I can't believe its the year 2014 and car dealerships are just as dorkey and insulting as they were 50 years ago. I have heavily researched and test driven several cars and have decided to purchase a used 2013 Ford Escape SE, and my budget is $18,000. I know that is a low price but if it has a lot of miles that's ok because I drive about 25k /year and I have found about a dozen vehicles available on Autotrader and Lemon free in other states that meet my criteria but have not found any locally that cheap. So I got on the internet and listed my requirements and several dealers have contacted me. They don't have the car I want at the price I want but want to set up a meeting. I said what is point if you don't have what I want? Then they say well come on down and maybe we can find one you like. I said I just told you what I like and what I want, see if you can find one then call me and I will come over and very likely buy it. Well, what other vehicles are you interested in? If I was interested in other vehicles I would have stated that to you in my original request, I'm not trying to keep secrets from you. Then he says what are you trading in and I tell him I will be paying with cash and says can you meet on Saturday morning and I say yes I can if you have the vehicle I requested. He says I'm sure we can find what you are wanting, and I said well find it, get on the lot, then call me so I will be sure. Yadda yadda yadda I went through the same thing with three different salesmen and the phone keeps ringing. Is there an easier or less painful way to buy off the internet and get a no haggle price?
Why is buying a car so painful?
- Thread starter Farmer17
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
cemeteryman
Member
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2012
- Messages
- 50
- Reaction score
- 38
No.
It is a screwed up system, a throwback to an earlier era where the middleman imparted value. Now they're just a PITA.
Gotta go buy the wife a new car next week. Same deal - I know what I want, I have cash to buy it with, yet I'll probably get the same BS when I go there to transact. I hope Tesla Motors litigates, wins, and puts an end to this dealer franchise ****!!
It is a screwed up system, a throwback to an earlier era where the middleman imparted value. Now they're just a PITA.
Gotta go buy the wife a new car next week. Same deal - I know what I want, I have cash to buy it with, yet I'll probably get the same BS when I go there to transact. I hope Tesla Motors litigates, wins, and puts an end to this dealer franchise ****!!
Get to know a local independent dealer. One you feel you can have some trust in. (I know that may be a chore). Stick with him so he knows you are a repeat customer, and he will make you much better deals.
Buying a used car, I am afraid not. Buying a New car there are ways to make it easier but still a pain.
Best advice is do not settle on one car have 2 or 3 that you can live with. That gives you losts more choices and chances to say "see ya!"
Places like Costco have car buying service. They negotiate best deal so it's hassle free.
I buy new cars and walk in with my Consumer Reports and Edmunds Printouts on dealer cost. Make an appointment and tell them I have this and I will not go through any BS.
I will show them what they paid for the car and ask them to tell me what is their best price. No I do not expect it for cost but they can sell for several hundred dollars over. I tell them up front, I have done this too many times and will walk out so not "ask the manager, let me have your keys, are you trading (always so no) even if you are.
Last 4 cars we bought from the same dealer so last time was a record maybe 1 hour in and out with a new car.
Best advice is do not settle on one car have 2 or 3 that you can live with. That gives you losts more choices and chances to say "see ya!"
Places like Costco have car buying service. They negotiate best deal so it's hassle free.
I buy new cars and walk in with my Consumer Reports and Edmunds Printouts on dealer cost. Make an appointment and tell them I have this and I will not go through any BS.
I will show them what they paid for the car and ask them to tell me what is their best price. No I do not expect it for cost but they can sell for several hundred dollars over. I tell them up front, I have done this too many times and will walk out so not "ask the manager, let me have your keys, are you trading (always so no) even if you are.
Last 4 cars we bought from the same dealer so last time was a record maybe 1 hour in and out with a new car.
Quote: Why is buying a car so painful? Unquote
Because the industry is still run by horse thieves!!!
They just will NOT put a price tag on an automobile and let that be it.
Because the industry is still run by horse thieves!!!
They just will NOT put a price tag on an automobile and let that be it.
What they are really saying....
What they are really saying is for you to go there so they can work you over until you leave with a car whether it is what you could could afford or not, or whether you wanted that car or not.
What they are really saying is for you to go there so they can work you over until you leave with a car whether it is what you could could afford or not, or whether you wanted that car or not.
I couldn't come that close to buying a new car without just buying a new car.(and for the new car that I just bought,I had a general idea of a good price,probably not a squeeze it until it bleeds price,but I didn't care.I did care that it was going to be from my local dealer.The salesman gave me his price,which jived with my notion of where he might start,I countered with my number,and it was all settled in a minute.On to the next thing.
I believe that when you look for a used car at the low end of the price range for that vehicle,one will present.Whether it a car that you want,is another matter.It may have the miles,be a wreck,but someone will fulfill the deal.
I believe that when you look for a used car at the low end of the price range for that vehicle,one will present.Whether it a car that you want,is another matter.It may have the miles,be a wreck,but someone will fulfill the deal.
shouldazagged
Absent Comrade
Does the acronym BOHICA suggest anything to you?
The TV show, The UNIT, used it quite often!
