Buying a new car

So over the past few days, Girlmimbo and I were out shopping for new cars. We were going mid-size in the sedan segment (I know, Face, boring) and we test drove cars from Nissan, Ford, Hyundai, Toyota, Honda, and Mazda. We rules out the Mazda 6 pretty quickly (knob in the middle, what's that about), the Accord (zzzz), the Camry (boring), and quickly was drawn between the Fusion (very nice drive, but very uncomfortable headrests for the Mrs -- so that was out), the Sonata Limited (great car, good deal, but feels a bit too cheap compared to the competition), and the Nissan Altima SL 2.5 with Navigation. So, with the fun stuff over with (the test drive, the drivel between sales people, etc, time for the dreaded negotiation).

So, I followed the advice, went to get the dealer invoice price, and start from there. Man, what a pressure cooker. The invoice price for my car, all in (taxes, freight, destination, etc), is $33,300. They of course wanted $35,900 for the car. So, I offered 33,000 which they immediately balked on. They asked me what my top price was to get me out the door was and I stated my deal value which was $34,000, which was my top line (and gives them a 2% profit, which is what many internet sites say is a fair price) . They said the best that they could do was $34,600. So, I told them that there was a Hyundai down the street that I was going to buy (true), and my phone actually rang from Hyundai asking me why I was late. I told them that we were at an impasse and that I was going to talk to my wife and we sat in the car pretending to leave. The sales person told me that they were losing money on the computer and for me to look at the "profit page" on their computer. I told them that their invoice price was $33,300 and they were making money (I didn't mention the 2.8% holdback that they also get) and didn't need to see a "profit screen".

About 30 seconds after we got into our car, they came knocking on the window of the car and told me that they would "call the owner" to get the okay on $34K, which of course it was.

I freaking hate car negotiations. Why can't the dealership just say "this is our price, no screwing around". It's just a tactic where the experience heavily favors the sales person and the games that they play because most of the public doesn't play that game. Even still, I know that I paid about $700 more for the car than I really had to because my bottom line was too high.

Then you sit in the Finance office and hear the selling drivel for undercoating, paint protection, rustproofing, tinting, extended warranties, and so on and so forth, all of which I politely declinted.

I'm now the proud owner of a Nissan Altima 2.5 SL.

Any other car buying horror stories out there?

Do you really dislike that? I think it's fun. It's the last thing you can really negotiate on. I agree, the salesperson has the upper hand though. And I think they usually get me. The last car I bought the salesman called me up to LOWER the price. That got me in there and we closed right away. Now that I look back on it, that was a pretty clever sales technique, and there was probably already some cushion built into the price.

Those invoices are usually typed right at the dealers.

Most cars come from Car Brokers not Manufacturers.

They did say that, and you left. The money was more important to you than the stress.

Wouldn't buy a new car under any circumstances.
Much rather a have a later model that's been
broken in.

First and foremost, Congrats on your new ride!!! It feels great getting into a new car!!!

Ok, so I think you may have missed out on VW. Any reason why you decided not to at least test drive a VW?

So I had exactly the same thing happen to me in Vegas in 2011 when I bought my 2012 VW CC. We had haggled with each other from about $31,000 down to about $29,600 but MAN it was a slog getting down to that figure. I was out the door more times than I care to remember. They wouldn't budge, then come down to make the sale. I had to also come face to face with the actual owner. He told me I was taking food out of his kids mouths and I told him I didn't care :) It was a fun conversation to be sure.

Did you get the registration included as well?

Hope you have many safe miles in your new car dude!!

Quote: Tomspur

. I had to also come face to face with the actual owner. He told me I was taking food out of his kids mouths and I told him I didn't care :) It was a fun conversation to be sure.
!

Are you talking about the dealership owner? I've
never bought a new car. Bring the jerk on, I've
never seen a starving owner of a dealership. It's
the plum job in any town or city, they're usually
rich. They would never lose money on a sale,
what a joke.

Quote:

About 30 seconds after we got into our car, they came knocking on the window of the car and told me that they would "call the owner" to get the okay on $34K, which of course it was."

Hah ha. I've heard all that and more. I doubt if the owner gets called, unless someone wrecks on a test drive. Doubt if they're even talking to the sales manager. Probably back having coffee calling the spouse, or having lunch. Then they show up and say they were sweated by management all that time for trying to practically steal the car for you, but they maybe can drop another couple hundred on thousand or more over.

Quote: Evenbob

Are you talking about the dealership owner? I've
never bought a new car. Bring the jerk on, I've
never seen a starving owner of a dealership. It's
the plum job in any town or city, they're usually
rich. They would never lose money on a sale,
what a joke.

Yeah car salesmen/dealership owners are a joke. They make you believe that they are doing YOU a favor.....

Why no new cars bob? Don't see the value in them?

I can undestand that

From what I have learned my next car purchase will probably be with negotiations over the internet. It may involve a drive of up to a few hundred miles, but it eliminates the nonsense of sittingat a desk for what can be hours. Smart dealerships are abandoning the model of half a dozed sales guys attacking prospects who wonder onto the lot then holdong them hostage until they buy.

There are services that will do the negotiating for you, some promising a price right online before you even buy. Some people just decide the car they want and email 5 Ford Dealers and say, "Get me a price on a Tarus, make it good." Then they negotiate.
Others will email the fleet dept and say, "I'm looking at the Taurus, Impala, and Camry. I want a test drive, I will drive them all then negotiate, can I haved an appointment?" This approach can work well because the dealer knows this person is serious about buying. This is how higher-line cars are sold, and in BMW and Audi dealerships they do treat you different. But those buysers act different, more like this example.

The people that get hoses always seem to be the people who treat buying a car like buying a loaf of bread. They do no ressearch, they do not have financing in plance, and they just want to get it done. Then they wind up hating the car and do it all again the next time.

As for me, my plan is next time to either pay cash or finance cheap and leave the money in mutual funds, auto-debit. Get it done online and tell the F&I guy, "I want no add-ons but if your boss wants you to make a pitch to everyone feel free to waste your time." Then keep it at least 7 years.