Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
Options
Any Questions for a Car Dealer?
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
Imagine this...you take the shiny new car home that night, chances are you will be out driving all over town showing your friends the new ride...bragging about how you slayed the dealer on price, etc...Many ego driven folks would rather get a root canal than explain to their friends they didn't get the new car...so they take the car. Closing ratio's are very high with the puppy dog close.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Two months ago a woman takes the 2005 Mazda 6 she wants to purchase overnight to show her husband. Not a problem... happens all the time. With such a variety of schedules we have to try and be as accommodating as possible.
Long story short... car comes back with an additional 200+ miles and a front clip with about $600 of damage. She still wants the car, BUT NOT THAT CAR! I trade a fresh new stock unit for one just like it from another dealer and satisfy her feel for a brand new car.
After bending over backwards to take care of her... she was then fuming when she was told that she and, her insurance company, is liable for the repairs on my now wrecked stock unit. Thank goodness for Texas laws.
She should be getting her survey soon... what do you think she'll focus on? :confuse:
Zoom Zoom
Negotiate your best price now without rebates. You'll know your bottom line price now. Any rebates in effect at the time of delivery will be a bonus. But there's no guarantee it'll be better than what's offered today.
We don't require a deposit or anything. Just a loaner agreement with insurance information.
On average, I would say a good 50-60% buy the car. So, by allowing someone to drive a car on their normal routes for a day or so about doubles my closing ratio.
Thanks!
There is absolutely nothing better then having the salesmen toss the keys and say, "Bring it back tomorrow."
A customer expecting to not pay for a car they damaged is unexceptable.
as to why no one except Toyota USA rents new vehicles in the dealerships.
What is your explanation, dear dealers?
GM has a program, called DRAC, that dealers can subscribe to. It's (more or less) a leasing program for rentals. Some dealers do rentals, some don't.
Some dealers will let you have a new car overnight to test drive, some won't.
It probably has a lot to do with who you know, how many cars you've bought there in the past, and your attitude.
We have a few customers who buy new Corvettes every year or so. I'm guessing if they want to test drive anything overnight, the SM would deliver the requested vehicle to their front door.
Generally, you can't floorplan rental cars, then there is the fleet insurance, then invariably someone wrecks one. Depreciation, reconditioning, etc.
But I would think if you charge, say, 15-20% over the regular rental rates in your area, it would keep away "the regular renters," and woule leave only those who are considering to buy, and would not mind spending an extra $10-20 a day for a private test-drive of a vehicle which the rental agencies do not have. And that extra cash would cover some additional expenses for the dealer
I ordered a 2006 Chevy Impala about 4 weeks ago and the dealer and me agreed on a price, though I didn't sign anything. Now GM has come out with a new incentive so that people can buy GM cars at the supplier price. I expect my dealer to go with the new low price when I pick up the car. What do you think ? Is the dealer obligated to offer the car at the price set by GM ?
I recently purchased an Acura TSX from an out of town dealer. My local dealer wanted $3800 more than the out of town dealer, and in fact would not beleive me on the out of town quote so was not willing to negotiate or match the price. So I bought from the out of town dealershp.
Now eventually I am going to be needing service from my local dealership, should I expect a loaner from them? By the way, I know its normal for them to provide loaners as my mother in law bought an MDX from them. Just curious how dealerships generally behave in these situations.
Probably not. I know Acura doesn't require dealers to offer loaners. When I was looking at a TSX earlier this year, the dealer closest to me told me upfront that loaners were reserved for customers that bought there. It was one of the perks they offered.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
A vehicle which replacement parts were in plentiful supply and could be repaired by almost anyone anywhere, including myself. If I've got to take the thing to a dealer or some specialist every time the muffler bearings wore out, I'd scratch it off my list.
well... that's really tough. I don't think I can come up with a single NEW car that fits the bill. I guess it depends on your definition of minimal. I think audiaq's suggestion is a good one (by the way, that would also include the Mercury Grand Marquis) ... but it WILL have problems. Its just a matter of cost and frequency compared to other vehicles.
I think Toyotas and Hondas have gotten more complex over the last decade and, therefore, more expensive to fix.
Hmmmm... possibly a diesel chevy/gmc. The Allison tranny is bulletproof. The current engine hasn't really proven itself yet, though. But I believe it comes with a really long warranty, so I would think if it lasts through its warranty, it will probably last for a LONG time to come.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
300K miles for most people is 20 yrs of driving? Is that realistic for you? Or do you drive 80K / yr? My own experience is to avoid Chrysler products; Fords little or no knowledge; GM spotty.
Even the japanese cars are getting more complex and will require special parts. Maybe a 4 cylinder base Corolla or Civic.
The answer is probably a Ford or chevy pickup.
But if you want to keep the car for 20 years, the aging parts and structure would make it much more difficult to get to the 300K point without something major quitting to work
Aw c'mon Bret - would you really trust any generic shop to work on muffler bearings? Seeing a dealer/specialist is the price you pay to maintain an exotic with muffler bearings.
Unless you are looking for a theoretical amswer, you really haven't specified what you are doing with the vehicle. I mean, you can buy a Freightliner Tractor which should easily make it well over one million miles, if maintained properly.
If you are looking for a passenger vehicle that will last forever, a Ford Crown Vic would be a top choice.
