With 0% financing from GM I thought I see if there were any bargains around on the '06 models, Lucerne in particular. A good deal would get me to buy today instead of December/January as planned.
I found a possible auto through the Buick web page at a dealer about 20 miles from me. Not exactly what I wanted, but close enough at the right price. So, I headed out to go see if it was still available. The sales manager told me it was just sold a half hour ago. It was listed there for at least a week, not it was gone just minutes before I arrived. So, we talked about other possibilities and he found another car that was very close to my ideal. I asked about the price and he told me they sell at the sticker price.
I know the margins have dwindled from years ago, but sticker price? I walked and he did not care. He wouldn't budge even a hundred bucks.
Try a different dealer. I looked all over the Southwest and ended up going to St. Louis to buy my truck. The butt heads here would not even talk to me. One AH told me since I looked on Internet he knew he couldn't make any money. He was the frigging sales manager. In 87 I bought a new 5.0 Mustang. Talked to Ford's zone office and they gave me the name of a dealer in OK. to talk to. I had him fax me a quote. Took it to both Ford dealers here and a number of them in Phoenix. None would deal at all. So I ended up at a small dealer about 20 miles South of here. In 89 I decide to trade it in on a new one. Same story. Except I had to go a lot farther.
Here is my take on it. I live in the DFW area. I know dealers who sell 300/400 cars/trucks a week. They sell these cars at the invoice price and still make at least 3% of the MSRP, because that is what the manufacturer rebates to the dealer to pay for its share of advertising. Other dealers want or need to make several thousand dollars per vehicle and don't sell near as many as the dealers above. All in all the profit comes out about the same. There has to be a big population nearby to be able to sell at invoice.
"Big Al" wrote in news:44ee72a7$0$34076$ snipped-for-privacy@news.qwest.net:
I know several salesmen, and they dislike it when they work with someone showing them cars and coming up with a deal to fit their budget, and then the person takes this deal and shops it around to other dealers looking for the lowest price, then the customer gets a lower offer from them, and then they shop this deal around. Like an auction.
I haven't had to deal or haggle for cars for 5 years. My wife works at a new car dealership, so we get cars for cost -- used or new cars.
In 2000 before marrying, I needed a car. There was a Chrysler-Jeep dealership that had this female saleslady that was real upfront and honest and nice. So I decided to buy my small car from her. I was torn between a '99 Saturn SL1 and a '98 Ford Contour. I decided on the Ford and the sales manager went off and put all my info. into their computer for the credit check/financing. He came back after half an hour and said I was approved. But then I told him I wanted the Saturn instead. He got pissed off and chewed me out because he'd have to "go back in and change all the information!" I told him "why? the cars are the same price! Just change the VIN # and make and model on the deal." "Our computer system isn't set-up like that, I have to start over and re- enter all the data!" "Not my fault; buy different computer software", I said. For chewing me out, I demanded a $500 lower price on the Saturn or else I'd go elsewhere to buy. Don't let these chumps push you around. You're the customer. Don't ever let them bully you into buying. Just walk.
Not the same owner, but Toyota is right across the street. The Buick sticker is $1500 over invoice. The Avalon sticker is $4089 over invoice. With little prodding the Toyota dealer (started at $2k discount) went to $3200 discount, leaving about $800 over invoice. I don't know if Toyota dealers have the same deals with holdbacks and such, but the equivalent would have still been about $700 off sticker. Had the Buick dealer gone about $1k off, I'd have probably written the deposit check.
I'm in no hurry, so I'll wait for a good, fair, deal, be it in Buick or some other brand. I'm curious about the new Altima coming out. Looks sharp in photos, but I've not driven one.
I expect to pay a little more local than a huge dealer, but damned if I'm going to pay list. Still plenty of dealers around, including one I've bought my last three cars from. I was looking for a comparison to see if he was still viable and seems as though he will be. I'd rather buy from him with a $200 premium over the mega-dealer, but when you get to $1000, that is a lot of premium that is better in my pocket.
It would piss me off to spend an hour or two showing cars and then have the customer walk for the sake of a few dollars. But, how many can sell a car in less than 5 minutes?
My daughter was going to buy her first new car. While I was at work, she went to a local Ford dealer and found an Escort that was suitable for her. At the time, sticker was in the $6500 range IIRC. She talked to the salesman, drove the car, etc. He gave her a price. When I got home, she wanted me to go see the car and I agreed, even before dinner. The salesman was not there, but another let me drive the car and I did. With checkbook sticking out of my pocket we sat down and I asked the price. Sales guy said it was quoted at $XXX (about $100 below sticker). I replied, "yes but now I'm ready to buy so what is the real price" Long sad tale of invoice price, making a profit etc followed. I said "sorry, but that is not good enough." and walked.
Now I have disappointed daughter, still no dinner yet, upset wife, even the dog was PO'd at me. Daughter says "it's my money so why can't I buy it?". I replied "because I'm co-signing and you can do better."
