Car buying advice needed...

[JerseyBoy]

Looking to purchase a new truck here inthe USA and was just looking for any inside info on wheeling and dealing

Of course I know the invoice prices of the truck and all the options and I can get this from the dealer +$200

They seem to make you believe there is no way they can sell under invoice price.

I ran into a guy in the lot who said he just bought a similar truck that day and got $6000 off of the list price (which would be way under invoice). Was this guy full of shit?

Whats the deal? IS there better deal? I HATE making a deal...I just want to buy and go home.

Advice needed!!! thanks

 

[pussy4u40]

Good morning.

I don't really have much advice. I can only share my experience.

I went car shopping this weekend. I traded in my 2001 Camry for a 2002 Lexus RX 300. Dude came back and told us he'd give us this much for the camry(trade in value) and then went on to go over the figures for the payment etc. Basically he was trying to give us a low trade-in amount and the monthly payments were going to be too high.

We just said 'ok' and stood up to leave. The guy started backing down and talking about how he's here to help. He offered us much more for our trade in, and took $4000 off the value of the Lexus.

I think what worked for us was that we didn't appear to be too eager...we just said we could go somewhere else if they couldn't work out a deal. We also told him exactly what payment we were willing to pay.

I really believe car dealerships can work out a good deal if they wanted. All depending on your credit and stuff of course.

 

[brokenbrainwave]

invoice actually means very little and yes depending upon options, addendum stickers, rebates, kind of truck, and factory to dealer secret incentives its is very possible to purchase a truck for 6 grand off the sticker price. Take a fully loaded say, full size chevy extended cab 4x4. Sticker on that should be about 34 grand. That particular truch is going to have a markup of about 3 grand. If by chance the dealer has an incentive of 850, and there is a consumer rebate of 2 grand, one can probably buy it for about 5600 off the sticker price. If I missed the profit margin in my guess, then the amount off can be higher. Best case senario is look at the sale ad's, take it to the dealership and argue to your blue in the damn face if they say "ohh we just sold that one".

 

[JerseyBoy]

Thanks so far. But will they go lower than the invoice price?

 

[brokenbrainwave]

oh yeah, one last thing. Look for the vehicle manufacturing date. The older the truck is, the longer they have paid a lot fee to the manufactuer. A truck they have had for say 6 months they might just be more willing to sell for a couple hundred less. And since its a new truck that should not matter to you.

 

[lookin_in_maine]

Looking to purchase a new truck here inthe USA and was just looking for any inside info on wheeling and dealing

Of course I know the invoice prices of the truck and all the options and I can get this from the dealer +$200

They seem to make you believe there is no way they can sell under invoice price.

I ran into a guy in the lot who said he just bought a similar truck that day and got $6000 off of the list price (which would be way under invoice). Was this guy full of shit?

Whats the deal? IS there better deal? I HATE making a deal...I just want to buy and go home.

Advice needed!!! thanks

Hey!

This advice is free only cuz your from Joysey! Got to Edmunds.com and punch your way down to your dream truck. Make sure you get the model and options dead on for what your looking for. The price they give you is pretty dead on for what you can expect to pay. I buy a new vehicle about once a year(cars or truck) and just print out the True Market Value sticker and give it to the salesman.

DO NOT tie in a trade-in on the deal. Get your best price on the new vehicle first!!!!!!! When they ask if your trading in, say no, it will be cash. After you get the best price in writing, then say you changed your mind and want to trade. Make sure that price follows Edmunds guidelines too.

Get your financing squared away before you go to the dealer. If they offer you a better deal take it but only after you have your prices on the buy and the trade in writing.

Relax and have fun! Oh and don't pay any amount in doc fees, special dealer prep etc. Be firm about that!!!!

Good Luck...and I hope your buying a GMC 3/4 ton Crew Cab. It's the only real truck in America!

 

[brokenbrainwave]

in some cases yes, even selling at a loss, but dont expect them to sell a truck for a loss. Simply too popular. It all really depends on dealer incentives, which you will never know about. Dealer cash is used at their discretion. Let me run this add in the local paper by you and it just happens to be on a similar truck I used, damn I was close!
02' Chevy Silverado z-71 4x4 extended cab
power windows, locks, tilt cruise, 5.5 v8 engine, cd player (it is loaded but not maxed out)
msrp 32654
rebate 2500
dealer discount 2840
sales price 27314

thats under invoice more than likely for them, take out the 2500 rebate and its probably right at invoice plus a couple hundred.

a popular item is hard to get for less than invoice, those are reserved for lower selling items.

 

[Vilac]

Thanks so far. But will they go lower than the invoice price?

