Dealing with a dealer, is it hard/that bad?

[Roquefort]

Trying to find a CDXi in manual in a private sale is nigh on impossible, but a couple of dealers have few in stock.
Are they that bad to deal with if ,lets say i have a look at the car and say that i want to pay in cash for a drive away price less then the asking price, would i be asking too much?
And are there any other special things when dealing with a dealer i should know about?

[immenotu]

I got my car from a dealer. They wanted $19k so I told the salesman I didnt want to spend over $15k. He came back out 5 mins later and said I could have it for $16k driveaway. So I saved $3k (15%) in 5 mins.

Dont be afraid to push them hard to get a good price, but be nice about it, and dont make it too obvious that you really want the car. Kinda give them the impression that if their price isn't good enough, you'll happily go find another one.

If its been on the lot for a while you are more likely to get a good price too I would think.

[EL BURITO]

wat year car are u looking for a TS or a AH?

[Roquefort]

^^^^Vectra C

Well im not in the position yet that i NEED a car, so i can haggle and if they dont come my way ill just walk, just my current car is really getting long in tooth and i doubt it will last the next couple of months.

[DirtyHarry]

car dealers are scum.
we bought a brand new barina for our mother late last year from mcgrath holden in liverpool.
the car shows up with 36km on the clock. i said to the car dealer what the **** is this, this is a car thats been driver around before. and we went on and on and he kept saying its a brand new car. the car came from another dealer (heartland holden penrith) and it must have been one of those cars thats on the lot, that gets driven every now and then.
we were pissed off, and in the end we got $150 free fuel.
anyway we get the holden survey and i fill it out, saying how disapointed we were with the deal and i gave them low marks on the surver (not the lowest mark but close to it)
anyway when it came to pick up the free fuel from the dealer (greg newby), he starts argueing with me saying his not going to give us free fuel because we gave them a bad result on the survey and its going to affect their monthly profit/bonus.
eventually i threatend to take them to department of fair trading since i had this free fuel offer on paper work, and the manager finally agreed (rudely i must say)
every other brand new car we bought had below 10km on the clock. man these dealers try to screw you every way they can

[nicecar]

Look at the cars value on red book. Dont pay any more that that. They say about warranty but if the car is under 3 years old, the warranty is the new car warranty anyway.

Good thing to do is to call another dealer and ask the most they will pay for it, then you know what there markup is and what you should pay.

I have seen cars advertised for $36,000, there red book list price is $33,000 (what the car is worth) and if you tried to sell it to the dealer, they would give you no more that $29,000.

Remember, if you dont walk away from the dealer - you paid too much. If they dont ring you back within 2 weeks, you were offering too little.

My friend brought a car, he offered $34K instead of the $40K. They laughed at him saying they would loose money. A week later called him back and he got the car for $34!!! He got a very good deal!

[DirtyHarry]

a car dealer loosing money...haha i would like to see that.

[rjastra]

You worry about 36km on the clock for a car that has come half way around the world? SOme people bitch about the smallest things

[EL BURITO]

you cold always drive up to Brissie for this one (http://www.opelaus.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15113&page=2)

[Huhness]

You worry about 36km on the clock for a car that has come half way around the world? SOme people bitch about the smallest things
Is this a joke? next time you buy a new car let me know because i'll take it for a 36km drive before its given to you? fair enough right! none of the cars my family have bought had anything over 5km on the odo..

My friend works at a car dealership (obviously i'm not going to say which one) and the owner of the place always takes peoples cars for a flogging before they are given to the person. He lends his used cars to family and goes above everyone when they tell him he shouldn't be doing it.. He also takes smelly shits in the mechanics toilet instead of his own private bathroom hahahaha :clap:

[btm]

He also takes smelly shits in the mechanics toilet instead of his own private bathroom hahahaha :clap:
ahh, the good old dump and run :D

[imay]

lets say i have a look at the car and say that i want to pay in cash for a drive away price less then the asking price, would i be asking too much?
And are there any other special things when dealing with a dealer i should know about?

