Negotiating a car deal.....

[nnkrealtor]

I liked this strategy of the cashier's check in hand. One question, did you already have the cashier's check made out to the dealer or was it blank?

It was made out to the dealer. I told the bank which car I was interested in and the dealership it was located at. If they didn't come down to that price. I would have just ripped up the check.

 

[VaCollector]

Thanks for all of your replies!

I tried the Costco approach with my DW's initial choice of Lexus and was offered
"the Costco price" of a whopping $1500 off of the $48K sticker price ....
and I have to say that from there it only got worse.....I presented my internet
info from Edmonds.com as well as a few other sites....to which the salesman
replied..."You don't believe everything you read on the internet do you??"

WOW....SOLD....can I have two at your wonderful pie in the sky price please!?? NOT....see ya!!

All of this was a God send....DW actually took notice of how arrogant this dealer
was and she embarked on a search for other models that might fit the
bill....Toyota, Nissan, Honda....she even walked a few American made lots...
not sure she was ever really serious about them...but she is coming out of a
Ford Escape (pronounced with a French accent Esss Ka Pay )

She found that she appreciated the Honda CR-V and although I was reminded
on more than one occassion that "this is NOT the Lexus"....once she was
reminded that she was gonna be parking it in mall parking lots and that the
gas was coming out of her pocket this time....voila....we had discovered our
newest quest!

I'm delighted to say that we have several local Honda dealerships that understand
how cars SHOULD be sold ....although there was one who followed the old
high pressure tactics and the "how much per month" strategy....

With researched info in hand....I had several prices via email within hours...
and discovered a dealer who offered "the extras' that are so popular around
here these days....engines guaranteed for life, free inspections for life, free
oil changes for life, free car wash with ANY service (free or otherwise)....

I took my best offer to them (they were $83 higher...I later found out why)...
and it was literally THEM....when I went into the dealership for the 1st time
I was met by my internet contact (Manager) who called over my sales rep...
and then met the Sales Manager...very impressive!! After the initial meet and greet...I
told them I needed them to beat it by $100...they each laughed of course....but
when I didn't...they weren't sure how to react...

Bottom line is that I got my $100 and the deal was done...almost...

As they needed to DX (dealer exchange) the car they would see what they could
find while I was there....they found one "locally" but it had a couple of things
on it that I wasn't buying....a pin stripe along the sides and wheels locks...
the sales manager very politely asked me if that would work for me adding
that it would only be a few $$'s more....I VERY politely said "No thank you"
and that we were in no real rush...and that I was sure that he would find
the exact one...he "was working on a couple of others" and so he didn't think there
would be a problem....

Low and behold....DW's new car has pin stripes and wheels locks!!...all for
our original deal

Seems THAT was the car they were pricing out to me all the time and why
their price was higher....

So there ya go....HAPPY ENDING!

 

[MasterBlaster]

Talk About Bad Customer Service !

Last year I had intended to buy a BMW 7 series for my wife. Well one Saturday we were running errands so I was just wearing a T-shirt and blue jeans and the wife was also dressed very casual.

So we walk into the BMW lot to look around at several of the cars. Nobody came up to greet us. So we wander inside, again nobody greeted us. So we looked at a few cars on the showroom floor. We wanted some help so we walk up to a salesman behind his desk and asked him for help. He was very annoyed with us for "bothering him". I guess we didn't look like the typical BMW customer.

He finally said something like - "Are you worthy of a BMW ?". My wife and I looked at each other and I said - "What ?". He repeated - "Are you worthy ?". I was pretty irritated with this clown but said - yes we are worthy. He then said that he didn't think so, and would therefore not help us. We figured that this guy was an idiot and went over to another desk across the showroom floor and began talking to a different salesman. Well after about 30 seconds the phone rings on his desk. We believe it was the first salesman calling the second salesman. After the phone call he was also very condescending towards us. He actually told us to go look at Toyotas. We said - No we are here to look at a 7-series BMW. He then said that's a good one - now run along and don't bother us.

We couldn't believe the treatment that we were getting. So we moved away from this jerk and were looking at one of the cars in the showroom. I opened up the car and invited my wife to sit in the car. After I opened up the door to the car the first salesman came running over and said - "Hey don't touch the cars - you'll mess it up". He then said - "It's time for you two to leave - you're bothering the real customers". We couldn't believe what we were hearing. He then said it again- "Just leave". And so we began to leave.

As we were walking off the lot the two salesmen and some other guys came quickly walking towards us each holding something. Then they started to throw eggs at us. The missed with most of the eggs but one hit my wife right in the side of the head causing a great big glob. Another egg hit my Buick. They then yelled at us - "Don't come back here - You are not Worthy"

It was obvious that they didn't want our business so we left - in disgust. We talked about it after that and decided that we didn't really want a BMW after all.

 

[FinanceDude]

Last year I had intended to buy a BMW 7 series for my wife. Well one Saturday we were running errands so I was just wearing a T-shirt and blue jeans and the wife was also dressed very casual.

So we walk into the BMW lot to look around at several of the cars. Nobody came up to greet us. So we wander inside, again nobody greeted us. So we looked at a few cars on the showroom floor. We wanted some help so we walk up to a salesman behind his desk and asked him for help. He was very annoyed with us for "bothering him". I guess we didn't look like the typical BMW customer.

