Any Questions for a Car Dealer?

afty · February 2002

Um, there is a 5% sales tax in Mass, unless I got severely ripped off last time I bought a car...

nyccarguy · February 2002

I was mistaken! But my theory still holds up, If people from NY went to MA to buy a car they'd only have to pay 5% sales tax as opposed to 8.25% tax here in the city.

lancerfixer · February 2002

Nope. You pay sales tax in the state you're registering the car in, not the state you bought the car in. At least, that was the case when I bought my car in Colorado but registered it in Mass. (I was in the military at the time- I paid the sales tax to the registry; I notified the dealer I wasn't registering the car in CO and they took the sales tax off the bill of sale.)

Oh, and not only does the state (MA) hit you up for sales tax, but the town hits you up for property tax on the vehicle, too. New Hampshire has no sales tax, but you still pay a huge fee to the town you're registering the car in.

nyccarguy · February 2002

Thats what i said originally...

audia8q · February 2002

sales tax is charged in the location in which you register the car...If there was a way to avoid sales tax everyone would buy cars in New Hampshire where there is NO sales tax on auto's.

We had a guy who recently tried to scam the sales tax and ended up paying sales tax in two states...haha so much for trying to be a tax cheat.

lancerfixer · February 2002

Trust me, after seeing what the some towns charge for registration fees when I lived in NH (IIRC, new cars are $18 per thousand, one year old cars are $15 per thousand, etc.) I'd rather just pay the sales tax, thanks very much! Oh, that's an annual fee, too, not a one-time deal. When you've got no state income tax or sales tax, the revenue has to come from somewhere...

rroyce10 · February 2002

...... Well one of these day we will meet up .. and have a "fat daddy" New England cookout

Mmmmmm.

Terry.

im_brentwood · February 2002

Six of One, half dozen of another...

Sort of like Florida. No State Income tax.

But I pay sales tax on commerical leases, and I pay a lot of tolls, and and and....

They get they $$ one way or another

Bill

raybear · March 2002

I'll be in Florida in June. Traveling with my wife's family, or I'd make plans to meet you and Bill right now.

im_brentwood · March 2002

If you have my ##.. Call me when ya get down here (E-Mail me if you need it)

If all else, Lets grab some Beers and Zingers (yer in for a treat) At the Ale House!

Bill

ghulet · March 2002

......Not to bounce back to that subject, but I seem to remember my mom telling me that she paid both IN and IL tax when she bought her Camry new in '84 (yes, this is long ago, but I'm wondering if things have changed). We lived in IL, she bought the car in IN (our local Toyota dealer didn't have one she liked). I know now in Chicago, lots of dealers advertise 'you pay the tax for where you live, not from where you buy', since Chicago has insane taxes (on everything from beer to take-out food to soda).

steine13 · March 2002

This is what makes used-car buying so tricky. A decade or so ago, when I was a student, I used to buy clunkers in the $1k neighborhood. Oh man, the maroons I would meet in that line of work... a ten-year-old escort that they "knew" was worth $1800. A nicely kept 4cyl Caravan wiith 150k miles... too bad there was oil literally dripping out of the tail pipe. I politely point this out the the elderly gentleman owner, and he starts yelling at me like it's my fault. And so forth...

But at least these people didn't owe anyting on their cars.

Everybody "knows" that the best deal in cars is a 2- or 3-year-old one. Fine, so I think I should be able to buy a '99 Venture, say a lightly equipped shortbox LS, 50k miles or so, for $10k or less. Right? Any more and I'll just buy a new Odyssey. Now how would I go about this? The owners out there all owe $15k on the darned things, and they won't have the cash to get out from under. And the dealerships, at least in this area, are advertising the silly things for $14 or thereabouts, at which point I lose interest. Best deal my foot.

The point of this whole rant: I'm tired of all those self-proclaimed experts who tell you about saving $$ buying used. From CU to CNN and Money magazine and everyone else. It's a bunch of baloney unless you really know what you're doing and have time to invest. Having Bill and Terry helps, too...
Okay, I feel better now!

-Mathias

otoluva · March 2002

In addition to 5% sales tax in Mass,drivers pay an annual excise tax,something like $25 per thousand of the vehicle value,ya can't beat that....

bjfrank42 · March 2002

S.C. has a max of $300 sales tax on any vehicle. We do pay a yearly tax deductible excise tax. Runs between $50 and $300 on any car I've ever owned.

number42 · March 2002

Here (NYC) its 8.25% sales,(regardless of price) plus an extra $25 for registering to a NYC resident.

cyberfire12 · March 2002

Sorry if this topic has been covered before.

