shade
02-05-2006, 11:31 AM
Long story but I promise you will enjoy it so keep reading!
So, I'm getting a mazda6 for my wife. Great car all around. Fun to drive.
Now, naturally, I want the best price - and I had a lot of fun getting it.
All she cared about was that it was automatic. I insisted that it have wheels and not hubs, because, well, I cant drive a car with fucking hubcaps. This car (http://www.kbb.com/kb/ki.dll/kw.kc.ncop?kbb.TX;807919;TX085&75025&&;;nc;&5&06MAD6_IS;060201) but automatic + wheel swap. Invoice without auto or wheels is $18,218.00. Right now there is a promotion of $2000 rebate from the factory, so lets say it is $16,218 before wheels and auto.
So, I ask the dealer for his best price on it. He comes back with like $18.8k. I ask him if he is sure that its his best price. He asks me what it would take for me to drive off the lot with it right now. I said $16k, knowing that it was an impossible low ball, but just to send a signal to him that I want the absolute lowest price. He comes back with $17,900. I say thanks, Ill consider it. Sales manager comes and is kinda annoyed that im going to go to other dealers and all. I let them know that if it comes down to a $50 difference I will come back because they did all the work (test drove a 3, 6, and rx8 for giggles, slow car). They told me to not let other dealers know how low they were willing to go. I said "Well, Ill let them know who has the lowest offer. I would like for you guys to fight amongst yourselves." He didnt have a smile on his face.
Next dealer! I walk in, shake the guys hand, and tell him exactly what I want: Mazda 6 with automatic and wheels. The only one he has that meets it is a step up with more features than we care about (sun roof and junk) for like $21k best price. I tell him its not good enough. He comes up with the idea to take a base model with automatic and swap the wheels with some that they have in stock. I think thats a great idea because we dont need power seats and junk.
Then its time to get the price. He offers like $18.5k and I say no, Ive got a better price some where else with a full featured car instead of base with wheel swap. He asks me what that price is so he can try to match it. I tell him "Why does it matter what their price is? I want the best price. Either your best price will beat them or it wont. I dont see why their price can influence your best price." He suddenly turned red and had a gigantic "WTF" on his face and shook his head a little. Then he went to talk to his sales manager to "find out" what he could do (I figure this is always a show). My wife and I are sitting at his desk for like 5 minutes and he still isnt back. So, we start to walk out because I know they are just bsing for show. I mean, their best price is the one where they make maybe $20 for their time so its pretty simple addition. I am unlocking my car and he comes running out saying that they almost have the price. I come back in and they give me $17,065. Not bad!
I say Ill consider it. With another wtf face he says to his sales manager "He'll consider it!?"
Move on to the next dealer. Its in a sleezy part of town and was a total waste of time. Basically its one of those places that actually sells cars at MSRP to low income uneducated people. I told him that he had a shitty price (yes, shitty) and that I dont see how he is in business (he has customers in the room). I go off with a different sales guy and my wife is still in the room and hears him saying to another sales guy "That fucking son of a bitch." He then sees my wife and rolls his eyes like "Awwwww shit!" and leaves the room. The boss man is like "what do you want?? what do you want". I keep telling him wheels, auto, best price. Long story short it ends up with him realising he cant take advantage of me and tells me to leave. HAHA!
On the phone with the first dealer, I want to give them a chance to do the wheel swap. My sales guy was out giving a test drive so I was talking to his boss. His boss says they can do a base auto with wheel swap for $18.8k. I say "Really? Because I was quoted a full featured car for $17.9k by your sales man earlier today. So you just removed features and increased the car price. How about you call me back with the right price?" and hung up on him. Three minutes later he calls back, stuttering at this point, and makes up some excuse that he found the wrong invoice, and quotes me $17.2k. Its $135 more than the other place, but it is in the exact color that my wife wants (other one wasnt) so I say fine.
