# Car Buying 🚙



## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

Any tips on getting a damn good price on a new car?
Is it true that the end of the month is the best time to buy? Any tips would be much appreciated.
The wife wants a Honda but she recently saw a Kia Telluride and wants to go see them.


----------



## bosox_5 (Jun 20, 2018)

This is a bad time to buy a car. The whole world shut down in April and May so car inventories plummeted. Every car is more expensive now than it should be


----------



## Ridgerunner (May 16, 2017)

Wait if you can. Just bought a new Honda, because we had no choice as our car was totaled. Car inventories are low and dealers have little incentive to negotiate other than keeping you from buying from another dealer. If you are willing to accept a car that they have in abundance in a color you don't like, you might be able to negotiate a few more $ off.
After you have negotiate the OTD price, don't let your guard down. Know exactly what the monthly payment for the amount you're borrowing at the interest rate you are offered is ahead of time (have an app on your phone-Honda has one and you don't need to pay any extra fees if using manufacturer financing). Most dealers will add a monthly "bank fee" of 5-$10 a month. Over 60 months, that's another $600. Always remember, There is no lower form of life than a car salesman. :twisted:


----------



## BobLovesGrass (Jun 13, 2020)

Why new?


----------



## uts (Jul 8, 2019)

Are you buying (cash vs finance) or leasing?

Based on that a lot of things will change. Also the model of the car determines quite a few things. The Kia Telluride and Hyundai palisade were low inventory and high demand cars since they have arrived. They are great cars and even better value for money.

Based on what you decide of the above, people will be able to give you better advise.


----------



## FlowRider (Apr 7, 2019)

Finding a Kia Telluride right now will be hard - they are selling every one they build.

GMC is offering GM Employee pricing right now - there are some sweet deals available on 2020 MY.

I spend a lot of time using dealer web sites to find deals on inventory. It really helps to know pricing and when a deal becomes available. I bought a GMC Sierra on Christmas eve because of all the trucks that dealer had on its lot, there was one truck that had an amazing deal on it. Dealers often do this to drive traffic into the showroom.

I called the dealership before they even opened. Salesperson was paged and I told him to grab the keys and I was on my way. Drove an hour to get there.

When I arrived, there were four people wanting to buy my truck lined up in the showroom, including an employee who worked there, on his day off.

But because I had the salesperson snag keys, I controlled the transaction - first in time, first in line.

The MSRP on the truck was ~$48,000; I negotiated them down to GM Supplier pricing plus the dealer discount, which dropped the truck to $38,000. I traded my old 2005 Chevy Avalanche for $7000, so I signed a contract for ~$31,000. I could have saved even more by leasing, but I don't lease vehicles. I also got free oil changes and tire rotation for two years - at eight quarts per oil change it adds up.

2017 GMC Sierra Crew Cab SLT Texas Edition, 5.3 liter, 6-speed, 20 inch wheels, chrome step rails, full leather, with installed bug deflector, rubber bed mat, and rear under-seat storage bin accessories. Two wheel drive - it's a street truck. Rides comfortably, lots of room, 20.5 mpg highway at 77 mph.

Sales Manager told me almost every customer there leases the vehicle; they rarely sell one outright.

I always wait until the manufacturer offers employee or supplier pricing - literally saves thousands.

And I know people say don't buy new because of the depreciation hit - I only buy new, because you get the full factory warranty, and I keep my vehicles for years. I haven't paid for car repairs in years.

The manufacturers have gotten very smart. They jacked up their prices to cover any discounts now.

You really have to watch for sales, and finding the one "deal vehicle" is now a key technique to save. I had been watching prices for two months when I saw the one truck that was the smoking deal....

End of the year is when you can get really good deals on model year end closeouts.

Honda almost never discounts their vehicles, but you can get some good financing right now....

I love the process of negotiating on a car; it takes time to gain the knowledge on pricing and what makes a good deal, but it is worth it. Buying a new car should be fun; it is real fun when you get a deal you are very happy with. You have to research, be patient, read the contract and numbers, and be willing to work for the deal to happen in a way you benefit from. Then enjoy the new ride...!


----------



## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

Go check the forum for the make/model you want to purchase. Often there threads about prices people paid, before taxes. Furthermore, be willing to shop online and then contact the dealer by email.


----------



## Bug pumper (Jul 2, 2018)

I emailed 9 dealers across our province telling them exactly what I wanted and what their lowest price was. 4 didn't even respond. The other 5 came in pretty close and I did a bit of back and forth with the 2 lowest seeing if they would beat the price. By the time I walked into the dealers I had agreed to buy from, I was walking in the door with a very good starting point. I managed to get a bit more taken off from there. This was years ago and not during covid. 
I could see how low inventory could keep the price up, but I also could see how covid could keep them motivated to make a sale in these trying times.


----------



## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

Gentlemen, thanks for chiming in with your thoughts.

I've been researching the vehicles the wife has shown interest in over the last 10 to 12 weeks. I have driven every car/SUV she has liked in the 30K to 55K range. Surprisingly, many of those cars are lackluster.

