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I don't know. It wasn't on the web page. It just said to call them. I'll have to ask my salesman.
Richard
Richard
Richard
I think we agree to agree. Internet best for used vehicles, probably not the best for everyone for new, unless you are really particular about seeking out the exact car you want online before going to the dealer.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Good plan. The salesman would never lie...
I don't think we heard about the Caddie lemon before :lemon: . I am surprised you aren't about to try an Avalon or something. 2 D3 lemons and you are still willing to give them another chance.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I was just thinking, we all have traded in lemons before. Does any one feel guilty about trading in a car that they know was a lemon? I think we just say it's now the unscrupulous dealers problem
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
However, I still would like totest drive something that is close (of course, when the time comes). The closest is of course a 328 sedan. Coupe or convertible are a little bit different and 335 would be way too different. Now, imagine how many phone calls I would have to make to actually find a 328 sedan with manual - believe, it's not so trivial in Florida, people here positively can't drive, so manual transmission is a dying breed.
Moreover, I don't have a wish to have to explain to every salesman I encounter that YES, I WANT A STATION WAGON and YES, WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION and listen to their speaches that I already know how hard it is to find, nobody wants them, I must be crazy, etc. Of course they have here a perfect 335 coupe with automatic, just for me, I would be better off buying what is on their lot.
Now, with a quick search function, just like in many other brands, I could simply put my criteria into the computer and find out they have my exact car 1500 miles away, but one that I could usefully test drive is in dealership A across town (or in Orlando, whatever).
For that very reason, I would appreciate very much if BMW of America had a comprehensive inventory search - or at least my local dealers allowed me to look at their new inventory, so I don't waste my time to ask for something they don't have, or even won't have for another five months.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
If you ask for something, it will come with solicitations, whether you like it or not. It's just anture of the business.
If I go to Mexico and venture outside of a resort, I kinow for a fact I'll be hassled by beggars, peddlers, and other people trying to sell me stuff. There's no other way around that. Period.
If I send an inquiry for info about a vehicle, I know for a fact that a salesperson will be contacting me and will try to get me in and sell me something. There's no other way around that either. Period.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Actually, he wouldn't lie. He's one of the honest guys. That's why I chose him. He has that Edmunds demeanor.
Richard
Just having fun. Too bad I hadn't found this emoticon before that last post -
I'm the forgiving type. Anyone can make a mistake once. :P Besides, how can you not love this car? You've been in the BMW world for so long that you're missing a good thing.
You would love the Caddy lemon story from the year 2000. It is the chief of all lemons ever born and raised in this country.
Richard
-- I never feel guilty about capitalism. Plus, I am not so naive to think that no matter how great of a deal I think I may have just scored, I realize that the dealer would not have done the deal without a profit motive attached on his end. Whether it was the sales price, trade-in, volume incentive, mfg credit or rebate, I am sure he made money on the transaction.
I can't even think of how far back you'd have to go with a Solara to put it in the same price range and we don't want to go back to Richard's Solara experience....
Here is why I didn't feel guilty. I traded at the very dealership that had done all of the warranty work on the lemon. My salesman, the owner, and the service manager all knew of my troubles. They still offered me top dollar. The owner seemed really sorry that I had had so many problems. If the new one turns out to be a lemon, I'm reverting back to my childhood days. I'll just buy another PF Flyer and be done with the whole business.
Richard
Richard
My favorite one, happenned to a co-worker, "Escrow waiver fee". She was going to pay the taxes and insurance herself.
Your entire post was right on the money! I felt as if I got a great deal, but he still owns the dealership.
Richard
Now that WAS a cheap shot! :sick:
Richard
-- This would be akin to a dealer charging you a fee for not getting you financing. I better not say that too loud before one of the sale people thinks HEY!!! thats a good idea!
I did without in the convertible department for a while and now have that 99 Celica which is a nice combination of convertible and cheap car.
You know, the one the banks charge us when we deposit an entire purchase price amount amount instead of financing the car. :P
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
How much did singlewides run back then?
