Vehicle Purchase How To

[Fifty150]

 

 

Alright.

 

Who has tips and tricks on how to negotiate pricing and availability?

I know, that at least one person on this forum, is probably a salesperson.

Did you look up the KBB or Edmunds?

Share with the rest of us, on the best way to buy a car.  

 

How did you haggle your deal?

 

 

We don't have to measure manhood by comparing out the door price.  

 

 

 

 

 

A buddy of mine asked for a real test drive.  Not one of those go around the block deals where the salesperson tells you where to turn.  He wanted to go up and down a few hills.  See if the car would fit in his garage.  Parallel park.  Go up on the freeway, test merging from the ramp, and see if there was enough pickup to pass trucks and buses.  Maneuver through financial district traffic, dodge bike messengers, and zip around double parked delivery trucks.  He drove to another dealership in the next town 8 miles away, pulled right up to the other showroom, and got out.  Then he told a salesperson there, in front of the salesperson who came along for the test drive, that he was buying a car that day, and wanted to see what they had on their lot.  Then he took both salespeople to lunch, and let them fight over the bill and fight each other over who could give him the best deal. 

 

 

 

[Beta Don]

You just need to be able to walk away  -  Once you fall in love with whatever vehicle they're selling, you're toast!

Say the sticker is $25K and you want to get it as far under that number as possible.  1.) Tell the sales guy you ARE going to buy XYZ and you're just shopping for the best deal.  2.) Tell him you have the cash (preferably) or you have your own financing.  3.) Tell him you're shopping around and you aren't going to buy anything TODAY . . . . no matter how good the deal is.  4.) Tell him you'd like to pay $20K (or whatever your desired number is) OUT THE DOOR which includes all the dealers fees, tax and title.  Let him see how close he can some to your number, and assuming he can't meet it (pretty likely on your first meeting) then take his business card, give him your name and number and tell him you'll get back with him after you look at a few other dealerships.  5.) Don't be afraid to look farther from home for the best deal.  We bought our TC 400 miles away

If you do this at half a dozen dealerships, you'll have sales guys calling you back every few days with slightly better numbers than the best numbers they could do on day one.  Do it at enough dealerships and you'll find the 'right' vehicle at your price, or one very near your price.  But . . . . as soon as you (or your wife) falls in love with a particular vehicle, you're pretty much done for.  In any bartering situation one party or the other is 'in control' of the situation  -  That should be YOU, since you have the money to buy the vehicle and he needs to sell it way more than you need to buy it, but sales guys all go to 'sucker college' to learn how to take control away from you and sell it for their number and not yours, so when you feel it start to slip away, turn on your heel and head home!

Never be afraid to walk away!  - True, it might not be there tomorrow (and he will warn you of that) but if it isn't, then tomorrow, or next week, or next month, you WILL find a nicer one and at a better price

Don

Edited September 10, 2016 by Beta Don

[windguy]

if you belong to Costco, then try their auto buying program. I was very satisfied doing this. I used that to buy my 2015 TC that was factory ordered.

I got the van for dealer invoice ($100 less) and there is no haggling or negotiating, which takes the stress out of buying the van.

Costco will assign you a dealer that's in the program based on your zip code. If you don't like that dealer or it's not convenient to get to, call Costco and they will assign you another dealer. I did that because the first one was closer mileage wise but not driving time wise. You will get your pricing via email and then if you want you can take that to another dealer to see if you they will match or beat it, if you prefer going elsewhere. I would first build the van using Ford's website to see what options you want. Other sites like Edmunds will provide MSRP and dealer invoice pricing so you will have an idea of what pricing will be.

If you don't belong to Costco, there are other buying services that I've heard are comparable. Check AAA if you have a membership.

Good Luck!

[Fifty150]

Interesting.  I always wondered how well the Costco program worked.  It sounded easy enough.  Just tell Costco what you want, and go with their pricing.  I wonder how that works on the back end.  Obviously, nobody gives cars away.  And no dealerships let anything drive off the lot at a loss.  So there must be money being made.  Money is made on every deal, no matter how good you think your deal was.  Nobody beats the dealer down to a loss.  My observation is that now it's not just the dealer who has to make money, but Costco also has to make money, and it's going to be from out of my pocket.  That is why I've always negotiated my own deals, as opposed to using an auto broker, or one of those internet websites that supposedly help you get a better deal.  

 

And what does "invoice" really mean?  There is no way that everyone is buying "below invoice", and the dealerships are staying in business.  There ought to be an investigative report done by a news documentary show on the real way dealers sell cars and make money.  I would love to know how that works.  How many other businesses can list prices that are extremely overpriced, a price point which none of the actual merchandise is actually sold at, then lie to you about how much you're saving because they're giving you such a great deal?

[windguy]

a dealer enrolled with an auto buying service either pays a flat yearly fee or a per vehicle fee. But, it doesn't matter what the dealer pays for the van or how much they make on it, all that matters is if you are satisfied with how much you pay for the van and the process of buying it. how much time are you willing to invest in the buying process and at what cost. That's a personal decision.

Best of luck and please share your experience.

 

 

[Prairie Pyro]

Showing up at the end of month with $$$ can get good results. I bought a new van last day of the year and it had been on the lot since February.

I bought my Transit the last day of July as the used car dealership was trying to cover the months expences and ran a facedbook special.

Edited September 12, 2016 by Prairie Pyro
additional

[Beta Don]

On ‎9‎/‎12‎/‎2016 at 8:26 AM, T0ASTERvan said:

 . . . . handed them the casher's check for 14K and ending up financing 4K there after . . . . the van's sticker price was $18,000

One would be surprise how fast a dealership will act or react when someone shows the dealership a . . . . casher's check or cash in their hands.

Unless I'm reading this wrong, you pretty much paid them the sticker price of $18K  -  No doubt that's the fastest way to get a 'deal' done

A better way would have been to show up with a check made out to them for $16.5K and see if they turned you away

Don

[G B L]

After the car buying voodoo is over did you get enough transportation value for the money spent.

[Fifty150]

Was that a new van, with a sticker price of $18K?

 

I suppose pricing will vary depending upon location.

[G B L]

Transportation Value  means different things to everyone. Sounds like  your rig is meeting your needs.

[Fifty150]

I suppose everyone has their own reasons for the types of vehicles that they drive.  

 

Would I like to drive a nicer car?  Sure.  Are there bigger vehicles with more power and seating?  You bet.  

 

For me, this vehicle was something that I settled for.  Bang for the buck.  Probably the best option for interior space and seating at this price point.  Not much out there in the same price range that offers seating for 7, with as much leg room & head room, and as many cubic feet of cargo capacity.  Of course in my case, I bought the most stripped down vehicle I could find.  AM/FM radio.  Plastic floors.  Cloth seats.  No backup camera.  No fog lights.  I only wish that a stick shift was available in my market.