We then take her 93 mercury tracer up for a trade in. They never really say the value they were going to give for it. I ask them how much and they say "a few hundred dollars" and apparently the "loan range" was with that trade included. I said "No, you cant screw with me and I am surprised you havent noticed this yet. How much exactly are you giving us for the trade in on this quote?" $200. I laugh and say no, youre not stealing this car. The blue book trade in in bad condition was like $750. My uncle is a dealer and will sell it for me and probably get $1-1.5k. $200 is a fucking insult. So we take it off the table, and then the "loan range" goes up about $5 a month. $5 a month for the trade in!
We fill out the credit app and all that. We make $80k a year (which is pretty good texas for people who graduated college last May) so cash flow is not a problem. We have a sizable savings already. They ask if someone can cosign on the loan. I say "We make $80k a year, have perfect credit, and excess cash flow. There is no need for a cosign. If you require one, we will just walk. In case you havent noticed, I have been willing to leave at every point and you are just putting the sale in jeapordy." His skin went clammy.
Now we go to the finance department for the dealership where they are going "shop" for us for a good rate. Sitting and waiting in the waiting room... waiting... waiting. Its our friend's birthday so we need to meet them for dinner. Waiting.... I ask how long its going to take and they say 20-30 minutes before they can see me. I say "Well, its our friends birthday and we need to go. You guys can call me when you have numbers and Ill decide if your giving me a BS rate." Its 7:00 now. They offer to get us dinner so we wont leave. I say that they dont get the point, its our friend's birthday and we are meeting them for dinner. Head sales guy is all pissy and trying to guilt me staying to finish it tonight instead of have to put it off to next week. He is trying to stare me down! I laugh at him because he hasnt noticed yet that his Jedi mind tricks dont work on me and we walk out. I tell him he has my number and they can feel free to call me when they have the numbers.
He asks to reschedule to Monday I say thats fine. But then I remember I am going to Jackson MS to do some consulting and say well have to reschedule to Wednesday night. Does he have a smile? No.
So then we go eat dinner with our friends.
Capital one just offered me 6.25% so Ill keep that in mind when they give us offers at the dealership.
So, I'm getting a mazda6 for my wife. Great car all around. Fun to drive.
Now, naturally, I want the best price - and I had a lot of fun getting it.
All she cared about was that it was automatic. I insisted that it have wheels and not hubs, because, well, I cant drive a car with fucking hubcaps. This car (http://www.kbb.com/kb/ki.dll/kw.kc.ncop?kbb.TX;807919;TX085&75025&&;;nc;&5&06MAD6_IS;060201) but automatic + wheel swap. Invoice without auto or wheels is $18,218.00. Right now there is a promotion of $2000 rebate from the factory, so lets say it is $16,218 before wheels and auto.
So, I ask the dealer for his best price on it. He comes back with like $18.8k. I ask him if he is sure that its his best price. He asks me what it would take for me to drive off the lot with it right now. I said $16k, knowing that it was an impossible low ball, but just to send a signal to him that I want the absolute lowest price. He comes back with $17,900. I say thanks, Ill consider it. Sales manager comes and is kinda annoyed that im going to go to other dealers and all. I let them know that if it comes down to a $50 difference I will come back because they did all the work (test drove a 3, 6, and rx8 for giggles, slow car). They told me to not let other dealers know how low they were willing to go. I said "Well, Ill let them know who has the lowest offer. I would like for you guys to fight amongst yourselves." He didnt have a smile on his face.
Next dealer! I walk in, shake the guys hand, and tell him exactly what I want: Mazda 6 with automatic and wheels. The only one he has that meets it is a step up with more features than we care about (sun roof and junk) for like $21k best price. I tell him its not good enough. He comes up with the idea to take a base model with automatic and swap the wheels with some that they have in stock. I think thats a great idea because we dont need power seats and junk.