But today, I saw something that floored me.
Here's the story...so we went to two local Kia dealerships. (I know nothing about Kia. Don't even know anyone that's owned one.) The Telluride sells for $6K above the sticker price, and it can go higher depending on the trim level!!!&#129315;
With a straight face, the guy at the first dealership says that they don't even allow test drives "because it would be unfair to put miles on a car that's supposed to be brand new." I kid you not. Because of that, we just had to visit another Kia dealership just to see if all that was true. While we did have the opportunity to test drive one at this dealership, the whole markup thing was very real. No way that vehicle is worth sticker price plus 6K.

Anyhoo, you guys are right that inventory is low, but but I am seeing that it seems to work both ways. Yes, low inventory but sales aren't skyrocketing either....except for that Kia Telluride. &#128514;

At this point in "the haggle game," we have an offer of 4,600 below sticker price on a vehicle with everything the wife wants. But I'm not done trying to get it lower.
However, we are in a position where we will need to pull the trigger on a car soon.

We always buy, since we keep our cars until we get to the point of diminishing returns. We are nearing that point with the wife's current car.


----------



## massgrass (Aug 17, 2017)

I just used the "internet attack" technique to get quotes from six dealers while helping my son buy a 2020 Toyota Corolla LE. Sedans aren't in demand like SUVs, so inventories are pretty good and I was able to get 19% off MSRP after incentives on a low margin car. I'm bringing him to the dealership pick it up tomorrow.


----------



## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

massgrass said:


> I just used the "internet attack" technique to get quotes from six dealers while helping my son buy a 2020 Toyota Corolla LE. Sedans aren't in demand like SUVs, so inventories are pretty good and I was able to get 19% off MSRP after incentives on a low margin car. I'm bringing him to the dealership pick it up tomorrow.


That's actually not a bad tactic. I did hit up every dealership I am willing to drive to if I get the right price. It's impressive how quickly prices drop from a simple email.


----------



## massgrass (Aug 17, 2017)

JayGo said:


> That's actually not a bad tactic. I did hit up every dealership I am willing to drive to if I get the right price. It's impressive how quickly prices drop from a simple email.


Yeah, it only takes one good quote to keep in your back pocket that you can use to work on the others.

I contacted every dealer within a ~1 hour drive via their web site that had what we were looking for in their online inventory. We picked his car up today, which cost ~$2k less than the worst quote we received.


----------



## Jgourley124 (Feb 21, 2019)

I went into my local Honda dealership to get my civic serviced, and walked out with a new civic type r below sticker price and no stupid sales gimmicks at all. The whole process was faster then getting my oil changed, alignment and wheels rotated.

I was conversing with the sale gentleman and he said cars are flying off the show room and they want to keep the inventory flowing so they are offing great deals. From what I was told also the type r's rarely sell below sticker msrp. Usually are marked up a couple thousand.

Maybe it's just where I'm located but I've never seen so many people in the finance department waiting to finish their deals while I was doing mine.

Back to your question, I was always told summer/early fall is the best time to buy because dealers as starting to liquidate their inventory for the next model years. Another thing I was told is never let the sales person know what you want to spend a month, just go in with a number you want to pay for the car. Don't be afraid to walk out and let the deal fall through if your not comfortable with the price the dealer is offering. Almost always they will run after you and be willing to negotiate more (unless your buying a high end luxury card) Always shop for the best financing rate if you are going that route.

I've never personally used but I've heard good thing about carvana. They do mark the prices up a little but it's an easy process.

Best of luck


----------



## FATC1TY (Jul 12, 2017)

Certain vehicles are flying off lots, and short supply.

Heavy duty trucks are one of those in short supply. People have been buying up boats and RVs, thus realizing their 5 year old F150 won't cut it, and upgrade to a larger truck.

Friend is trying to get a SD and they aren't budging on price and most of what's available is work truck quality or the higher trim packages. 2-4k off a 80+k sticker is insulting. &#128514;


----------



## Ridgerunner (May 16, 2017)

FWIW, here are three valuation services I have used;
https://www.edmunds.com/honda/pilot/build/?submodel=SUV&modelyearId=401819746&styleId=401819795&optionIds=401819985&priceBreakdown
https://www.kbb.com/honda/pilot/2021/ex-l/?vehicleid=448589&intent=buy-new&category=suv
and a newer one (for me):
https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/2020-Honda-Pilot-Price-c29624


----------



## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

Thanks again, gents! I appreciate the dialogue very much.

I went ahead and blitzed all of the online reps from the dealerships I was willing to drive to. Surprisingly, some of those eSales reps are pretty efficient. Eventually, one quote was e-mailed that none of the others would match/beat...$4,800 below sticker.
So we drove from north Austin to north Dallas yesterday for the purchase. I arrived a few minutes before 4 pm and haggled and haggled and haggled some more. We wound up driving away with the car just after 10 pm. The 3 hour drive plus the 5 hours of haggling was definitely worth the deal, plus we got to visit our families in Plano for a little.