How is your inventory determined, i.e. the mix of vehicles, options, colors etc. ?

Does the manuf require you to take certain product or is it based on your market?

just curious about this aspect of the business.

thanks

sonjaab · March 2002

Kids erased your response to the
salesmans name at the Buick store
on taft rd ! Woman don't like the
Deville we had all week ! She is
iffy on the CTS we have for the
weekend ! So it will prob. be a
new Lesabre for us. Can't forget
to get ya the $50 bird dog fee if
we buy there !........Geo
sonjaab@aol.com

cyberfire12 · March 2002

I'm thinking of a new Century for myself with the $2502 rebates. Went window shopping today and saw a couple. Have to see what $ they want.

I'll email you the name again if you want it.

twistinmelon · March 2002

I have a friend with a pretty low FICO (544). (Medical problems (now resolved) led to this.) She is interested in buying a new car within her price range.

Is there any chance of her getting any financing at a Ford/Dodge dealership, or is she doomed to the "buy here, pay here" world?

Thanks for the advice.

twist

rroyce10 · March 2002

..... Not knowing the whole story, and assuming that most, if not all of the problems are handled now.
I would say that with a healthy down payment, some good time on a job .. there shouldn't be much problem.

The days of "perfect" credit ..and walking on water, have been over now for the last 3/4 years.

Most lending institutions, credit unions -- even Mortgage co's, are looking for the folks that have had some problems. Their rates might be a little higher and their down payment will be more, but it is done everyday.

Not too long ago .. if a person had some hick-ups or some major damage to their credit it was just about IMPOSSIBLE .. Now it's welcomed.

Good luck ...

Terry.

qwalls · March 2002

Bill, Terry, and anyone else who would like to respond, I have a question for you. Let's say you're looking at a 10 year old luxury car, Lexus LS400, BMW 7 series, Mercedes S class. Would you even consider buying one that had been completely repainted if it wasn't due to an accident? How much less would it be worth compared to a 10 year old unpainted car with the normal dings you'd expect on a 10 year old car? Is there a point agewise where a repaint really doesn't matter if it's done well?

Thanks,
Quentin

im_brentwood · March 2002

Depends on the car really and how well the work was done.

I'm not afraid of the car at all really. I buy a lot of older highline cars, and, if they are from Florida, they are very likely to have been repainted.

I just sold a Gorgeous 1990 560SEL, and it wasnt a total repaint, but it had a bunch of paintwork. Car had never been hit. Hmm.. I mean, I wont step up all the way on one, but down here its common. Heck, I see a lot of 4 year old cars with burned clear coat here. The heat and humidity in Florida are murder on paint.. and headliners... 95, 96, 97 Jags? They almost always need new headliners down here. The heat and humidity kill them.

So I guess, to me, its a matter of A) Has it been hit (If it has I dont want it) and

Was it done really well? If A and B are Kosher..I'd back off $500+/- or so.. Its more of a judgement call really.

Bill

qwalls · March 2002

If you're wondering why I asked, I'm thinking in 5-10 years, if the Lexus is still in good shape and running well (I love that v8!) It may make sense to spend $5k or so on a *good* paint job instead of buying a new car. Just thinking at this point.

Thanks,
Q

suv18 · March 2002

Can anyone tell me what the dealer profit is on manufacturer's extended warranties? I am thinking of buying the GM extended warranty on an Envoy for 5 years/100,000 miles and the dealer is quoting about $2300. I have read that dealers can make up to $2000 profit on a sale like this. Is that possible?

rroyce10 · March 2002

.... Bill's right. If properly done, and you don't get that $189 Maaco special, on a older vehicle .. sometimes it can even increase the value ..

I just bought a 92 Toyota 4runner SR5 V6, with 89k. All the service records, brand new tires with the nubs still on ..It's a re-paint (red) -- it looks new, it drives new ..and I'm sure the guy spent a little more than $189 to get it painted. ..l..o..l.. And I'm sure I spent more than average book to get it (ouch) but, it's worth it.

Terry.

rroyce10 · March 2002

...... If it is, I'm going to get that new Magnum tommorow. .l.o.l.

There is a profit to the dealer on these, but not even close, to what you might have been told.. most states consider these as Ins policies and there is not a discount allowed.

Terry.

im_brentwood · March 2002

What did she do?

Saw a 155K 94 do past CleanBook (As usual) at Imperial...

