ARGH!

[The Saints]

Well even though we are a one auto family we decided to get a new car. So we are going to buy a 2010 Prius, with all the bells and whistles. Here is my bitch, gripe, complaint, you name it. HAGGLING. Why cant we just walk in an buy a car just like you would walk in and buy a beer. I know not a good comparison however hopefully you get my point. A set price for the car. They should all differ due to the package, but none of the "this is the best offer I can give you bull". We went on xmas day and met with a dealer. He showed us what we wanted and we told him what we had to offer and we did not want to "play the game" so to speak. Today we went back with our checkbook in hand and did the test drive and all that good stuff and again reminded him that we didn't have five hours to purchase the car. He said no problem and immediately started the price wars. We worked out a reasonable price and he started with the "lets go see what the manager says". So when he got back, we left.
Now another dealer called and can offer the same car for four hundred over what we wanted the other dealer to except. So we called the first dealer back and told him of the price to see if he wanted our money or not, and he just called back and started haggling again. Eeeeewwwww, I hate this.
So now we have to drive to San Jose to make the deal. Wish me luck

 

[Argonaut20]

I assume you went to Kelly Blue Book (kbb.com) and got the retail and dealer prices so you know what the dealer paid - well, sort of what the dealer paid less factory incentives, etc. Be aware the 'manager' is a 'closer' whose job it is to get you to sign for what he wants you to pay. Deal with the manager directly if you can, keeping in mind what his job is. You might want to use the Toyota or Kelly site to get price quotes from dealers around you so you have a good idea of the current price point for what you want.

As an aside, you will like the Prius. We have a 2005 with 68,000 miles and have averaged about 47 or 48 mpg over the past 4 years. This is with use as a commuter car on the freeway at 70 - 80 mph for a good many of those miles.

 

[jon]

Well even though we are a one auto family we decided to get a new car. So we are going to buy a 2010 Prius, with all the bells and whistles. Here is my bitch, gripe, complaint, you name it. HAGGLING. Why cant we just walk in an buy a car just like you would walk in and buy a beer. I know not a good comparison however hopefully you get my point. A set price for the car. They should all differ due to the package, but none of the "this is the best offer I can give you bull". We went on xmas day and met with a dealer. He showed us what we wanted and we told him what we had to offer and we did not want to "play the game" so to speak. Today we went back with our checkbook in hand and did the test drive and all that good stuff and again reminded him that we didn't have five hours to purchase the car. He said no problem and immediately started the price wars. We worked out a reasonable price and he started with the "lets go see what the manager says". So when he got back, we left.
Now another dealer called and can offer the same car for four hundred over what we wanted the other dealer to except. So we called the first dealer back and told him of the price to see if he wanted our money or not, and he just called back and started haggling again. Eeeeewwwww, I hate this.
So now we have to drive to San Jose to make the deal. Wish me luck

I think the best way to buy a car or truck, after you do you're homework is to submit online offers to dealers near you, they have somebody that reads them once or twice a day. I bought my Tacoma that way, they made $400.00 on the truck, and I got the deal I wanted, and the best part is I only had to talk to them for about five minutes. You know about what they paid for the car, and they will make the sale for somewhere between $300 and $450 profit.

 

[The Saints]

well we ended up haggling on our own. We kept calling between the two lowest quotes we got, out of seven different dealers. After we got the best quote that made us actually happy, we called the Santa Cruz store and talked to them. We worked the deal with them for what we asked. Then we told them we needed a ride to there shop and had them come pick us up. It still took some time signing the paperwork, waiting for them to detail the car and fill the tank, then write the check. By the time we left the showroom floor, it was raining. So tomorrow maybe we can play with it.

 

[chnlisle]

When I bought my Ram I did it via the internet. Called the dealer set it up and got the truck for excactly what we all agreed on. It was the most painless vehicle purchase I ever made. I sold cars for many years when I was younger and have a pretty good idea of the process but this was just a pleasure. Of course I had to drive from The'Nard to Lompoc but hey I saved a ton.

 

[pods8]

What pisses me off about most sales guys is they can only speak in terms of "monthly payments" which is ridiculous. I realize the average Joe gets scammed over in that thinking but in my world that is the last piece of the puzzle. Price is first and foremost and from that price lets talk interest rates to get our payment. When we were buying my wife's car a couple years ago I finally told one guy if he said one more thing about monthly payments until we had settled on a price that we were turning heal and walking out. He still couldn't do it and we walked out.

 

[DLN]

I also bought my current truck through the internet, price on a Tacoma at that time was not really negotiable, I wanted that truck and just bought it. We never set foot on the lot, had it delivered from Sac to Truckee free of charge, cut 'em a check and they even removed the obnoxious "TRD" stickers for me. Great experience.

 

[HERR42]

the whole "sales model" is engineered to facilitate a sales guy making a buck for himself as well as his employer.
the more he makes over dealer cost the bigger his paycheck.
they could change the name from salesman to haggler...maybe that would make things clearer.