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How do you approach buying a new car

LAR

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Man, I so do not want to deal with buying/leasing a new car, but the time is quickly approaching... My 98 Expedition is about to die and I'm looking at a new Town and Country for DW..

Does anyone recall hearing in the press about a service (perhaps Boston based) that you pay some $300 and they collect 5 best offers from local dealers for the car w/specs that you want? I saw it on the Today show some 8 months ago and it seemed worth looking into.

How do I arrange for my own car loan other than the dealer's? Do I have that lined up prior to making a deal or do I make a deal with the dealer, take their loan, and then have a third party lender step in and replace that loan with their own?

When should the '09 models begin showing up and does that truly present an opportunity to purchase either the 09 or 08?

Would welcome any advice!

Thanks
LAR
 

wackymother

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Are you a member of Costco? I've looked at their car-buyer's service and it is kind of like what you're describing--you tell them what you want and their dealers come up with their best prices. I get the impression it's not haggle-y like walking into a dealer, which I hate, too.

Maybe others have used this service and can tell you if it's worthwhile.

BTW, the 2009 cars are in now and there have been all sorts of ads for clearing out the 2008 models.
 

Elan

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If you live in an area where there are multiple dealers close by, then email the internet sales manager of those dealers detailing exactly what you want and ask for a quote. After you have 5 or so quotes, then take the lowest quote and fire it back to the others (again, all via email), asking them to beat the deal. If/when you have an acceptable price, then go to that dealer and view the vehicle. If they hedge on their internet quote when you show up to purchase, give them your phone number and walk out.

I would not worry about the loan details until I identified the dealer I was going to work with. Each has their own financing department, and there are some pretty attractive financing deals available thru the dealerships right now.

The 2009 models should be appearing imminently, and I've seen tons of "model year end" clearance sales advertised for 2008's. Should be a good time to negotiate a deal on an '08 if that's what you're interested in, given the state of car sales these days.
 

caribbeansun

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Email has become a truly unique way to shop for cars and a powerful one at that since all the salesroom pressure tactics can't be put into play.

Don't talk financing while getting your quotes. Only talk about it AFTER you've determined "the price" or an upcharge will likely get built in beforehand.

You may want to consider emailing a few, close but out of state dealerships as well for price comparisons.
 

Rose Pink

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Beware the financing guy (or gal)!

As per a previous Tug thread, that is where they getcha! You may have negotiated a great deal on the price of the car but then they add on a bunch of other stuff at the signing--increasing the cost by hundreds if not thousands of dollars. My dd got caught in this and it was nasty, nasty getting her out of it. Fortunately, she had previously arranged financing with her own credit union and their loan officer helped her out of the jam. You should not have to finance through the dealership to get the rebates, etc.
 
S

Steamboat Bill

I just went thru that for my wife....we leased a new Mazda CX-9 and it is pretty nice.

The problem is no matter how hard you try to pre-negotiate via e-mail, fax, phone, the BEST deals only are given to people that actually show up.

I found out that it takes two rounds of "going back to the manager" to get the best price and then standing up and walking out the door.

I was ammazed at how much the price changes between the first and final offer.
 

Elan

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The problem is no matter how hard you try to pre-negotiate via e-mail, fax, phone, the BEST deals only are given to people that actually show up.

That may or may not be true -- depends on the size/philosophy of the dealership. Regardless, one has to place a value on their time and energy. If you're the type that deems it worthwhile to spend a day at the dealership to possibly chisel off another $200 - $300, then go for it. Although some people enjoy this process, it's not my preference. The last car I purchased I drove to the dealership, handed them a check worth the pre-arranged amount, spent the hour or so (required by the manufacturer and dealer) going over the features/nuances of the vehicle and drove away. By far the best car buying experience in my history. And I got a very good deal.
 
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AwayWeGo

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Who Buys New ?

eBay all the way.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​
 

Big Matt

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Go to Edmunds.com

You can find out what others are paying, the incentives offered, etc.

