Advise - Buying a new car

[Tangwhich]

I'd appreciate tips on buying a new car from the experienced here.

I know there's the MRSP price that you see on the sticker and there's a price that the deal actually pays. Suppose I know what the dealer price is, how much beyond that should I be aiming to pay?
If there's a manufacturer promotion - for example, $2500 off, is that subtracted off the dealer cost price+margin?
With the exception of freight and HST, I should refuse to any other sort of admin fees, etc. Is that correct?

What happens if you're trading in an old car and the plates. I need new plates so I guess I'll have the dealer install new ones. Do I have to pay all the fees then get a refund from MTO when I surrender my old ones?

Thanks..

Oops, I mean advice

 

[basketcase]

I'd suggest a service like car cost canada. For a few bucks, they will give you the invoice price, and consumer and dealer incentives among other facts that could help you get a good idea of what would be fair to pay. I pulled out the info when talking to the first salesman and he passed me straight up the chain to the manager. Basically this info tells the salesmen that there is no point is wasting their time.

One neat thing I learned is that even if you pay the dealer invoice price the dealer makes money since they get a kickback for their sales.

 

[Keebler Elf]

Check out the Automobile Protection Association (APA). Membership gets you free quotes on the true price of a car and they'll even line up a dealer for you for something like 3% above cost. You can also speak to a counselor about whether or not a type of car is a good choice or a lemon. You can buy the quotes separately too.

I was a member and found it worth the investment. But once you buy the car the advantages of membership drop off pretty steeply so I stopped renewing after a couple years.

http://www.apa.ca/template.asp?DocID=117

 

[chuckparker]

first do a good search on the car to see if there are any Manufacturer Rebates. Also check to see if the car you are buying has a local message board, if it does post up what you are looking for and usually a salesperson will get back to you via a PM. This worked for me on my last car.

 

[dj1470]

Repeat after me................NO VW, NO VW, NO VW

 

[Moraff]

You also have to consider how popular the car you wish to purchase is.... if the dealer knows he can sell it at full price in a reasonable time, he's not going to come down very much.

 

[Tangwhich]

first do a good search on the car to see if there are any Manufacturer Rebates. Also check to see if the car you are buying has a local message board, if it does post up what you are looking for and usually a salesperson will get back to you via a PM. This worked for me on my last car.

Thanks chuck.. I did just that and was given a very good offer from a message board posting dealer..
And thanks for the tips from everyone else..

 

[Ceiling Cat]

It is the end of the model year, the 2011s will be here in a few months. The car MFGs want to get rid of inventory. The more desperate that are the more they will give you. Go to several dealers and get their best price. Tell them you are ready to buy this week. ( even if you are not ) Tell them you have a trade ( even if you do not ) Tell Them that you want to finance. ( even if you do not plan to ) The dealers will give you a better deal if they think they can make extra money on the finance, and trade, and extras like permawax, rustproofing.
Take the best deal you get and then go back to every dealer and tell them you will buy NOW! If you get body side moldings included free with installation and 4 steel rims for your winter tire. ( I even got tire installation with balancing included but I did not buy the tires at the dealers ) If you ge tbrims and moldings on top of your best deal you are doing realy good.

Rememeber, always get a bottom line price. Meaning the price they give you is everything included with tax and all fees. What you make out the cheque for. That way it is easy to compare.

If you could tell us what model you are interested in or what price range you want to spend in maybe we can give you more suggesteions and info

 

[Art Mann]

Beware the low financing deals. You're probably gonna pay sticker price (sucker price?) to get insanely low financing. Better to arrange ahead with your bank and negotiate a lower cash investment.

Real question you gotta ask yourself is this: WTF buy a new car in the first place?

Drive it off the lot, once around the block and see what you can sell if for. You've got 10 to 20 per cent depreciation on day one.

Vehicles coming off lease after 36 months often retail at half the price of original, and the dealer is still making money.

Also check out leasebusters. My pal just negotiated a deal on a sporty 09 Euro car with a $6500 cash incentive up front that brought monthly cost down to $255 including taxes. He'll only be driving it for less than 2 years, but meanwhile he's driving class at half the cost others are paying for similar status.

BTW: Couldn't be a better time to buy a Toyota ... always been solid vehicles but with all the negative crap Toyota's been through this winter and spring, they gotta be trying harder.

 

[carpaltunnel]

HERE IS THE BEST ADVICE POSSIBLE UNLESS YOU HAVE MONEY TO BURN - don't buy a new car.

