Ok im gonna do it...do not try to talk me out of it! ( buying new car)

This is like going to a house of ill repute to find a wife. You really don't want to stick your key into something that's been driven that hard.



This is for anyone else who is a newbie to buying cars:

When you get pre-approved for an auto loan like I was, they will give you a sheet of paper that goes something like this, "StevenQ has been pre-approved for the purchase of a used car up to $15,000 by Patelco Credit Union". There will be a phone number they can use to verify that you are indeed pre-approved. You don't tell the salesman to go look it up. If the credit union doesn't provide you with such a sheet, keep a phone number handy so they can easily call to verify your pre-approval.

Also, you want to have all your ducks lined up. You should already have a good idea what price you will pay for the vehicle, you should already have an idea of the KBB price, and typical sales price, and draw a line in the sand. Make sure you look at the Carfax to see if the car has been in an accident or totaled.

If they ask you for your SS number you don't have to give it to them. I gave it to them anyways because they wouldn't shut up about it and I wanted to speed the process up. So they found a better rate and I told them that I was still going with Patelco's rate at 3.15% for 60 months. Doing the credit pull doesn't really hurt you so I wasn't too worried about it. In hindsight I should have gone with the rate they provided but it was my first ever car purchase and I didn't know what I was doing.

http://www.consumerreports.org/cr.../index.htm

Have you looked at a Hyundai Sonata

"With last year's family-sedan pick, the Nissan Altima, due for a redesign soon, we chose the four-cylinder Sonata as a more affordable alternative to the Camry Hybrid. For less than $22,000, the Sonata provides a roomy, well-equipped cabin, supple ride, nimble handling, and thrifty 27 mpg overall. And despite its swoopy, coupelike styling, the Sonata still provides decent rear-seat room and rear visibility, unlike many other cars today." Price: $21,800.

It's in your price range and got great reviews from CR. For your kind of money, you have options outside the Honda.

Subaru Impreza and Hyundai Sonata to start.

I would make sure you qualify for their low interest at Honda before you purchase. If you're concerned I would look at qualifying for a loan at your bank or credit union first. Penfed has loans for used cars around 1.49%

https://www.penfed.org/Auto-Loans...r-10312012

Why buy new? Find something CPO which someone has already taken the initial hit on. You get a car you know is in great shape, less money, limited mileage, and a full warranty still.

$400 for a radiator? You got hosed! (pun intended).

Ok now they want to pull credit i said no i am already preapproved

Ok back home....(without car)

They kept saying that they needed my monthly income to complete the paperwork..I said "I already completed an application"...so he went back into room to do something..other guy comes out ( guy i test drove with) chit chatted a bit..talked about kids ect...then he stood up and as he was leaving said "oh what was your monthly income again?"
I said "I told the other man that I already gave that info to bank..and why do i need to do it again?"

He leaves..then comes with other guy who has a paper with price and payment info...and chitchated some more and pretty much wanted me to agree to what was on paper....ok i hate to admit it but i kinda squealed..."Noooo, I am not going to pay that!" The guy said "oh you want to pay more?" I said "No!....less! We haven't agreed to a price yet!"
He looks at test drive guy and says "Oh, i didnt know that"

Ok so salesman called me back a bit ago...offered up other cars..gave me more grief about pricing...my offer was low...could we do it for 18000, car is honda certified...ect ect...

I pretty much told him that was my offer..

Went back to Hyundai dealer test drove the Elantra Limited. Only had the time to check it out...next is Sonata..The Elantra Limited is a very tricked out car...sticker was 25xxx. Did the back and forth game he went to 21000 with costco program and a 500 rebate...I wanted 19500. No go. I am going to scope out more dealers..now that I am visiting fam in SoCal. This dealer was in Central Valley.

Okay, you may not get the Elentra for 19500 but it looks like you got close. I would keep trying different dealers, especially with the end of the year coming.

The GLS should be under 20K - around 18 or so.

Are you looking at the Limited? It's got everything imaginable on it but it runs 20K. True car value is 20,900.

http://www.truecar.com/prices-new.../5DF63AEA/

Yep it was the 2013 Elantra Limited I tried to get for 19500. They wanted 21000. And they had some add ons...i don't recall what they were at this time..but car had everything!

That is a nice car - the limited - I would find a number in between 19500 and 21000 that you are comfortable with.

If you get it 300 under invoice, you are looking at 20600.

Yeah I was going to say that the OP keeps offering numbers way lower than what the dealers seem to be taking. If you're offering so much less than what it costs them to acquire, hold onto and sell the car for, it doesn't matter how many tricks you pull out. You're not going to get the car.

Are you checking out the Edmund's TMV? Also check out True Car. They should give you an idea of what people are actually paying in your area. If you have found roughly the car you want, then start emailing internet sales managers for your area. You can cut all the crap about haggling out and get to the best price a lot faster.

Just did True Car..Was coming here to post on progress...

2013 HYUNDAI ELANTRA LIMITED AUTOMATIC

M.S.R.P. = $21740

**Holiday Rebate = $500

Special = $ 19652

Glendora Hyundai

I just emailed him back to get total cost including tax title and fees....

True Car also shows the original dealer I saw..his low was 21000 . True car price for them is 20169... I wonder if they will email me back...

It sounds like you might have just got an obstinate sales manager (the salesman never has any say in what to sell the car at). Good luck on the email method!

iI have about three quotes so far. I emailed the highest and asked her if she could do better. Should I tell them which dealers are offereing better quotes and the amount?

I also bought a little notebook with a page for each dealer and their info. I have emailed nine and have three quotes so far. The ones from true car and others I looked up and called to get email addresses.

So far the best OTD is 21441.
Next is 21479
Last is 20569 without TTL

I also asked for breakdown of TTL to compare taxes and to see if DMV fees are the same.

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That's like something I would do.

Im going to print out everything and make another folder to take....wow this is really turning into a nice project!

So much better to email...I do get flustered and a little loud when I get those curveballs...then a little bitchy i guess. this way every thing is in writing and I can reference and stay calm....i actually took the last mans pen from his hand to write my counter offer..no pens on table and I wasn't prepared with one....I did ask him politely first...the look on his face though...i said to myself "oops I'm doing it again"