The Agony of the "DEAL"
 

Love my new 2012 GS Coupe, BUT I hate to dealer experience we all go through each time we deal with a dealer!

I am sure we have discussed this but I just hate the buying experience each time I purchase a vehicle. It seems that no matter what "deal" you make it is always a hassle and you leave with an awful taste in your mouth that you have been scammed by the dealer sales staff.

My father was a Office Manager for a Chevrolet dealership for many years. He always told me that if they could sell cars all day long for dealer "cost" they would make a fortune due to dealer incentives/rollbacks, etc.

Saturn offered a no hassle purchase price as do most retail sales of merchandise. Somewhere in the past the "deal" became a part of car buying. It seems no matter what you end up paying, it always feels as if you were screwed. It would really be nice to go to a dealer, pay a set price with a reasonable profit and drive away feeling as if you were not scammed.

Is this just am American "tradition" to have to haggle over the cost of a car or is it just a real PITA way to scam customers while making a profit at the expense of the customer?

The back and forth journeys of the salesman to the sales manager is just a game! The sales team is there to sell cars at the best possible profit for the dealer and uses this method to squeeze the customer for all they can get.

Why do you think the salesman wants your car keys when you come to a dealer????? To get a appraisal on your car or make you feel as if the deal has already been made and the issue is just how much are you going to pay?

Now I feel better.

George

One good thing here in Little Rock though is the service at Bale. I have had my vettes serviced there since 2001 (even though I live in Conway) because I have always had very good customer service.

So maybe the purchase experience has a silver lining (if you get service at Bale anyway).:thumbs:

On the other hand, you do now have a beautiful GS! Life is good.:D

:iagree: It's a hassle but there are a lot of tools on the internet to research pricing so that we're now armed with dealer cost information. I feel more confident in the negotiations than I did years ago.

I've purchased 3 new cars in the last 1 1/2 years, and all have gone reasonably well. I know I can walk to another dealership if I'm not happy.

In spite of all that, I don't look forward to the interaction. The good news, I probably won't be negotiating another new vehicle for 8-10 years (if I'm still around!:D).

I don't know what I would do if all dealers went to no haggle pricing. I hate it. Look at the prices at carmax...they are much higher than comparable cars on normal lots. Give me the hassle any day, if it means saving money. Do research and don't get emotional about it....remember, do not get into the frame of mind that you must have a particular car. There is alwaye another car just like it somewhere. They are like that potato chip commercial. They just keep making more.

I understand your pain. I just prefer that to the pain of over paying.

:iagree:

Buying any new car or truck sucks. My wife always has to remind me of "incidents at dealerships of the past" when we start looking at vehicles. :rofl:

I also hate the haggling. :ack:

maybe this helps. buying a new car, do not go to the dealer. go only when it is time to sign and pick up the car. do details and negotiating by fax or email.
that way, all is clear, documented. simply do all your homework online or otherwise. have bought new cars for my family members that way, painless, and best price. almost all dealers will do it, especially these days of the internet. the days of them waiting by the entrance of the dealership to "attack" are ending, but not over by any means. if you need to test drive, do it separate. just tell them you are not there to buy but in the decision making progress.

How much is 'reasonable'? Who decides what's a 'fair' price? Maybe Obama, you, Racer??? :lol:

Personally I like the art of the deal. I wouldn't want to buy from a no-haggle dealer. If you're not comfortable with ANY part of the process just walk out the door. Simple as that.

two things i hate doing - buying cars and buying cellphones. you can come in saying youll pay this amount and you dont want anything else (no warranty or contract), theyll say okay and act like they understand, then 5 minutes later theyve totally forgotten what the hell you just talked to them about.

If you think Saturn's no haggle pricing was a good deal,think again.As for the rest of it.I often wonder why people don't treat everything else they buy with the same disdain.When you go buy milk,you better call the farmer and haggle because there is most definitely a profit in there and advertising fees too!How about clothes??Probably 1000% markup but I don't hear anybody complaining there.Why?Oh wait,because the store offers a 50% discount??Well,that's still a boatload of profit!How about Jewelery?Now that's a real profit maker!Kay Jewelers??70% off?Yea ok.There's another 1000% markup!Cars will last you 20 years + if you treat them right.How much is the cost per year after that time?? According to some around here,all dealers are the devil incarnate and should burn in hell if there is such a place.Yet,when one of you wants to sell there car on this forum or elsewhere,all of a sudden it becomes the best thing since sliced bread and that's why it commands top dollar!!Yea,ok.Dealers have every right to turn a profit,and as much profit as they can!That's the idea of being in Business!You go to work,expect to make what you should make without question.How about everybody eat all the expenses from your cost of doing business as you would have dealers do and then charge your customers.You wouldn't like it very much I bet,nor would you survive for very long.Holdback and all that pays dealer lot fees for all those nice shiny cars sitting around.That stuff doesn't sit there and collect dust for free.The emplyees have to eat too.But hey,why not start your own dealership and sell all the cars you want at a loss or for what you have into them??Yea,that's the ticket.You don't need to make a profit!:crazy::rant: oh and With all this internet crap about the cost of cars out there,there should be no more agony.Do your research and go buy a car.SIMPLE.

