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04/02/2006 05:18:41 AM · #1 |
I posted a rant awhile back about my wife's BMW having the (dead) battery under the back seat. Well it went dead again and after I jumped it and let it run awhile I noticed exhaust coming up from under the middle of the car. I looked under there and noticed the exhaust leaked at a joint. The transmission slips, the computer thingy has never worked and now an exhaust leak in the car she hauls our baby around in. I've had it. I already put as much into that thing as what I paid during the first week we owned it, so I do not want to throw away another dime.
Time to start thinking about a new car. After an hour or so online and looking at some SUV's (did I hear the gasp of a tree-hugger?), I decided to go out and check some out. I left here at 3pm and came home at 9pm with a brand new Ford Escape Limited. Black with tan leather interior, every option. I intended to buy a couple year old used one and write a check for $15k, but bare-bones new one was only a little more, so it didn't seem to make sense not to get a new one. But wait - the bare-bones doesn't have any of the nice features and if I am gonna spend that much, might as well add a little more and get the niceties. Then again, leather seats are easier to maintain and add resale value and that safety package is important and even though I have nothing to tow, you never know when that feature would be useful.
So I ended up spending $30k but at least I got 0% financing! This is the first time I have ever bought a new vehicle. I leased one for two years and the payments were ridiculous.
I could go on about how the whole thing went down with the sales rep, the manager and the whole dance but I'll save it for later. Pics tomorrow if my wife doesn't wreck the thing before the end of the day.
Post your car buying experience here... |
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04/02/2006 06:12:07 AM · #2 |
congrats.. too bad about the BMW, usually they are very good cars, I just bought one this week, the 318 IA 2004.
I had a Fiat Stilo Multiwagon 2003 and I've been trying to sell it or use it as a down payment for a new car in the past 6 months without results, nobody wants a Fiat..
so I ended up at the official Fiat dealer and "gave" them the car, it had it partially financed when I bought it and I should have recieved a payment of $8000 when I turned it in, but I just gave them the car with the lease so I could go buy my BMW :) they were very reluctant even when I was giving them my $8000, and they are the official Fiad dealership and they don't want used Fiats ;)
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04/02/2006 06:17:55 AM · #3 |
| haha some day I'll treat you all to my anti-anti 4x4 rant. I'm getting sick and tired of the alleged treehuggers claiming my Land Rover is killing the planet, thers a lot more to it than the hyoed up media are willing to listen to. |
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04/02/2006 07:55:06 AM · #4 |
I have some farm land...you wanna buy it?
It's really cool to watch dealers play their game - when you know the game. I smile and laugh - i just can't help myself.
I used to sell cars you see.
I went a few years back with a friend, he wanted a truck. Big dealer, advertises on TV all the time. They had only 1 truck. He bought that one truck, even though i told him to keep looking. He went in with one payment number and left $50 a month higher. He said NO and then 10 minutes later said YES, and repeated that over and over again.
salesman " Can you help me out here..."
" COngratulations - you own that new truck! But my manager would like to speak to you..."
Manager bumped him on price.
It's the finance guys that are great - i've seem them move a payment $150 to $200 a month in 5 minutes in teh office...i couldn't get the customer to go up $20, and he moves them $200. and they still buy. and they are happy. and they think they got a good deal.
Man - that $15000 is lets see....
a 1Ds Mk2
a 70-200 2.8 IS
24-105 f4 IS
16-35 2.8
4 AB400 lights, portable backdrop, light meter, a couple of muslins... |
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04/02/2006 04:35:51 PM · #5 |
Thanks for the inside scoop, Prof! ;-) I think we all know they do this before we go in, but they offer you a cup of coffee or soda and I am pretty sure it's laced with something that has the same effect as MSG does on food.
I spent 3 hours with the sales guy looking at various models and options, driving around to a few of "their other lots" and when we did sit down and the manager "ran the numbers", he claimed they have this thing called something like full disclosure where they show you their cost and the msrp. So he shows me these numbers and in his profit column, he has $7,500. I looked at that and said "What??" - so he says "What do you think is a fair profit? $1500? $2000?" Wow, in the blink of an eye, he handed me $5k. LOL I didn't have my wife with me (always best not to take her) so I said let me take these numbers home and go over them with her- "Ok, ok, what if I could give it to you at my cost?"
