Since I found this chat site helpful in my research I thought I'd pass along info from my New Pas sat (Silver/Black, GLX, Auto, In-Dash DC) purchase experience in the St. Louts area.
I tried the mail contact route and out of the seven area dealers heard back from 4 of them with quotes. All of the quotes were around $500 below MSRP except for one who gave me a telephone quote about $1500 under. Surprise, surprise; he claimed a few days later he couldn't locate a car and there was no way to order it. I visited a fifth dealer in person who said MSRP was the best he could do. I told him I had been offered the car for $1500 less and the salesman didn't even counter offer. He said every Pas sat in the area is going at sticker and let me walk right out the door.
So the questions I have are:
1) Does location really affect price that much? (I have seen posts of prices averaging 4% over invoice or lower).
2) Is it really that hard for a dealer to locate a particular car and are they not able to order one these days?
3) Am I just another sucker for accepting a deal way over invoice (the car is on order but apparently owed to the dealer who insists it will arrive within a month)?
Lastly, for any other St. Louts area Pas sat buyers, here's what I found. St. Charles gave me the lowball quote and then couldn't find the car. Dean Team Kirkwood told me "don't believe everything you read on the Internet" and said I am lucky to get the car at MSRP. I got an email quote from Suntrup but never spoke with anyone. Mid-America Motors called with a quote that was a little cheaper than the others and the guy seemed trustworthy. He kind of confirmed it would be hard to locate the car. I ended up buying (hopefully) from Auffenberg who surpassed the price by a little and actually seemed to want my business. If the car doesn't show up in a month I get my deposit back.
The wait continues. This car better be worth it...
1. Location can play a huge role in the supply/demand equation. I guess Passats are more popular there than was expected.
2. Again, location is the biggest factor. If dealers in the area are having trouble even keeping cars in-stock, it can become very difficult to find particular cars. It would be interesting to see how your luck would have been if you were more flexible on colors, and selected an in-stock unit.
3. Well, that's a personal opinion. MY personal opinion is that you may have rushed it a little bit. It seems that instead of being happy and looking forward to your new car, you're uncertain about it. I would advise anyone who is uncertain to wait.
Hopefully, the car meets or surpasses your expectations. Good luck!
If you are concerned about the deal you have entered into I would continue to shop around. If you find a better deal, I would use it to renegotiate with your current dealer or I would walk away to the better deal.
You should explore this issue of supply and demand a bit more: Are you looking for an odd combo? Do your local dealers actually have very few Passats on their lots? If you have answered "yes" to either of the above questions, then, unfortunately, you are not in a very strong position.
But, if you are flexible and if you expand out your search, I think that you will find more realistic dealers. I *would* believe most of what you read about low Passat prices in these forums. And, I would insist on bringing up these reasonable prices in your negotiations.
After all, even if there happens to be minor supply-demand hiccup in your neck of the woods at this time, the fact that Passats are going at reasonable prices (nearer to invoice) in many other parts of the country, indicates that prices can and/or will come down if you negotiate more forcefully, or just wait a bit (a few weeks even).
I also live in St. Louis and have had the same problems with the local dealers. They do not want to move much from the MSRP. Many are even marking up the price. I've seen some with a 1500.00 "Market Adjustment" not to mention the 1500.00 or so for pin striping and paint & fabric protection.
What I don't understand is that every lot has a good supply. I live by Sunthrup in S County. I have been on the lot a few times a week since the Auto Show, and they are not moving. They are getting more in weekly and I don't see many going out. I would say one or two a week sold (on a good week), with about 3 or 4 coming in. If you talk to a sales rep, they say they can't keep the Passat in stock and try to move you to a Maxima, which they will discount.
I have been to 5 dealers and they all have 15+ in stock. I am still in the process of selling my car, but once sold, I plan on searching KC, Indy, Chicago, and small towns within that circle. Has anyone had much luck in any of those area's?
I guess that is a lot. Your price should definitely reflect how many miles are on it. Is the car Certified? If it has the Certified warranty on it, that means its been pretty exhaustively checked for problems. It would also mean that your car is covered out to 89K miles. That's a lot of miles to still have your car be under warranty. Like anything else, its only good enough if the price is good enough.