They also had a "new" car that the dealership's GM had been using. That vehicle had just over 5000 miles on it. If they hadn't mentioned the mileage, I never would've suspected it had that many miles on it. It wasn't a demo. The history showed that the GM was the one that'd been driving it. That model and trim level stickered for 40,060, but they had that particular car priced at $34,300. I asked about it, and the eCommerce manager threw out 32,500. Not sure if that's a deal, but it was an option.

Anyhoo, stay safe out there, guys, and thanks again for sharing your thoughts. Now on to reading through the "mortgage refinancing" thread.


----------



## Ridgerunner (May 16, 2017)

Wait! So, Whachya buy?


----------



## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

Oh man, sorry I didn't mention that.

The wife wound up with a Honda Passport (Touring model). Pretty cool SUV. Taller than the Pilot, 6" shorter towards the back but the Passport has tons more cargo space because there's no 3rd row.


----------



## daniel3507 (Jul 31, 2018)

I bought a new Ranger back in May. Im eligible for A plan which is less than what the dealer paid for it. I saw the dealer invoice and was surprised how low the margins were on it. The selling price wasn't much over the invoice price. I don't have the paperwork in front of me but the difference was less than $5k between the invoice price and what they were originally asking. It may be different with other makes but I think the days of haggling and getting $10k off the price of a new car are fading.


----------



## Wolverine (Jan 17, 2018)

I just turned in my 2018 crew max Tundra 9 months early on a lease. I was going to turn it in anyway so what the heck. Huge shortage of trucks in my area.


----------



## driver_7 (Jun 28, 2018)

There is always more room to move on it, no matter what they say. I walked out buying my latest vehicle when the price we discussed online magically was "incorrect" when we arrived in-person. It got "fixed" right away, but we made it clear that those games were over. I hate the car buying process. If my job wasn't on the line right now, I would have my name down for a new 2-door Bronco...


----------



## Ware (Jan 28, 2017)

This was an interesting video:

https://youtu.be/qUdHx2zX4Uo


----------



## Jeff_MI84 (Sep 28, 2020)

@Ware the name of the website escapes me, but there's a site that shows different dealerships and how high of a markup certain make and models are. But my new boss is trying to change a lot.


----------



## thelawnpirate (May 19, 2019)

Ware said:


> This was an interesting video:


This is very interesting! I work for one of the largest OEMs out there. Few realize the complexities of the dealer/distributor & OEM relationships, especially on things impacting the actual customer.


----------



## jdrop01 (8 mo ago)

I like what Ford CEO is trying to do. Went van shopping only to be slapped on a demo Toyota Sienna for $72k..... MSRP was $42k, I couldn't help but laugh out loud when he presented this pricing. All I got back from the manager was "well, when you only get 3 a month we can charge this much".


----------



## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

jdrop01 said:


> I like what Ford CEO is trying to do. Went van shopping only to be slapped on a demo Toyota Sienna for $72k..... MSRP was $42k, I couldn't help but laugh out loud when he presented this pricing. All I got back from the manager was "well, when you only get 3 a month we can charge this much".


That would make me laugh too.


----------



## JayGo (Jun 13, 2019)

Ware said:


> This was an interesting video….


Interesting for sure. Still, it should be noted that that type of market exists because there are people out there that pay those prices. One discussion that comes up quite a bit in my circle is the price of concert tickets. Everyone complains about how ridiculously high they are even after they've gone ahead and bought some.
I've never NEEDED a new car, but I feel bad for anyone that legitimately needs to buy new. But car dealership greed is out of control.


----------



## Thejarrod (Aug 5, 2018)

new car MSRP is going up quickly, but articles like this drive me nuts. 
https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a40771105/2023-ford-gm-truck-price-increase/
they say, referring to one of the F-150 trim levels... "The price for our preferred trim, the Lariat, swells $7580 from 2022 to the 2023 model year."
later in the article they say "Equipment changes are applied to other models, too, with the Lariat dropping 500A in favor of 501A ... This means that previously optional equipment is now standard, such as an upgraded audio system, additional USB ports, and other extras." 
none of the press i'm reading does a true comparison of how equally equipped models are priced.


----------



## sahanaj (24 d ago)

Here are a few tips that I've found helpful when trying to get a better price on a new car:
1.Do your research and know what you want before you go to the dealership. This will help you negotiate a better price and avoid getting swayed by sales tactics.
2.Consider buying a car at the end of the month or quarter. Dealerships often have sales goals that they need to meet, so they may be more willing to offer discounts at these times.
3.Don't be afraid to negotiate and haggle for a better price. It never hurts to ask for a lower price or to see if they can throw in any extra perks or features for free.
4.Consider buying a car that is a few years old or has higher mileage. These cars may not have all the latest features, but they can often be a much better deal than a brand-new car.
5.Shop around and get quotes from multiple dealerships. This will give you a better idea of what you can expect to pay and may help you negotiate a better price for the car itself and in terms of car transport cost.
I hope these tips are helpful! Good luck with your car shopping journey.


----------