Then, move on to the finance office where, yes, she tried to change things around and sell me more stuff I did not need. She glossed over some things and when I asked her to explain in detail what I was getting and I determined most of it was redundant, unnecessary or overpriced, she really had no response and she shoved the remainder of the "additional offers" aside and just finished up with me.
So when I drove out in the new car, I was confident that what the salesman said was true: I got the absolute best deal ever in the history of the world. ...or something to that effect.
:) |
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04/02/2006 05:02:52 PM · #6 |
Don't we all? :-)
I don't consider it a success unless the dealer is more pissed off than I am by the end of the ordeal. Not fake pissed, either but actually ready to throw me out of the building.
Congratulations on the new car! My mother in law has one and loves it. |
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04/02/2006 05:11:23 PM · #7 |
I seriously doubt that I will ever purchase a brand new car ever again, the depreciation factor kicks in as soon as you drive it off of the lot.
I find that when shopping for anything, (cars and houses included), I normally go in with the earnest belief that the dealer needs to sell this a lot more than I need to buy it.
A few years back I was looking for a car and went to a dealer and began to haggle over the price, and since we did not reach an agreement, I left the lot. Surprise of surprises, the dealer called me a few months later to let me know the car was now available at the last offer I had made him. He was absolutely stunned when I countered that the car was now a few months older and hence worth less.
We did reach an agreement, at a price much lower than what I was originally prepared to pay.........patience is indeed a virtue... and does on occasion pay dividends.
Ray |
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04/02/2006 05:28:37 PM · #8 |
Cool, congrats...I just signed an agreement to purchase a new set of wheels for myself (first new car). I'm supposed to hear back about the financing and availability of the color & options by Tuesday.
The thing I really liked about the dealer I'm buying it from is that he pays attention but isn't obnoxiously pushy about getting the deal done.
I went through Edmunds and requested pricing info from 6 different dealerships. Only 2 replied back and he was upfront with pricing and didn't invite me to come to the dealership. Nor did he spam me continusly about buying a car. So in the end, I'm getting the car from him. |
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04/02/2006 05:41:50 PM · #9 |
last car/minivan we bought new /
the 0percent finacing cost us an extra 2000$ at the top (ok over 4yrs)
the best part was my wife had graduated 2yrs minus a couple days so we got an extra 2k back from the mfg as one of those student deals ..
- next car we buy cash -
though it'll be a while - i just tossed 1500$into my beater ...
(nice having brakes again .)
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04/02/2006 05:50:52 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by Art Roflmao:
So when I drove out in the new car, I was confident that what the salesman said was true: I got the absolute best deal ever in the history of the world. ...or something to that effect.
:) |
We all feel that way, but alas....we all get taken to a certain degree.
The one thing I learned years ago, if you bring in a interest amortization book, it helps you get a good feel of what they payments should be, and tells your sales person you are not a schmuck.
Congrats on the Escape, nice car. |
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04/02/2006 06:00:54 PM · #11 |
| My last car cost me $35.00 for a new timing belt, Its a 2000 caravan, for me its stupid to buy a new car, their are tons of deals around, just alittle work needed. I have 6 vehicles now, I paid basically nothing for any of them. Buying used is by far the best option, saves ya money no matter what even if you have to put some money to get it perfect. |
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04/02/2006 07:30:50 PM · #12 |
Studies show:
20% of car buyers will pay full price, so the dealer has to ask you to pay full price - you may be that 20%!
the more a buyer pays, teh happier they are. If you haggle to the last dime, no matter where you end up as a buiyer, you still feel you overpaid...
My last car was bought used, from a private individual for what he owed his credit union. can't ask the man to lose money, now can I? well...
Our last shopping expereince we looked at $27,000 mini vans - ford, dodge, chevy, etc. Give or take $500, the stickers were all $27,000. Out trade was out trade, the same everyplace. We visited 4 or 5 places - all but one said "YOu payment will be $320 (315 to 325 range). One said $450. yeah, right i told him. He goe off to talk to his manager..'Great News! My manager is in a good mood today, he cut the price like i've never seen him do before! Only $399!" - we walked out.