Look, I really love the new Passat. In fact, I will probably buy one. VW Guilds post about this being the best time to buy is a serious joke. Fact is, the car dealers(all not just VW) are scared sh$%less. This time of year sales are usually a little slow so they are hoping it will pick up. A few months from now they are going to KNOW that they are having a bad year. Yeah there are a lot of Passats on the lots right now, but the fact is that the price of a new car never goes anywhere but down. This whole business about the Passat being the named the best by consumers and the other publications is nothing new. Its been a top pick for years. The car dealers are all way more optomistic about the economy in the coming months than people like Greenspan. Anyone who thinks they should be in a rush to capitalize on a short term "soft market" is a fool. Financing rates are ticking down right along with the prices. My only problem is that I hate haggling with old sales hacks and the VW dealers around me seem to be full of them.
I'm confused about the price of the automatic transmission for the new GLX Passat Wagons. The Edmunds site lists it as standard equipment, but the dealers are quoting it as an option. Now the only difference I can see is that I'm asking for quotes on a wagon and the information is coming from the sedan site information because the new wagon information isn't up yet. Any ideas out there? I've been given a quote of $31,300 for a silver/black leather GLX with 5 speed auto Triptronic. I welcome any ideas on whether that sounds good. It's so hard because the wagons are really just rolling in and many places (like Edmund's don't have the wagon info update.)
I am now part of the VW Passat family! I just purchased a 2001.5 Passat with the leather and luxury packages with a Monsoon stereo system. The whole package cost me $24,500 which included the destination charge and all other dealer fees. I should note that this car did come with nearly 500 miles because it was a dealer demo car. I'm glad I found this deal because the other dealers I had worked with were not willing to budge much from MSRP.
For those of you shopping for an "old" 2001 Passat, I had previously negotiated a $23,300 price for the car with luxury, leather and Monsoon. I'm not sure if you can get that low of a price because I've heard that the factory-dealer incentive has dropped to only $1000 from $1500.
Good luck to all you potential Passat buyers. I hope more people will post their prices.
I just drove the 2001.5 1.8T manual last night and must say...SWEEET! I was amazed at the power that car had.
What do you think of the radio controls? I thought they felt cheap and felt like I had to push the buttons harder. I also thought the Monsoon system sucked. My radio in my 93 Grand Am sounds better than that. Also, do others feel like the seat back's cushioning is a different. It felt like the lumbar support came up to just below my shoulder blades. Maybe the next time I take another test drive, I'll have to play around with the adjustments a little more.
Other than those few things, the car felt really comfortable. I didn't have to fumble for anything. Everything seemed to be in just the right spot. AND I got quite a few looks also!
The salesman is getting back to me today about whether he can find the one I want. Hopefully he'll say they'll be getting one in a few weeks because that will be the perfect time for me to buy then.
Oh, one other thing, do dealers have a lot of Passats without the sunroof?
I beg to differ with your perception of Passat buyers. We are typically a 2-car family, but have just one car right now and it has proven to be a nightmare--coordinating all of our schedules around one car. We looked at the Passat 4-Motion because we like the tiptronic (to merge onto the beltway and I-66), we like the looks of the car, and we liked the idea of 4WD, without buying an SUV.
Just to let you know--at least if Fairfax VW hasn't changed its strategy of not budging off of MSRP--you are probably losing a lot of potential sales to Stohlmans and Farrish--from whom I have gotten offers of $500 over invoice.
No, the MSRP pricing went out the window about 2 weeks after we got the new Passats. VW gave us enough cars that we didn't have to try to stay up there. In-stock Passats are going for about 300-500 over invoice, except for rare combinations.
Anyone looking for Passat Wagons: I just submitted two orders for wagons to VW, and they got rejected because 2001 production is already closed. This means that the wagons that are on the ground and on the way are all that there is going to be until the 2002's get here.
Jason, Are you a dealer? If so, is edmunds invoice price ($27187) for a GLX automatic correct? Also, does invoice price change by location (i.e. San Diego Ca vs Miami FL)? I live in San Diego and I would like to offer $27500+dest.+tx+lc....is this reasonable?
I actually got $26,816 for the GLX sedan (with port prep and floorplan incl.). Some dealers may have an advertising charge for their area as well. This should make your offer feasible, however much depends on their stock and demand levels. You will always get a much better price if you select a car from dealer stock, and if you're flexible on colors.
I'm looking at a GLS 1.8T Manual with Cold Weather Package, Monsoon & Homelink. Invoice w/DC is 21029. Is $21239 a reasonable offer (not including TT&L)?
