08' Mercedes C-Class v.s. '08 Infiniti G35 Sedan

[Lady Brave]

I test drove an 08 Accord EX-L this evening. I'm really diggin the new design and this 4 cylinder trim model comes with leather.

Base invoice is around $24K. I didn't really talk too much about price and told them I'd come back later in the week. They offered it for $26,400. Time to put my game face on. I hate haggling. Any advice? (ahem... paging canthetuna)

[mredskins]

LB you probably don't have a lot room to move on their price. the new Accord is going to be hot and the dealers know this. They may take $500. I bet tough if you want a really good deal you could get a new 07 for a steal but it would be the old model.

[Lady Brave]

Originally Posted by mredskins

LB you probably don't have a lot room to move on their price. the new Accord is going to be hot and the dealers know this. They may take $500. I bet tough if you want a really good deal you could get a new 07 for a steal but it would be the old model.

I know it'll be tough. The original MSRP was $26,900. They took $500 off the top. I told the dealer they also had a $250 coupon on their website. He neglected to mention that. I'm looking at a price of $25,000 to $25,500. Just wondering if that's realistic or not.

I don't really need a new car. I'm just tired of driving a stick shift and I would really like a sedan.

[cpayne5]

Originally Posted by Lady Brave

I know it'll be tough. The original MSRP was $26,900. They took $500 off the top. I told the dealer they also had a $250 coupon on their website. He neglected to mention that. I'm looking at a price of $25,000 to $25,500. Just wondering if that's realistic or not.

I don't really need a new car. I'm just tired of driving a stick shift and I would really like a sedan.

There is a dealer in Atlanta (Mike Patton Honda) selling them for what you want to pay. Might be worth the trip for the savings.

eBay Motors: Honda : Accord (item 200160055067 end time Oct-12-07 15:22:55 PDT)

http://www.mikepattonhonda.com

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Lady Brave

I test drove an 08 Accord EX-L this evening. I'm really diggin the new design and this 4 cylinder trim model comes with leather.

Base invoice is around $24K. I didn't really talk too much about price and told them I'd come back later in the week. They offered it for $26,400. Time to put my game face on. I hate haggling. Any advice? (ahem... paging canthetuna)

I'm one of the worst hagglers you'll ever meet. You have to be prepared to say no...these guys are professionals.
My advice would be to go to N.A.D.A. Official Used Car Guide Company and do the "price with options" option so you can know EXACTLY what it costs. Offer them $500 to $750 max over invoice and they should take it. I have literally purchased 5 brand new vehicles, I have never paid more than $500 over invoice. They might try to say the manager won't allow it etc...then make up some BS story about another dealership that is 50 miles away offered $750 over invoice, but you like them and they are closer, so if they offer $500 over invoice, it's a done deal right now.
If they say something like, well "how bout 1k over invoice...it's only $500 more, I have kids to feed." You respond by saying, I have kids to feed too, and if it's "ONLY" $500 more, then a big bad super dealership like this could afford to pay that meezly figure for me. Just be strong. No weaknesses. Don't waiver in front of them...be fast and firm with your comments. If you pause and think about it, they will try their best to break you. If you are extremely firm then they know not to waste a lot of your time. They want that sale. It works...trust me.
I just paid 5k even for brand new top of line windows for my house...my buddy (who has 3 MORE windows in his house) paid $7500. He "thought" he got a deal, but they played him. With me, I kept saying no. They started at close to 12k, then without me saying anything they dropped it to 8500 and said that's the best they can do. I said thanks for your time have a good day. They stopped me and made a "mysterious" phone call to his manager and told me good news, we "just now" got co-op money and that will bring it down to 7k. I said no thanks, I have a magic figure in my mind, and you're not touching it. He asked for the figure and I said don't worry about it, you aren't there. He then gave me "manager discounts" and a military discount (even though he knew I wasn't in the military), and it came down to $5600. I said let me think about it, go put your stuff away while I talk to my wife. I talked to her, and laughed, she said "you have a figure in mind don't you?" I said yeah, 5k. She said, "go get em." I went out to him and said, here's the deal. I want my wal mart card (free card for listening to the speal) to be doubled to $100, and I want the windows for $5k even, no tax...just 5k. He got on the phone and his manager dropped it to 5400...I said 5k...then his manager said 5k but I have to pay tax...I laughed and said that's only like 50 off the 5400 you offered. I said 5k or nothing, and don't think I won't go to some hungry window company and get em for cheaper than you. You have this last chance. He said OK but you owe me...I said what...he said I have to put a sign in my yard for two weeks. I laughed and said sure.
You have to be willing to work them. They are experts at taking your money, you need to be an expert at keeping it.

