Call this number for Internet sales!
I am buying a new car, and it is hilarious. Well, it is hilarious when I am not busy being annoyed by it. I hate negotiating. I know about the Internet, so I looked up what the going local price was for the car I want, Honda Fit, as well as what the factory invoice price is.
I e-mailed a local dealership and was pretty blunt about:
a) not wanting to talk on the phone or come in again (I already came in to test drive)
b) how much I thought was reasonable to pay and why it was reasonable
c) the fact that I am paying cash and therefore just want to know what the bottom line price is
They replied with a strangely worded e-mail that didn't really seem to be responding to anything I said. I can be pretty tough about this shit when I want to. But in this case, I think I am going to ignore them for a while and try some other dealership.
After the series of poor e-mail communications from the first Honda dealership, I looked up the next closest one. And, hey, they have an "Internet department." Rad. Of course, the only way to contact the Internet sales department is by calling or faxing them.
Honda dealers: I will come to you Friday with a check in the amount we agree upon if you just answer my questions clearly via e-mail, my preferred method of communication. I don't want to talk to you!
This is going to become more common, car dealers. So learn to fleece people online if they don't want to come in person. Not everyone on the Internet will be as cheap-ass as me. There is money to be made if you just learn to use your people skills in writing. Also, spell check couldn't hurt. I'm just saying.
I e-mailed a local dealership and was pretty blunt about:
a) not wanting to talk on the phone or come in again (I already came in to test drive)
b) how much I thought was reasonable to pay and why it was reasonable
c) the fact that I am paying cash and therefore just want to know what the bottom line price is
They replied with a strangely worded e-mail that didn't really seem to be responding to anything I said. I can be pretty tough about this shit when I want to. But in this case, I think I am going to ignore them for a while and try some other dealership.
After the series of poor e-mail communications from the first Honda dealership, I looked up the next closest one. And, hey, they have an "Internet department." Rad. Of course, the only way to contact the Internet sales department is by calling or faxing them.
Honda dealers: I will come to you Friday with a check in the amount we agree upon if you just answer my questions clearly via e-mail, my preferred method of communication. I don't want to talk to you!
This is going to become more common, car dealers. So learn to fleece people online if they don't want to come in person. Not everyone on the Internet will be as cheap-ass as me. There is money to be made if you just learn to use your people skills in writing. Also, spell check couldn't hurt. I'm just saying.
That's really funny, but you're right. We should be able to negotiate online. They probably want to get you into the dealership so they can work their fleecing magic on you, or they will attempt it.
Posted by
A Margarita |
3/04/2008 7:43 AM
The car buying process should be a happy one but dealerships, sales people, and finance mangers make it difficult and degrading. You would figure since sales are down, they would be welcoming your business. Personally, we plan to drive both of our vehicles until they no longer can run. I can't stand the process. Walking in with a check is indeed your best option but you may still get hassled and possibly lied to. Be strong, be cautious and keep in mind that there are so so many cars out there waiting for you.
This reminds me. A couple of weeks ago i found a great pair of shoes in a color I had been searching for. The sales person harassed me to get their store credit card multiple times. Those dept store cards are a high pressure rip off. They charge a high percentage rate regardless of your credit (usually 18-20%) under the premise of "giving" you 15% off and coupons. 15% off to pay an aditional 3-5% in interest. Ummm no.
Posted by
Krista |
3/04/2008 1:38 PM
I just try to make it degrading for them in return. I called the same dealer every day for two weeks straight with an offer that was $3k less than his lowest. Each time I acted surprised when he didn't accept. What's strange is that eventually the dealership listed it for $250 more than my asking and sold it to someone else. I thought that was proof that the sales trip is as much about ego as profit.
Posted by
tonystubblebine |
3/04/2008 8:10 PM
Another strategy as opposed to the one I mentioned tonight (unless you feel like smoking four packs of cigarettes in a salesman's office during negotiations):
Entice the salesperson to make a lowball initial offer (they will), then write that number on the check (pre-signed) and hand it to him or her. They always have to go check with their manager, but it's a bitch for them to return your check. My pops did this once and got a car stickered at $17k for $11.8.
Remember - car salespeople are sheisters, but if they were any good at it, they'd be dealing in commodities or hedge funds.
Posted by
Grogged |
3/04/2008 11:45 PM
I am glad you wrote about this. It is important to document the ways in which business has not caught up to our demographic. I want timeshifted media, Internet auto sales, and to NEVER have to talk to anyone on the phone if I can help it (in transactions like this).
My biggest annoyance lately was when my cell phone stopped working while my land line (which I, unlike many of my peers, actually do have) was also not working. What can you even do? It happened on a Friday night, and my cell provider (AT&T) had NO online support for me-- just a phone number for a M-F help line. In the annoying e-mail exchange that followed, they basically said that I needed to use a pay phone (located only at skeezy motels these days) or use a friend's phone. Unreasonable!
Posted by
l.ementary |
3/05/2008 1:25 AM
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