AI meets BFC: Car Buying Thread: No Rentals and No Salvage Titles

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > AI meets BFC: Car Buying Thread: No Rentals and No Salvage Titles

swenblack: Jan 14, 2004

rt_hat posted:

I was searching for a used car at a dealership and was negotiating a price with the salesman. This is one of the largest dealerships in our city, so I think they aren't super sleazy for a dealership.

While we were talking about the price, the salesman had a sheet of paper with the cost breakdown as we haggled on the final price. At one point he asked me to sign the paper while he went to talk to his "finance guy" about what they could do for me. During the price haggling, he also asked me for my credit card and took it for a while. I didn't think much of it at the time but now it really bothers me.

He also took my drivers license when I took the car for a test drive which I think is normal. I'm assuming he took my credit card and signature to lock me in a contract - the price haggling went back and forth a few times and eventually I declined one of their offers. Had I accepted, would I have entered a contract with them ?

I think I learned my lesson and that's to not give them my credit card and signature unless I really know what's going on - but I'm still not sure why they took that information from me.

The driver's license thing is pretty standard, in my experience. The credit card and signature thing is BS. They're trying to do things that increase your buy-in to the situation. Most people put place an emotional significance on their signature and credit card. They don't mean anything legally, but it's one way for the dealership to increase your perceived stake in reaching a deal.

The real lesson is to not negotiate with agents on the lot. Follow the internet protocol to get the best possible deal instead.

# ¿ Nov 8, 2011 07:26

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 00:44

swenblack: Jan 14, 2004

Proposed Budget: ~$30k
New or Used: New or less than 2 years old
Body Style: sedan
How will you be using the car?: Daily driver - 40 miles round trip commute
What aspects are most important to you? Something fun to drive

Basically, I'm looking for the most fun car to drive I can get that's still at least justifiably practical--something with a lot of power and real tight steering. I guess I'm in the same boat as Wonderllama, but I'm not nearly as picky. I'd prefer a new car, but I'm willing to go late model used if the gain in performance is worth the price. I do want all the bells and whistles, like leather seats and a moon roof.

I'm leaning towards a G37, but I don't know anything about what else is out there at the same price point.

# ¿ May 4, 2014 02:26

swenblack: Jan 14, 2004

Throatwarbler posted:

2012 Jaguar XF.

A 2012 CTS 3.6l would also be similarly priced but really get the Jag.

Interesting. I hadn't consider Jaguar. I'll have to do some research. Although it seems I have only 3 choices in my area around $30k. Option 1 has 75k miles on it, option 2 has a salvage title, and option 3 somehow "lost" thousands of miles off its odometer on a used car lot in New Jersey.

# ¿ May 4, 2014 04:18

swenblack: Jan 14, 2004

Sointenly posted:

Hoping a general auto sales scenario / question will be accepted here.

I like to think think I'm fairly savvy when it comes to buying vesicles, but I'm in a scenario now that I'm not quite sure how to approach.

I have a 2013 Tacoma that's killing me on MPG and I want to downsize to a compact SUV or a Sedan. Currently I'm looking at Rav4's which are in a comfortable price range and are currently at 0% APR. Unfortunately, the 0% APR deal ends next week so I'm feeling a bit rushed.

Here's my question... I know that dealerships are going to want my truck, Tacoma's are in crazy demand right now and a super new low mileage used one is going to be as good as gold to any dealership. That being said, how would you negotiate? I know the typical school of thought would be to arrive at the price of the Rav4 before i even mentioned that I had a trade in. On the other hand though, I know that any dealership would much rather replace any Rav4 on their lot with my Tacoma, so maybe it's worth bringing up my trade in order to get them lower on the price of the Rav?

I guess my best case scenario is this, if I can get a $30k Rav4 down to $26-27k I think i'd be pretty close to a strait up trade on my Tacoma (KBB puts it at 26.5k trade in value). I've already had one dealership tell me that they'll find a way to get me into "a Rav4" on a strait up trade, but I don't want just any Rav, I want my rear end on leather seats!

I know that BEST thing to do would be to sell the Truck privately, but since i'm still making payments on it, the 0% apr window on the Rav's is closing, and and it would probably take forever to sell... i'm thinking trade in is the way to go.

