OT - Car Buying

[TheBeav815]

Buying my second of two used cars. Curious as to how much of a discount of list you all have been able to get off the list price. Or whether anyone has a good idea what dealers are willing to sell them for based on the trade-in value.

I got the first one at about 86% of what they were asking on it.

 

[anon_umk0ifu6vj6zi]

Buying my second of two used cars. Curious as to how much of a discount of list you all have been able to get off the list price. Or whether anyone has a good idea what dealers are willing to sell them for based on the trade-in value.

I got the first one at about 86% of what they were asking on it.

It differs so much place to place. I have bought our last couple trucks privately. I prefer that if possible.

 

[dinglefritz]

Buying my second of two used cars. Curious as to how much of a discount of list you all have been able to get off the list price. Or whether anyone has a good idea what dealers are willing to sell them for based on the trade-in value.

I got the first one at about 86% of what they were asking on it.

Last low mile one owner local car I bought for my daughter I gave the dealer I think the Kelley blue book private seller value. That was cash and no trade. He squealed a little bit, but he made money because I'm sure he only had trade-in value in it. I think he knocked about 1500 off on a $15000 car. They have to pay the light bills too. A dealer friend of mine always used to say he made more money selling a used car than he did a new one.

 

[siebo454]

Plus if buying privately theres no proof of how much you paid for it haha. And I know car salesmen make more off used vehicles then new ones as I just bought a used and new vehicle from the same guy and the process took quite some time and he mentioned he was glad I was getting 2 because the $100 he made off the new one wasn't worth it.

 

[Dean Pope]

Buying my second of two used cars. Curious as to how much of a discount of list you all have been able to get off the list price. Or whether anyone has a good idea what dealers are willing to sell them for based on the trade-in value.

I got the first one at about 86% of what they were asking on it.

I've used TrueCar.com to negotiate a couple thousand off new and get better deals on used cars. I also looked at other sites like Edmunds and Kelley Blue Book . There's also some great advice out there for negotiating technique. The main thing with a used vehicle is to find out what it is really worth and what condition that car is in. Some dealerships mark their cars up higher than others, but if you do your research and know that there are similar vehicles out there to buy somewhere else. You can save yourself an extra $500 or so just by thanking them after their "final offer" and walking out. I've never made it all the way out the door.

 

[otismotis08]

Buy from a private owner.

 

[Diplomat_Dean]

You probably didn't save as much as you think you did. Typically car dealerships will find a way to make up the gross either on front (price of car) or back (in finance). A classic example and tactic is 4-square. Google it to see how it works.

Here's some other insider tips:
- Market pricing sites like TrueCar, KBB, etc. use data collected from dealers. Dealers are realizing this so they're adding to the front end retail price thus bumping up that market pricing. These market pricing sites use list price for data, not what vehicles actually sell for.

- Have finance worked out prior to walking into dealership for plan A, but don't tell them about that until you get your final price. If cash, don't bring this up. Always negotiate under the understanding you will finance through them.

- If you have a trade work on cash price on trade, meaning get a price they'll pay for it regardless of buying a vehicle.

- You almost cannot accurately cross shop dealers on used vehicles. Modern vehicles have so many options that no two dealerships are going to have identical optioned vehicles. Example, a 2010 F-150 can have exact trim levels, same engine, same miles, but one might have sunroof, heated/cooled seats, and power running boards. These 3 will add about $1500 to $2k to the truck.

- If you have a trade the appraiser will always point out what is wrong, regardless of severity or if they'll fix (recondition the issue). If they do, use these same thing about the vehicle you're interested in. ALWAYS point out the bad in the vehicle you want to purchase, not the bad. Note all scraps, scratches, tire depth, etc. Saleperson response will be, "Well, you're buying a used vehicle so these imperfections are common/expected" Throw it back in their face, "Well, you pointed these same imperfections on my trade, so I don't expect trade deductions due to common or expected imperfections."

 

[newAD]

Buying my second of two used cars. Curious as to how much of a discount of list you all have been able to get off the list price. Or whether anyone has a good idea what dealers are willing to sell them for based on the trade-in value.

I got the first one at about 86% of what they were asking on it.

Too many variables there for an easy answer.

IMHO, buying used without a trade is the best way to get a great price. As long as you are trading, they can always muddle up the negotiation (that goes for new too).

