Shopping strategy
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Driver School Candidate
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 47
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From: Texas
Shopping strategy
Which is the better option? Looking at several dealer sites and seeing what they have for new inventory. Or calling one local dealer and tell them what I want and let them find it at other locations and trade for it if they dont have what i want on their lot..
Driver School Candidate
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
From: CO
I'd say it depends on what kind of shopper you are. I do not like to deal. Here's what I did. Found the car I liked at a local dealer and told him I wanted his best price because I was going to do the same thing at the next dealer. No haggling just the bottom price. I did not reveal any dealer price to another dealer. Compared % discount at each dealer including info from this site. Bought the car at the highest % discount. The price compared very favorably to this site info.
Intermediate
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 319
Likes: 30
From: Nevada
I think the best strategy is searching the inventory of the dealers in your region/state online and then when you know 3-10 dealers that have the exact car and color you want, email the internet sales person at the dealer and ask for an out-the-door price quote, NOT including your trade in. Some dealers will email you back with a nice break down of the price; i.e. MSRP, dealer discount, taxes and fees. Some dealers will only give prices over the phone. Some dealers will completely ignore you or completely ignore the information you asked for. In California and Texas 9-10% discount off seems to be an average deal for an ES350. 11-12% off an above average deal and 13% off an exceptional deal. In more rural areas like Reno, Nevada dealers may not hardly discount at all.
Secret factory to dealer incentives affect the dealer discount price alot. Like this past President's Day weekend, secret factory to dealer incentives enabled Toyota dealers in California to routinely offer 16% off MSRP on Camrys coupled with no money down 0.9% financing for 60 months.
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Instructor
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 756
Likes: 168
From: Louisiana
I've done both over the years, but when I bought my ES it was pretty much I won't pay more than X amount.... and I meant it... but I was fortunate, when I was shopping for a new car the 2014's were on the lot and the car I happened to like ( color / amenities ) just happened to be a new 2013 still sitting on the showroom floor.... sticker was 45,186 I offered them 39K for the car minus my cash down payment and trade in.... they said no... so I Ieft... then I started getting emails from the sales lady and each one had the deal getting a little bit better... finally after about 2 weeks they upped their trade in value on my existing car to match the best trade in offer I had gotten elsewhere, and quoted me the car at 39,186. they came off the sticker 6 grand and I came up 186 bucks from my offer... So far me, a pretty much take it or leave it deal worked out okay.. but again, I was buying a 2013 with the 2014's on the lot.. they wanted to get rid of their 2013 inventory and I happened along at the right time.,,, Might want to give some thought to a "new" last years model still sitting on the lot... could save you a little cash... good luck.
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Driver School Candidate
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: TX
A reasonable strategy is to know the dealer invoice for the car and the options you've chosen. Then know that the dealer has a 1% holdback or rebate available, plus any seasonal incentives. So always expect to pay LESS than invoice price. Edmunds.com is a good source for invoice pricing.
Lastly present your offer to the sales guy.. knowing the above - figure out what you think is reasonable and let them counter. If you don't like the deal, just move on to another dealer or wait.
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