Response to Post #766 My interest is in the GLX auto, w/tip, 2001.5 Regarding your all inclusive invoice price of $27,854 ($27,304 w/o the $550 destin.), why is edmund's invoice price ($27187 w/o destin.) off by $117? Is this difference due to those port, ad, floorplan etc costs? I don't want to sound like a penny pincher but with those $117 bucks you can almost buy a 6cd changer for the car. So, by using edmunds invoice of $27187 (w/o destination) and considering my offer of $27500 (w/o destin.), the dealer makes $313 profit. Also, are there any dealer incentives on this new passat?
The difference of $117 is $92 FloorPlan Interest Reserve & $25 Port Prep. These fees Have to be paid...they are not elective...just like you have to pay all of the fees, etc., on your cable bill or phone bill.
So the Dealer does not make $313, that deal is $196 like I said before. I would not sell you that car for what you are offering. That would be gross profit of .0007%. I'll hold onto it for another customer, but thanks for stopping by.
They always say "thanks for stopping by" until you get one foot out the door and then they beg you to stay or start calling you on evenings to try and get you back down to the dealer. Stick to your guns and you'll do OK. Remember the VW lots are full of a lot more Passats than customers right now. Listening to VWGUILD rationalize how you should spend your money is hilarious.
I don't believe that I advised anyone how to spend their money...If you go back to our friends original post he asked if anyone felt that his offer would be accepted...I simply told him that I would not and, why...
If he comes in contact with a dealer that will take $196 over invoice...on that car, then good for him...I just would not be that guy...that's all; no hard feelings...and remember, we're not talking about buying an Exploader...
I just worked out a deal on a 2001.5 gls passat 4cyl auto w/ auto, monsoon and luxury package for $23100. I have a 2000 Mercury Mountaineer as a Trade in W/ 7200 miles and in excellent condition. Kbb has the Mountaineer valued at $23000. The dealer returned with a trade in value of 17500 using Galves Wholesale pricing index. This shot down the deal as I walked out of the dealership. My question is which trade in value is correct and or is the dealer trying to manipulate my truck against the negotiated invoice price of the passat.
You can't get retail for your truck off a vehicle that your buying at invoice.Try to see if you can sell it yourself.Might take you a few months and you can get the best of two worlds.
Just ran manheim auction reports and average value is 17600 for v-6 and 18400 for v-8. Average miles are from 16000 - 24000 miles. The black-book is at 17800 with 18000 - 24000 miles. They are right on their numbers.I would still however shop around alittle.You may pick up an extra 300-500 dollars for your trade.
Hi to all ... I live in Charlotte,NC. Looking forward to buy 2001.5 4Dr Sedan Auto 4Cyl Passat. Since iam new to this country, and to buying cars here... Would like to have ur opinions about the pricing for this car. What do u guys think i should be paying for the above car configuration ?? Also, how much should i pay for the above configuration along with Leather, Luxury, Monsoon and Homelink packages ?? Also, can u advise where/which is the best dealer to go to to get the best pricing/service ??? I am just about a week away to get this car... So, would appreciate any kind of response ...
hi guys, long time reader of all these sites but finally ready to buy (2001.5 GLX auto anthr w/black) i am getting a quote of $750 over invoice (27,929 w/ three fee already added) for a total of $28,679 before taxes and such and the cd changer installed for $375 ("my cost price" Any thoughts? Could i get a much better deal? Thanks!!!! Sam
If this is exactly the GLX that you have been looking for, if you have been treated well, and most important, if You feel comfortable...then that is the most one can ask.
Can you grind out another $50-$100? Maybe...but to what end?
My *internal cost*, what I would pay, on the changer with nuts, bolts, and screws is now $359.00; so $375 installed is nice...
Go enjoy your new Passat; no one here is going to write that check for you
Hello! First time writer. After much running around and haggling with several dealerships in the NC area, I finally purchased a black on black GLX with tip and 6 cd changer. I must admit I wasn't too impressed with any of the dealers. The original salesman nearest my home was nice enough and gave me the test drive. However, I was torn between the Avalon and the Passat. When I decided to go with the Pas sat I went to see him armed with edmunds, consumer reports, etc. The salesman immediately grew condescending and told me how the publications, internet, etc was all wrong. He actually got pretty beligerant. So I left. Went to another dealer. Told me the best he could do was 29,911. Kept going. Another 28,800 but we would talk about the cd when I got there. Told him I could get the car for 28,500. He yelled he was not going to give a black on black away. So I went to my 28,500 guy and bought the car ad and all. Only problem is I think there may be some distortion in the windshield on the passenger side and the front passenger window does not go down all the way (about 1" left up towards back of door). I hope when I go to the local dealer for warranty service there aren't any problems. I feel my 28,500 was a good price. All I had left was tax and tags. Thanks for all the good reading.
