New car buying strategies

All-- Read on Edmunds that it is better to locate the dealer w/ your car's wish list, and deal w/ him, rather than another dealer who has to bring it in. True? Worth the trouble to run around yourself?

Also, the 2005's are coming in, looking for leftover 2004. Now is certainly a good time to buy, but would Nov/Dec be that much better? In the

50 mi. radius around me (approx. NYC), there are about 250-300 vehicles (frontiers/tacomas), about 50-100 of them configured approx. as I would like. I'm thinking these dealers are not going to run out of these tomorrow! Also *stacked full* of 2004 Sentra's! Should I wait? Haggle hard now? Kinda want to get it over with, as well. Recalling someone's comment here that they waited a cupla months before their dealer made sense on a Tacoma. I know all the invoice stuff, avg price paid, from Edmunds. But the accessory stuff is sort of a mystery. I have an idea they keep it a mystery for the final screwing of the customer. Keep the accessories separate? Do them later, after taking delivery? Any esp. good way to handle this?? Do third party wherever poss?? TIA.

---------------------------- Mr. P.V.'d formerly Droll Troll

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Proctologically Violated©®
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Find a dealer that has a vehicle that you want. On the last night of the month, walk in about 45 minutes before closing. Tell them what you want and what your best price is. Ask them how badly they want to make the monthly sales quota. :)

Erich

Reply to
Kathy and Erich Coiner

I completely agree with what Erich said. Prior to that, however, I would use the telephone. I've found that even today, many dealerships just aren't that good with email or other Internet buyers. But they all know how to use a telephone. When they tell me they won't deal over the phone, I move on to the next dealer. I've bought several cars that way. If I were in your situation, I would call around to locate the exact Frontier you want, and then use Erich's strategy to buy it. You can even use your real name on the phone, because you're going to walk in there right before the end of the month anyway.

Reply to
ppointer

Well, of course I'm reading this with intrest, because I'm in the process right now of buying a loaded 2004 Tacoma Double Cab

4WD. I called the local dealer I've delt with for my past 2 new Toyota truck purchases. I told him what I wanted, but I insisted it have a white exterior. He said if it were in the area (NJ), he would find it for me. Next day he emails me a price ($24,600) on a silver one that is in stock (his stock). Not a bad price for this area, but it doesn't seem like he looked any further than his own parking lot. So, I went looking on the Internet myself and found at least 3 in white in the NJ area myself on the Internet (not all dealers listed their inventory). I called the dealer with 2 in stock (sticker $28,100) and told him if he can make me a good deal, we may be able to do some business. Waiting for a salesman to come up short on monthly quotas is a tricky thing...they do sell other cars besides the one you may be looking for. And the longer they sit on the dealer lot, the more they pay to have it sit there, thus increasing the bottom line sell price, not decreasing it. That said, the trucks in the NYC area usually do command a higher price because the dealer knows that he'll eventually get a better price, but it depends on how hot the market is, and right now it's only warm. You could shop out of state where you could get a much better price, if you want to do some traveling, or pay the extra $500-800. shipping costs. It could be worth it. Supply and demand. Demand high supply low = high price. Low demand supply high = low price. But you have to realize, the dealer is well aware of this also. Happy shopping! ;)
Reply to
studio

I asked the same of my Toyota dealer regarding white as it's to damn hot around here for a dark color. But something bothers me about the Toyota "white." It really is an "off-white" compared to other manufacturer's (i.e Dodge's "Bright White") and it always looks dirty for some reason. I just don't care for it as it never seems to clean up or wax up to a nice "white."

B~

Reply to
B. Peg

I'm no expert, but we got VERY good deals on new cars twice. Both times we bought a vehicle the dealer had on the lot and we bought in mid-December or later. Both of these were the new models - not last years left overs.

It seems that not many people buy cars in December, but the salesmen like to have a nice Christmas as much as anyone.

Tony S.

Reply to
Tony

Well, I gotta do sumpn different, cuz these goddamm car salesmen are poundin the shit outta me; I leave these goddamm showrooms pert near black and blue, and pissed like a muhfugguh. The next salesperson that asks, *What* can I do to earn your business TODAY, ahma suggest, Well, perhaps you should just slide down under the table, bro, and really start earnin....... So, ahm sittin at the desk, gettin goddamm POUNDED, all the while listening to the poor SOB at the next desk gettin pounded WORSE than me.... Goodgawd....

---------------------------- Mr. P.V.'d formerly Droll Troll

"studio" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com...

Reply to
Proctologically Violated©®

Don't haggle with these people at all. Car buying is setup to confuse and misdirect buyers. Go to a website like carsdirect.com or any similiar website like Autobytel, MyCar or Cars.com.. Select the vehicle and options you want - then you can buy the car you want at a participating dealer at a discount price. With carsdirect, you also have the option of buying direct from them.