Well...pulling from my past experience I will say this:

I was the asst. Sales Manager for a dealership for a few years. And..in that time, to answer your question, we *did occasionally sell a unit below the invoice price. It didn't happen often, and it typically was a vehicle that we had on our lot (that we didn't have to dealer trade for) that we wanted to get rid of for whatever reason. (i.e. - been there quite awhile, etc)

You see, even if a dealer sold you a vehicle at invoice price he's still making money. The *salesman typically doesn't make much, but the dealership as a business makes money. They get a percentage for the sale. "Holdback" money...which comes from the manafacturer as part of the vehicle "invoice".

Now...did this happen often? Hell no. In fact...out of 20 salesmen that worked under me I recall it happening less than 5 times in 3 years. Usually it was something that the owner did for a friend, or a damn good customer who had been buying there for years.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't try. Hell...who knows....you may catch a dealership on a bad month and the manager will make an exception. The truth is.......you won't know unless you ask/try.

I've had some varied requests from people who bought cars from me. Some wanted the first 5 oil changes free. Some wanted rustproofing free. Some wanted a quickie in a conversion van on the test drive...........(ok, so that didn't make the sale...but that's another story) LOL

Anyhow...try try try. And..best of luck.
(sorry about the length)~
V~~~~~~~~~

 

[JerseyBoy]

I knew about the trade in ploy...I was actually going to sell it seperately.

Edmunds is cool, though they dont have the invoice. Carsdirect is another good one, I almost bought thru them. I may still do so if the $1000 cash back continues after today. I only want wanted the Frontier in yellow and they couldnt find one in all the Northeast...I may have to wait for the 2003.

I hate car salesmen...

http://www.tokicogasshocks.com/images/Frontier.jpg

 

[JerseyBoy]

I was the asst. Sales Manager for a dealership for a few years. And..in that time, to answer your question, we *did occasionally sell a unit below the invoice price. It didn't happen often, and it typically was a vehicle that we had on our lot (that we didn't have to dealer trade for) that we wanted to get rid of for whatever reason. (i.e. - been there quite awhile, etc)

Thanks...this is what I wanted to know. Basically that if I get it for around invoice price I'm not getting ripped off...or missing out on a nother few grand I could have got.

I know that end of the month is also the best time to buy.

 

[Vilac]

Thanks...this is what I wanted to know. Basically that if I get it for around invoice price I'm not getting ripped off...or missing out on a nother few grand I could have got.

I know that end of the month is also the best time to buy.

Correct. And...don't be afraid to ask for the extras: The oil changes, free rentals, etc. Sometimes it really pans out in your favor.

V~~~~

 

[brokenbrainwave]

a Frontier would be damn near impossible to get for 6k off sticker. In this case, yes the guy that told you he did is probably full of shit.
Car sales people are not all that bad, you just have to understand their point and job description. Also, if your informed and intelligent about the process, they are much easier to deal with.

 

[Vilac]

a Frontier would be damn near impossible to get for 6k off sticker. In this case, yes the guy that told you he did is probably full of shit.
Car sales people are not all that bad, you just have to understand their point and job description. Also, if your informed and intelligent about the process, they are much easier to deal with.

Bingo!

A hard to get vehicle demands a higher sale price. It's supply and demand. Simple as that.

And...I'd take a half dozen sales to people who came in after doing their homework, and sell to them for $200 over invoice before I'd take one guy around the block for $500 under sticker.

Get informed...and don't be afraid to tell your salesperson that you've done your homework. It makes the process easier on you AND them.

V~~~

 

[JerseyBoy]

thanks again all

~prepares amunition~

 

[Orwell84]

Hey, JB. Just wanted to add a few thoughts. If you really hate the process of haggling, as I do, get a couple of internet qoutes. I bought my last car that way. A local dealership gave me a qoute that I liked, so I just went in and did the paperwork. No muss, no fuss.

As to pricing and whatnot, 2003 models will be arriving very shortly, which could mean some real deals on a 2002, but selection will be limited in terms of color, etc.

As to pricing, always start with the factory sticker price. Ignore the dealer sticker, which often is pure mark up. Then try to find out about rebates, and factory incentives. Rebates are discounts to customers. Factory incentives are basicaly rebates or refunds from the manufacturer back to the dealer to help them move the cars. If there has been a factory incentive after the original invoice, then the invoice will not show the dealer's actual cost of the vehicle (the invoice will be higher than actual cost).

Finally, if you really want the BEST deal haggling is a must, and it may well be that the dealer won't give you the deal you're asking for until you start to leave their dealership. It's sad, but that's the way they play.

Good luck...