The next time I buy a used vehicle from a dealership, I won't have a trade (for kid going to college). I will look at the trade prices for all 4 major sites (KBB, NADA, Black Book, and VMR).

Get a carfax report and find out if it was a trade or an auction purchase, and how long they have had it (I hate autocheck reports becuase those don't tell you how long the dealership has had the vehicle). If they've had the vehicle months, they've lost a lot of negotiation power, especially if that know you know how long they've had it.

If the vehicle is like 3 years old, and you can determine it was a leased turn on, I don't buy it when they talk "reconditioning costs." If it was a leased vehcle, it was most likely serviced as recommended (and of course have it inspected independently).

If the vehicle was a trade in, I will hold firm at the highest trade in price. Hold out long enough and you'll figure out exactly how much they have invested into the vehicle.

If they've had the vehicle a short time (like a week) you are going to argue about what they actually did to recondition it.

If it is an auction purchase, I'm going to hold firm probably between the VMR wholesale price and the average trade price. Again hold firm and you'll figure out what they have in it.

If you have a trade, and live near a Car Max, take your vehicle there and see what they will give you. If it is on the high end of trade values, sell it to them. I firmly believe you can make up on the purchase price, what you will lose by not having a trade to help with sales taxes.

Most importantly, be willing to walk away. They will likely call you back with the, "What do we have to do to make a deal?"

Again JMHO.

 

[resdog851]

Too many variables there for an easy answer.

IMHO, buying used without a trade is the best way to get a great price. As long as you are trading, they can always muddle up the negotiation (that goes for new too).

The next time I buy a used vehicle from a dealership, I won't have a trade (for kid going to college). I will look at the trade prices for all 4 major sites (KBB, NADA, Black Book, and VMR).

Get a carfax report and find out if it was a trade or an auction purchase, and how long they have had it (I hate autocheck reports becuase those don't tell you how long the dealership has had the vehicle). If they've had the vehicle months, they've lost a lot of negotiation power, especially if that know you know how long they've had it.

If the vehicle is like 3 years old, and you can determine it was a leased turn on, I don't buy it when they talk "reconditioning costs." If it was a leased vehcle, it was most likely serviced as recommended (and of course have it inspected independently).

If the vehicle was a trade in, I will hold firm at the highest trade in price. Hold out long enough and you'll figure out exactly how much they have invested into the vehicle.

If they've had the vehicle a short time (like a week) you are going to argue about what they actually did to recondition it.

If it is an auction purchase, I'm going to hold firm probably between the VMR wholesale price and the average trade price. Again hold firm and you'll figure out what they have in it.

If you have a trade, and live near a Car Max, take your vehicle there and see what they will give you. If it is on the high end of trade values, sell it to them. I firmly believe you can make up on the purchase price, what you will lose by not having a trade to help with sales taxes.

Most importantly, be willing to walk away. They will likely call you back with the, "What do we have to do to make a deal?"

Again JMHO.

I think your "walk away" advice is spot on. I got taken for way more than a vehicle was worth when I was a much younger man. My last couple vehicle purchases, I played hardball and made them work for my money. My last truck, I did as you recommended and sold it to Carmax prior to getting my new truck to take that out of the dealers negotiations. The great thing about Carmax is you get an appraisal and can sit on the agreed upon price for a week while you negotiate with other dealers on that same vehicle or when buying another.

 

[TwinsRRUs]

Agree with some others above: you have to be willing to walk away. Heck, give them your phone number to call you if they change their mind on a lower price that you are willing to pay. That worked on my wife's van as they called the next day with a lower price.

You get lower prices when the ball is in your court. If you aren't willing to say no and walk away, you have no power. Seriously. Be willing to walk away. And do it!

Trade-ins generally go the dealership's way. Pay more for the vehicle you buy when they give more for your used and pay less for the vehicle you buy while getting less for the trade-in. The dealership likes to keep the difference the same. This is generally (not always) why its better to not trade in unless you agree on a price for it first (like someone said above).

The dealership has to make money and will not always give in. Sometimes they have more invested in a used vehicle and have to get more out of it and negotiate less. In that case, you pay more because they did.

There is some good advice above in this thread! ^^^

 

[huskerfan1414]

Be interested in the car, act a little stupid, test drive and gush, and get their hopes up. Get them your number at some point before negotiations. Then point out flaws, say you'll talk to wife and go and do your research as stated above. Go back next day with smile and give the car a loving look, go in and say the top price my wife will let me take....they won't match it. Get up, smile, say shucks shake their hand and say nope that won't work have a good day and walk out fast. Expect phone call within ten minutes. Sold.