After eating a now overdone porkchop by myself, I remember a dealer about 10 miles away. Off we go and find the exact same car, exact same sticker price. Saleswoman comes out and want to make small talk, offers test drive, etc. I just told her to give me her best price, something I'm comfortable with, and I'd write the check. Inside we go, a couple of minutes later she gives me a price $600 less that first dealer. I write check and deal is done. No haggling, no fuss, no mess.
Two days later the original sales guy calls and asks why daughter has not come back. She told him the story and he said, "you should have come back, we could have done better." She replied, "you should have done better up front and you would have had a sale."
Her next purchase a few years later was on her own. As he go up to walk out of the dealership after getting a price the salesman stopped her and asked if she bought a car before. She told him yes, her father taught her and his price was not even worth talking further. At many hundred dollars less, she made the buy.
If you think car buying is fun, try buying new forklift trucks. These guys were beating each other up for $25 at a time right in my office. One on the phone with his sales manager. I just sat back and finally bought the Toyota over the Yale. Bought three more since at the same price level. These guys make money on service as they do all four trucks each quarter.
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in news:XuOHg.102$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr24.news.prodigy.com:
Good points. A lot of people fall victim to the "so how much do you want your monthly payment to be?" question from the salesman. So if the customer says "$250" for a car that they could really get for $180/month then the salesman and the dealership makes more money off the deal. And the finance co. gets a higher APR. The whole buying and selling of cars thing is a major pain in the ass. We live in a somewhat economically slow area of the country, and selling used cars privately is a pain in the ass around here. Skinflint cheapskates galore. Last car I sold was my wife's dealer maintained (since new) 1994 Buick LeSabre with the great 3800 V6. It only had 90K miles, loaded with EVERY option, ran perfect, every service performed on time and had all receipts in the glove box, and looked very nice. Blue book Private Party was like $2100. I was lucky to finally sell it for $1500 to some creep who kept asking me: "if it's such a great car, why are you selling it?". Dumbasses would call and say "would you take $1000 Cash for it?" In hindsight I should have kept it for use as a winter car to drive on the salty roads.
The thoughts of private selling is enough to make one ill. I have a '91 Regal that I'd give away before trying to sell it. Only reason I'm hesitant to give it away is because if the new "owner" does not transfer title I could end up with liability for an abandoned car or who knows what.
Good engine and trans, tires, battery. Other stuff is starting to go, as would be expected after 15 years. I'd have to pay about $1200 to bring it up to the book value of $845. OTOH, a motorhead teenager can put the new exhaust (still the original), brake caliper and have it pass safety inspection and drivable. AC is more costly. Radio is not always working properly, but a kid would put in a $1000 stereo anyway.
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in news:hlXHg.12198$ snipped-for-privacy@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net:
Does your state's DMV have a form to fill out that eliminates your responsibility for a car? Or you could take the person you give the Regal to down to the DMV and have the title/registration changed to their name right then and there. If the person doesn't want to do that, tell them "well you won't get the car then." About 6 years ago, I knew a homeless guy named Keith (somewhat schizophrenic and on SSI) who needed a vehicle. I sold him a nice early 1990's Buick LeSabre (3800 V6) that ran perfect for $600. Only thing wrong with it was one of the fenders was mangled a bit, but I bent it basically into shape and put a new turn signal on it. I took him down to the DMV, he passed the driver's test and got his license, and then we put the car in his name.
It was new and it was some years ago. No one has offered a new car for $6500 either in many years. The point was it is sometimes smart to just walk away and check out another dealer no matter how enthusiastic you are about the car. . And how the first sales guy could have made a sale if he gave his "best" price up front, not screwed around trying to take advantage of a new car buyer.
That is probably the best thing. At work, we have some people that work through a temp service. Language barriers, education barriers, etc, but they are good hard working people that would have an easier life if they had transportation. I don't know if they could pay for insurance and transfer easily. While I'd like to help, I don'twant to end up with a liability. I'll check the DMV though, never thought about that.
Perhaps for title transfer, but not for registration. If a car needs some work and the recipient wants to do it over time, why register the car, pay for tags, property taxes, etc while the car sits in a garage for six months? You can register and get a temp tag for some period of time (I think it is
15 days here), but if you need 30 or 60 days to tinker, that is a PITA. Or even, in this case, to save up the $$ for insurance costs. I'm not thinking of giving it to people with high cash flow, but someone that will have to take a while to complete the registration process financially. There may also be two states involved making it a bigger PITA.
Edwin, have you checked out the Ford 'Five Hundred' car? They're nice looking and they sit up high, like an SUV, so getting in/out is easier. Cheaper than an Avalon by $4500. The Avalon is kind of homely, in my opinion. Toyota hasn't produced attractive cars in 10 years. The family podiatrist just bought a Ford 500 and loves it.
In many states it is not a matter of going to a "proper agency". It's simply a matter of signing the forms and mailing them to the DMV office in the capitol city offices.
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