FWIW, low mileage 2013 Tacomas start at $25k at the dealerships here in DC, and there's a fuckton of them for sale. Also, a maxxed out Rav4 costs $28k, including navigation and "leather" seats. Finally, although the 0% interest rate promotion ends soon, rest assured, a new one will start the day after that one ends. We're getting to the end of the model year. Don't let the artificial deadlines create a sense of urgency that isn't warranted.

I hate to tell this to you, but it sounds like you're falling for all the marketing that car dealerships put out there. They'll tell you your used car is in demand so you'll get a premium price (probably false) and that current incentives are unlikely to continue (certainly false), just so you'll go into the dealership and give them a chance to sell you a car.

The best way to negotiate is to get a lowball price from Carmax to understand your price floor, try to sell your car on Craigslist, and meanwhile negotiate with all the dealerships' internet sales managers in your area for the best price on the Rav4. As soon as you sell the Tacoma, pull the trigger on the Rav4.

# ¿ May 28, 2014 18:29

swenblack: Jan 14, 2004

Google Butt posted:

Proposed Budget: 15k
New or Used: Used
Body Style: Wagon (preferably) or a 4 door
How will you be using the car?: I have a 10 minute freeway commute to work every day, most driving will be in a small town with a lot of stop signs and such.
What aspects are most important to you? My requirements are that the car fit a 6' surfboard inside (folding rear seats), fun to drive (manual transmission) and mpg in that order. Wouldn't mind being able to go to the snow and such on occasion (Subaru???)

Obviously I'm looking at Subaru, but I don't know if there's an alternative out there or which one specifically I should be looking at.

I keep a 6'2" surfboard in my Los Angeles office, and I've never had a rental car that I couldn't fit it in by folding the passenger seat flat. This has included models such as the Mazda 3, Ford Fiesta, Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris, and Chevy Spark. Just lean the passenger seat back and slide it in. When I actually get a choice, I always go for the Mazda 3. They're the most fun to drive in the segment, in my opinion.

# ¿ Jun 19, 2014 23:10

swenblack: Jan 14, 2004

I need your guys' help again. I'm finally getting around to buying the car I asked about several months ago in this thread. As a refresher, I'm looking for a lightly used sports sedan, with a budget of ~$25k. I want something that first and foremost fun to drive, but also has the modern amenities, like bluetooth, keyless entry/ignition, and whatnot. I test drove a 2011 BMW 328i, which had amazing handling, and was fun to drive, but I didn't really fit in the car (I'm 6'3" with long legs), and I was underwhelmed by the technology in it. I also test drove an 2012 Infiniti G37x, but I didn't like the loose steering and high amount of lag when I hit the gas pedal. Someone recommended a Jaguar XF previously, but it ended up being out of my price range.

Help! What should I look at instead? I'm open to any brand, but it has to have 4 doors and be an automatic (so my wife can drive it too).

Edit: fixed a few things based on Throatwarbler's post below.

swenblack fucked around with this message at 02:27 on Jul 27, 2014

# ¿ Jul 27, 2014 01:47

swenblack: Jan 14, 2004

Throatwarbler posted:

That's pretty interesting since the G37 doesn't have a turbocharger? Also the X version is AWD, I get that you drive what's on the lot but the AWD version of the BMW is a bit different too.

I suggested you look at the XF (not XJ which is a different car).

Ok, I suck at cars. I'll edit my original post. By turbo-charger lag, I mean when I hit the gas pedal hard, the engine revved but the car didn't actually accelerate for about half a second. I hate that, and I always thought that phenomenon was associated with turbochargers.

swenblack fucked around with this message at 02:33 on Jul 27, 2014

# ¿ Jul 27, 2014 02:23

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# ¿ Apr 29, 2024 00:44

swenblack: Jan 14, 2004

The Ferret King posted:

Regarding car shopping via email.

What do you do when you send out emails to multiple dealers looking for prices on a specific car and absolutely none of them email back? I'd been counseled to communicate with dealers in this fashion to get an idea of who would work with me but it doesn't appear to be effective at all.

Did you include the phrase "I want to buy today."? That's car dealer talk for "take me seriously."

# ¿ Nov 22, 2014 23:58

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Ask/Tell > AI meets BFC: Car Buying Thread: No Rentals and No Salvage Titles