Sorry for the long winded story, I see too many people get skrewed by sales people who know what to look for.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Lady Brave

I know it'll be tough. The original MSRP was $26,900. They took $500 off the top. I told the dealer they also had a $250 coupon on their website. He neglected to mention that. I'm looking at a price of $25,000 to $25,500. Just wondering if that's realistic or not.

I don't really need a new car. I'm just tired of driving a stick shift and I would really like a sedan.

Don't mention ANY discounts until you come to an agreement on price, then after they agree, then you give them the coupon's / discounts. Those discounts / coupons are YOURS, not their's. They don't pay for those discounts, the Honda company does.
I'm telling you, you can get it for $500 over invoice with little issues. Just remember they pay A LOT less for that car...invoice is not actually what they pay even though they will lie and tell you that. They likely pay about 3k less for it. That's why you will see sales pitches of "buy any new car $500 or $1000 under invoice". They are just trying to get them off the lot, and are willing to take a small cut, but they are still making a profit.

[Lady Brave]

Originally Posted by jsarno

I'm one of the worst hagglers you'll ever meet. You have to be prepared to say no...these guys are professionals.
My advice would be to go to N.A.D.A. Official Used Car Guide Company and do the "price with options" option so you can know EXACTLY what it costs. Offer them $500 to $750 max over invoice and they should take it. I have literally purchased 5 brand new vehicles, I have never paid more than $500 over invoice. They might try to say the manager won't allow it etc...then make up some BS story about another dealership that is 50 miles away offered $750 over invoice, but you like them and they are closer, so if they offer $500 over invoice, it's a done deal right now.
If they say something like, well "how bout 1k over invoice...it's only $500 more, I have kids to feed." You respond by saying, I have kids to feed too, and if it's "ONLY" $500 more, then a big bad super dealership like this could afford to pay that meezly figure for me. Just be strong. No weaknesses. Don't waiver in front of them...be fast and firm with your comments. If you pause and think about it, they will try their best to break you. If you are extremely firm then they know not to waste a lot of your time. They want that sale. It works...trust me.

I always do a ton of research before I walk into a dealership. I'm usually pretty prepared and I don't budge on my bottom line price. Also, this car has very little add ons on it and I'm not paying for them. Seriously, you want to charge me $199 for undercoating and $99 for a pin stripe I can get at auto zone for mere pennies? Those things are strictly profit items. I know exactly what my trade is worth, so I won't budge on that either.

It's not that I don't know how to haggle. I just hate doing it. I've walked out of every dealership I've ever been in. I already told the salesman I have a very low tolerance for watching salespeople wear a path in the carpet to their manager's office. I was just wondering if anyone else had any tips or tricks to make the process go any faster.

[Lady Brave]

Originally Posted by jsarno

Don't mention ANY discounts until you come to an agreement on price, then after they agree, then you give them the coupon's / discounts. Those discounts / coupons are YOURS, not their's. They don't pay for those discounts, the Honda company does.
I'm telling you, you can get it for $500 over invoice with little issues. Just remember they pay A LOT less for that car...invoice is not actually what they pay even though they will lie and tell you that. They likely pay about 3k less for it. That's why you will see sales pitches of "buy any new car $500 or $1000 under invoice". They are just trying to get them off the lot, and are willing to take a small cut, but they are still making a profit.

OMG, they asked me a gabillion times about my trade. I was like... no, we're going to talk car price and that's all. I know it's a major mistake to talk about trade, car payment, etc. before you've nailed down a price.

I've heard that you should only offer $500 over invoice, but I've dealt with too many dealers around here that won't budge off the MSRP. It's crazy.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Lady Brave

I always do a ton of research before I walk into a dealership. I'm usually pretty prepared and I don't budge on my bottom line price. Also, this car has very little add ons on it and I'm not paying for them. Seriously, you want to charge me $199 for undercoating and $99 for a pin stripe I can get at auto zone for mere pennies? Those things are strictly profit items. I know exactly what my trade is worth, so I won't budge on that either.