Bill

CarMan@Edmunds · March 2002

Hi suv18. This looks like a great question for the Finance, Warranty, and Insurance Message Board. However, since you asked it here, I will provide you with my thoughts on this subject now. A previous poster stated "most states consider these as Ins policies and there is not a discount allowed." Although it is true that certain states do not allow the prices of extended warranties to be negotiated, I certainly think that the prices of these policies can in fact be negotiated in the majority of states. You should always make an effort to negotiate the prices of extended warranties. These policies often have hundreds of dollars of dealer mark-up in them. Remember that you do not necessarily have to purchase your extended warranty from the dealership that you bought your vehicle at or the dealership where you plan to have it serviced. An official GM extended warranty can be used at any General Motors dealership, not just the one that you purchased it from. So shop around a little bit, either on the telephone, via the 'net, or in person, if the dealership that you are working with is not willing to lower their price on the extended warranty. If the prices of this sort of contract are indeed nonnegotiable in your state, it will be apparent quickly enough once you start shopping around. For more information on this particular subject, here is a link to an interesting article that is available here at Edmunds.com: Extended Warranties: Extending The Joys Of Ownership.

Car_man
Host
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tgif888 · March 2002

Let's say if I walked in with a pre-approval loan from the manufacture captive finance company (American Honda Finance, Toyota Finance, etc). Will you guys as a dealer try to convince me to change my loan to another loan company?

JPham · March 2002

Quick question: does anyone know whether or not Infinity-USA dealers are all tied into the same service database such that any dealer will be able to call up a car's maintenance history (like Lexus) ??

JP

audia8q · March 2002

Of course they will try to offer you financing...what if they give yo a better rate? your not foolish enough to fall for that are you?..haha It's good to have your financing in place but if a better offer is available at the dealership it might be worth your while to listen...

jpham.....no, unless they have an Infiniti franchise they do not have direct access to the infiniti system...If they have Nissan, they "might" be able to pull info. Also, if they did not use the dealer's service department for routine maintance it will not be in their system...so if the guy did his oil changes at jiffy lube it will not be in the Infiniti system

livy1 · March 2002

Here's my dilemma. Don't want criticism, just an honest answer (because I know I should have known better). Just bought a 2002 windstar in October. Took it home for a day and a half and it seemed great. Purchased it. Now after hauling kids day after day, and taking trips, my shoulders and back are very sore all the time. The seats are the most uncomfortable I've ever been in. Question: Is it better to bite the bullet and keep it for at least a year or two, or to trade it in now? It has approx. 5000 miles on it and is in great condition. How much do brand new vehicles depreciate in the first year?

sesp19 · March 2002

I'm not a car dealer, but don't you think you might be able to find a solution to this problem without getting rid of the car? Why not visit a Relax the Back store, or try out a lumbar pillow or one of those beaded seat covers like taxi drivers sometimes have. Perhaps a lumbar pillow in combination with reclining the seat a bit, or simply fiddling around with the adjustments might help?

I actually don't think this is your fault at all...I mean with body aches, you have no idea after a test drive what the seat is going to feel like after two hours in the car. But I do think there is a solution out there which is much more financially sound than trading in a brand new car.

I hope you figure this out!

isellhondas · March 2002

I can't think of too many cars that depreciate faster than a Windstar....sorry.

I would pay attention to the last post. There could be a much cheaper solution!

Good Luck!

ctic · March 2002

Worse comes to worse, maybe you can even get a replacement car seat such as Reccaro for it.

livy1 · March 2002

Thanks for the good advice. After reading my post I guess I did sound a little rash. I am also trying to recover from going from an suv to a family truckster. Never heard of a relax the back store, but will check around. By the way, how fast DO windstars depreciate?

afk_x · March 2002

Is probably worth about 8-9K less than what invoice would be on a similar vehicle.

kkollwitz · March 2002

When I bought our 99 Venture, it was just what our family needed, no more & no less. The base seats were not kind to my lower back, however. A Relax-the-Back $25 lumbar support took care of the problem. Years ago I had similar trouble with the base seats in my Mustang. I fixed that by putting a child's pillow inside the seatback.

nyccarguy · March 2002

I have a friend here in the office who is currently leasing a 1999 Nissan Altima. He wants to buy the car outright. His lease expires in August. Can he negotiate the buyout? There are some things that need to be done to the car (Brakes) that the dealer would probably do if they were going to turn the car around at the end of his lease. Should the dealer pick up some of the cost of the maintenance (I'm sure they don't have to)? Should they at least detail the car for him? Thanks for your help out there!

nyccarguy · March 2002

The car is a 1999 Nissan Altima GXE with 25,000 miles. The car is Beige.

landru2 · March 2002

Whether buyouts are negotiable seems to depend on the locale and the particular lease company. In my neck of the woods buyouts are not negotiable at all.

