Automobile - Price Forum

[RigasMinho]

Hey we should start a forum on new car deals. For example - if you're gonna buy a new car then post what kind it is and the best deal you got. Also the state you live in so we can compare prices.

It should only be for new cars though cause the price will change on used cars.

Maybe my idea was already taken who knows. But at least this way we can shop for a car knowing what other people have paid for.

[XXnarg]

IMHO, the best place to compare auto purchase prices is in discussion boards for each make and model of vehicle. There are websites specific to most popular vehicle models.

As a moderator on a very active forum for a particular vehicle model, I established a monthly pricing poll. Even on a busy forum like ours, we often do not get enough votes to make the poll meaningful on a national level, much less on a local level.

To draw in enough people to make a survey like this even remotely valid, a website needs to have a lot of discussion about all aspects of the vehicle in question. Otherwise, you won't get enough visitor voters who know current vehicle pricing.

Certainly there is room on the web for a site dedicated to "vehicle slick deals," but it's not a trivial undertaking.

[serra]

Hey we should start a forum on new car deals. For example - if you're gonna buy a new car then post what kind it is and the best deal you got. Also the state you live in so we can compare prices.

It should only be for new cars though cause the price will change on used cars.

Maybe my idea was already taken who knows. But at least this way we can shop for a car knowing what other people have paid for.

this won't work because you cannot go to your local dealership with another slickdealer's deal. each vehicle's price (invoice) is different as each vehicle have certain options or added equipment (i.e. running boards, moon roof, alloy wheels) that another same year, make and model may not have. Also, it depends on your method of payment. Dealerships will roll out the red carpet for cash payment vs. financing. another factor is trade in's. that's where you'll get ripped off. anyway, the best deals are employee pricing PLUS additional cash back.

[XXnarg]

this won't work because you cannot go to your local dealership with another slickdealer's deal. each vehicle's price (invoice) is different as each vehicle have certain options or added equipment (i.e. running boards, moon roof, alloy wheels) that another same year, make and model may not have. Also, it depends on your method of payment. Dealerships will roll out the red carpet for cash payment vs. financing. another factor is trade in's. that's where you'll get ripped off. anyway, the best deals are employee pricing PLUS additional cash back.I disagree in general with the idea of buying vehicles based on what is in the dealer's lot.

IMHO, the buyer should figure out what exactly what make and model vehicle he wants, and determine exactly what options he wants. He should get only those options and not settle for others.

If you absolutely have to get a car in a few days, you may not have that luxury, but if you can wait a few weeks or a month or two, then the buyer should be able to buy what he wants, not just what's on the lot.

On financing, it does not really make any difference for the price of the car whether you pay cash or finance. The buyer should always negotiate a cash price and then settle on financing afterwards, as an independent transaction.

Some salespeople try to get the buyer to think just about the monthly payment, and in the end the customer gets screwed that way.

I recommend figuring out exactly what vehicle and options you want and sending an email to all the dealerships in a given radius (depends on how large your metro area is). Tell them what you want, when you expect to make a decision (give them no more than a couple of days). Spell out that you want one "best & final" offer which includes all add-ons like transportation and dealer prep (if any).

Also, remember that the dealer may be paying BELOW invoice, because of special promotions and dealer holdbacks (rebates) from the manufacturer. So when the sales rep says, "I can't go below invoice," he may be lying. For example, I bought a car last year for more than $1,500 below invoice, because the manufacturer had a special promotion for dealers that month and because the dealer routinely got a large rebate as well.

I do agree that trade-ins are where people get screwed. If a trade-in is part of the deal, make sure to get a firm quote early in the process, not at the end of negotiations. If one is willing to go through the hassle, it's better to sell the old car privately.