:P
I understand what you are looking for and your problem. I bought a bmw 328 Cabriolet with manual trans. I went to the dealer and test drove a Cabriolet to see what it felt like. Then I tried a sedan to see how the manual felt. Then I looked at dealers in a 40 mile radius to try and find out what Atlantic Blue Metalic looked like so I could make sure I would like the color..Had to rent and sit thru a James Bond movie to get a glimpse. I don't think the internet would have helped, even if they had the exact car in stock chances are it would be on a lot in a field and they aren't going to prepare it for a test drive any way. If the car was at another dealer they would find it. If it was on a boat on the way they would have reserved it. The dealer gets a quota of 5 of these a month, so I had to order and it took 2 months.
I doubt if the internet would help. The chances of a dealer having the right car and it being a demonstrator are not good. When I bought my 2003 X3 I tried a 330 but bought a 228 or whatever, it didn't matter, I knew there would be a difference. I really don't think you have to test the exact car you think you want to buy. You might even try the 335 and decide it is better....because it is worth the extra money......my wife got the 335 because it had the garage opener on the mirror!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
I really would love to hear that story Richard. How much to tell the story? I'll chip in 20 bucks, maybe there are 10 others that want to hear the story. I think it is going to be good.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
A Solara with problems too! Richard, what are you doing to these poor cars! :confuse:
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
My question to the "pros" here concerns the fact that I am in a position to possibly trade two cars and purchase one. I understand that by trading I put on the "baby seal suit" and normally sell older cars privately, but the last time I sold it was via craigs list and turned into a real pain in the rear due to the level of mutts coming to my house and lies told to me by prospective buyers.
In any event, do you have any experience with a double trade? Are my chances of getting a reasonable trade amount depressed by this type of transaction. The new vehicle I am looking at has msrp about 28k and each of the trades are worth approx. 12k from kbb/edmunds. I don't know if the trade total of 24 is too "high" a ratio on the new car, or if that is even something you guys consider.
Thanks
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
'Preference For Others'? You learn something new everyday.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Nice new neighborhood with small trees and few birds, I hope. With my luck if I leave windows down a bird manages to strike. My cars were outside the garage today for part and got 3 spots on the windshields (windows were up).
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
As for the ratio to car price being too high, there's no such thing thatr you should worry about. You can do a trade and pay $4k difference, you can even do straight trades. I've had a deal where a customer traded in a MB SL55 AMG on a new Odyssey, and we took his car in, gave him the Odyssey, AND cut him a cheque for about $50k.
Now how should you proceed?
Let's say the price of the car you want to buy is $28k, and you think your trades are worth about $12k each. This means your difference is $4k.
Go in, drive the car you want to buy, tell them that you have two trades. If you like the car, make the offer that you want to pay $4k difference, and see what they say. If there's rebates or discounts on the car you want and you think you can knock down a couple grand, then offer $2k.
But you have to be realistic on your trade values. And I recommend negotiating on the OTD difference. That's what you end up paying, and it makes things easier rather than shuffling numbers back and forth on each trade or purchase price.
Out of curiosity, what are you buying, and what are you trading?
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
How about the Caddy story instead? To celebrate the arrival of the new century, I decided to buy a new Caddy DeVille. It was a beautiful car---pewter chiffon with vanilla cream interior and walnut wood trim accents. At some point during the first month, I'm driving some clients out to lunch when I hear a terrible noise from the rear. I pulled off of I-95 at the nearest exit, jumped out of the car, and ran to the rear. What a shock! The rear bumper had fallen off the car! I managed to walk back and retrieve it while trying to avoid being hit by passing cars who were trying to dodge it in the road. Who knows what my two clients thought?!
About a month later, my wife called me in tears. She had gone to the mall shopping and something fell out from under the car and the rear tire ran over it. I jumped in the Miata and raced to the mall. It turns out that the catalytic converter had dislodged and fallen on the street. The right rear tire caught it as it flew by and damaged the tire rim.
Some months later, we went to dinner at the club on a Saturday night. Driving home, I noticed that there didn't seem to be any lights on the right side of the car. Upon inspection, I was horrified to discover that the encasement and bulb were missing. I retraced my steps the next morning, but I never found it.
You do understand that by this point I have sent letters to the regional office and to the Michigan headquarters. My local dealer has heard more than one rant from me. He dreads to see me coming. BTW, this is NOT the end of the lemon.