All VW dealers, per their Dealer Agreement, will replace the windshield under warranty.
However; depending upon the dealership, when, might be the question. Most dealerships will not break your eggs if you buy at another store out of the area, but the world being what it is, others will. Bottom line...the Service Manager really is basically indifferent; his job is to make you a happy service customer. The bad vibes are generated from the Sales Dept., and most of their grievance will be with the Sales Rep. or Manager that let you leave.
To add a tangential observation...With all of the research that you did, why did you not try to contact the Dealership on line and negotiate with an individual that was on the same page as you?
As an Internet Sales Manager, I am always puzzled by this course of action. To do all of your *homework* and research and then walk into an Automobile Dealership only to deal with a *line* sales person that may have been there for a week or a month...well, I just do not understand. Why would one not close the circle on the same course that one started with?
I would really appreciate any feedback you might be inclined to provide. Thanking you, in advance..
rfh2, I live in the triangle area of North Carolina and am looking to buy a 2001.5 GLX manual with in-dash CD. The 28,500 with tip and cd-changer is a reasonable price. Can you please provide me with the name of your dealer? Thanks Dave
Does it cost my dealer anything to locate and acquire a Passat for me? Obviously, he wants to sell me one on the lot but my car isn't out there. Is the holdback forfeited, split with the other dealer, or in some other way reduced? Thanks.
From my experience, I can tell you why I did not close the deal with the internet sales manager. The most important being that I usually did not get a response from the ISM and when I did, it was days later. Most of the ISM's I dealt with were not very responsive and they seem to lack a sense of urgency when dealing with the customer. Other times, they lack the competence--literally. I had one guy repeatedly send me the same form letter/introduction asking me for the same information over and over. I finally gave up.
Secondly, at some point you have to drive the car and make physical contact with it. I don't think it is fair to the floor salesman if I spend a couple of hours with him walking the floor, the lot, driving the car, and asking him the same questions he gets asked day in and day out and then turn around and close the deal with the ISM.
Third, I would often go to the VW.com website so that I could e-mail the ISM but would find some itty-bitty link to a generic 'e-mail' (not "e-mail the ISM") like "SmithVW.com" and think to myself, 'well that sounds pretty generic, I wonder if they even have an ISM and if they do, is he/she actually going to get my e-mail or is the receptionist going to read it then delete it?'. This one may not be well founded, but I'm just saying that was deterrant. I think the sites need to have a link that specifically says 'e-mail the internet sales manager for a quote' or something to that effect.
Finally, alot of people don't even know what an ISM or that the dealership even has one.
Thanks for taking the time to respond to my query.
I guess it is still a new concept, and one that most dealers are not overly enthusiastic about, at least for now.
I am fortunate to have the full endorsement of the owners who have invested thousands of dollars in making our site what it is within the confines of the VW/Cobalt format.
Phil Teves and the gang at ScottVW in Rhode Island developed and run their own; it is truly great, and it is obvious that countless hours & dollars have been invested their as well.
It is simply good business to check out what the competition is doing so I surf around out here and find basically what you have...very generic stuff.
However; at VW.COM there is a *Dealer Locator* drop down that now allows the customer to enter their zip code and get their closest dealer & their website...click on the name and you go right to it. Email that originates from our website goes to both my office and here to my house so that I can answer mail within a very brief period of time seven days a week.
As to test drives, you are right again, although this is something I routinely do meself...
guys, what r the three fees we have to pay while buying a Passat ??
Apart from the car price, 3% tax, registration fee, what r the other charges we have to pay ???
Also, would like to know if any one has bought a Passat GLS 4Dr Auto 4Cyl from any of the dealers in Charlotte, NC and from which dealer. Or probably the name of a good dealer here....
All VW Dealers...coast to coast are billed for the following: Port Prep...$25.00 FloorPlan Interest Reserve...$92.00
There may, or may not be regional Advertising Fees. Typically, $75-$100. These Ad fees are much more common in large, urban areas. And non- existent in more suburban areas.
The above two configurations are approx the same cost (to my knowledge)... Which one do u recommend for my needs... Iam not a speed freak or anything like that... I just want it for normal day to day needs along with long distance travelling.... So which of the above two configurations do u think is good...
Also, is there a special tax for a 6Cyl car ??? (like Gas guzzler tax) ???
It's been my shopping experience that many dealers are not set up to respond quickly via email or the web. A lot of inquiries have resulted in either no response or a response days or weeks later. I hope it will improve, many customers now prefer corresponding electronically.
