Quote:
Originally Posted by RxGuy
How about preparing a detailed "Purchase Order" type document with all the options, etc. that you want for you car, then getting a list of dealers and the "Fleet" contact persons. Then, you email/fax your PO and tell them that you are doing a competitive offer and whomever gives you the lowest price gets the car bought from them.
Whittle that down to 5 dealers, try to play them off each other, and then go to the lowest dealer. I wonder if this approach would get you close to or below the $500 over invoice.
I read of this approach from Fool.com: Stock Investing Advice | Stock Research |
I would suggest that any system that keeps the buyer out of the showroom and puts dealers in competition with one another for your business is probably a good one. My way is not the only way and the way you suggest sounds quite reasonable..
The only caveat being, I have done on several occasions, tried the "REQUEST A DEALER QUOTE" option on the cars.com and edmunds.com. Without fail I have come to realize that no matter how specific my request is, color, model, options, etc. They universally almost NEVER respond with answers to the questions you ask. They use the tool as a lead and then start blitzing you with phone calls and emails.
My point is, at least from my experience, there is no substitute for getting on the phone and asking direct questions. Most sales people will skirt any and all questions with comments like, "come on in and we can discuss it" or they'll only answer 1/2 your questions. They'll give you the residual but not the money factor or invoice price. Again, they know the more information they give you the less power they have to upsell you. So I have to pull the information from dealers like I'm pulling teeth. And this is ALWAYS the case.
But I don't let them play that game. I tell them, I will not come in, I will not sign the paperwork, I will not entertain the sale unless they give me all the numbers while I'm sitting at home from my cpu. Then of course I always cross check the numbers on a lease calculator.
So the fax trick may work but don't be surprised if more often than not, you do not get your direct questions answered directly. And that's why sometimes you need to compile the information for yourself by calling multiple sources and then not ask dealers for their pricing but instead, telling them exactly what numbers you want that will close the deal.