 

[litespeedhuskerfan]

Buy from a private owner.

That's a little to much of a blanket statement for me, and I can't agree with that. I've been in the car biz in one fashion or another my entire life (body shop owner, claim adjuster, appraiser), and I have bought from private owners as well as dealers. I just bought my wife one from a dealer a week ago no less. Fair prices for a great car can be had from both. Because of my background, I am usually asked to accompany friends when they go to purchase something, and the last friend I helped also bought from a dealer. Those two deals were as good or better than anything you'd find from a private owner. Also, when you buy something like say....a Lexus, you can run the VIN into the Lexus registry and read every note the service writer has ever made on it, and see the oil changes, assuming they had it serviced at the Lexus store. They give you a complete run down of the car for it's entire life, and I will pay a little extra for that every time. For example, as great as Lexus's are, their steering racks suck and need replacement at 90K, usually. I'd look at an RX, run the VIN into the registry, and lo and behold, it was in the Lexus store a month or so ago and dealer told them it needed a new rack, and it was time for plugs, cost of approx. $1800ish, which perfectly explained why their RX was now for sale. They didn't want to spend that money on it. Find one with no recent service notes, and documented oil changes, as well as all other fluids, and you'd be a damn fool not to pay a bit more for that car, regardless of who is selling it. Whatever you do, go for Honda or Toyota if you want to minimize disappointment down the road.

 

[otismotis08]

That's a little to much of a blanket statement for me, and I can't agree with that. I've been in the car biz in one fashion or another my entire life (body shop owner, claim adjuster, appraiser), and I have bought from private owners as well as dealers. I just bought my wife one from a dealer a week ago no less. Fair prices for a great car can be had from both. Because of my background, I am usually asked to accompany friends when they go to purchase something, and the last friend I helped also bought from a dealer. Those two deals were as good or better than anything you'd find from a private owner. Also, when you buy something like say....a Lexus, you can run the VIN into the Lexus registry and read every note the service writer has ever made on it, and see the oil changes, assuming they had it serviced at the Lexus store. They give you a complete run down of the car for it's entire life, and I will pay a little extra for that every time. For example, as great as Lexus's are, their steering racks suck and need replacement at 90K, usually. I'd look at an RX, run the VIN into the registry, and lo and behold, it was in the Lexus store a month or so ago and dealer told them it needed a new rack, and it was time for plugs, cost of approx. $1800ish, which perfectly explained why their RX was now for sale. They didn't want to spend that money on it. Find one with no recent service notes, and documented oil changes, as well as all other fluids, and you'd be a damn fool not to pay a bit more for that car, regardless of who is selling it. Whatever you do, go for Honda or Toyota if you want to minimize disappointment down the road.

When I'm shopping for a car, I know exactly what I want and what it is worth. I also know these cars (Volvos) inside and out. Knowledge is power. Find it on the private market and you'll save $$$ and get a better car.

 

[Rocky Mtn Husker]

I love this thread as I have bought several used cars from private owners and dealers over the years. I've generally found the person with the most time wins the negotiation. I.e., if you are in a hurry to get a deal done and avoid the haggling, you're probably not going to get a good deal. Someone else mentioned it here, but try to know what you're buying and your top dollar first. That's not always easy to do. I once bought a car sight unseen from a used car dealer 2000 miles away online and ended up with a killer deal. But before I even offered them, I found a used car inspection service in that city and they looked at everything on the car and sent me a list of the negatives WITH photos. I also ran the Carfax report which can give more info and insight.

I do prefer buying from private owners, if possible, because just going to their home to look at the vehicle can clue you in to how well the car was cared for. Number one, they should have all the maintenance receipts right there and you can look around and see how they take care of everything else. Is the garage tidy and clean? What about other cars in the garage?, etc.,etc. Also, what is the real reason they are selling the car? I'm by far a mechanical expert, so I always ask if I can have a mechanic look over the car. If they don't flinch at this, it's probably been maintained. Obviously there is a lot more to this like I only use the NADA guide, for example. I do think one of the keys is to really narrow down what you want and how much you are willing to pay. If it is a real cherry (and if you've done your homework you'll know it), you may have to pay what they want to get a deal done, but it will be well worth it.