It's not that I don't know how to haggle. I just hate doing it. I've walked out of every dealership I've ever been in. I already told the salesman I have a very low tolerance for watching salespeople wear a path in the carpet to their manager's office. I was just wondering if anyone else had any tips or tricks to make the process go any faster.

I actually enjoy it...I have bought 2 cars for my inlaws and 2 for my friends too. I get funny looks when I don't sign the paper work. LOL. They get upset but I tell them I know how to sell, I have been to classes and I have used it in the real world, if I don't help you'll kill them. You can get the next guy. LOL.
There is just about no way to make it go a whole lot faster, they have nothing else better to do but haggle you. The only way to make it go faster is to make a sense of urgency for them.
Call another Honda dealership and ask for a sales person, when you get one, write down his name and ask him if he has any BMW 3 series, he obviously won't, but now you have his name. So when you talk to your salesman, say, "so and so from DC Honda told me he'll have my car ready for only $650 over invoice, so either you drop it to $500 over invoice RIGHT now, I'll buy, if not, I'm going over there. You have 5 minutes to make a decision."

I would also use other comments like "so how many sales do you have this month?" Especially if it's the end of the month. Most also have contests, so you can ask where he is sitting compared to everyone else. Then say, well this could be the easiest sale you will have, cause I've already decided to buy, but at my price...will you match it?

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Lady Brave

OMG, they asked me a gabillion times about my trade. I was like... no, we're going to talk car price and that's all. I know it's a major mistake to talk about trade, car payment, etc. before you've nailed down a price.

I've heard that you should only offer $500 over invoice, but I've dealt with too many dealers around here that won't budge off the MSRP. It's crazy.

They will if you "sell them" like I have mentioned. No one pays MSRP unless they are dumb. You need to own the situation. You can do it. If you know how like you said, you can get it. It's simple to them, either you buy their car at your price, or you don't buy from them. What's the choice?

[Lady Brave]

Originally Posted by jsarno

They will if you "sell them" like I have mentioned. No one pays MSRP unless they are dumb. You need to own the situation. You can do it. If you know how like you said, you can get it. It's simple to them, either you buy their car at your price, or you don't buy from them. What's the choice?

Thanks for the advice jsarno. I don't have any problem walking away if needed. I really hate buying a new car. I've always bought used. It seems like the process is easier buying a used vehicle. That's usually because they've already made their money off the sucker trading it in.

[cpayne5]

My uncle walked into a dealership one day to buy a car. When he sat down at the salesman's desk, he pulled out an hour glass and told the guy "you have one hour to sell me this car for this much money". He drove away in his new car 45 minutes later. Paid $22,500 for a $32k MSRP Accord.

[Lady Brave]

Originally Posted by cpayne5

My uncle walked into a dealership one day to buy a car. When he sat down at the salesman's desk, he pulled out an hour glass and told the guy "you have one hour to sell me this car for this much money.". He drove away in his new car 45 mins later. Paid $22,500 for a $32k MSRP Accord.

Haha... that's awesome.

The worst experience I've ever had was at a chrysler dealership. I've always driven chrysler and dodge. I was looking at a Sebring once and I had already located one in SC. I went to the dealership here and told them where the car was. The salesman started typing on his computer, looks at me and says, "there are no Red V6 Sebrings in the US right now. I really think you should reconsider the Red 4 cylinder on our lot."

WTH? Dude, I just told you where it is. He actually made me look it up on the computer and show him. I had even called the SC dealership before I got there and confirmed that they had it. Then I hear him talking to his manager and he said, "yeah, there's one in SC and one in VA." Then the guy walks around and says, "Good news! We've located the car you want."

ARGHHHH!!!!

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by Lady Brave

Thanks for the advice jsarno. I don't have any problem walking away if needed. I really hate buying a new car. I've always bought used. It seems like the process is easier buying a used vehicle. That's usually because they've already made their money off the sucker trading it in.

Yeah, that's true. Even if they offer you a "seemingly" good deal, not only did they make 2-4k of the previous guy, they are making 1-2k off you.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by cpayne5

My uncle walked into a dealership one day to buy a car. When he sat down at the salesman's desk, he pulled out an hour glass and told the guy "you have one hour to sell me this car for this much money". He drove away in his new car 45 minutes later. Paid $22,500 for a $32k MSRP Accord.

That's what you have to do. They always try to have the ball in their court, you have to take control of the situation.
Good for him.
Most salesmen will gladly sell it to you for that price, cause they bend over so many other people each month that they more than make up for it.