Then its time to get the price. He offers like $18.5k and I say no, Ive got a better price some where else with a full featured car instead of base with wheel swap. He asks me what that price is so he can try to match it. I tell him "Why does it matter what their price is? I want the best price. Either your best price will beat them or it wont. I dont see why their price can influence your best price." He suddenly turned red and had a gigantic "WTF" on his face and shook his head a little. Then he went to talk to his sales manager to "find out" what he could do (I figure this is always a show). My wife and I are sitting at his desk for like 5 minutes and he still isnt back. So, we start to walk out because I know they are just bsing for show. I mean, their best price is the one where they make maybe $20 for their time so its pretty simple addition. I am unlocking my car and he comes running out saying that they almost have the price. I come back in and they give me $17,065. Not bad!
I say Ill consider it. With another wtf face he says to his sales manager "He'll consider it!?"
Move on to the next dealer. Its in a sleezy part of town and was a total waste of time. Basically its one of those places that actually sells cars at MSRP to low income uneducated people. I told him that he had a shitty price (yes, shitty) and that I dont see how he is in business (he has customers in the room). I go off with a different sales guy and my wife is still in the room and hears him saying to another sales guy "That fucking son of a bitch." He then sees my wife and rolls his eyes like "Awwwww shit!" and leaves the room. The boss man is like "what do you want?? what do you want". I keep telling him wheels, auto, best price. Long story short it ends up with him realising he cant take advantage of me and tells me to leave. HAHA!
On the phone with the first dealer, I want to give them a chance to do the wheel swap. My sales guy was out giving a test drive so I was talking to his boss. His boss says they can do a base auto with wheel swap for $18.8k. I say "Really? Because I was quoted a full featured car for $17.9k by your sales man earlier today. So you just removed features and increased the car price. How about you call me back with the right price?" and hung up on him. Three minutes later he calls back, stuttering at this point, and makes up some excuse that he found the wrong invoice, and quotes me $17.2k. Its $135 more than the other place, but it is in the exact color that my wife wants (other one wasnt) so I say fine.
We then take her 93 mercury tracer up for a trade in. They never really say the value they were going to give for it. I ask them how much and they say "a few hundred dollars" and apparently the "loan range" was with that trade included. I said "No, you cant screw with me and I am surprised you havent noticed this yet. How much exactly are you giving us for the trade in on this quote?" $200. I laugh and say no, youre not stealing this car. The blue book trade in in bad condition was like $750. My uncle is a dealer and will sell it for me and probably get $1-1.5k. $200 is a fucking insult. So we take it off the table, and then the "loan range" goes up about $5 a month. $5 a month for the trade in!
We fill out the credit app and all that. We make $80k a year (which is pretty good texas for people who graduated college last May) so cash flow is not a problem. We have a sizable savings already. They ask if someone can cosign on the loan. I say "We make $80k a year, have perfect credit, and excess cash flow. There is no need for a cosign. If you require one, we will just walk. In case you havent noticed, I have been willing to leave at every point and you are just putting the sale in jeapordy." His skin went clammy.
Now we go to the finance department for the dealership where they are going "shop" for us for a good rate. Sitting and waiting in the waiting room... waiting... waiting. Its our friend's birthday so we need to meet them for dinner. Waiting.... I ask how long its going to take and they say 20-30 minutes before they can see me. I say "Well, its our friends birthday and we need to go. You guys can call me when you have numbers and Ill decide if your giving me a BS rate." Its 7:00 now. They offer to get us dinner so we wont leave. I say that they dont get the point, its our friend's birthday and we are meeting them for dinner. Head sales guy is all pissy and trying to guilt me staying to finish it tonight instead of have to put it off to next week. He is trying to stare me down! I laugh at him because he hasnt noticed yet that his Jedi mind tricks dont work on me and we walk out. I tell him he has my number and they can feel free to call me when they have the numbers.
He asks to reschedule to Monday I say thats fine. But then I remember I am going to Jackson MS to do some consulting and say well have to reschedule to Wednesday night. Does he have a smile? No.
So then we go eat dinner with our friends.
Capital one just offered me 6.25% so Ill keep that in mind when they give us offers at the dealership.