We now go to June of the following year. I know it was June because we were going out the door to attend my father-in-law's 80th birthday luncheon. We get in the car, start the ignition, put it in reverse, and the steering wheel won't turn. I tried using the brake to turn it, quickly jerking the steering wheel, cutting it off and trying again, etc. We just got in the Miata and drove on to Raleigh. I remember how pissed my wife was because she was wearing a big hat that matched her dress, and she couldn't wear the hat in the Miata. She did rant and rave for 125 miles. As pissed as I was, we must have looked like some couple when we walked into the hotel lobby.
A few months later, we discovered that the right rear passenger door would not open. It was repaired three times but never worked properly after the repairs.
Then came the final straw. My wife had driven the car to her monthly bridge club at a home about 12 miles outside of town. She was returning home when suddenly all of the lights on the car went out. In trying to pull off of the rural roadway in the dark, she slid into a ditch. You just don't want to know the telephone conversation that I had with her. It wasn't fit for man nor beast. She was in a ditch on a lonely rural road late at night and scared to death. It was also one of the coldest January nights that we have had here in the South in years. I raced to get her, called AAA, and they towed the car to our dealer. I promised her that she would never have to see that car again. She didn't. They fixed the computer problem with the lights the next day.
The following day, I drove it to the Ford place and traded for my beloved Explorer that I have now. I expected to get nothing for the Caddy on the trade. As luck would have it, one of the salesmen wanted it for his wife to drive her real estate clients around town. He got so excited about it, that he offered me more than he should. I was thrilled beyond words. My wife was so happy. Like me, she loves the Explorer. BTW, I never had any positive results from my telephone calls or letters to GM. The dealer just kept trying to repair each thing that went wrong. That lemon was truly the nightmare from hell. THE END
Richard
But what a great story. Richard, just let me know when you are going to trade in your cars.....I don't want to be the one to go in and buy it.
That Cadillac sounds like a Tuesday after a long weekend car. It is a miracle GM stayed in business this long after that.
I will go back to Sept 07 to find out what happened to the Solara, but I am sure there are others who would like to know as well, even just a short version would be greatly appreciated.
That was a great story though.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Richard
Richard
Assume you own a dealership and you sell 300 units each month @ $2000/copy without a doc fee.
300 x $2000= $600,000
Assume you own a dealership and you sell 250 units each month @ $2000/copy with a doc fee of $500
250 x $2000 = $500,000
250 x $500 = $125,000
Would you have a problem with making more money, having less floorplan and overhead and making more money?
So if I use your logic, then why not sell every vehicle with a million dollar "dealer fee", simple math right? All I need to do is sell one vehicle to be ahead. Your logic makes no sense.
Fees are just a way to obtain extra revenue, and in my opinion are insulting. To negotiate a purchase price, then get hit with the $699 "dealer fee" in the closing office is a slap in the face and I have walked out of more than one deal when that happenned to me.
One can browse the new car inventory of each Mazda dealer online. That is how I located the exact car I wanted 98 miles away.
http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/vlStart.action?bhcp=1
Oh don't be silly. Why not make it a trillion-jillion dollars... because the customer would balk. It has to be almost-reasonable. It has to be an amount that a customer, who is already emotionally invested in the car, will swallow to get the deal done now.
Sales is psychology!
#1 How is it understandably?
#2 I checked a few dealerships (including the one that I think is the best name for a car dealership) and they all had new car inventories online. FWIW there is a website that lists all new and used cars in most, if not all, Chicago area dealerships.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
What would be the reaction if the customer hit back with a "customer fee" for the same amount? After all, the customer has had to invest time, effort and possibly some cash (time off from work?) to reach the point of sale.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
Good point Tidester...once again not just a handsome face.
How about a $300 fee for filling out all those forms. For your time as the salesman tries to figure out his computer programs. Maybe a gas fee for going home and coming back again. How about 50 bucks for filling out a satisfaction survey! How about 50 bucks for having to fend off the mop n glo lady, or the extra insurance?
How about a $100 nuisance charge for not telling me my car had run flat tires and since they cost about $500 each it would be wise to get insurance for $500 - after I have bought the car.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Richard, before the day is over I am going to do that. I can hardly wait!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Appearance fee=$189(What's this about? For the saleperson showing up?
Electronic fee=$25 for communicating on the internet(Yeah, that sure pumps up your overhead...)
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive