Is there a car salesman in the house?

Discussion in 'The Lounge' started by Broken Record, Jul 26, 2007.

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  1. Broken Record

    Broken Record Biscuit Eater Staff

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    My old truck doesn't have much left in it. I'm looking at a subcompact just as a commuter ride. I've done my research and decided on the car that I'd like to have.

    I've usually purchased used cars, but this time I'm going new. The process seems a lot different. On a used car, I'll blue book it, decide what I'll pay, and make an offer. If they don't take it, I leave. Someone always ends up taking it. They might not take it on the first day, but eventually they do. Can someone give me some tips on determining what is a fair "out the door" price on a new car?

    Is it true that dealers are more motivated at the end of the month?

    I understand the dealership has to make money and I'm ok with that. That's how they survive. I just don't want to get snookered.
     
  2. Childress79

    Childress79 Loungefly ®

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    I used to be a salesman in a Ford dealership but obviously in the UK.

    Do US number plates for new registrations change for each year? What I mean is does a car have an 06 or an 07 plate on it depending when it was purchased?
     
  3. TitanJeff

    TitanJeff Kahuna Grande Staff

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    Not what you are wanting to hear but I've regretted buying any new car I've ever bought and never will again.
     
  4. Broken Record

    Broken Record Biscuit Eater Staff

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    I was afraid of that Jeff. This may be my first and last time.

    Oh, and Childress, if you are talking about the license plate that you get for your car when you register it with your state, then the answer is no. The plate is the same regardless of the year of the car. I have a suspicion you may be talking about something else, though.
     
  5. GoT

    GoT Strength and Honor

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    no doubt you eat some serious depreciation when you buy new. Not an issue if you plan on driving the thing for a decade or your wife is convienced that "new" mean "good"
     
  6. SEC 330 BIPOLAR

    SEC 330 BIPOLAR jive turkey

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    there are always the light millage, one owner cars that have less than 20,000 miles. Those are almost as good as new. What you get is a low millage late model car w/o the drive off the lot depreciation hit. If you can't find anything wrong with it then don't you have better things to do with that $85 dollars that would have otherwise been on your bank note? I do. Savings like that can stretch the bank.
     
  7. Childress79

    Childress79 Loungefly ®

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    Ok this is still kind of valid.

    Each dealership is a franchise & depending where it's located (big city,out in the sticks)it will have to move x amount of units per annum in order to keep the franchise. Dealers set monthly targets to keep on track with their yearly quota.

    The best time to buy a new car is always the end of the month,end of the financial year. The pressure is on to meet the targets & if the targets are already reached there are often bonuses for salesmen who exceed targets.

    In the UK all new cars had a 17% profit margin at list price regardless of the model.The bad new is dealers find it easier to move the smaller cars so a luxury model is more likely to have a larger discount than an economy model but the profit margin is usually the same.They just don't want you to know it.

    Always take a test drive in the model you like.

    Go to at least 3 dealerships in different areas & get a quote in writing. The dealership with the highest quote is where you play hardball. Haggle as low as you can & if they don't beat your best quote hit them with the written copy. If they want the sale they'll beat it even if it's only by giving you a tank of gas.

    Worst case scenario you end up going back to the dealer who gave you the best quote. If you by a model thats been out a couple of years any design faults/problems will usually have been rectified.

    Dealer models can be good buys.These are very low mileage cars that the the dealer decides to register as a way of cooking the books to look to the manufacturer that the dealership hit it's targets. These are usually higher spec cars. Your basically getting a new car with the 1st year depreciation already taken off.
     
  8. CRUDS

    CRUDS Moderator Staff

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    I've been pulling leases for about 12 years now. A new vehicle every 2.5 years.. Breaking down and other vehicle grief is simply no longer a part of my life..
     
  9. Deuce Wayne

    Deuce Wayne NOW Y'ALL GET THE MESSICH?!

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    I wish I could find this checklist I once had. It listed the prices dealerships add on to your new car, and if you simply can ask them about it and point them out - they'll remove them. Can save you about 3 grand.
    Buying new isn't the nightmare people make it out to be. Most people try to get rid of cars once they get near the 100,000 mile mark due to tranny problems and all. If you buy new, you get to drive that entire 100,000 miles. I'd say the average driver puts 12k on their car's odometer per year. That's about 8 years of payments, and you can get all your money back once you re-sell.
    The best part is, you don't have someone elses problem. And most new cars come with a 10 year warranty, so you're covered almost the entire time you drive it whereas a used car, you likely wont even have the warranty for a year or 2.
    Add in that you can get things like free tires, free oil changes, etc. You also get that new car smell, which makes it all worth it of course. It's also a good feeling to know that the car is YOURS not someone elses junk. Not someone elses daily, hot rod, beater, and you know it hasn't been wrecked, hasn't been scratched - and if it has, you can get it fixed for free. :)

    To put it plainly - if you have the money, buying new isn't a bad move. If you're on a tight budget, get a used car that'll hold value fairly well.
     
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