I like the "Deal".

As Wayne Carini says.... "win or loose, it's all about the chase!"

Yes, but Wayne makes it look fun.

the deal???
 

My last trip to buy a new C6 was so bad that I am considering trading my '11 C6 for another make.

Cant agree more...which is one of the reasons I was looking for a private seller on a gently used GS, and got lucky in California. I as well have purchased a number of cars from Dealers and even after the dealer experience, finance was painful as they try and gouge ya on all the extra warranty stuff...sheesh. My avatar is my new, fortunate, Ca purchase. A 2011 M6, GS with 3K miles, lovin it.
cheers,
Bill

For those of you who don't enjoy the process, there are a couple of very easy solutions.

1) There are plenty of forum dealers here who post great "no haggle" prices of cars on here every day. Read through the posts, pick a dealer you like, call them up, and go get the car or have it shipped. Easy, and people rave about their experiences with a few of these forum dealers.

2) Do a little bit of internet research, offer the dealer a fair price on the car, and tell them, take it or leave it, and walk out (or as recommended already do it by email). By fair, I mean let the dealer make a reasonable profit. You'll probably spend $500-$1000 more or so on the car than you would in option #1. No one plopping down 50-75k for a new 2012 is going to have their life change by saving the $500. I don't typically use this method, but I don't hate the dealer process either. If you can get yourself mentally over the fact that there may have been a better deal out there, the buying process becomes relatively easy.

I might be in the minority, but I love the whole process. I just do my research before hand so I know where I stand and then game on. I always say the main thing you have to do is be able to walk away.

One reason they ask for your keys is you can't drive away while your keys are in their pocket. Ever notice sometimes the guy with the keys is not your sales person and is no where to be found. Again they need to keep you at the dealership. Also they are trained to get you "realistic" about your trade. They want to point out all the "needs/issues" your trade has and de-value the car in your mind so you will take less. Some people think their trade is like gold which it is not but they still want to give you less than it is worth to cover their prep expenses. Unless your car is super nice it is going to the auction anyway. Keep in mind the dealer has a light bill and staff to pay so they are not going to give the car away and I don't mind seeing them make a little $ anyway. Just don't want to get screwed. They make $ off people who pay close to sticker or give their trade away. Dealer will cut a close deal to people who know the value of their trade the car they want to buy. Be prepared on all fronts or you will get hooked and netted quickly. If you don't want to over pay don't get emotional about the car. Think with your head not your heart. Dealer wants you to test drive a new car so you get "emotional" and ga ga about the new car. I am no expert but I pay less than most. I never buy the car on first trip to the dealer who has the car I want. Get a number and they will get back to you and likely do better. Don't rush, if the car sales before they get back to you so what. Chevy makes more than one. I also find the car I want at two or three different dealers even if I have to drive 500 miles. Dealers will usually do better on price if they know you can buy from another dealer. Last point, I try not to trade a car on the deal. Sell it out right and take less and you are likely better off. Don't fear the process, it is what it is just make it work for you as best you can.

They are not called "Stealerships" for nothing...

I would buy a new car more frequently if these a$$wipes were not so predatory.

Last time I purchased I did it through the internet as suggested and I liked that I got a better first & final deal than walking into the shark tank. But I don't trade-in.

Went to pick up the truck and got the usual sales pitch in the business office for extended warranty, etched VIN in glass, and undercoating which really, really annoyed me to the point I was ready to walk out. The internet sales guy warned me, but pissed me off none the less. I made it clear to him I wanted to be in and out within 30 minutes. Instead they locked me up for an hour.

:iagree: :rock:

Well, from some of these comment I'm beginning to see that the no haggle way Saturn did it is the way to go. So, I hereby am going to change careers and become an independent car salesman offering no haggle deals on Corvettes. Brand new 2012 base Corvette - $76,999. New loaded 2012 GS - $183,000. Z06 - $279,000 Top of the line, got everything ZR1 - $643,000. Just give me a call and it will be the easiest transaction you've every had. I'll even personally deliver your new car to your driveway. Phone number in the US - BR-549. From overseas - dial URA-SUCKER.

Seriously, just call one of the forum dealers. The first price you hear will be lower than most local dealers final price. The best I could do at 6 dealerships was $2K higher than the first price from a forum dealer. If you really want absolute bottom dollar, call them one at a time and say "So-and-so at Such-and-such dealership is offering $xxx. Can you beat that?" Keep calling the dealerships in rotation until they all say no. Then buy from Such-and-such. But expect some surprises from the lowest priced dealer. They can't keep selling below the competition without some advantage.