Will the dealer pay to fix or clean your friend's car? No. The lease is between your friend and the leasing company, not the dealership.

geok991 · March 2002

When you turn in a leased car the financial company then owns the car. They have to pay for trucking and somtimes servicing the vehicle before they can dispose of it.
Most of the time they will knock off a few hundred dollars if you buy it from them.
Call the finance company a week before the due date and talk it over. Good luck.

rroyce10 · March 2002

....... Call the leasing Co. -- not the dealer. The dealer is there to make money ..if they can't make some "cake" on your deal, there not interested.

Make sure you get in touch with a Regional or district leasing Mgr ... and negotiate with them, not the person that answers the phone in customer relations. Those nice folks sit in front of a screen all day ..and they have no "horsepower" for decisions.

Sometimes there is a lot of wiggle room ..and sometimes there is a little or none. It depends on all sorts of variables. Your initial approach, the attitude of the person you have talked with ..and sometimes, it has to be done with more than 1 call, perhaps to a different decision maker ... if you don't (push) ask, you don't get ..

Good luck..

Terry.

nyccarguy · March 2002

I told him to keep calling until he gets someone who has the authority to do what he wants. Thanks for all your help!

sergeym · March 2002

Here is my story. I agreed on a lease price for a black 2002 BMW 540ia Sport and signed the purchase order. The sales person mention my negative ($1500) value on that order but did not include it in the lease amount. We agree that I will come up with additional $1500 at delivery. So far so good. I was told that the car is coming in 2 weeks which was OK with me. Now 2 days later I am in the car with my girlfriend and she mentions another BMW dealer which usually has good deals. We are in the neighborhood and decided to step by and see what this dealer has in stock. They happen to have silver car in stock with options I want. Silver seems to be OK to me and I asked them how much they want for it. Now my girlfriend mentions that I have another deal but I want a car today and I will buy from them if the deal is as good or better that the one I've got from the original dealer. The second dealer asked what deal I've got and I show hem the purchase order. The new dealer puts numbers together and agrees to match the deal I have and at this point I realize that they are willing to cover me for the negative value I have in my current car which makes their deal $1500 better. I told them I need to think over and called my original dealer to cancel my original contract. I did not ask them to match the new deal or something but I told them the story. The dealer1 got very upset and told me that what I’ve done is not decent that I should not show the purchase order to anyone and they will keep my deposit till they sell the car. He also mentions spending time with me (no more than 1 h) and letting me test-drive the car (no more than 5 mins) and so on. So I do not worry about the deposit now. I am sure they will sell the car without a problem. The question is did I really do something wrong. What if I would just change my mind and do not want the car any more? The purchase order itself says that it is not a binding agreement so we are talking moral issues here only.

raybear · March 2002

I think you should have given him the chance to match the offer.

bretfraz · March 2002

Yeah, were talking about personal ethics and morals here. You made a deal with one dealer then used that against them at another dealer. You told dealer #1 that you wanted a black car now you've changed your mind. Did dealer #1 have a silver car for you to buy? Did you tell dealer #1 that you were flexible on color choice?

Of course the salesman at dealer #1 is going to be upset, wouldn't you be? You are selling him down the river for $1500. And accepting merchandise from dealer #2 that you would not accept from dealer #1.

If it were me I'd go back to dealer #1 and see what they can do for you. Don't call them; go there in person. If you need your girlfriend as a backbone then take her but this is really something you should handle on your own. If they have a car like the one at dealer #2 then see if dealer #1 will match the deal. If not then you know where you stand at dealer #1.

All this assumes you care about personal ethics and morals. That's your own personal issue to deal with.

lanzz · March 2002

Guys, let's not overblow this - we are talking about a car purchase. Much of life is timing and circumstance, take the better deal and move on.

In every situation, there is someone that get screwed, but let's not pretend it's all about ethics and morals. More than likely its about situational variables, convenience and intuition.

landru2 · March 2002

But people don't ask if they did anything wrong when they feel what they did was right.

Now go stand in the corner and enjoy that beautiful car.

rroyce10 · March 2002

... Let's face it ---

If you have felt, you had done nothing wrong ... you wouldn't have been here telling your story to cover your end.

Everyones time and effort is worth something .. I guess you don't have any respect for any others, but your own. You should have given the other dealer a chance to respond.

Terry.

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