 

[nebcountry]

Know what you're buying before you buy it. Ask around for local or surrounding towns that have dealers that will work with ya. I usually pick out 3 or 4 vehicles prior to leaving the house. I look up the retail and trade-in value for each vehicle and adjust for miles/options and make a copy for each vehicle. I leave the house and look at the least likely option first and look at most likely option last. Along the way I tell the sales people what I'm looking at and where I'm going, no love or preference will be shown for any vehicle. I make sure they see my copies of the internet values. If they balk at the internet values I have, I say "show me your valuation, or I'll treat mine as gospel". NEVER, EVER tell them what your price range is or how much you will be spending.

If I were to try (or actually want) a used Subaru or Cooper Mini where I live, I would HAVE to pay retail or above retail to get it. Are you looking for a car to drive or to be popular? Be prepared to walk away if someone won't deal and recognize that the vehicle may be sold to someone else if you walk.

If a salesperson won't budge on price (and it's not one of the super popular vehicles for your area), don't get mad, ask what days they are working this week/next week and tell them you might come back in to look. Come back on the day they're NOT working and try another salesperson.

There are a couple salespeople that I will specifically seek out at a couple different dealerships who will work with me.

 

[TheBeav815]

Just getting back to this thread, I forgot about it for a while. Definitely excellent advice.

The #1 thing I have learned is that dealers are 100% ok with lying to your face. So don't get hung up on EVER thinking that they are telling you the truth. They're allowed to lie, and they do. Some guy earlier this week told me they own this car I like for something like $1,200 over the Edmunds trade-in price. Swore up and down after I made it clear to him I knew that was BS.

Showing up on the lot and then walking away was what got me a good price on the first one. I'm encountering dealers, and even states (Massachusetts) where they will not do a sale over the phone. Trying to "walk away" over the phone is not really having an effect. They must get a lot of calls trying to feel them out.

On the Odyssey, they listed it at 15,900 but they'd had it a long time and I knew that. So we did that whole test driving and then sitting at the desk dance. The whole time I'm acting unimpressed with the car, because I kinda was. They didn't have it cleaned up nicely at all, interior was full of stains and crayon from previous owner's kids. I gave them an offer, of course they rejected it and tried to show me a list of comps and say they least they could sell it for was 15,500 or some nonsense like that.

I said, "So that's the lowest you'll go?"
"Yeah, that's the best we can do on it."
"Ok. Good luck with it." And we left.

We were about 5 steps out the door when the salesman and the VP came running out, "HOLD ON! What could you pay for it?"

That's when I got the price I wanted on it.

I've since had to claw back a check for $1,000 from the guy because of body and mechanical flaws I noted on it. He got his panties all in a twist that I didn't want to use the shops he wanted to use. Why the hell should I use his shops when they put this thing on the lot with the issues I discovered?

As noted above, AutoCheck is for shit. Demand a CarFax, and when the dealer says they don't use it, that's a lie. And if it's not a lie, don't buy from them. That's a bad indicator. They know just like we do that CarFax is superior and they want maximum info on any trade they're considering.

But even then, there are ways to keep accidents off CarFax. Body shop told me it was for sure in a front-end collision that wasn't on the records, but that it was safe and solid. If you hit your own garage or back into your wife's car, you gonna make an insurance claim and have your rates go up? Hell no, you're getting it fixed for cash as cheap as you can.

 

[Diplomat_Dean]

As noted above, AutoCheck is for shit. Demand a CarFax, and when the dealer says they don't use it, that's a lie. And if it's not a lie, don't buy from them. That's a bad indicator. They know just like we do that CarFax is superior and they want maximum info on any trade they're considering.

This isn't 100% accurate. In a majority of vehicles AutoCheck and CarFax will have similar data. AutoCheck is used by the auctions and usually include a greater breakdown of overall vehicle condition and in greater detail. CarFax, if car was taken to CarFax service location will have a better service record. CarFax is great for marketing purposes and customer facing.

Example - At a previous dealership I worked for we had a brand new owner's demo get backed into and hitch pull off wind deflector below bumper. CarFax reported this a front end damage accident requiring repair. AutoCheck reported this as non-moving accident, vehicle backed into, minor damage.

