buying a car

[Nicole]

MirRA - don't you sell cars? any tips on negotiating a price for a new one?

[LilliHart]

Hi Ophaniel
Consumer Reports magazine has a great article/booklet on all kinds of ideas and methods to use for buying cars and getting a great deal. Check them out online. I think they sell this for a very reasonable fee.

LILI

[Nicole]

Thanks Lili!

[Edward]

Also Kelley Blue book is a good place to check out.

www.kbb.com

Peace, Love and Enlightenment,

Ed

[Nicole]

Thanks Ed! I've actually already done this (so did the dealer), and have gotten a quote from CarsDirect that the dealer almost matched. But I'm looking for other ways to cut cost. I know what my payments need to be and I want the cost to come down some.

[LilliHart]

One of the things that Consumers tells you to do is to negotiate a price first before telling the dealer that you want to finance it or have a trade in. They also tell you to work from the invoice price UP not from the MSRP down. Their report is very valuable and worth the $25 or so.

[Nicole]

Well I got very close to the KBB invoice price and a dealer in GA (I'm in AL) is giving me below that if I take his offer. I just want it for less. LOL

Is invoice price really what they paid? Or just according to KBB?

[zor7b]

They pay less then invoice and you as the consumer are not told of the % back the dealer gets from the manufacturer.....how hot/marketable the car is factors in your ability to cut deal...a toyota prius sells 1-2-3....an accord hybrid sits for awhile...what kind of car are you looking at...?....here in Jersey there are companies that stricly sell vehicles that are coming off 3 year leases.at preset prices well below market value...depreciation has already taken place...I have gone this route twice and been very happy both times.....

[Nicole]

I'm looking for a new Honda Odyssey EX-L with DVD. I currently lease a 2004 EX with DVD and want the new model with the extra perks.

[destra]

I used to work for Chysler, and I come from a car company family, my dad was a GMC exec for 33 years, my mother works for Chrysler as well. Here are some tips from an insider lol:

Don't go for all the fancy after market warranty and add ons, they exist simply to fatten the wallets of the Business Manager in any dealership - that is where their commissions come from.

Do ask to take the vehicle on an overnight test drive, if the dealership says no they are not worth their weight, if they let you take it it shows they are willing to go the extra distance. A dealership willing to go the extra distance will not drop the ball should there be any post purchase problems.

Do not buy from individuals unless the vehicle is emissions tested/safety checked and THEY have paid for it.

You can check out wholesalers if you want used - and again make sure it is a complete package - don't get stuck having to pay for emissions etc.

Car sales people are sharks. That doesn't mean they are bad, it means they work for commission, and have months of booming sales, and months of no sales. Theirs is a very unpredictable business. So no matter how much honey they may drip, keep yourself mindful of THIER bottom line - your money. Be firm. Don't accept anything that doesn't sit well with you. They can and WILL accomodate all your needs if they are a reputable dealership.

I think the best tip to give you though is to manifest this for yourself. Go to a quiet place and tell the Universe what you're ordering. Just say "This is what I want, now you can bring it to me." Keep all other stuff out of it, including where to get it, don't tell the Universe HOW to deliver your manifestation to you, just tell the Universe what it is you are creating for yourself.

Best of luck on this Ophaniel!!

Much Love,
Destra

[Nicole]

Thanks Destra!! I have put in my order, now I'm just a little impatient getting it! I will do my best to wait and see!

[ADMIN]

I work at a Nissan dealership. I am not a saleman thou I was in the past. Not all salemen are sharks, that is long gone with the tools available on the net. You can go to Kelly Bluebook and see the actual invoice of the vehicle you wish to buy and offer a 1% over invoice which some dealers accept, expecially at the end of the month where they need to meet their numbers. They will come back and maybe pump you to 3% over invoice depending of your negociating skills.
3% over invoice is what most dealers give their employees.
I f you can get the 1% over invoive they may make you pay the dealer fee which if you buy from a Maroone dealer that has to waive and then you will really get a good deal.
Also find out what incentive there are on the car. If you have a trade, hold it off until you have agrred on a priice, then show them the trade. If you do otherwise they will work the trade value into the price and you will end up paying more.
The only thing I HIGHLY recommend when you get into the finance part, is to get GAP insurance. This is NOT a fancy add on and will save you a huge headache if by any chance you end up inan acident and have total lost, www.kbb.com/you won't end up with a bill to pay and no car.

[destra]

MirRa no disrespect was meant in my post. Things may be different in Canada as opposed to the US.

[ADMIN]

Before I forget. Remember that salemen also have a family to feed. If it was your business, you would also like to make a profit. The days where salesmen made a lot of many are long gone. The average salemen gives the car away or with very little profit. The only one that makes the money is the dealer which as said above they get the car below invoice. Very rarely will someone get a price under invoice and in special cases where a car had been sitting on the lot for 90 days, then wham! you got a steal. but with that also comes that the tires have been sitting there and then you get a can of worms, which really is not worth it becaue the only thing you are saving is maybe 5-10 bucks on your monthly payment. For every 1000k you payment goes up 20 bucks, and really I rather pay a bit more but have a car without problems.
Also demo's are lowered to good price because they have some miles on them. It may have 5000k mike on it, but it's still new, will be becaue it has never been titled.
Zero miles on a car is any car under 500 miles.
Going back to what and how the salesmen make money now a days. They get a bonus by selling a certain amount of cars. Most deals only pay 50 bucks, that's called a mini deal. If the salesman didn't hit the amount of car and misses the bonus, guess what? He is not going to be able to pay his rent.
So then in order to make up for the lack of commissions he didn't earn because he gave all this cars away, he then has to sell a a couple of use cars to make up the difference.
And if he can't make it that way, then he will be fired because he didn't know how to make profit and didn't meet is quota.

I defend the customer in giving them a fair deal, but also the customer needs to know that he is also making a living and that's where the sharks come in an abuse the customer.
Go informed, ask for a price and negotiate from there. If they want to seel you the car they won't let you walk away, especially if it's the last day of the month!

[Nicole]

I think I'm going to get a fair deal. I don't know if it's because I was with my husband this time, but last time I tried by myself I got shit on and it pissed me off. I came back with him and the used car manager offered us like $2k more for the car I had then - a slap in the face I felt.

Anyway, I just have to manifest the deal I want. I'm close. I'll wait a bit longer.