I admire Scottvw's site and what they've done.I wish there was a local dealer here (sfo bay area) set up like that. I'd love to see a local dealer that would provide good pre and after sales support, technical help, questions answered etc electronically via websites. I'd also like to see the dealer embrace rather than reject aftermarket customization and modification products. I feel there could be a sucessful business model for that if they only sold well engineered product lines and did all installations.
There are a lot of competitive cars in any market segment. I feel that good customer service and dealer relations have value and that many people are willing to pay for it by doing business with the company and dealer who provide it. Especially when you reach into the near luxury segment as the Passat is now doing. As a new Passat buyer if I could choose an option of paying an extra 1k or so and getting a 4/50 warranty and Lexus like service I'd do it. I imagine many others would as well. While I understand the warranty is likely to change sometime in the next year or two I doubt that Luxus or Saturn type customer relations are likely to happen anytime soon:) Sure would be nice though.
I would probably be comfortable recommending Carolina VW on E. Independence Blvd. Although I love Ashville...Neither Deal of Ashville nor VW South on South Blvd. have bothered to certify any of their sales or service staff in 2000...not a good sign.
Most of the Sales, Service, and Parts people at Carolina are Certified in their area of expertise...a good thing. More Later...
Well, it seems that, at least from a superficial, quick look, Carolina has taken at least a bit of effort on their site...VW South is pretty weak, and Deal has done absolutely nothing with theirs.
Try clicking on CarolinaVW.com and the others for your own impression. VW.COM click on the *Locator*, put in the zip code 28212 and see for yourself.
Your next move should be to call them and ask for the name of the Internet Sales Manager and his Ext. & email address...Tell him, I saw no females on the staff, just so that everyone knows that I am trying to be politically correct, what you want and what you know and hopefully they will be able to put it together for you...
You stated "VW moves to expand it's Warranty coverage next year to a 4/50 or whatever." Will this be the 2002 models? If so, do you have any idea when one could get a 2002?
I'm in the market to purchase a Passat by the end of April but if the 2002's will have a longer warranty I may be willing to wait if I can get the car in June/early July.
At this point in time the concensus is that the warranty package is going to change, but no one knows exactly what the exact configuration will be...4/50, 4/48, 3/36. The fact of the matter is that it will cost money, and those additional dollars will be reflected in the price of the car.
If you are looking to buy next month and you want a longer waranty than is standard today; for $695- $895 you can get a B2B extension from 4/48 to 5/72 today with VW Masterguard, and you will still get the existing 10/100 powertrain which stands more than a fair chance of disappearing with the new warranty structure.
Is the B2B extension really worth it? I've heard a lot of conflicting stories on whether one should purchase an extended warranty. My husband bought one on his last vehicle and would have been better off throwing the $1000 out the window because it never covered anything that went wrong.
What are some of your personal experiences with it? Part of it does come down to personal choice...safe vs. sorry...but would like to know what other's experience(s) have been?
Comments
I tried the mail contact route and out of the seven area dealers heard back from 4 of them with quotes. All of the quotes were around $500 below MSRP except for one who gave me a telephone quote about $1500 under. Surprise, surprise; he claimed a few days later he couldn't locate a car and there was no way to order it. I visited a fifth dealer in person who said MSRP was the best he could do. I told him I had been offered the car for $1500 less and the salesman didn't even counter offer. He said every Pas sat in the area is going at sticker and let me walk right out the door.
So the questions I have are:
1) Does location really affect price that much? (I have seen posts of prices averaging 4% over invoice or lower).
2) Is it really that hard for a dealer to locate a particular car and are they not able to order one these days?
3) Am I just another sucker for accepting a deal way over invoice (the car is on order but apparently owed to the dealer who insists it will arrive within a month)?
Lastly, for any other St. Louts area Pas sat buyers, here's what I found. St. Charles gave me the lowball quote and then couldn't find the car. Dean Team Kirkwood told me "don't believe everything you read on the Internet" and said I am lucky to get the car at MSRP. I got an email quote from Suntrup but never spoke with anyone. Mid-America Motors called with a quote that was a little cheaper than the others and the guy seemed trustworthy. He kind of confirmed it would be hard to locate the car. I ended up buying (hopefully) from Auffenberg who surpassed the price by a little and actually seemed to want my business. If the car doesn't show up in a month I get my deposit back.
The wait continues. This car better be worth it...
