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Smart Shopper Internet vs. Traditional Car Buying
3011 messages, Last post on Aug 27, 2009 at 10:23 AM
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What do people do with trade-ins when trying to do a deal on the internet? I'm guessing you still have to go to the dealer and negotiate in person, but wanted to see what those who had done this had to say (buyers or sales people).
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Replying to: newcarbuyer12 (Apr 22, 2009 6:14 am) |
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Replying to: golic (Jan 12, 2009 9:30 pm) Ah, I have a similar story about our Honda dealer (only one in this area). Had engine problems with my ’98 Accord and took it there. Said I need an alternator for $670. Called an independent shop for a quote and they were $250 less. Called the dealer back and said no thanks. They say oh, we happened to find a deal on an alternator for $150 less than our first quote. No thanks still, I don’t trust you now. Pick up the car and get it over to the independent shop and they simply diagnose that I need a new battery. Two years later, the alternator is still going strong. I guess I won’t be using or shopping that dealer ever again. |
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Replying to: lrguy44 (Apr 21, 2009 7:51 pm) Dealers DO play games but so do customers of course. It’s all a matter of my desire to pay as little as possible while the dealer wants to get as much as possible. It’s the great American marketplace and I have no problem with that if the process is honest and upfront on both ends. The disadvantage to the customer is, dealers do this every day and have a system they practice over and over to extract the maximum dollar from each customer. The customer does this maybe every few years and is not only at a disadvantage in the experience department but this is also done on the dealer’s home field (necessarily so of course). The bait and switch and unsuspecting “add-in’s” (well documented in these forums) that go on by the dealer are simply dishonest. Using the internet is a good way to take emotion out of the equation and get exact details in writing, assuming those details are honored. Frankly, if I don’t need a test drive, don’t have a trade-in and have a check from my bank or credit union ready to go after a bottom line price by e-mail, why can't I simply show up and pick up the car? I have no desire to sit down with a slick finance guy because I’ve arranged my own finances and I don’t want an extended warranty. He doesn’t need to convince me on what I’m “missing out on”. I don’t really need to become buddies with the salesman either, just show me the necessary papers to sign and I can be out of there without wasting too much of your time. Perhaps there are people that enjoy the personal interaction and hands-on stuff and will get wide-eyed about extra options (and don’t mind paying for them) but for me, I just want a good value on a basic automobile. If your dealership or you personally gain something from it and I don’t feel ripped off, I’ll feel good about that too.
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Replying to: greatlakesjr (Apr 22, 2009 6:33 am) |
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Replying to: exb0 (Apr 21, 2009 4:52 pm) I think you should be as honest as possible... gives the sales person an impression that you are a straight shooter. In the end you should treat sales person the way you would want him to treat you... AND I AM NOT A SALES MAN My last three car purchases were internet/email. In all cases I told them that 1) I do have a car that I am replacing. If you give me a good deal then I might trade it in else I will sell it myself. So lets keep the transaction separate. 2) I will buy cash. But if I can get preferred financing then I might consider it. However the chances of that happening are remote. 3) Please give me your OTD price. 4) I always give them the time frame in which I will make a purchase. So how did this fare for me: A) First car: 1995 Infiniti Dealer in Cleveland OH. Mainly email/phone communication. Very smooth transaction. Ended up taking Infiniti financial loan rate of 0.9% instead of cash. Time frame was one week. B) Second Car: 2000 Infiniti dealer in Phoenix. Again email communication. About 10 min prices negotiations at the dealership. Ended up trading my car as the trade-in was reasonable. Again ended up with dealer financing of 1.9%. Time frame was 4 months and sales person knew it. C) Third car: 2008 Acura dealer in Southern CA. Again three emails and two phone calls. Infact in last phone call sales man said that the dealer incentive has gone up from 3500 to 4000 so your price will be 500 LESS then what I quoted you. Trade in and financing was not attractive so paid cash. No negotiations at the dealsership. Time frame three week. At the end of it he did say that he appreciated the "streight shooter" attitude. In my mind be honest. There are sales man that play games. You can always walk away or come back later and talk to some other salesman.
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Replying to: sanjaysdca (Apr 22, 2009 7:11 am) Well said. |
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Replying to: lrguy44 (Apr 22, 2009 6:44 am) |
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Replying to: lrguy44 (Apr 22, 2009 6:44 am) Thanks SO much for the generalization. Obviously, you deal with the low end screamer ad stores. Try a good high end store and you may not be attacking everyone. Generalization? Attacking? I guess your comment about the "low end screamer ad stores" isn't a generalization esp. since you don't define what one is? I thought his post summarized what he looks for when buying a car siting the positives and negatives for both the consumer and salesman sides.
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Replying to: sanjaysdca (Apr 22, 2009 7:11 am) I think you should be as honest as possible... Why volunteer information that you are not asked for? Information that can put you at a disadvantage during negotiations. I don't consider that as being dishonest, but a negotiations tactic. Salespeople deflect questions all the time. As a matter of fact, they are trained to do that. Are they being dishonest?
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