They also have a feature that lets you select dealers and have them provide you a price via email or over the phone. You can get the lowest first offer prices without negotiating. You can then start negotiations by playing them off each other. I got a Honda Odyssey minivan four years ago when they were going for MSRP everywhere. I paid $200 over invoice without any hassles. I save about $2500.

I also like the Costco service. No headaches at all.
 

Elan

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Go to Edmunds.com

You can find out what others are paying, the incentives offered, etc.

They also have a feature that lets you select dealers and have them provide you a price via email or over the phone. You can get the lowest first offer prices without negotiating. You can then start negotiations by playing them off each other. I got a Honda Odyssey minivan four years ago when they were going for MSRP everywhere. I paid $200 over invoice without any hassles. I save about $2500.

I also like the Costco service. No headaches at all.

I would second Matt's recommendation of reviewing the "Prices Paid" forums on Edmunds. I would add the caveat that automobile pricing is very region specific, so what somebody reports having paid in a highly competitive large market won't necessarily be matched in a smaller non-competitive market. As an Idahoan (extremely small market), I get to experience this first-hand.
 
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Joshadelic

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If anyone ever wants REAL advice on buying a car, please PM me. I am a finance manager at a large new and used car dealership and I can give you unbiased advise that you would not get ANYWHERE else! I'm only offering because I want to give back to my fellow TUGGERS who have helped ME.

~Josh :)
 
S

Steamboat Bill

If anyone ever wants REAL advice on buying a car, please PM me. I am a finance manager at a large new and used car dealership and I can give you unbiased advise that you would not get ANYWHERE else! I'm only offering because I want to give back to my fellow TUGGERS who have helped ME.

~Josh :)

Please share with all of us....I have always wondered what happens behind closed doors.

Also, don;t forget the AAA car buying service.
 

Brett

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The problem is no matter how hard you try to pre-negotiate via e-mail, fax, phone, the BEST deals only are given to people that actually show up.
I found out that it takes two rounds of "going back to the manager" to get the best price and then standing up and walking out the door.
I was ammazed at how much the price changes between the first and final offer.


definitely agree with this!
I've found that telling the salesperson you are paying cash and want a bottom line quote for the car including taxes, tags, all fees, i.e. the actual amount you will write on the check. Tell the salesperson you are comparison shopping and then actually do it. They will tell you things like you have to buy now and if you leave their "special" deal is gone. The point is leave the dealer and get other quotes. It's the only way to get the best price, including shopping services, Consumer Reports, etc.
 

Joshadelic

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Please share with all of us....I have always wondered what happens behind closed doors.

Also, don;t forget the AAA car buying service.

I could write a book on the subject. Unfortunately, I just don't have time to do that, so I am more than happy to answer individual questions.

One thing I will tell everyone here is that no matter what you hear about extended warranties on vehicles (good or bad), I HIGHLY recommend them! However, be aware that your cost for them is negotiable! There are too many people out there giving advice on that subject and saying "no...don't do it"! Having someone else worry about the headaches of fixing your car and paying for it are a GREAT thing. It's just a matter of what you have to pay to make it happen. If a dealer trys to sell you a warranty for $3-4K on a car that only costs $15-20k, then I would tell you absolutely not to do it. On the other hand, if that same warranty only cost you $1000-1500, then do it...especially if you're getting a lot of time and miles out of the deal. Cars break and need to be fixed...there's no way around it. Do yourself a favor and cover your ass...ets - but for the right price!

Again, if anyone wants to ask me questions privately, I'm happy to answer them.

~Josh :)
 

Rose Pink

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Josh, why would anyone need an extended warranty on a new car that already comes with a ten year, 100k mile warranty--especially since you probably won't have the car that long anyway? We've had nothing but horrid experiences with extended warranties. Seems they don't cover what goes wrong or the insurance company has gone bankrupt. Never, never have we been happy with extended warranties--never!
 

AwayWeGo

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What Makes Them Think They Know When My Car Warranty Is Expiring ?

We've had nothing but horrid experiences with extended warranties.
Surely we aren't the only people out there in TUG-BBS Land getting those super-annoying repeated robo-calls over the home phone & the cell phone telling us that our car warranty is about to expire.

I wonder if they're selling, uh, er -- ah . . . Extended Warranties.