If you can afford it and like it, go for it. enjoy the new car smell, and the satisfaction you are keeping the American Car Companies in business! |
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04/02/2006 07:33:12 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by Riggs:
Originally posted by Art Roflmao:
So when I drove out in the new car, I was confident that what the salesman said was true: I got the absolute best deal ever in the history of the world. ...or something to that effect.
:) |
We all feel that way, but alas....we all get taken to a certain degree.
The one thing I learned years ago, if you bring in a interest amortization book, it helps you get a good feel of what they payments should be, and tells your sales person you are not a schmuck.
Congrats on the Escape, nice car. |
on a fgive year loan, $20 per thousand dollars borrowed (actually it's a tad less, but this works for rough numbers.)
So that mustang i want is $29,000. my trade is $2500...$26,500 at 20/1000 is $530 a month.
this is why i drive a 93 taurus i bought for $600. LOL |
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04/02/2006 08:18:05 PM · #14 |
The best tool I've ever taken in with me is an excel calculation that given the monthly payment, down payment and interest will tell you what the total cost of the loan is. Apples to apples, no confusion with numbers.
It's scary how much $5/month difference can cost you in a car payment.
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04/02/2006 08:25:08 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by MQuinn:
My last car cost me $35.00 for a new timing belt, Its a 2000 caravan, for me its stupid to buy a new car, their are tons of deals around, just alittle work needed. I have 6 vehicles now, I paid basically nothing for any of them. Buying used is by far the best option, saves ya money no matter what even if you have to put some money to get it perfect. |
Notice, he has 6 vehicles, paid basically nothing. My question... how many are running in good condition? and how long do they do such? and are the 6 vehicles so you can keep rotating them during downtime?
*chuckles*
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04/02/2006 08:39:50 PM · #16 |
I confess I will be looking at SUVs next year. I am going to try to eek out another year from my Rodeo (transmission went last year after driving 1/2 across country and back).
But I am looking a bit bigger than the Ford Escape. I want a 7-passenger+ SUV with good towing power.
I am looking to buy the new 2008 Chevy Tahoe when it comes out. I've decided to buy new. I have horrible horrible luck with vehicles. They cost me a fortune. (2 yrs cost me about $6,000+ in repairs.) And the problem is I always feel vested and get stuck. You just dropped $2K 6 months ago. So you don't want to lose the investment. So then you get hit with another $500 to fix an alternator, then $300 to fix a broken window mechanism. I mean, you just dropped 2 1/2 grand. You can't rightly get rid of the car for $300. Then a few months later your trannie goes. Whad'ya do?
So now, I've stopped repairing and just trying to keep it moving until the 2008 Tahoe is available. Then I am going to try to buy one $$$, and haggle it down as low as I can. I think I am going to simply decide NOT to buy that day. I will just walk out right after they think I am ready to sign. And just say...naw...not good enough. If you want my cash - you call me in two days with a better offer. I'll just say to them...
"There are tons of Chevy dealers I can buy from...even more Toyota, Dodge and Nissan dealers. There are not too many of 'me' with real hard $$$ to buy.
I'm going to push it for all it's worth. And well, if it backfires and they decide they don't want to do business with me...as I said, there are hundreds of dealers out there.
- Saj
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04/02/2006 09:32:41 PM · #17 |
We just bought our van in October or November...and it's a 2005 Dodge Grand caravan. We got it from budget cars....so they have to pass certain inspections and be less than 30,000 miles. We got ours for $15K and it has a warranty. It only had like 26K miles on it. Four doors, electric windows/locks, cd player, AC....the normal stuff. I prefer SUV's...but we needed something that got decent gas mileage and could haul all the kids. I wanted a 15 passenger van but they didn't have any at the time.
We didn't really need an SUV or 4x4 here in Florida...but I bought a kia sportage 4x4 about 6 months before I moved to Florida and just happened to give myself the luxury of AC....thank GOD I did...because I had no idea I was moving to FL when I bought it and I could not have handled the heat! AC is not a standard from where I was from. Have to tell you though...I felt much safer in a truck or 4x4....they're just what I was always raised with..... (I am NOT a tree hugger :)
Message edited by author 2006-04-02 21:35:20. |
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04/02/2006 09:37:34 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by theSaj:
Originally posted by MQuinn:
My last car cost me $35.00 for a new timing belt, Its a 2000 caravan, for me its stupid to buy a new car, their are tons of deals around, just alittle work needed. I have 6 vehicles now, I paid basically nothing for any of them. Buying used is by far the best option, saves ya money no matter what even if you have to put some money to get it perfect. |
Notice, he has 6 vehicles, paid basically nothing. My question... how many are running in good condition? and how long do they do such? and are the 6 vehicles so you can keep rotating them during downtime?