Let some other asshole take the 20-35% hit after leaving the lot.

Get a great value in the 30 to 100K range, you name the brand but the car will be nice.

Thank me later lol.

 

[Tangwhich]

I don't buy cars for just a few years.. I buy them for their life.. so the depreciation is not really an issue for me.. I'd rather have the peace of mind of being the original owner and getting the full warranty..
I'm also buying a cheap car, nothing fancy.. it's just transport to me..

Thanks..

 

[blackrock13]

At the end of a months end of a quarter and end of the year are the best times. go to one dealer and tell him you're not financing and tell the second one you are, then see the difference in price you get.

Don't with the new kid. Get someone who knows the ropes.

If you can write it off, you should probably lease but do the math yourself. Don't be in a hurry. Your best weapon is the ability to walk a way. They hate that. Be careful of the salesperson saying well i have to take this to may manager for approval and then you sit and stew. After the second time suggest the thre of you get in the same room and deal. They hate that too.

When they say, 'well we have to make a profit also', tell them they will when they sell another unit and get their bonus or they will when you bring your car in for service.

Remember you can always walk away. If they can make you offer today they can make that same offer tomorrow.

 

[Ben Hogan]

Consumers Reports and Lemon Aid are good sources for research.

 

[afterhours]

HERE IS THE BEST ADVICE POSSIBLE UNLESS YOU HAVE MONEY TO BURN - don't buy a new car.

Let some other asshole take the 20-35% hit after leaving the lot.

Get a great value in the 30 to 100K range, you name the brand but the car will be nice.

Thank me later lol.

it's also a very good way to meet new people, namely car mechanics

 

[Ceiling Cat]

At the end of a months end of a quarter and end of the year are the best times. go to one dealer and tell him you're not financing and tell the second one you are, then see the difference in price you get.

Don't with the new kid. Get someone who knows the ropes.

Remember you can always walk away. If they can make you offer today they can make that same offer tomorrow.

Just to expand on Blackrocks suggestions,

Go at the end of the month when they have to meet quotas, they will be eager to make you a good deal to make good stats for themsleves.

If you see a salepersons board with the number of cars each saleperson has sold, go with the top seller, he can make you a better deal and the manager will allow him more because of his good sales. Inexperienced sales people are too affraid to give you a good deal because they will get fired if they give away too much. I got the cleavage and leg treatment from a car sales lady once, just enjoy the show and walk away, you are doing battle with a gladiator that has weapons that you do not have. If you succume it will be costly. ( she is a car salesperson not an SP, she will never SUCK-CUM but you might )

If you tell them you are financing you will get a better deal because they make extra money if you do. They will give you a better deal if you tell them that you will finace, even if you do not finance at the end of the deal.

 

[hans4u]

When the manager and salesperson get you into a room and ask you to sit down, tell them you prefer to stand thank you.

This puts YOU in the drivers seat as it can be intimidating when they control you.
I tried this a couple of times and I felt more powerful looking down at THEM!!

To avoid feeling intimidated ,take a confident friend along who may ask pertinent questions and keep you from an emotional purchase.

Ask for their best deal, say you will be going to another dealership for a quote on the same car.

Happy car hunting!

 

[danmand]

Last, when I bought my little picup truck, I saw a dealer advertise a "to good to be true" deal in the Sun newspaper. I said, what the heck and went to the dealer and to my surprise they honoured the deal.

 

[blackrock13]

When the manager and salesperson get you into a room and ask you to sit down, tell them you prefer to stand thank you.

This puts YOU in the drivers seat as it can be intimidating when they control you.
I tried this a couple of times and I felt more powerful looking down at THEM!!

To avoid feeling intimidated ,take a confident friend along who may ask pertinent questions and keep you from an emotional purchase.

Ask for their best deal, say you will be going to another dealership for a quote on the same car.

Happy car hunting!

A little too strong. You might intimate the salesman. Sit down, enjoy the moment, let him feel good. You might make him think you've taken terb 101 if you start of like that especially telling him you also plan to go another place. you can let him know that in another subtle way. This guy could be an alley why make him an advisory. If you have trouble with your car later, you don't want him to tell the manager that your a dink when they talk about you ad your trouble.

 

[Ceiling Cat]

VW = Very expensive to repair and maintain after the warranty is over. High breakdown rate after the fifth year.

Toyota and Honda = Less exiting but no surprises, does not break down as much and not as expensive to maintain and repair.