About 7 months ago I wanted a Prius. The demand was so great that nearby dealers said there was a waiting list of up to a year. I got on carsdirect and built the car I wanted and submitted. A car matching my options was scheduled to be delivered to a dealer about 250 miles away. I went down to the dealer and picked it up. No saleman games, no manager games, no BS.

I have no personal interest in these car buying websites -- I'm simply trying to make you aware that you don't have to get slimed or pounded when you want a new car. There *are* alternatives to dealing with these [frequently dishonest] sleaseballs.

Reply to
Ron Miller

"Kathy and Erich Coiner" wrote in news:DWC3d.5920$2A1.1008@trnddc08:

The strategy I use is to walk in 3-4 days before the end of the month. Show genuine interest in the vehicle you want. Let them get you all the way back to the finance manager, where he's showing you what the payments/final will be, etc. Let them have your phone number. Then say 'Thanks, i'll think it over, still seems a bit high'. Get up and walk out without ever saying another word. Guaranteed you will get a call the next day with a 'Well we talked it over with the general manager...and this is what we can do..'. Haggle a bit more...tomorrow another call from them... Keep stringing them out till the last day of the month. Takes a bit of time, but so far has gotten me and average of $3-4k off the price. Now...tell me dealers aren't making some cash...

Reply to
Anthony

Just leave. When they get up to 'ask the manager', just leave. When they come running out to stop you from pulling away, say 'oh, I got a phone call and I remembered I'm getting behind on my errands today'. Even if you get away, they'll call you.

Or, if the salesman is unwilling or acts unempowered to change any prices ('gotta ask my manager'), look him square in the eye and say "are you actually a salesman, or should I be buying directly from your manager?", or "here's my card, call me when you get this straightened out".

The worst thing you can do is let them run the show. I'm not saying to carry on and make a scene, but once you start getting tired of things threaten (and actually start to) leave.

Dave

Reply to
David Geesaman

Your only defense is to learn all their games - and when you walk into any dealership to buy a car, tell them in No Uncertain Terms that you're leaving at the first sign of bullshit, never to return, and don't try calling me with "a better deal!". Ever.

-->--

Reply to
Bruce L. Bergman

This last guy asked to see my driver's license. Any reason for that??

---------------------------- Mr. P.V.'d formerly Droll Troll

Reply to
Proctologically Violated©®

Only if you're taking the car for a test drive.

Otherwise, IMO it's not appropriate. Would law require them to validate the identity of all potential customers? (I really doubt it)

Dave

Reply to
David Geesaman

True. A car sitting on the lot is costing him money. So it is in his best interest to sell it as quickly as possible.

Maybe, maybe not. Depends on how popular the car you want to buy is. It could very well sell out by the time you are ready to buy.

If the dealers start to drop the price, they might go fast.

I would haggle hard now. If the dealer won't budge, then wait. Just keep in mind you risk losing the car you want.

Do some more research. The dealer price of accesories is available.

------------- Alex

Reply to
Alex Rodriguez

Unless you are taking a test drive, there is no good reason to give it to them.

------------ Alex

Reply to
Alex Rodriguez

This last point is very important. The folks who get the best deals need to have flexibility in their purchasing time, choice of options/colors, or a little luck. If you are intent on getting one particular option set, color, interior, and don't want to risk not getting exactly that, then it's going to be much tougher to haggle successfully. In fact, it may help to not let the salesperson know the one you want is EXACTLY what you want. That way they can't use that limitation to their advantage.

Dave

Reply to
David Geesaman

True enough. The last 2 Toyota trucks I've owned have been white. It does take some extra cleaning muscle to get them really nice...usually waxing them once really good, then going over it a second time fast gives results that are satisfactory. I'll try a polish next time instead of a wax and see if that works better. I am also of the mind that white is a cooler color that holds up better in extremely hot sunny environments (although I have no scientific evidence to support this). I like plain simple colors on vehicles (white, red or black), but other colors can look neat also.

Reply to
studio

Update: He wants me to commit on the silver one so that he can trade it for the white one I want out-of-state.

They really do wheel-and-deal after all.

Reply to
studio

Reply to
E. Meyer

Sposedly, white is a statistically safer color. Don't know if that is reflected in insurance rates. Not clear if white cars are just more visible, ergo safer, or people who like white cars are just safer drivers! Dudn't matter, from an actuarial POV. Municipalities seem to almost exclusively buy white cars for their fleets--at least around here. Except for the Ticket Peeple, who require a little incognito stealth...

---------------------------- Mr. P.V.'d formerly Droll Troll "studio" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com...

news:...

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Proctologically Violated©®

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