Of course, NOW is the time to be buying, when dealers are desperate to meet their sales quotas before end of financial year.
Quite simply, only pay what you consider a reasonable price and are prepared to pay! If they won't budge, or won't at least meet you some of the way . . . keep walking. There's always another one somewhere for sale, you just have to find it.
These guys can smell it when you like the car on their lot, and they will play with you until you either walk or drive it away. They are in the business to make money from suckers like us, you should be in the business to be contributing to their profits as little as possible, leaving more of your cash for upgrades to your new pride and joy.
And don't be afraid to play dealer against dealer. Get their BEST drive-away price in writing and keep looking and comparing that price with what other dealers are prepared to do. Give them a glimpse of an opposition yard's business card with a price on the back of it and they soon know you are serious about buying.

And . . .
Don't be in a hurry to sign or commit to anything. Think it over long and hard.
Get your mate/partner/brother/sister/old man (someone you trust and isn't keen on you buying is always a good one) to look at the car and pick out all the things wrong with it that you didn't notice.
Demand a DRIVE AWAY price that includes everything: sales tax, rego, plates, etc.
The sticker price is only what they want you to pay, not the price of the car!
You have the money, you be in control.
Stay in the yard and thoroughly look at the car while asking questions, rather than "discuss" it in the office.
Take notes yourself while talking to them . . . they don't like that!
Have all your questions rehearsed before you go looking and talking seriously and if they can't answer to your satisfaction . . . keep walking.
If they really really really want your business, give them you phone number and let them chase you.

Good luck! Make it fun . . . not a headf**k.

[USC]

You worry about 36km on the clock for a car that has come half way around the world? SOme people bitch about the smallest things

Idiot..a BRAND NEW car should have 5km or less on the clock. The only reason it would get up to 5km is may be to fill up at the petrol station.

[Red AH SRI T]

Cars are also taken on a test drive by the mechanic doing the Pre Delivery Inspection, now as DirtyHarry's car had been to two dealerships its possible that this could have been test driven by two mechanics, thus counting for the 38km's.

Whinging about 38km's is just dumb.

[Greg K]

Idiot..a BRAND NEW car should have 5km or less on the clock. The only reason it would get up to 5km is may be to fill up at the petrol station.

my missus' car had 8km on it.. should i have refused to accept it??

plus if you are getting accessories put on it, it will add to the kays on the car, ie tints, alarm, other items that cannot be fitted by the service department.

[rjastra]

Lets thinks about this for an imported car

Driven from factory to holding yard. Driven onto a truck, driven of a truck into a boat, driven off the boat into a holding yard. Driven onto a truck, driven on truck into dealership holding yard, pre-delivery, fill will fuel, drive to window tint place etc etc. It could EASILY add up to more than 5km.

[DirtyHarry]

yeah im saying around 10km is normal for a car. as it would account for putting it on and off the truck/boat and a test drive at the dealer/manufacturer. but for 36km is not right...and i should have refused it.
when you buy a brand new car, you want a new one, from "out the back" or holding yard, not the one thats been sitting at the dealer front yard, being sat in, driven around. Now this is what we received, even though the dealer was trying to flog it off as brand new.

[DirtyHarry]

if only car dealers were more honest in their dealings then they wouldnt be labelled 2nd most untrusted profession in australia, if not the world....only behind lawyers.

[GreyRex]

if only car dealers were more honest in their dealings then they wouldnt be labelled 2nd most untrusted profession in australia, if not the world....only behind lawyers.

Not defending them at all, but they're there to make a dollar like all of us... meaning there can sometimes be bad instances

Obviously there's ways of going about it though

I worked in a Holden dealership for one month a few years ago and yes... unfortunately things do happen

When I bought mine, I treated it like a bit of a game. I was in control, and could leave at any time

Only thing that was wrong, was one travel block left in a spring... which I removed

If mine had've had 38kms on the clock when I picked it up, I don't think I wouldve been too fussed. Thats just me though :)

[USC]

if only car dealers were more honest in their dealings then they wouldnt be labelled 2nd most untrusted profession in australia, if not the world....only behind lawyers.


agree..car dealers should be called car stealers. DODGY AS! imagine if doctors worked like them in the operation room....lol

[rjastra]

agree..car dealers should be called car stealers. DODGY AS! imagine if doctors worked like them in the operation room....lol


It would be great.

