cramer@kontron.UUCP (Clayton Cramer) (07/22/85)
I occasionally see ad from firms like Nationwide Automobile Brokers that claim they can get you a new American made car for $50 to $125 over dealer cost, with local delivery. Has anyone on the net ever bought a car through one of these operations? Did you have a lot of hassle picking it up from the local dealer? Did you have problems explaining the arrangement to a bank when arranging a car loan? Any comments on the way these companies work? It sure would be nice to not have to put up with a car salesman next time I buy a car.
klein@ucbcad.UUCP (Mike Klein) (07/25/85)
> I occasionally see ad from firms like Nationwide Automobile Brokers that > claim they can get you a new American made car for $50 to $125 over dealer > cost, with local delivery. Again, I urge anyone considering buying a car to first buy Remar Sutton's book, "Don't Get Taken Every Time---The Insider's Guide to Buying Your Next Car." You do not need to be afraid to deal with auto sales people after reading this book because you will know why and how they pull all their standard tricks. You will also have the confidence to deal well with them because of this. He devotes a section of the book to auto brokers. Paraphrasing... these outfits usually figure you a price for the exact car you want which is often $50 to $125 over dealer cost. But the problems are that it may be impossible to locate the exact car you have specified, and on popular models they don't give you as good a deal either. You may end up waiting a long long time for the car you want (if you ever get it), and in the meantime they take advantage of your impatience and sell you something you didn't want for a lot more than you wanted to pay. Sutton specifically advises car purchasers to stay away from auto brokers. His opinion is that you will always get your best deal by dealing intelligently with your local showroom dealers, and he shows you exactly how in the book. -- -Mike Klein ...!ucbvax!ucbmerlin:klein (UUCP) klein%ucbmerlin@berkeley (ARPA)
knf@druxo.UUCP (FricklasK) (07/26/85)
I bought a car through Buyway recently. They gave me the name of a local dealer(Tynan's) and I made an appoinment to go in. All they ask is that you have
decided on what car you want to buy in advance. I wanted a GTI (VW) in red with a sunroof, no air conditioning, and no stereo ( I prefer to install my own).
Going to local dealers, the best price I could find was about $10600, after the dealers added their "handling" costs, paint protection, and the like. (By the way, these 'protection' packages ran anywhere from $450 to about $3000),
and the most expensive I saw a comparably equipped car was $12000. Buyway
said that due to the popularity of this model the charge would be cost+10%,
instead of the usual minimal markup. The one hitch is, they won't special
order a car for you-- you have to get what's on the lot or wait for one (though
they will do any dealer-added stuff for the cost+10%, and remove a stereo if youwant.) I went to the lot and they had the car I wanted, except that it had powersteering, a feature I didn't really care about, and floor mats, which were only
$40.00. The price they gave me was $9550-- a thousand cheaper than my next best, with the mats and power included! So- I bought it, and have been very
pleased with their service and attitude.
To summarize, if you know what you want, you can get a car inexpensively
and without ever dealing with a high pressure salesman (they already know you'resold, so they don't bother to pressure you.) from a car buying service. Note:
I didn't trade anything in, and this might affect your experience, as I don't
know if they give as high trades when they are doing this sort of thing.
'`'`'`
Ken
'`'`'`steves@ncr-sd.UUCP (Steve Schlesinger) (07/31/85)
I just bought a Toyota Celica GT Automatic through a broker in San Diego.
It was the easiest experience of buying a car I have had or have heard
of anyone else having (short of getting a gift).
The markup over factory invoice to the dealer was higher than the $100 - $250
range. Maybe for an American car in large supply that would be possible.
Typically, Toyotas and some other foreign cars in short supply have a 2nd
sticker on the car which is about 10-20% over the factory price.
The broker called a fleet salesman that he deals with who looked on the
computer that tells which dealer has which cars. On that day there were
no Red Celica's with automatic transmission on a dealer's lot in all
California ! A couple of days later he found one up in LA just as it came
off the truck. The price to me was about $1100 over dealer cost and
$850 under factory sticker.
I got a loan through my local credit union who knew all about the broker.
The broker went and bought the car from the dealer, and then sold the car
to me as a used car (the $1100 over cost includes the brokers markup).
An amazing thing about the deal was that it was done over the
phone from San Francisco, without meeting the broker, without signing
my name on paper or giving the broker any money. When I got back to
San Diego, the car was waiting as promised, waiting to be paid for (ugh!).
Of course, all brokers may not be like this.
Steve Schlesinger
{ucbvax,ihnp4,...}!sdcsvax!ncr-sd!stevesitkin@luke.UUCP (Steven List) (08/07/85)
In article <922@druxo.UUCP> knf@druxo.UUCP (FricklasK) writes: > To summarize, if you know what you want, you can get a car inexpensively >and without ever dealing with a high pressure salesman (they already know >you'resold, so they don't bother to pressure you.) from a car buying service. >Note: >I didn't trade anything in, and this might affect your experience, as I don't >know if they give as high trades when they are doing this sort of thing. Timing of all this (including the discussion of Dodge (Mitsubishi) Colts is interesting. My wife and I just bought a Dodge Colt Vista wagon. Being members of AAA, we found the ads in the front and back of Motorland magazine interesting (buy any car for no more than 10% over dealer cost). We had checked at a local dealership (Pete Ellis Dodge), and decided we wanted to buy the car there. I simply told the salesman (and sales manager) that I could get the car for 10% over cost, and wouldn't pay more. They were content. I now wonder what would have happened if I'd said 8% or 6%? Anyway, start out hard and see what happens. -- *** * Steven List @ Benetics Corporation, Mt. View, CA * Just part of the stock at "Uncle Bene's Farm" * {cdp,greipa,idi,oliveb,sun,tolerant}!bene!luke!itkin ***
nowicki@uiucdcsp.Uiuc.ARPA (08/13/85)
If you go to a dealer and be firm you can get a good deal on a car. Awhile
back, I bought an 85 T-bird. I refused to talk to anyone who would not come
down to under 10%. In fact, I told one salesman that he was insulting me
and I walked out (it was fun to see him chase me into the lot say, "wait let
me see what I can do...").
I came right out and told another dealer that I got about 9% from someone
else, what can you do for me. He came back after a discussion with the
sales manager and matched the offer. I said that you could do better than
that and he did, after I talk to the manager directly. If you haggled a
price and plan to return later with the cash, have the salesman write down
the agreed price so he doesn't try to add service fees later.
Before you start discussing the price, it pays to know what the dealers cost
is. It scares them if you know too much about their business. Remember,
dealers have to pay to keep a car on their lot. So if you notice that the
car is collecting dust on their lot, thats more ammunition to throw at them
to get one or two more percentage points.
Perseverence pays off, Enjoy..
Tony Nowicki
nowicki@uiuc.arpa
{ihnp4}!uiucdcs!nowicki