 

[litespeedhuskerfan]

Outside of of buying a Toyota or Honda to start with, taking somebody with you who knows cars is the best advice anyone could get or give when it comes to car buying. Somebody who really knows cars doesn't need Carfax or AutoCheck to tell them if it's been wrecked. Plus, if it was superficial damage (front end, bolt on bolt off parts only) that just means you should get a better price on that car, than a car that has never been in a whoopsie. As long as it was repaired correctly, I don't mind saving some coin on something like that. Sometimes people act like if a car was in a wreck, there some sort of black magic that follows it around the rest of it's life. If it was smaller in nature and fixed right, it's no big deal.

 

[TheBeav815]

Outside of of buying a Toyota or Honda to start with, taking somebody with you who knows cars is the best advice anyone could get or give when it comes to car buying. Somebody who really knows cars doesn't need Carfax or AutoCheck to tell them if it's been wrecked. Plus, if it was superficial damage (front end, bolt on bolt off parts only) that just means you should get a better price on that car, than a car that has never been in a whoopsie. As long as it was repaired correctly, I don't mind saving some coin on something like that. Sometimes people act like if a car was in a wreck, there some sort of black magic that follows it around the rest of it's life. If it was smaller in nature and fixed right, it's no big deal.

Agree. My accord has been in at least 4 accidents, one of which shows up as "frame damage" and it was fully repaired to like-new condition and proceeded to be a great car for 17 years after that.

Good reminder to read this thread, I'm gonna visit some dealers tomorrow. One just called me back with a very nice offer on a 2013 Civic with only 14K miles. Not quite what I want to pay, but close enough to let me know they're serious.

 

[litespeedhuskerfan]

If you want a "rare" car, like the Civic you're describing with 14K, you have to be willing to go to a dealer unless you can afford to be patient to the tune of a several months. As previously mentioned, I just bought my wife a new/used car. We wanted an RX 400H (hybrid), good luck finding one with low miles and extensive service history, at a dealer or private owner. So when one comes up, you better jump on it. If you wish to buy say... a Chevrolet Impala, no problem., tons for sale, private party, dealer, no problem. But the more "rare" or desirable, the less choices you have and anyone who refuses to do biz with a dealer is only short changing themselves waiting for a private owner sale. Plus, many times the dealer will go though it before they put it on the lot. We bought ours at the Lexus store and they just did 4 complete new brakes and tires and oil change. You think a private owner will do that right before he sells it? Then you have to think about your time. Two months ago I helped a great friend since middle school buy an RX350, another "rare" or very desirable car. We looked at several in Lincoln and we live in Omaha, so we had some time in it. When we found the right one (at a dealer no less) I said "If you're serious about buying a car, this is about the best you're going to do". So we bought it and he wrapped up that unpleasant part of his life. My time is worth something, and if he had passed on that RX, he would have been shopping by himself going forward.

 

[TheBeav815]

If you want a "rare" car, like the Civic you're describing with 14K, you have to be willing to go to a dealer unless you can afford to be patient to the tune of a several months. As previously mentioned, I just bought my wife a new/used car. We wanted an RX 400H (hybrid), good luck finding one with low miles and extensive service history, at a dealer or private owner. So when one comes up, you better jump on it. If you wish to buy say... a Chevrolet Impala, no problem., tons for sale, private party, dealer, no problem. But the more "rare" or desirable, the less choices you have and anyone who refuses to do biz with a dealer is only short changing themselves waiting for a private owner sale. Plus, many times the dealer will go though it before they put it on the lot. We bought ours at the Lexus store and they just did 4 complete new brakes and tires and oil change. You think a private owner will do that right before he sells it? Then you have to think about your time. Two months ago I helped a great friend since middle school buy an RX350, another "rare" or very desirable car. We looked at several in Lincoln and we live in Omaha, so we had some time in it. When we found the right one (at a dealer no less) I said "If you're serious about buying a car, this is about the best you're going to do". So we bought it and he wrapped up that unpleasant part of his life. My time is worth something, and if he had passed on that RX, he would have been shopping by himself going forward.

Coincidentally enough, the guy just emailed me back about this one and the front bumper needs some reconditioning. He said they won't even show it until their body guys get through with it. And that's precisely why I'm only looking at Honda dealers, and reputable ones at that.

I'm fully prepared to go home in my old '99 if nobody is in for the price I need. There are worse things than a nice drive on a sunny Saturday.

 

[ayrhuskers]

Twice I have bought used cars for half of what they asked for. Never give over 75percent of asked price.

 

[litespeedhuskerfan]

Twice I have bought used cars for half of what they asked for. Never give over 75percent of asked price.