Ya think ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

Joshadelic

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Josh, why would anyone need an extended warranty on a new car that already comes with a ten year, 100k mile warranty--especially since you probably won't have the car that long anyway? We've had nothing but horrid experiences with extended warranties. Seems they don't cover what goes wrong or the insurance company has gone bankrupt. Never, never have we been happy with extended warranties--never!

What kind of car are you talking about that has a 10 year/100k warranty? The only ones I know of that do that are Hyundai and Kia...and that's ONLY powertrain...and only good for the original owner. You probably bought a crappy warranty from someplace that was "less than reputable". Just because that was YOUR experience doesn't mean that warranties are bad.

Keep in mind that when you buy a new car, the manufacturer actually buys a warranty so you can have 3 years of coverage. They don't cover it themselves, they source an outside warranty company to cover those repairs. You think you're getting that warranty for free??? It's built into the price of the car...hello??? It costs the manufacturer a lot of money to promise you 3 years of worry free driving. If a multi billion dollar company doesn't want to fit the bill for repairs, why in your right mind would you want do take that on yourself?

Remember what I said - it's all about what you actually pay for the coverage. If I told you I would sell you a 10 year warranty for $200, I'm sure 98% of you would say "ABSOLUTELY"!!! As the price raises, the value decreases. Just find the happy medium where the dealer will still sell you the coverage and you're comfortable with the price. They WILL negotiate with you on a warranty if you know you can do it. If they tell you they can't, then they're lying...period.

Good luck to you all!
 

CMF

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Easy.

  1. Pick the car and the options.
  2. Go to your nearest dealer and get a price.
  3. Start e-mailing every dealer within (how far are you willing to drive to pick up the car?)
  4. Let them bid against each other.
  5. The lowest bidder wins.

This method is full proof. I saved over $5k on my last car and beat the Costco Club price - the Costco rep didn't even want me to come into the showroom after I told them by then bottom price.

I think it's fun and I look forward to buying my next car when my Camry poops out. It now has 130K miles and counting - dang thing may never die just to spite me.

Charles
 

Htoo0

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  1. I think it's fun and I look forward to buying my next car when my Camry poops out. It now has 130K miles and counting - dang thing may never die just to spite me.

    Charles


  1. Don't worry- you're about 1/2 the way there! :whoopie:
 

Icarus

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Try the costco service. It's not binding and you'll get a good price.

Also particularly for American cars and some foreign cars, you can buy the manufacturer's extended warranty at a steep discount online from a legit dealer. I bought the Ford ESP for my Escape from fordwarrantys.com. There's a similar site for Chrysler for the Town and Country.

For financing, it's much better if you walk in the door with your own financing package, for example, from your credit union. If they can do better, fine. If not, then you are already all set. For anything else the financing guy tries to sell you, just remember that the answer is "no, not interested", no matter how good the sales pitch is.

-David
 
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Mosca

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Always a pleasure to meet another F&I guy, Josh. 22 years in the box here.
 

DeniseM

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I bought a new Jeep Liberty in Nov. I used a (free) online quotation service and got quotes from all over the state. I was buying a 2007 at the end of the year. I emailed the lowest quote to my local dealer and he matched it - via email. I closed the deal and picked up the car with only one face to face meeting. I saved $5K off MSRP. It was great!
 

Rose Pink

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... You think you're getting that warranty for free??? It's built into the price of the car...hello???

:hysterical: :hysterical: Precisely my point. I'm already paying for one in the price of the car. Don't tack on more charges. Warranties are insurance that the warranty company is betting the buyer won't use. The buyer is betting they will need it. I think it is makes more sense to take the cost of the warranty and put it in a CD or some sort of savings account. If you need it for repairs, it is there. If not, you haven't lost the money to some third-party warranty company. And, for your information, the "less than reputable" (your words) dealership that sold me the policy did make good on the repairs at their own expense when the warranty company went belly up. It was a huge inconvenience to me to have to fight for it and even though I "won," it would have been much easier on me to have just used the money DH had spend on the warranty to pay for the repairs. It would have been the same out of pocket for me.
 
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