*chuckles* |
Nope all are in fine working condition 93 landcruiser, 90 Celica GTS, 87 MR2, 94 Honda Accord EX, 00 Caravan and a 85 MR2. The MR2's and the celica are summer cars. Why should I buy a new car? Heck good deals are to be found with just a little work needed. |
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04/02/2006 09:41:51 PM · #19 |
I know people who always pay sticker...heck my step-dad does.
I got a sweet deal on my truck -- I used to work at the dealer, so that helps.
My sticker was 23,000 -- invoice: 18,500 -- minus 4500 in rebates...it was sick.
The finance guy tried changing it up, and I told him I was going to walk...he said there wasn't anything he could do, I stood up to leave, he called in the manager, and magically, they got it to work again.
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04/03/2006 02:17:00 AM · #20 |
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04/03/2006 02:25:25 AM · #21 |
Ooooooh, shiny. Nice car.
Looks like the designers who made the interior were big fans of circles and rounded rectangles... or is that how all new cars are.. heh |
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04/03/2006 02:49:05 AM · #22 |
Congrats Art, that's a sweet ride!
Well in an update to this post on the 13th, my wife and I got a new ride about a week ago. This one will really make the tree huggers cringe!
2002 Toyota Sequoia Limited.
 
Yup, that's a V8 under that hood baby! I have to say we are loving the room and stability that this truck provides. The purchase was the easiest one I've ever had. We got it from a dealership just over the border in what us locals here in UT call "happy valley." When I say over the border you local Utahans will know what I'm talking about. ;-) Anyway back on topic. The gentleman that we dealt with was VERY fair and really had no issue on the price. It was listed at 22k and we got it out the door for 21k. This truck is very CLEAN and it only had one owner. Complete service by Toyota. I checked Kelly blue book and NADA on these before we purchased and I could turn around and sell this truck for 24 to 26k if I wanted to. So overall I think we got one hell of a truck for a good fair price. Plus I know my wife and kids will be pretty safe in this for the time being.
P.S. I didn't take those pics, got them from the seller.
Message edited by author 2006-04-03 02:49:45.
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04/03/2006 03:12:59 AM · #23 |
Originally posted by naldslc:
2002 Toyota Sequoia Limited. |
Nice, Steve! Congrats to you and the wife also.
...Why is it the husband's come last when it comes to vehicle purchases? I am hoping to be hunting for a Ford Sport Trac or Ranger within the year and next year--- *whispers* a motorcycle. |
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04/03/2006 03:18:11 AM · #24 |
Originally posted by Art Roflmao:
Originally posted by naldslc:
2002 Toyota Sequoia Limited. |
Nice, Steve! Congrats to you and the wife also.
...Why is it the husband's come last when it comes to vehicle purchases? I am hoping to be hunting for a Ford Sport Trac or Ranger within the year and next year--- *whispers* a motorcycle. |
Thanks Art! I'm pretty damn lucky if I do say, I drive an older but still very nice Toyota T100. I just love that truck. I also have the motorcycle too!
Yup that was me! I freaking love that picture! JRTODD ROCKS!
Plus my wife puts up with all the photog wants and needs so I can't complain. Plus if I'm really nice she lets me drive it! hahaha!
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04/03/2006 04:16:11 AM · #25 |
Originally posted by deapee:
I know people who always pay sticker...heck my step-dad does.
I got a sweet deal on my truck -- I used to work at the dealer, so that helps.
My sticker was 23,000 -- invoice: 18,500 -- minus 4500 in rebates...it was sick.
The finance guy tried changing it up, and I told him I was going to walk...he said there wasn't anything he could do, I stood up to leave, he called in the manager, and magically, they got it to work again. |
why was the finance guy trying to raise the price ? I thought you made the deal with the sales man..
here in Iceland you just make the deal with the salesman and then he emails the deal to the finance guy end within 5 minutes the deal is done without any hazzle from the finance guy.. it's not his job do decide price, only to finance the deal :)
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