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Chrysler Town & Country Prices Paid and Buying Experience

1653 messages,  Last post on Apr 25, 2013 at 4:44 PM

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What is this discussion about? Chrysler Town and Country, Car Buying, Van

    

Messages Page 21 of 166

#193 of 1653 Re: Employee price is actually higher (worse) !!! [blueyonder] by mrblonde49

Jul 14, 2005 (5:45 am)

Replying to: blueyonder (Jul 13, 2005 10:52 pm)
I am looking to buy a 05 Chrysler Town & Country Base model. The price I got in June was $16,500 plus $3500 factory rebate. Now, this month (July) I am quoted $17,400 plus $2000 rebate. Same dealership. They must think the buyers are fool who don't know how to do the math. I meant that my out of pocket money is actually 900 higher. "
 
I don't see how your numbers add up to a $900 difference

#194 of 1653 Re: Employee price is actually higher (worse) !!! [mrblonde49] by charlotte7

Jul 14, 2005 (8:38 am)

Replying to: mrblonde49 (Jul 14, 2005 5:45 am)
I'm confused as to what your original price would have been...in June it would have been $16,500 plus $3500 factory rebate, making the van cost $13,000?! Or was that $16,500 with the rebate factored in? If I could get a T&C for $13K, I'd buy one right now.
 
What was your out the door price for the van in June vs. July?

#195 of 1653 Re: Employee price is actually higher (worse) !!! [mrblonde49] by mrblonde49

Jul 14, 2005 (8:48 am)

Replying to: mrblonde49 (Jul 14, 2005 5:45 am)
Oh, I see now - you meant to say INCLUDING rebate, not plus rebate

#196 of 1653 Re: Employee price is actually higher (worse) !!! [mrblonde49] by blueyonder

Jul 14, 2005 (1:24 pm)

Replying to: mrblonde49 (Jul 14, 2005 8:48 am)
The price in June was $16,500+3,500(rebate) = $20,000.
 
In July, $17,400+2000(rebate) = 19,400. While the total number is $600 less, but remember you will pay $19400 and get back $2,000 rebate three month or more in time. That means your actual car price is $17,400, no the actual price of $16,500 of the June deal. The July deal is $900 more than the June's. Do you see the difference? That's why I call it is a trick. If they want to compete with GM, give us some real thing.
 
Thanks for listening.

#197 of 1653 Re: Employee price is actually higher (worse) !!! [blueyonder] by badgerfan

Jul 14, 2005 (1:54 pm)

Replying to: blueyonder (Jul 14, 2005 1:24 pm)
You sure have a tough time explaining your price quotes. Rebates are not added to the price, they are subtracted from the dealer price. I assume what you are trying to state is that before employee pricing was introduced, You could have bought it in June for $16500, which was a price of $20,000-$3500 rebate.
 
Now with the employee pricing, the price you pay is quoted at $17400, which was a price of $19,400-$2000 rebate.
 
Am I interpreting this correctly? Is the rebate also dependent on your financing the car with Chrysler Credit, which is why you have to wait for the rebate?
 
This could be the case as they may have reduced the rebate and introduced employee pricing to all at the same time. Might mean you could have got a better deal before.
 
Chrysler has little to worry about from GM's minivans anyways, and I would bet on selected GM models, you would have seen the same thing happen when the employee pricing to all kicked in.
 
Bottom line: Don't be sucked in by the advertising hype of these sales promotions. The competition in the US automobile market is about as brutal now as it was early in the 20th century, with so many manufacturers trying to grab a piece of the action. A big promotion now may even be followed by a bigger one next week, next month or next year.
 
Note that the prices you are listing are not all that more, and in some cases are less, than you could have bought a DGC minivan ten years ago, and you are getting more equipment and better quality.

#198 of 1653 Re: Employee price is actually higher (worse) !!! [badgerfan] by mttskys

Jul 14, 2005 (2:29 pm)

Replying to: badgerfan (Jul 14, 2005 1:54 pm)
Chrysler's current rebate is not dependent on financing or on a trade-in.
 
In June, there was a $2500 rebate + $1000 bonus cash if you traded a car in.
Before June, there was a $2500 rebate + $1000 bonus cash if you financed.
 
Currently there is employee pricing and a $2000 rebate (no dependencies).
 
And obviously rebates aren't mailed in and waited for like a purchase at Best Buy.
 
I expect it would be hard (yet not impossible) to negotiate a vehicle down to the employee price before July.... obviously if you did, and traded in a car (in June) you would have a price delta of $1500 ($500 w/out the trade).
 
Another small point to remember is that the lower sales cost (before the rebate) will result in a smaller tax bill since rebates are applied (immediately) after tax to the purchase price.... and most likely one could easily make up the difference from June by selling a trade-in directly.... resulting in a better deal for July.

#199 of 1653 Re: Employee price is actually higher (worse) !!! [mttskys] by blueyonder

Jul 14, 2005 (9:22 pm)

Replying to: mttskys (Jul 14, 2005 2:29 pm)
Thanks for your reply.
 
The way I see it, the June deal is better. I'd rather pay them $20,000 and get back $3500 later. In the end I pay $16500. With the current deal, I will pay $17400 after all things settle down.
 
As to the competition, if GM makes a station wagon, I will buy the car in a heart beat. Too bad the General Motor doesn't make them any more.
 
I was very close to buying a 2005 Chevy Malibu MXX. They call it "5-door sedan". It's fine. But when I test drove the car, I felt the gas pedal was too loose. I couldn't get used to it.
 
I also seriously considered the 2005 Chevy Impala. I even rented one for a weekend. I like the car very much. Good looking, roomy, good ride and good gas milage. Yes, the gas milage is better than any minivan. The only thing is, it is a sedan. I need a station wagon (at least) so I can haul things in the back of the car with the rear seats fold flat.
 
So I am still shopping arond. I am trying to give GM a chance. It is still an American car company.

#200 of 1653 Re: Employee price is actually higher (worse) !!! [blueyonder] by mttskys

Jul 14, 2005 (10:40 pm)

Replying to: blueyonder (Jul 14, 2005 9:22 pm)
I think it is worth mentioning one more time though, you don't "get back $3500 later". The $3500 (or $2000 as it is now) is immediately subtracted from your final price when you "check out" that day. They add tax, title, etc. to come up with your final price and then consider the rebate to be part of your down payment. Trade-ins work the same way in CA.... other states subtract the trade in value from the purchase price before they apply tax.
 
It would have been $20000+tax,title,etc minus $3500... that you would have paid to take the car home.
 
You won't get an argument from me regarding the June deal. I ran out the weekend before they started the Employee purchase and bought since I assumed they would cut the rebates down....
 
And just so you don't think less kindly of Chrysler.... GM did the same thing. Rebates went down when employee pricing came out. Many people paid less before GM started Employee pricing as well. It's mostly a marketing gimmick....
 
If you are set on a GM car, the Saturn Relay, Chevy Uplander, Pontiac Montana, and Buick Terraza are essentially minivans in disguise... sliding doors and everything.

#202 of 1653 Re: Employee price is actually higher (worse) !!! [mttskys] by fish8

Jul 15, 2005 (4:16 am)

Replying to: mttskys (Jul 14, 2005 10:40 pm)
Well, I completely agree with you about the employee pricing being a "Gimmick". But, it's working.....GM sold TONS (literally) of cars last month. People love good marketing.....

Messages Page 21 of 166

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