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48114 messages,  Last post on Dec 07, 2009 at 12:20 PM

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What is this discussion about? Car Buying


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#47237 of 48114
Re: Paying "full boat" [driver100] by snakeweasel
Nov 08, 2009 (8:58 am)
Reply

Replying to: driver100 (Nov 08, 2009 8:02 am)

Many years ago we had a bus tour of the city
 
If you, or anyone for that matter, get to Chicago and can only do one tour you have to take one of the boat tours down the river and out onto the lake (just make sure that the Dave Matthews band isn't playing nearby).
#47238 of 48114
Re: Paying "full boat" [lrguy44] by snakeweasel
Nov 08, 2009 (9:14 am)
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Replying to: lrguy44 (Nov 08, 2009 8:04 am)

No problems with semantics on my part. Affordable means that the buyer has the ability to pay for it with little hardships. What the customer will pay is a reasonable price (at least to the customer not necessarily to the dealer).
 
Lets put it this way $75K may be a very reasonable price for a base 2010 Land Rover Range Rover with no options but its not affordable for me.
 
Or $25K is an affordable price for me for a car but not a reasonable price for say a Honda Fit.
 
In short affordable is the ability to pay, reasonable is the willingness to pay.
#47239 of 48114
Re: Paying "full boat" [tallman1] by driver100
Nov 08, 2009 (10:38 am)
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Replying to: tallman1 (Nov 08, 2009 8:55 am)

The scenarios you describe aren't really what anyone here is talking about, IMHO. Stating MSRP and sticking to that is one thing. Offering to negotiate or hinting at lower prices is another
 
Fair enough...that is reasonable. I kind of test people first. I walk in to the dealership, I say I want a new XYZ5000 with leather a/c and bum warmers. Salesperson says, that car lists for $30k but lets see what we can do. I am Ok with that. If he says that car is $30k, let's write it up. I have lost my trust. I don't think he is necessarily dishonest - but I don't think he is acting on my behalf and I'd rather go somewhere else. I don't mind someone trying to get full retail, but if I know that is unreasonable based on the type of car, I'll try somewhere else. That salesman has failed my little test.
#47240 of 48114
Re: Paying "full boat" [snakeweasel] by murphydog
Nov 08, 2009 (11:02 am)
Reply

Replying to: snakeweasel (Nov 08, 2009 7:30 am)

I think people's desire to haggle stems from easy substitues -
 
Example. I had a bowflex on craigs list - lots of interest and lots of very low offers - there is a lot more exercise equipment out there.
 
Cheap TV - worth get rid of fast price $20 - asked $30 (again planning on haggle factor) and people bought it for the full $30.
 
Either way I think the difference here is that Driver is talking about grinding on price as compared to straight forward negotiation.
 
So when high price A is presented along with strong arm tactics - it is a stupid price - however if price A is offered with an indication that open negotiation is there it is a good starting point.
 
BTW, I agree - High price A with strong arm tactics = me saying thanks and good luck with that...
 
Ah Driver - I did not see your last post, I think we are in agreement here though...
#47241 of 48114
Re: Paying "full boat" [graphicguy] by mikefm58
Nov 08, 2009 (11:17 am)
Reply

Replying to: graphicguy (Nov 08, 2009 6:50 am)

Invariably, even though I make it clear that my offer is firm, the bump ensues....and the grind is invited, by the dealership.
 
That's exactly how it's gone for me the last few dealers I've gone in to. After I make my firm offer, in a professional manner BTW, they start out by asking me to go in to great detail how I arrived at my figure, then go in to all kinds of stories how I was wrong and I need to pay more. Keep in mind, here in central Florida (home of the $699 dealer fee) it's become a cess pool.
 
It usually takes me repeating myself 3-4 times, sometimes more, each time my stress level is increasing, before they finally get the message. Sometimes I walk out empty handed, but other times I'm successful. They clearly didn't believe me the first time I said my offer was firm. I've even tried the email and phone approach but get "come on in and we'll talk about it".
 
The grinding can come from both parties.
#47242 of 48114
Re: Paying "full boat" [driver100] by boomchek
Nov 08, 2009 (11:22 am)
Reply

Replying to: driver100 (Nov 08, 2009 5:55 am)

You come in to the showroom, and ask me the price of each vehicle. I quote you MSRP. We get past that for now by finding a car you'd like in your general price range that meets your needs. We don't talk about pricing after this until we find the car you love and you're eady to negotiate. Then we'd sit down for negotiations.
 
I say the price is $XXXXX (MSRP), you say you're not paying MSRP. I say make me an offer then, and we start negotiations.
 
I am not going to drop my MSRP for you, hoping I'll randomly hit some magical number in your head. If you have a target price, you name it and I'll see if it's doable.
 
I told customers before that who sit down and tell me to offer them a price. Right away I'll tell them: My offer is MSRP what's yours? I'm not playing poker with you, trying to figure out what price you have in your head or in your tightly folded piece of paper you're holding close to your chest. We're asking MSRP, if you'd like to make an offer lower than that please feel free to do so.
#47243 of 48114
Re: Paying "full boat" [isellhondas] by oldfarmer50
Nov 08, 2009 (11:57 am)
Reply

Replying to: isellhondas (Nov 07, 2009 4:48 pm)

"...it looks good I'll take it..."
 
I happen to agree with the sales folks on this one. If you don't ask, you don't get.
 
Years ago I was selling an old Chevy for $950. I thought it was worth $950 and didn't build any "haggle room" into the price. Everyone who came to look offered less than I was asking even though my price was already pretty low. I of course was offended by the low balls and wouldn't budge.
 
After a few week I was just about ready to give up and sell it to the high offer $750. While I was waiting for him to call me back a guy came in and paid my asking price without argument.
 
What I learned:
 
Almost everybody wants it cheaper no matter what the price.
 
There is usually some person who is different than "almost everybody" who will pay full price.
 
The only thing I'm still not clear on is why many dealerships bump the asking price of used cars up so high that it scares people off? That one guy in a hundred can't be buying that many cars.
#47244 of 48114
Re: Paying "full boat" [lrguy44] by richard64
Nov 08, 2009 (12:15 pm)
Reply

Replying to: lrguy44 (Nov 08, 2009 8:04 am)

"Affordable is what the customer will pay."
 
I think of "affordable" as being what the customer CAN pay. He might pay more. Example: Joe Blow can afford Car A but would prefer Car B. Rather than buying Car A, he goes into his savings or borrows more money to buy Car B. Many people buy more car than they actually can afford.
 
Just my 2 cents: I'm not asking any salesman the price of a car until I decide on the car that I want. Why would I waste my time and his? There is one exception. Car A may come in two option packages. I might ask the price difference between the two.
 
Richard
#47245 of 48114
Re: Paying "full boat" [richard64] by houdini1
Nov 08, 2009 (12:42 pm)
Reply

Replying to: richard64 (Nov 08, 2009 12:15 pm)

Richard, you are one cagey rascal !!
#47246 of 48114
Re: Paying "full boat" [snakeweasel] by oldfarmer50
Nov 08, 2009 (2:04 pm)
Reply

Replying to: snakeweasel (Nov 08, 2009 7:26 am)

"...Really how often does that happen..."
 
The house across the street from us sold for $10K more than the asking price.
 
My van sold for $50 less than I offered. (that should have told me something).

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