If you really think you can buy a 3 year old Honda with 14K on it for 75% of what the Honda dealer is asking for it, you're delusional.

 

[Husker.Wed.]

I buy new and then drive the car around 12-15 years until it falls apart. Growing up watching The Price is Right and Lets Make a Deal, it was ingrained that "A NEW CAR!!!" is part of the American Dream. I'm looking at buying a new Lincoln MKX, ordered from the factory right now to replace a 13-year-old Volvo.

 

[newAD]

I buy new and then drive the car around 12-15 years until it falls apart. Growing up watching The Price is Right and Lets Make a Deal, it was ingrained that "A NEW CAR!!!" is part of the American Dream. I'm looking at buying a new Lincoln MKX, ordered from the factory right now to replace a 13-year-old Volvo.

That will be me when the last kid is out of the house. Funny how the last brand new vehicle I bought was 10 days before kid #1 was born.

 

[TheBeav815]

If you really think you can buy a 3 year old Honda with 14K on it for 75% of what the Honda dealer is asking for it, you're delusional.

Depends on how bad they want it sold. Took 4 big swings yesterday and finally hit on the last one. Gonna get it for about 89% of what they're down to on list. They've had this one sitting since January, so the price has been coming down on it. If you go buy what they originally listed it for, it would be around 77%.

......and it's Honda Certified.

The #1 lesson from yesterday was: Do not let one dealer tell you another dealer won't give you a better deal than what they just put in front of you.

Friend who is a car salesman also told me sometimes you can get a crazy deal at the end of the month because they're trying to hit some kind of sales bonus that will justify them breaking even or even losing money on that car. Also, much like you wouldn't call a hail mary on the first drive of the game, they seem to cut bigger deals near closing time on Saturday than they do in the morning.

 

[otismotis08]

I buy new and then drive the car around 12-15 years until it falls apart. Growing up watching The Price is Right and Lets Make a Deal, it was ingrained that "A NEW CAR!!!" is part of the American Dream. I'm looking at buying a new Lincoln MKX, ordered from the factory right now to replace a 13-year-old Volvo.

A well-maintained Volvo is tough to replace.

 

[Husker.Wed.]

A well-maintained Volvo is tough to replace.

It is an XC 90 with about 260K miles. A couple years after my wife got it there was a recall for the fuel pump which required taking out the back seat. The dealer paid for that. Then just past warranty a motor mount broke (pricey). Since the first couple model years XC 90 was on a car chassis without bigger brakes, it tends to go through brakes pretty fast. Other than those things, normal maintenance, and a few things here and there you would expect (a radiator after 11 years), I have been more than happy with the vehicle and it still looks new since it is always garaged. Unfortunately as with all cars, the "few things here and there" are happening more often, which is why I am thinking of replacement.

 

[TheBeav815]

It is an XC 90 with about 260K miles. A couple years after my wife got it there was a recall for the fuel pump which required taking out the back seat. The dealer paid for that. Then just past warranty a motor mount broke (pricey). Since the first couple model years XC 90 was on a car chassis without bigger brakes, it tends to go through brakes pretty fast. Other than those things, normal maintenance, and a few things here and there you would expect (a radiator after 11 years), I have been more than happy with the vehicle and it still looks new since it is always garaged. Unfortunately as with all cars, the "few things here and there" are happening more often, which is why I am thinking of replacement.

That's how it got with my Accord. It's 17.5 years in but stuff started adding up. I spent more than I really should have to keep it this long.

And that series of Accord had defective clear coat that "sunburns" so it looks like garbage and it's just not worth a repaint. I'll get a couple hundred bucks for it when I trade in tonight. I plan to drive this Civic the same way, keep it til it's just not even worth a $500 repair any more.

 

[leodisflowers]

Just getting back to this thread, I forgot about it for a while. Definitely excellent advice.

The #1 thing I have learned is that dealers are 100% ok with lying to your face. So don't get hung up on EVER thinking that they are telling you the truth. They're allowed to lie, and they do. Some guy earlier this week told me they own this car I like for something like $1,200 over the Edmunds trade-in price. Swore up and down after I made it clear to him I knew that was BS.

Showing up on the lot and then walking away was what got me a good price on the first one. I'm encountering dealers, and even states (Massachusetts) where they will not do a sale over the phone. Trying to "walk away" over the phone is not really having an effect. They must get a lot of calls trying to feel them out.