You could negotiate a cheaper price for a nose job and they would probably throw in a free eye-lift if you did the deal today - lol

[Black Nugget]

whateveryone says is soo true....

esentially just name a price and be prepared to walk. At a Toyota Dealer we wanted a certain car for a certain price, when both the individual salesman and manager said no we walked........surprise, surprise, the salesman ran up to us when we were 2m from the door and gave us the price.

ALSO you MUST take someone with you, often cars are an emotional purchse for YOU but not the other person and so they are good at levelling your head when you are cuaght up in it. Also dont haggle via email, you rock up prepared to pay cash on the spot and it can be surprising what someone will do for ya;)

Speaking of dodgy dealers when I was looking for my astra I looked at a few dealers and because i was young i got it pretty rough from some even though I was potentially going to paying my own cash in full for a vehicle. i even had a salesman swear his head off and turn around the testdrive half way through because he thought he left the owenrs manual on the roof and was scared of being fired......VERy unprofessional. In the end the ease and gigantic cost saving of private was so much better.

[imay]

imagine if doctors worked like them in the operation room

And you think that there's a big difference between car stealers and doctors? I don't think so!
Name another profession where you have to book to see them(sometimes days/weeks in advance), they cram in as many suckers as they can, then run 30+ minutes late to see you and still try to charge you a gap. And that's just your local GP. Got a complaint that needs a specialist or hospital treatment? No worries, you've got private health cover. Think again! I've yet to visit a medico of any persuasion that charges the "scheduled" or Medicare recommended fee.
Sure they put in the hours and have to spend all day listening the snivvling grizzling complaining sick people, but they get pretty well reimbursed for their efforts. And on top of all that . . . I really don't trust them either. They (most) are in it for the money and lifestyle, just like the rest of us.


And further to the comments about a few km on a new car . . . I'd be more concerned if I was handed a new car that had no distance travelled. After 30+ km, at least you would hope that a wheel (or something worse) that wasn't tightened at the factory is probably going to be noticed on a car that's been driven a bit before you jump into it. You would hope, anyway!

[Roquefort]

Thanks for the imput peoples, i know dealers are scum but if i dont have to deal with them i wont, every time ive been to a dealer, even when not looking for a car they try and push a purchase on you....

Any way if i find an update 2004 Vectra CDXi/manual combo, for a reasonable price privately, ill jump at it

[USC]

And you think that there's a big difference between car stealers and doctors? I don't think so!
Name another profession where you have to book to see them(sometimes days/weeks in advance), they cram in as many suckers as they can, then run 30+ minutes late to see you and still try to charge you a gap. And that's just your local GP. Got a complaint that needs a specialist or hospital treatment? No worries, you've got private health cover. Think again! I've yet to visit a medico of any persuasion that charges the "scheduled" or Medicare recommended fee.
Sure they put in the hours and have to spend all day listening the snivvling grizzling complaining sick people, but they get pretty well reimbursed for their efforts. And on top of all that . . . I really don't trust them either. They (most) are in it for the money and lifestyle, just like the rest of us.


And further to the comments about a few km on a new car . . . I'd be more concerned if I was handed a new car that had no distance travelled. After 30+ km, at least you would hope that a wheel (or something worse) that wasn't tightened at the factory is probably going to be noticed on a car that's been driven a bit before you jump into it. You would hope, anyway!

30KM is NOT acceptable. I seriously doubt a wheel will be loose from factory...anyways thats why we also pay for delivery charges..for the low life scums to "check" everything on the car.

I agree some doctors are dodgy..but mechanics are even MORE DODGY.

[littlered]

Having just bought a new car for the mrs i give the following advice (and yes I have worked in the industry)

1. Do some homework and work out what you think is reasonable for the car and whatever accessories you want. Remeber dealers are a business and need to make a profit too but RRP is always the starting point for negotiations.

2. Offer a price YOU are happy with. If they don't accept it be prepared to walk away and go next dealer.

3. Buy at the end of a quarter. This is when dealers need to meet quotas.

3. If you want finance or aftercare, this is where dealers make good coin in. I'm not saying don't get it but negotiate on the price and offer what you think is reasonable. If they won't do it then get your tint etc done elsewhere.

