Buying Toyota Corolla, Maybe

Long. long ago there was no dickering with foreign dealerships - sticker price was the price, period. But that was in the 70's when I bought a Datsun, & had seriously considered a Toyota.

I'm now on my 4th Corolla, since '84. I've never paid sticker price, & although I don't remember many details about the '84 & '90 cars' purchases, I remember more about the buying process for the last two. I ordered the printouts from Consumer Reports ($12 IIRC) for each one, to get the dealer costs & MSRPs for the basic models & all of the options (& probably used Edmonds.com for the '02). Then bargained hard. Walked out the first couple of times in the dealership when beginning the shopping when the salesman refused to move down enough. Then went back a few days to a week later. Eventually paid $400 over dealer cost on my '98 Corolla (LE version) and $200 over dealer cost on my '04 Corolla (also LE).

I've had good experiences with my local Toyota service dep't., & each time the salesman knew that they were going to make their money *after* I bought the car Vs. on the actual sale, since I have all service work done there.

Nowhere near *this* discount. To me, it sounds like either the MSRP built in a HUGE profit, or else you got it for _below_ dealer cost.

That helps to explain it, but still, an $8,200 difference is huge... (about half a Corolla LE!)

Cathy

By "dealer cost", do you mean "invoice price" ?

How about no-dickering sticker prices on scions ? Are they still there or you need to bargained on scions, too ?

Probably. What the dealer paid for the car, incl. its options.

I have no clue - haven't looked into them, at all.

Cathy

my bad it was 21,800 and 15,600

So you payed 71% of the sticker price... this still sounds unreal.

I paid 15.600 for my 06 Corolla CE with the C package.

Ford always has big sales! Check out this ad

not so unreal now is it.

2006 Ford Focus MSRP: $13,995 From: $8,977 thats a $5018 savings.

2006 Ford Ranger MSRP: $15,085 From: $8,977

2006 Ford F-150 Pickup MSRP: $19,695 From: $11,777

2007 Ford Fusion MSRP: $17,995 From: $14,977

2006 Ford F-150 Supercab MSRP: $25,140 From: $16,977

2006 Ford Mustang TAKE UP TO $6000 OFF

2007 Ford Escape MSRP: $20,545 From: $15,777

Makes me wonder *why* they offer such huge price cuts...

OTOH, there's the "From" - probably super-base model, & by the time the wanted options get added in...

Cathy

Possibly because they're so ridiculously overpriced to start with. I wonder if the dealerships ever have a customer come in, take a look at the sticker price, and get out their checkbook, prepared to pay that figure. (I guess in that case, they'll be ready to trot out their extra value packages like rustproofing, scotchguarded upholstery, a 10 year extended warranty and a small charge for refilling the tires with nitrogen.)

And yes, if you go for the "one only" price, it's probably a vehicle that has plain steel wheels and the kind of wheel covers they have on police cars, and all the accessories are extra cost. (and they'll likely overcharge you the documentation fee. I love that term, because it sounds like a court reporter documenting a six-week court trial, whereas in reality, it's just filling in some figures on a prepared form on the computer....and any typist could do it in her sleep.)

they leak oil all the time and break down alot, thats why i want toyota this time. just need help in about how much i should be able to get off sticker price on a corolla. 2 dealers i been to so far acted like they dont take anything off. Im not use to that with fords.

Toyotas are known for reliability - I think you'll be happy with one!

re: priice...

Go back to each of them & firmly tell them you want the car but are *not* about to pay MSRP, & then go back again, & then yet again if need be. Each time tell the one whose quote is higher what the other dealership offered. They'll eventually come down from the MSRP. Each one would rather make a sale with less profit than anticipated, than no sale at all. ;-)

I found some notes from when I bought my '04 Corolla: it looks like the MSRP was $17,942 & that I paid $16,304 (both figures before taxes) - for an LE with moonroof, automatic, side air bags, ABS, cruise, & 6-speaker radio/CD/cassette. It took 3 sessions of negotiations, IIRC. But I went armed with as much info as I could - knew *exactly* what I wanted & didn't want re: options, & had the dealer cost figures (for base car, plus each option) with me. And showed tenacity. They eventually cooperated. ;-)

Cathy

they dont bargain on scions, at least in so cal. they arent even available thru the costco website.

the GOOD point is the sticker isnt bad. all the cars are (to me) loaded, and the price is fair. my scion xA was about $14.5 out the door. a similarly equipped yaris 2 door hatch would have cost more.

thats ford, fer chrissakes. they crank out product and worry about selling it later.

the japanese do more "just in time" stuff, so the only time incentives are offered is to get rid of a previous model year- ESPECIALLY if its a big change, like the new tundra.

they might very well be able to sell everything at full price, while fords languish on the lot.

Any other car is available at costco ? :-)))

I wonder if they are same quality as toyotas... I have 1995 camry with 217 000 miles on the odometer and no major problems - no rust at all... and I use it in Chicago area. My worry is that tC and other scions would not have same quality and reliability as toyotas are famous for...

They are not around long enough to really tell.

So, what car have you picked up eventually ?

A bit high.

Very low

If a vehicle is in demand the clear out is not as good a value. My friend just god a Ford 500 at a very good deal. That car is a slow seller and Ford needs sales.

Chrysler has some very good new vehicle deals, but unfortunately not on their only FWD mid sized car- the Sebring. Only on the BIG slow moving stock.