On the Odyssey, they listed it at 15,900 but they'd had it a long time and I knew that. So we did that whole test driving and then sitting at the desk dance. The whole time I'm acting unimpressed with the car, because I kinda was. They didn't have it cleaned up nicely at all, interior was full of stains and crayon from previous owner's kids. I gave them an offer, of course they rejected it and tried to show me a list of comps and say they least they could sell it for was 15,500 or some nonsense like that.

I said, "So that's the lowest you'll go?"
"Yeah, that's the best we can do on it."
"Ok. Good luck with it." And we left.

We were about 5 steps out the door when the salesman and the VP came running out, "HOLD ON! What could you pay for it?"

That's when I got the price I wanted on it.

I've since had to claw back a check for $1,000 from the guy because of body and mechanical flaws I noted on it. He got his panties all in a twist that I didn't want to use the shops he wanted to use. Why the hell should I use his shops when they put this thing on the lot with the issues I discovered?

As noted above, AutoCheck is for shit. Demand a CarFax, and when the dealer says they don't use it, that's a lie. And if it's not a lie, don't buy from them. That's a bad indicator. They know just like we do that CarFax is superior and they want maximum info on any trade they're considering.

But even then, there are ways to keep accidents off CarFax. Body shop told me it was for sure in a front-end collision that wasn't on the records, but that it was safe and solid. If you hit your own garage or back into your wife's car, you gonna make an insurance claim and have your rates go up? Hell no, you're getting it fixed for cash as cheap as you can.

I had the same experience. Wife and I bought the Infiniti SUV. My wife being in the banking business was able to secure the cost of the vehicle on what the bank would see. We negotiated all night, and they wouldn't budge. I politely thanked them, and we left for the night knowing full well they would call us in the morning. It happened, and we got everything we wanted. It all comes down to sticking to your guns, and letting the dealership know that the new car is a want, not a need even though it might be a need.

 

[Chief Wiggum]

Wow, this thread is awesome - love all the info. One question for the pros, the last three cars I have bought have all been new cars and I bought them through a benefit at work...Ford calls it XPlan, can't remember what the others call it - but basically I find the car on the lot, go to the website and punch up the VIN and it comes back with the XPlan price - I bring the paperwork in and done deal. Supposedly this a good deal and non-negotiable, seems like the dealer kind of likes it when we come in with the paperwork, maybe due to no haggling? Or maybe we are seen as a more serious buyer? In any event, is the XPlan really a good deal? Is it negotiable in any way? I always have felt like the deals were fair, the XPlan was several thousand less than sticker - but the negotiator in me always wonders if I could do better...

 

[TheBeav815]

Discovered a new tactic today. It's called "Rip the dealer a new asshole on Yelp." I left a detailed review of my bad experience at McGrath City Honda, the different tactics they pulled, and how they refused to negotiate after I had been promised they would.

Darned if they didn't call me today, they saw the review and they were suddenly much more curious about matching the price I got in Wisconsin. I made sure it was a very detailed, accurate account.

 

[Husker.Wed.]

And that series of Accord had defective clear coat that "sunburns" so it looks like garbage and it's just not worth a repaint. I'll get a couple hundred bucks for it when I trade in tonight.

Isn't Earl Scheib in Omaha anymore

 

[TheBeav815]

Isn't Earl Scheib in Omaha anymore

I did not understand that reference.

 

[Husker.Wed.]

I did not understand that reference.

Back in the day Earl Scheib would "paint any car for $99.99". Needless to say, the paintjobs looked like $99.99 including painting over bugs stuck to the car the pressure-washer didn't quite get off.

 

[bigboxes]

If you really think you can buy a 3 year old Honda with 14K on it for 75% of what the Honda dealer is asking for it, you're delusional.

No no no. If you read something on the internet it must be TRUE!

 

[litespeedhuskerfan]

No no no. If you read something on the internet it must be TRUE!

BONJOUR!!!

 

[NikkiSixx]

For those that know, are highway miles really not so hard on a vehicle? Car is 7 years old Nissan, 130K miles. Owner commuted about 40 miles each way daily.

 

[litespeedhuskerfan]

Highway miles = Easy miles, absolutely. Unless it was my wife driving it, then there are no easy miles.

 

[bigboxes]

Highway miles = Easy miles, absolutely. Unless it was my wife driving it, then there are no easy miles.

Ba-dum-dum-tish