4. Make sure the car is immaculate when you pick it up, Mine had a few marks on it which the detailer forgot to fix and some clips missing. Salesperson fixed it while I was settling on the finance.

5. Customer surveys are VERY important to the dealer and significant bonuses can be received by them. The salesperson should do everything they can to make your purchase a pleasant experience. However don't be anal on the review... be fair. If you give them a bad CSI a good dealer principal should call you direct to sort out any problems and this can sometimes be reviewed. Also the salesperson should always follow up with 1 week of delivery to ensure everything is working as it should. If they don't let them know.

6. As for 36km - I understand that you were not happy with that but I bet the car was test driven at the previous dealership. If you want a particular colour, engine, transmission, trim level etc and it needs to come from another dealer ask the salesperson to check the car has no milage on it before they have it swapped in. Chances are there may be more than one available and they could have a choice, however, if the car is the only one available they should check with the customer to ensure if the milage are okay or offer alternatives.

Hope this helps.

[SKM_87]

just about the km when you pick a car up. before your car gets pd'd most car's (nearly ever car i know of) has a pd mode. this is where the odo is not running but it disabled everything but the esentials to driving the car. ive got many friends in dealerships and the shit caining some cars get before pd, well jesus. so i would worry about the km on delivery.

[nicecar]

I remember looking at an Audi TT convertible and the glass rear window was replaced with a DIY plastic window with terrible stitching all the away around. The glass window had been replaced by a sheet of plastic and sowed in by an amateur. It looks terrible. Remember the dealer saying the most I would pay for a new glass window put in the hood would be $500 from Audi!!

He was so convincing saying he would give me $500 off the price and I could get the hood/window put back for this price from Audi!!

Yep add a zero on the end and would be closer!

They will say anything to get the sale if desperate enough.

[USC]

I remember looking at an Audi TT convertible and the glass rear window was replaced with a DIY plastic window with terrible stitching all the away around. The glass window had been replaced by a sheet of plastic and sowed in by an amateur. It looks terrible. Remember the dealer saying the most I would pay for a new glass window put in the hood would be $500 from Audi!!

He was so convincing saying he would give me $500 off the price and I could get the hood/window put back for this price from Audi!!

Yep add a zero on the end and would be closer!

They will say anything to get the sale if desperate enough.


yep..if there is somethine wrong with a new car, stealers will most of the times fix it the quickest and cheapest possible way....:mad:

[Charlatan]

30km is fine for delivery. Jeez if you are going to get upset by that you are pretty sensitive. VW (and likely other brands) can have the odometer reset twice before the km hit 99.

My last car had 4km on it when delivered. No idea if that had been reset or not - frankly I dont really care that much.

Some of you guys have obviously never bought new cars, if you tried to reject a car b/c it had more than 5km, the dealer would laugh at you, then he'd call all the other salespeople (and probably the mechanics) and they would laugh at you too. :)

[chrissn89]

My mums new car had 75km on it. It had to be driven from one dealership to another, then get the tint on it, and also the boot lip little wing thing. It was a brand new car, and not a demonstrator, or the test drive car. I know that because she had to wait 6 weeks for them to finish building it. She couldnt be happier, 75km is not much at all, that wouldnt even get her to the shops and back.

But each to there own

[USC]

Some of you guys have obviously never bought new cars, if you tried to reject a car b/c it had more than 5km

LOL! what a funny comment...



Some of you guys have obviously never bought new cars, if you tried to reject a car b/c it had more than 5km, the dealer would laugh at you, then he'd call all the other salespeople (and probably the mechanics) and they would laugh at you too. :)

Such a mature thing to do...shows how much brain they have.

[cbrmale]

The car with 38km might have been damaged during a rough sailing, and driven to the panel beaters for repairs! It happens, you know. My currrent car had 8km on delivery, and my previous new car about 30 because it had been taken to an auto electrician to have after market cruise control fitted.

Normally I would expect up to 10km, remembering that Opels often get transhipped at Singapore, which means more unloading and reloading.