2. Again, location is the biggest factor. If dealers in the area are having trouble even keeping cars in-stock, it can become very difficult to find particular cars. It would be interesting to see how your luck would have been if you were more flexible on colors, and selected an in-stock unit.
3. Well, that's a personal opinion. MY personal opinion is that you may have rushed it a little bit. It seems that instead of being happy and looking forward to your new car, you're uncertain about it. I would advise anyone who is uncertain to wait.
Hopefully, the car meets or surpasses your expectations. Good luck!
Jason
You should explore this issue of supply and demand a bit more:
Are you looking for an odd combo?
Do your local dealers actually have very few Passats on their lots?
If you have answered "yes" to either of the above questions, then, unfortunately, you are not in a very strong position.
But, if you are flexible and if you expand out your search, I think that you will find more realistic dealers. I *would* believe most of what you read about low Passat prices in these forums. And, I would insist on bringing up these reasonable prices in your negotiations.
After all, even if there happens to be minor supply-demand hiccup in your neck of the woods at this time, the fact that Passats are going at reasonable prices (nearer to invoice) in many other parts of the country, indicates that prices can and/or will come down if you negotiate more forcefully, or just wait a bit (a few weeks even).
What I don't understand is that every lot has a good supply. I live by Sunthrup in S County. I have been on the lot a few times a week since the Auto Show, and they are not moving. They are getting more in weekly and I don't see many going out. I would say one or two a week sold (on a good week), with about 3 or 4 coming in. If you talk to a sales rep, they say they can't keep the Passat in stock and try to move you to a Maxima, which they will discount.
I have been to 5 dealers and they all have 15+ in stock. I am still in the process of selling my car, but once sold, I plan on searching KC, Indy, Chicago, and small towns within that circle. Has anyone had much luck in any of those area's?
Is the car Certified? If it has the Certified warranty on it, that means its been pretty exhaustively checked for problems. It would also mean that your car is covered out to 89K miles. That's a lot of miles to still have your car be under warranty.
Like anything else, its only good enough if the price is good enough.
Jason
I really love the new Passat. In fact, I will probably buy one. VW Guilds post about this being the best time to buy is a serious joke. Fact is, the car dealers(all not just VW) are scared sh$%less. This time of year sales are usually a little slow so they are hoping it will pick up. A few months from now they are going to KNOW that they are having a bad year. Yeah there are a lot of Passats on the lots right now, but the fact is that the price of a new car never goes anywhere but down. This whole business about the Passat being the named the best by consumers and the other publications is nothing new. Its been a top pick for years. The car dealers are all way more optomistic about the economy in the coming months than people like Greenspan. Anyone who thinks they should be in a rush to capitalize on a short term "soft market" is a fool. Financing rates are ticking down right along with the prices. My only problem is that I hate haggling with old sales hacks and the VW dealers around me seem to be full of them.
included...
For those of you shopping for an "old" 2001 Passat, I had previously negotiated a $23,300 price for the car with luxury, leather and Monsoon. I'm not sure if you can get that low of a price because I've heard that the factory-dealer incentive has dropped to only $1000 from $1500.
Good luck to all you potential Passat buyers. I hope more people will post their prices.
What do you think of the radio controls? I thought they felt cheap and felt like I had to push the buttons harder. I also thought the Monsoon system sucked. My radio in my 93 Grand Am sounds better than that. Also, do others feel like the seat back's cushioning is a different. It felt like the lumbar support came up to just below my shoulder blades. Maybe the next time I take another test drive, I'll have to play around with the adjustments a little more.
Other than those few things, the car felt really comfortable. I didn't have to fumble for anything. Everything seemed to be in just the right spot. AND I got quite a few looks also!
The salesman is getting back to me today about whether he can find the one I want. Hopefully he'll say they'll be getting one in a few weeks because that will be the perfect time for me to buy then.
Oh, one other thing, do dealers have a lot of Passats without the sunroof?
I beg to differ with your perception of Passat buyers. We are typically a 2-car family, but have just one car right now and it has proven to be a nightmare--coordinating all of our schedules around one car. We looked at the Passat 4-Motion because we like the tiptronic (to merge onto the beltway and I-66), we like the looks of the car, and we liked the idea of 4WD, without buying an SUV.
Just to let you know--at least if Fairfax VW hasn't changed its strategy of not budging off of MSRP--you are probably losing a lot of potential sales to Stohlmans and Farrish--from whom I have gotten offers of $500 over invoice.
Anyone looking for Passat Wagons: I just submitted two orders for wagons to VW, and they got rejected because 2001 production is already closed. This means that the wagons that are on the ground and on the way are all that there is going to be until the 2002's get here.
