pocon1

nothing to say

Willravel

I won't edit my post, but that e46 was supposed to be an e36, it was a 97 M3 coupe. My error, my correction.
I've bought a lot of cars, but I wouldn't be comfortable teaching someone to sell cars because I don't have any direct experience with selling cars. Likewise, you've sold a lot of cars, but I don't see anything in your experience to tell me that you've had a lot of experience in the position of the buyer.

If I wanted to know how to sell a car, I'd go to you first.

NoSoup

I would most definately NOT recommend bringing cash. It's great for the movies, but not practical in real life.

Most dealerships won't even accept a large sum of cash, opting for a cashiers check instead would be a much more secure way to bring your funds with you.

I'm a pretty good negotiator, if I say so myself.

Here's a couple of things that have worked for me in the past - although I have only bought 4 or 5 of vehicles for myself, I have negotiated for probably 20+ cars for friends, co-workers, etc.

So, without further ado, here's my strategy -

First of all, research is key. Know what a fair price is for a car, and understand that you'll likely be paying near that. Offering substantailly below what a vehicle is worth will more than likely not work - it will probably just annoy the salesperson and you'll be wasting everyone's time.

Try and keep an ace in your sleeve at all times - preferably, your whole hand - until after you have finalized a price.

For instance, if you are trading a vehicle in, are paying up front, or have a dealer coupon, don't let them know until after you have established a firm price. Also, make sure you are more than willing to walk out at any time, don't give in to pressure to "buy now" for whatever reason.

When I purchased my last car, myself and the salesperson finalized a price about $3,000 lower than the listed price. After we had done so, I let him know that I would be trading my current vehicle in. Initially, he tried dicking me over on the price, but when I said that I would accept no less than the trade in value - per the bluebook price, and started to get up, he changed his mind pretty quick and sat me back down. Once I had gotten a fair deal on my trade in, I pulled a wrinked printout off the internet that had a coupon from the dealership that had $500.00 off the purchase of a vehicle. He obviously wasn't very happy with that, and made excuse after excuse as to why I was unable to use it. I stood up, thanked him for his time, and walked out.
As I was climbing into my car, he literally ran out to catch me and said that he had "spoken with his manager" (a common sales technique, especially useful to allow salepeople to save face if they were trying to sell you something at an unfair price) and just this one time, and one time only, they'd let me use it in addition to everything else that we had previously negotiated. I told him that I certainly appreciated it, got his card (again) and left. Two days later, he called me up and asked if I was still interested in the car. I fibbed a bit and said that I was actually going to pick up the same model from another dealership that Friday. He asked what price they had given me, and I quoted him a price of $100.00 less than what he had offered me previously. He tried to compete with them, of course, and gave me the good ol' "If you guarantee me that you'll purchase this car, we'll match their price and throw in 3 free oil changes. I have to know right now so I can arrange it with my boss, blah blah blah" I happily accepted, getting the equivalent an extra $100.00 off and probably $80-90 in free oil changes

Ah, one more tip if you are buying a vehicle with a minimum trade in.

If you have a relatively decent vehicle that you'll be trading in but what to buy a car relatively soon, sell it - of the two people that I know that have done this, they simply took a newspaper ad out and priced it approximately $1200.00 less than it was worth for a very quick sale. It sold within 48 hours of the ad running. He then bought the worst car I think I have ever seen, it just barely ran, and needed a jump every time you started it. At any rate, he pocketed the 8k or so he made from the private sale of his car, bought a $250.00 beater to trade in at the minimum trade in price, which was substanially more than the $250.00 he paid for it, then applied the money he had gotten from selling his car towards a downpayment on the new one he was purchasing...

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Ilow

Your disrespectful tone makes you look eactly like the prick salesperson that makes everyone dislike car salesman. It is possible to disagree with someone without being a jerk. As I have seen before, Will seems to enjoy a good discussion, but your tone forclosed this.

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Brewmaniac

The county I live in has a population of 161,705 - 06' est.


I offered $14,864 CR invoice price and their mouths dropped open like I offered $8k, I eventually showed my best internet deal the Chicago dealer quoted $15,700 less TTL and they tell me they can't even match it.

I read jorgelito's other thread and CR buying tips, was firm that price was my only consideration. We didn't talk about the car except price, played it real cool.

They wouldn't budge off a $16,3**?

So we left, they didn't say a word.

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Willravel

I guess this is a personal call. I have always bought cars with cash, and I've had good experiences with it, but my experience may not be applicable to everyone. The guy at the Audi dealership looked at me like I was nuts, btw (I should have taken a picture for everyone), but it got the job done.
Thanks, I appreciate it!
I wish sales figures were public, so you can decide whether they have excellent sales or they're bluffing. Personally, I'd try a few other dealers. Again, best of luck.

Brewmaniac

The place was hopping on beautiful 75 degree day, never talked the guy we were supposed to but the general manager is the one that let us leave.

I'll keep looking, Thanks for the help!

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jorgelito

Hey Brew sorry to hear that things didn't work out. You have to keep plugging away and not give up. It took me a week to get my car (a month is more ideal) and I was denied at 2 dealers in Los Angeles. I ended up getting my car about 20-30 miles away, but for the price I wanted.

Did you look into internet? Many dealerships have an internet department dedicated to web sales. They will often give you below INVOICE price. Just be careful of bait and switch etc. That's how I got my car. Internet quote from a dealer. If anyone's interested, we can open up a new thread or something to more specifically address these things.