A Dodge/Freightliner Sprinter Van would probably get you 500k miles if you are looking to haul goods.
However, the real issue is not just the mileage but the time factor. You are more likely to get 300k out of a vehicle if it is driven in 4-6 years than if you are planning to hold the vehicle for 20 years.
Finally, to keep a car that long, you ***MUST*** service the vehicle religiously. Most people don't get 300k largely because they do NOT keep up with the maintenance.
I'm sure the owner's manual has a whole lot more maintenance items than just oil and hoses.
No exhausts at all. I'm easy on brakes, so it's tires and wipers.
So we've now gone from just oil & hoses to oil, hoses, timing belt, tranny fluid, brakes (I'm sure at least once in 175K miles), tires, wipers, oil filter, air filter, a/c filter, battery, plugs. And I didn't even get in to the acc. belts and water pump that are usually changed with the timing belt.
Anything else? 'Nuff said.
Geez, ya know, for some reason, i didn't think they were offering the Crown Vic anymore. So, yes, that is the same as the previously mentioned Towncar/Grand Marquis ... so any of those 3 fit the bill.
That would be my top car choice if all i cared about was getting 300k miles. My top truck choice, as i stated before, would be a diesel chevy/gmc with the allison tranny (i think maybe that's standard on the diesels now?).
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
At our store oil and filter are free for the life of the vehicle. That's easy.
I specifically exempted wear items tires, wipers, which are no different from anyother vehicle.
There are no timing belts any longer on 4c Camry's beginning with the 2002 model..non issue.
I have never replaced brakes or batteries, EVER, on any Toyota I've owned even up to 175K. YMMV.
Tranny fluid yes every 100K or so, as stated.
For 20 yrs I've driven in excess of 50K miles annually but most of it has been commuting or on business at Interstate speeds.
On the last Camry which I sold last year with 185K on it, I had the original battery and brakes. There was no cabin filter in that model. One AT fluid replacement, one timing belt on that model, some hoses. TRADED it for $2000.
but, although you say there are plenty around, it also stands to reason that the fact they sell subarus in small numbers compared to many many other vehicles on the market also means there are less that break down. Heck, even if all subarus break down at double the rate of just Accords, for instance, you'd still be picking up less broken Subes.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
is it possible to get a 3-month short term lease on a used car. Alternately buying from a private party and then re-selling might fir the bill.
Any thoughts and advice would be appreciated.
One recommendation that I would look at is Hotwire/Priceline. They generally offer cheaper rentals than market and they use Avis/Hertz/Budget for the most part.
Enterprise offers some pretty good rates. However, most of the best rates come when you are booking through an insurance company or an auto repair shop with which they have a contract. The other problem with Enterprise (and other smaller companies) is that there classification of car sizes are well, let's say unique. I do not consider the Chevy Cavalier a midsized car or the Toyota Camry a premium car.
ALWAYS rent OFF-AIRPORT at a neighborhood location. For example, if you rent a car at $16/day at the Cleveland Hopkins airport, you pay almost $35 with taxes and fees. Rent the same car 6 miles north in Lakewood, OH, and the taxes are 6-7%, a significant savings.
One issue that your friend will have to deal with is insurance - CDW and liability. Those two fees can easily double the cost of a rental car. If your friend owns a car, he may be covered by his home policy. If not, you have to buy it through the agency.
On travel websites, I strongly discourage short-term purchases, especially for non-US residents. It is very hard to buy a good car and to sell it for a reasonable price three months later ... unless you plan to buy a beater ...
Sorry for the long response but it is a complicated question.
Usually insurance policies have 15 or 30 day clauses, i.e. they cen get transfers only to short term rentals. Anything beyond that gets it void. However, there may be possibility of adding the vehicle to the policy for that short period of time. I don't know how it works, though.
I would be very uncomfortable to say the least without any insurance for 3 months.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
Check that - I rented a 626/M6 through Hertz a couple of years back. They were out and offered as substitutes a Cavalier, Corolla, or Optima - none of those were exactly mid-size.
I'm sure the no-name local rental outfits will rent you a car for one month intervals. I just found this with a 10 second Google search:
$399/month
Unlimited Miles
$139 / Week
Ford Aspire Stick Shift
Vehicles must stay in San Diego
Ford Aspire Auto $449/month
At least this will get you in the ballpark - Click for monthly rental prices
Well thats a good rate, however I don't think my friend Aspires to an Aspire. That same link shows that to get a normal car will be around $7-800 a month (or around $200 a week). Add in taxes and insurance and were talking some real money for a three month rental. That cheap rental could easily cost $4500 with insurance and taxes over 3 months.
No, in spite of what Laurance posted, I think the beater car may be the way to go. maybe we can get a 6 year old Taurus (or whatever deal we can get) for around $1500-$2000, insure it for liability only. Then sell it quick for close to what we paid less any repairs. Even if the car has to be sold for scrap metal at the end I think that we'd come out ahead.
- Thanks for the discussion
Actually, it might also be that you have a HERTZ GOLD CARD. Generally, you will never get anything smaller than a compact if you book using your number.
AVIS PREFERRED will generally get you the same treatment from Avis.
One more thing. E-mail me - I have an idea that might help you with Hertz.