Jason
Are you a dealer? If so, is edmunds invoice price ($27187) for a GLX automatic correct? Also, does invoice price change by location (i.e. San Diego Ca vs Miami FL)? I live in San Diego and I would like to offer $27500+dest.+tx+lc....is this reasonable?
Thanks
This does not include any Area Ad Fees..$25, $50,
or $100 or none...
$196 over Invoice might not be very well received.
3% over is $835.62
This should make your offer feasible, however much depends on their stock and demand levels.
You will always get a much better price if you select a car from dealer stock, and if you're flexible on colors.
Jason
My interest is in the GLX auto, w/tip, 2001.5
Regarding your all inclusive invoice price of $27,854 ($27,304 w/o the $550 destin.), why is edmund's invoice price ($27187 w/o destin.) off by $117? Is this difference due to those port, ad, floorplan etc costs? I don't want to sound like a penny pincher but with those $117 bucks you can almost buy a 6cd changer for the car. So, by using edmunds invoice of $27187 (w/o destination) and considering my offer of $27500 (w/o destin.), the dealer makes $313 profit. Also, are there any dealer incentives on this new passat?
Reserve & $25 Port Prep. These fees Have to be paid...they are not elective...just like you have to pay all of the fees, etc., on your cable bill
or phone bill.
So the Dealer does not make $313, that deal is $196 like I said before. I would not sell you that car for what you are offering. That would be
gross profit of .0007%. I'll hold onto it for another customer, but thanks for stopping by.
their money...If you go back to our friends original post he asked if anyone felt that his offer would be accepted...I simply told him that I would not and, why...
If he comes in contact with a dealer that will
take $196 over invoice...on that car, then good for him...I just would not be that guy...that's
all; no hard feelings...and remember, we're not
talking about buying an Exploader...
I live in Charlotte,NC. Looking forward to buy 2001.5 4Dr Sedan Auto 4Cyl Passat. Since iam new to this country, and to buying cars here... Would like to have ur opinions about the pricing for this car. What do u guys think i should be paying for the above car configuration ?? Also, how much should i pay for the above configuration along with Leather, Luxury, Monsoon and Homelink packages ??
Also, can u advise where/which is the best dealer to go to to get the best pricing/service ???
I am just about a week away to get this car... So, would appreciate any kind of response ...
Thanks...
Sam
If this is exactly the GLX that you have been looking for, if you have been treated well, and
most important, if You feel comfortable...then that is the most one can ask.
Can you grind out another $50-$100? Maybe...but to
what end?
My *internal cost*, what I would pay, on the changer with nuts, bolts, and screws is now $359.00; so $375 installed is nice...
Go enjoy your new Passat; no one here is going to write that check for you
replace the windshield under warranty.
However; depending upon the dealership, when, might be the question. Most dealerships will not
break your eggs if you buy at another store out
of the area, but the world being what it is, others will. Bottom line...the Service Manager
really is basically indifferent; his job is to make you a happy service customer. The bad vibes
are generated from the Sales Dept., and most of
their grievance will be with the Sales Rep. or
Manager that let you leave.
To add a tangential observation...With all of the
research that you did, why did you not try to
contact the Dealership on line and negotiate with
an individual that was on the same page as you?
As an Internet Sales Manager, I am always puzzled
by this course of action. To do all of your *homework* and research and then walk into an Automobile Dealership only to deal with a *line*
sales person that may have been there for a week
or a month...well, I just do not understand. Why
would one not close the circle on the same course
that one started with?
I would really appreciate any feedback you might
be inclined to provide. Thanking you, in advance..
Dave
Jason
Secondly, at some point you have to drive the car and make physical contact with it. I don't think it is fair to the floor salesman if I spend a couple of hours with him walking the floor, the lot, driving the car, and asking him the same questions he gets asked day in and day out and then turn around and close the deal with the ISM.
Third, I would often go to the VW.com website so that I could e-mail the ISM but would find some itty-bitty link to a generic 'e-mail' (not "e-mail the ISM") like "SmithVW.com" and think to myself, 'well that sounds pretty generic, I wonder if they even have an ISM and if they do, is he/she actually going to get my e-mail or is the receptionist going to read it then delete it?'. This one may not be well founded, but I'm just saying that was deterrant. I think the sites need to have a link that specifically says 'e-mail the internet sales manager for a quote' or something to that effect.
Finally, alot of people don't even know what an ISM or that the dealership even has one.