He finally said something like - "Are you worthy of a BMW ?". My wife and I looked at each other and I said - "What ?". He repeated - "Are you worthy ?". I was pretty irritated with this clown but said - yes we are worthy. He then said that he didn't think so, and would therefore not help us. We figured that this guy was an idiot and went over to another desk across the showroom floor and began talking to a different salesman. Well after about 30 seconds the phone rings on his desk. We believe it was the first salesman calling the second salesman. After the phone call he was also very condescending towards us. He actually told us to go look at Toyotas. We said - No we are here to look at a 7-series BMW. He then said that's a good one - now run along and don't bother us.

We couldn't believe the treatment that we were getting. So we moved away from this jerk and were looking at one of the cars in the showroom. I opened up the car and invited my wife to sit in the car. After I opened up the door to the car the first salesman came running over and said - "Hey don't touch the cars - you'll mess it up". He then said - "It's time for you two to leave - you're bothering the real customers". We couldn't believe what we were hearing. He then said it again- "Just leave". And so we began to leave.

As we were walking off the lot the two salesmen and some other guys came quickly walking towards us each holding something. Then they started to throw eggs at us. The missed with most of the eggs but one hit my wife right in the side of the head causing a great big glob. Another egg hit my Buick. They then yelled at us - "Don't come back here - You are not Worthy"

It was obvious that they didn't want our business so we left - in disgust. We talked about it after that and decided that we didn't really want a BMW after all.

Throwing eggs? I have never heard of that...I would have pressed charges!

 

[FinanceDude]

Thanks for all of your replies!

I tried the Costco approach with my DW's initial choice of Lexus and was offered
"the Costco price" of a whopping $1500 off of the $48K sticker price ....
and I have to say that from there it only got worse.....I presented my internet
info from Edmonds.com as well as a few other sites....to which the salesman
replied..."You don't believe everything you read on the internet do you??"

WOW....SOLD....can I have two at your wonderful pie in the sky price please!?? NOT....see ya!!

All of this was a God send....DW actually took notice of how arrogant this dealer
was and she embarked on a search for other models that might fit the
bill....Toyota, Nissan, Honda....she even walked a few American made lots...
not sure she was ever really serious about them...but she is coming out of a
Ford Escape (pronounced with a French accent Esss Ka Pay )

She found that she appreciated the Honda CR-V and although I was reminded
on more than one occassion that "this is NOT the Lexus"....once she was
reminded that she was gonna be parking it in mall parking lots and that the
gas was coming out of her pocket this time....voila....we had discovered our
newest quest!

I'm delighted to say that we have several local Honda dealerships that understand
how cars SHOULD be sold ....although there was one who followed the old
high pressure tactics and the "how much per month" strategy....

With researched info in hand....I had several prices via email within hours...
and discovered a dealer who offered "the extras' that are so popular around
here these days....engines guaranteed for life, free inspections for life, free
oil changes for life, free car wash with ANY service (free or otherwise)....

I took my best offer to them (they were $83 higher...I later found out why)...
and it was literally THEM....when I went into the dealership for the 1st time
I was met by my internet contact (Manager) who called over my sales rep...
and then met the Sales Manager...very impressive!! After the initial meet and greet...I
told them I needed them to beat it by $100...they each laughed of course....but
when I didn't...they weren't sure how to react...

Bottom line is that I got my $100 and the deal was done...almost...

As they needed to DX (dealer exchange) the car they would see what they could
find while I was there....they found one "locally" but it had a couple of things
on it that I wasn't buying....a pin stripe along the sides and wheels locks...
the sales manager very politely asked me if that would work for me adding
that it would only be a few $$'s more....I VERY politely said "No thank you"
and that we were in no real rush...and that I was sure that he would find
the exact one...he "was working on a couple of others" and so he didn't think there
would be a problem....

Low and behold....DW's new car has pin stripes and wheels locks!!...all for
our original deal

Seems THAT was the car they were pricing out to me all the time and why
their price was higher....

So there ya go....HAPPY ENDING!

Lexuses are not sold like Hondas. You're not going to get $100 over on a Lexus, more than likely...........

 

[MasterBlaster]

Throwing eggs? I have never heard of that...I would have pressed charges!

If you need to press charges then you are not worthy.

By the way - I enjoyed writing that story even though I may have greatly exagerated some of the events.

 

[Emeritus]

Last time I bought a new car for someone else they tried the old "the manager wouldn't go for the price" nonsense. I looked the salesman right in the eye and said "that just cost you another $500 off the price for the insult, alternatively I can't wait to get online and tell my friends how you do business.

We got the additional 500 off

 

[FinanceDude]

If you need to press charges then you are not worthy.

By the way - I enjoyed writing that story even though I may have greatly exagerated some of the events.

I guess I should go check our the new Rolls Royces in a t-shirt and jeans this weekend..........

 

[VaCollector]

Lexuses are not sold like Hondas. You're not going to get $100 over on a Lexus, more than likely...........

Actually....I got a quote from another Lexus dealer 150 miles away that
was very close to the internet info from my research....$5K off of the $48K
sticker....I did not pursue due to the distance factor AND as I was hoping for
a cheaper vehicle