for under MSRP? Is $10K less unreasonable?
Thanks!
You might want to look at the message board "Prices Paid Buying Experiences" for the model you are looking at. Generally, you shouldn't pay more than invoice price (you can find this on Edmunds if you haven't already). Best of luck.
Can anyone share if
a) their past experience of dealing with such individuals/smaller dealers
b) can one trust their invoice (of their purchase at the auction)
c) Any benefits/risks
Thanks