I guess it is still a new concept, and one that
most dealers are not overly enthusiastic about, at
least for now.
I am fortunate to have the full endorsement of the
owners who have invested thousands of dollars in
making our site what it is within the confines of
the VW/Cobalt format.
Phil Teves and the gang at ScottVW in Rhode Island
developed and run their own; it is truly great, and it is obvious that countless hours & dollars
have been invested their as well.
It is simply good business to check out what the
competition is doing so I surf around out here
and find basically what you have...very generic stuff.
However; at VW.COM there is a *Dealer Locator*
drop down that now allows the customer to enter
their zip code and get their closest dealer & their website...click on the name and you go right to it. Email that originates from our
website goes to both my office and here to my house so that I can answer mail within a very
brief period of time seven days a week.
As to test drives, you are right again, although
this is something I routinely do meself...
Once again...thanks for your input...PS
Apart from the car price, 3% tax, registration fee, what r the other charges we have to pay ???
Also, would like to know if any one has bought a Passat GLS 4Dr Auto 4Cyl from any of the dealers in Charlotte, NC and from which dealer. Or probably the name of a good dealer here....
the following:
Port Prep...$25.00
FloorPlan Interest Reserve...$92.00
There may, or may not be regional Advertising Fees. Typically, $75-$100. These Ad fees are much
more common in large, urban areas. And non- existent in more suburban areas.
which of the two options is good ...
Passat 4Dr 4Cyl Auto with Leather,Luxury,Monsoon
OR
Passat 4Dr 6Cyl Auto with no extra packages.
The above two configurations are approx the same cost (to my knowledge)... Which one do u recommend for my needs... Iam not a speed freak or anything like that... I just want it for normal day to day needs along with long distance travelling.... So which of the above two configurations do u think is good...
Also, is there a special tax for a 6Cyl car ??? (like Gas guzzler tax) ???
Thanx
I admire Scottvw's site and what they've done.I wish there was a local dealer here (sfo bay area) set up like that. I'd love to see a local dealer that would provide good pre and after sales support, technical help, questions answered etc electronically via websites. I'd also like to see the dealer embrace rather than reject aftermarket customization and modification products. I feel there could be a sucessful business model for that if they only sold well engineered product lines and did all installations.
There are a lot of competitive cars in any market segment. I feel that good customer service and dealer relations have value and that many people are willing to pay for it by doing business with the company and dealer who provide it. Especially when you reach into the near luxury segment as the Passat is now doing. As a new Passat buyer if I could choose an option of paying an extra 1k or so and getting a 4/50 warranty and Lexus like service I'd do it. I imagine many others would as well. While I understand the warranty is likely to change sometime in the next year or two I doubt that Luxus or Saturn type customer relations are likely to happen anytime soon:) Sure would be nice though.
Carolina VW on E. Independence Blvd. Although I
love Ashville...Neither Deal of Ashville nor VW South on
South Blvd. have bothered to certify any of their
sales or service staff in 2000...not a good sign.
Most of the Sales, Service, and Parts people at
Carolina are Certified in their area of expertise...a good thing. More Later...
quick look, Carolina has taken at least a bit of
effort on their site...VW South is pretty weak,
and Deal has done absolutely nothing with theirs.
Try clicking on CarolinaVW.com and the others for
your own impression. VW.COM click on the *Locator*, put in the zip code 28212 and see for
yourself.
Your next move should be to call them and ask for
the name of the Internet Sales Manager and his
Ext. & email address...Tell him, I saw no females
on the staff, just so that everyone knows that I am trying to be politically correct, what you want
and what you know and hopefully they will be able
to put it together for you...
Best of Luck...PS
I'm in the market to purchase a Passat by the end of April but if the 2002's will have a longer warranty I may be willing to wait if I can get the car in June/early July.
Thanks!
warranty package is going to change, but no one
knows exactly what the exact configuration will
be...4/50, 4/48, 3/36. The fact of the matter is
that it will cost money, and those additional
dollars will be reflected in the price of the car.
If you are looking to buy next month and you want
a longer waranty than is standard today; for $695-
$895 you can get a B2B extension from 4/48 to 5/72
today with VW Masterguard, and you will still get
the existing 10/100 powertrain which stands more
than a fair chance of disappearing with the new
warranty structure.
Hope this helps...Enjoy your new Passat!!!
What are some of your personal experiences with it? Part of it does come down to personal choice...safe vs. sorry...but would like to know what other's experience(s) have been?
Thanks!
details all the coverage...if not I would be more
than happy to mail you one...