Rest assured Brew, you will get a car and for the price you want (or damn near close). I did a lot of research, formed my own opinion and a game plan, ran it by the TFP a bit and came out a happy camper.

What happened to you happened to me. Sunny day, in LA, cars flying off the lot - The Civic just got rated #1 by Consumer Reports. I offered the salesman $1500 below INVOICE. He was "shocked" and rather upset. His manager came out and told me that no way in hell I was going to get that. He told me he was getting $2500 above MSRP for each car and couldn't keep them in stock. The best price he could give me: $1000 above MSRP!!!!! When I showed him my price quotes he just waved me off. He was like, I can look on the internet too. If you think you can get that price then go there. Then he got up and left. I then got up and told him I was sorry that he lost a sale and left, never to return.

The best part, I did get my car and at the price I wanted and they threw in extra goodies too. I so wanted to pull up to the other dealership and be like, "How do you like them apples?", but I figured it was very un-Christianlike.

Don't get discouraged Brew, we all eagerly await pics of you and your new car.

Good luck.

Will, I wish you did take a picture of your briefcase full of cash chained to your wrist. That would have made a cool avatar (especially if you wore a nice suit and sunglasses).

Halx

i suppose you're screwed if you want a car that you've been on a waiting list for 6 months to get and the dealership says they just got one in and they'll sell it to the first person who drives in.

When the new (manual transmission) 2004 Acura TL's came out.. that was the situation and I ended up paying full retail. I wonder if I could have bought that very same car for any less.

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Willravel

I'll see if I can find the briefcase in the attic. My wife suggested fuzzy handcuffs, and she thought I was completely nuts until I drove it home. The funny part was the car was the lemon to end all lemons. A warranty might sound great, but if the car is in the shop every other week it's rather useless as a mode of transportation.

pocon1

nothing to say

desal75

I love watching these car buying threads develop. I wished more of you lived in the Western New York area so I could sell you cars.

I do a lot of apologizing for the way many people in my field act but I have been lied to and jerked around by customers quite a bit too so it evens out.

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NoSoup

To be fair, I have know idea what ILOW means. However, a lie - if that's the word we are going to use, as opposed to "negotiation tactic" - certainly saved me money. I'm more than comfortable with my actions - it saved me a couple hundred bucks, and the dealer approached me.

Salespeople are trained to negotiate - regardless of the verbage you want to use, it is a regularly used technique that not only works, but is often used by both salesmen and customers alike.

Perhaps you should consider climbing down off your soapbox and share some useful information that we (the consumer) might use to get a better price on a vehicle. I certainly understand that you may service your customers extraordinarily well, but the chances of someone from the TFP walking into your dealership and taking money out of your pocket using your techniques are pretty slim. Why not try and help some people out instead of coming off as a self-righteous saleman?

__________________
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Just in case you were wondering...

Willravel

I never suggested lying outright. I suggest, first and foremost, being confident and learning as much about the car and dealer as possible. Being informed is the best offense and defense.

Brewmaniac

I've was in the appliance and tv business for close to 30 years and I know the game but some of the car salesmen have really stretched the truth one outright lied. I also know these guys work hard to make a buck. I used to be a soft touch and they saw me coming, not anymore.
My wife is so discouraged but I'm optimistic that the right deal will come along.

Any tips from a car salesmen would be appreciated, I live in Michigan so It wouldn't hurt your pocket any.

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jorgelito

That's really it in a nutshell. Nice and simple.

Hang in there Brew, I can't wait to see pictures of you and your new car one of these days.

fatbob

the thing is that the car dealer always wants to sell you a car...so take them down to their lowest price, threaten to walk away, get them lower perhaps, the actually walk away - you can always come back an hour later and take them up at their best offer.
walking away is the ace in your hand as a buyer - there is always a similar car just around the corner, or a month later...just go for what ever you can get.

the first car i ever bought was a 4 year old vw passat. ticket price was £6500 i bought it for £5250 with mats, a years road tax, 3 year warranty and a full tank of petrol. i've also bought a tonne of second hand vw beetles and always negotiated on them, my current car i have saved just under £100 a month by negotiating and shopping around...

seriously just push it as far as you can! you can always go back

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Brewmaniac

I supposedly got the story on why the msrp & the invoice on the base Matrix are are higher than publicly listed 1.) Toyota didn't build base models without allweather pkg; cruise & mats and very few. Built mostly xr's lots of features.
2.) They're holding such a value used you can't buy a used one at new invoice. This is true I've checked, you wouldn't believe what they are sell the used ones for.

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samiam

You might be interested in the following site, as it will give you some insight into the business.
http://www.edmunds.com/advice/buying...2/article.html

Willravel

Oh, I love Edmunds.

desal75

I have a 2004 Matrix at my dealership if you want to fly to Buffalo and drive it home.

__________________
The Man in Black fled across the desert and the Gunslinger followed.

robot_parade

Be willing to walk away, and make sure the salesperson knows it.

With the last car I bought, (a 2002 mazda protege) it got to the point where the salesperson asked what I was wanting to pay. I named my price, and he came up with something $200 higher, and said that was the best he could do. I said "well, I hate to walk away over just $200, but..." and started to get up. Bam. Immediately he met my price. If he hadn't, I just would've kept looking.

I'm not claiming any special skills negotiating, but one thing I've learned is that being willing to walk away can get you a pretty good deal. And I mean really willing to walk away. If you walk away, and the salesperson gives it a pass, don't have any regrets. It just didn't work out. It's just bidness, after all.