Arik
Member
You can get better deals buying used. With new cars there is always the msrp and dealers don't go far off that. Used cars can be any price. Just cause it's $18k doesn't mean it can't be 14 or 12. They can mark up a million % and you can negotiate that much. That used Escape they could have bought at auction for $12
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
gregintenn
Member
Is a new Ford Escape much more than 18 grand?
THE PILGRIM
Member
Been trying to buy a 2014 Nissan Rogue. Now have a Xterra and feel the need to go smaller.
Been getting the same old treatment as talked about above. The car dealers spend- borrow millions of dollars then hand it over to idiots.
Carmax has a professional business way of operating if they have or can get what you want. They tend to really low ball you on trades.
Been getting the same old treatment as talked about above. The car dealers spend- borrow millions of dollars then hand it over to idiots.
Carmax has a professional business way of operating if they have or can get what you want. They tend to really low ball you on trades.
DeathGrip
US Veteran
I always have bought used.
The last two we're driving now.
First is my '04 GMC. I bought it from Carmax after finding it on the net. It's in great shape and still hasn't hit 60k. Nice little truck.
It was located in Orlando and I paid the shipping to see it here. I knew it was sweet and they take the fee off of the price if you buy. The gamble cost me $150. I payed a bit more for the truck but payed the finance off early. I'm happy and drive a nice truck.
Our next purchase, My wife always wanted a Jeep. We started shopping around. Looked a a bunch. We found one a a Mazda dealership that was supposed to be nice. They said to come on up and see it. It was cool. Then I drove it. Holy cow! You couldn't keep it in a straight line! Needless to say it had been hit and hit hard. I pointed it out and told him "We'll pass".
The salesman then said "I have another one. Newer. Give it a try."
I'm thinking "this is gonna cost me".
We drove that '07 and it was perfect for my wife.
I told him it was to much and walked. He called me back before I got a half a mile away and took my offer.
She thinks she's cool and for her I feel its safer. (Yes it has a standard and she drives it well.) It cost more than we wanted but she's happy and I payed it off early.
I guess that's two totally different ways to buy. Just do your homework and you can get what you want.
The last two we're driving now.
First is my '04 GMC. I bought it from Carmax after finding it on the net. It's in great shape and still hasn't hit 60k. Nice little truck.
It was located in Orlando and I paid the shipping to see it here. I knew it was sweet and they take the fee off of the price if you buy. The gamble cost me $150. I payed a bit more for the truck but payed the finance off early. I'm happy and drive a nice truck.
Our next purchase, My wife always wanted a Jeep. We started shopping around. Looked a a bunch. We found one a a Mazda dealership that was supposed to be nice. They said to come on up and see it. It was cool. Then I drove it. Holy cow! You couldn't keep it in a straight line! Needless to say it had been hit and hit hard. I pointed it out and told him "We'll pass".
The salesman then said "I have another one. Newer. Give it a try."
I'm thinking "this is gonna cost me".
We drove that '07 and it was perfect for my wife.
I told him it was to much and walked. He called me back before I got a half a mile away and took my offer.
She thinks she's cool and for her I feel its safer. (Yes it has a standard and she drives it well.) It cost more than we wanted but she's happy and I payed it off early.
I guess that's two totally different ways to buy. Just do your homework and you can get what you want.
rburg
Member
Its so painful because the car dealers like it that way. They seem to have discovered that putting you through as much pain as they can results in more profit for them. They're playing a game they've studied and practiced. And they're playing it against you, a novice at it. The only real card you have to play is walking out. I've read a few articleds that suggest if you don't walk out of 2 or 3 dealerships, you're not doing a very good job of negotiations. A while back we were in my trade in, starting the motor when a guy I'd never seen before came running out the door. He was the manager, the one who wouldn't honor the deal we made over the internet and then confirmed over the phone. He asked me where I was going and I told him "home". He then relented and agreed to the deal we'd made. It was Eastgate Jeep in Indy. Yes, I'd driven over 100 miles and was ready to drive home. No, I'd never deal with them again.
They had no honor and weren't worthy of my time. But the manager then kind of honored the deal. What their "holdback" was is they said the parts dept. was closed for the day, and they couldn't get me the soft top parts. Sounded reasonable. But then after a couple of months (winter) they hadn't bothered to ship the parts to me. Oh, and at that time they had a deal for a free gas card. They didn't bother to turn that in, either. So I spend hours and hours calling Chrysler trying to get to someone who would fix the deal. Finally I got some movement by asking who in Indiana I needed to call to get consumer protection involved. You can't get that from the dealer or the manufacturer. But as soon as I started screaming and demanding and a call to the Attorney Generals office things started to change. Soon I got the brown truck at my door with my parts. But a sorry charlie, still no prepaid debit card for fuel. But that turned out to be easy. Everyone agreed I'd bought the car during the promotional period and the fault was with the dealer, not me. So my point of view prevailed and within a couple of weeks the mail man delivered the envelope.
It seems cheating customers is profitable, too. No reason not to attempt it. If the dealer loses, all he needs to pay is the amount he'd pay if he was an honest business man. If you give up, its all profit to him.
I'm just amazed someone doesn't walk into a dealership and shoot the salesmen who pull this stuff.
Someone mentioned your keys. Its just a crooked stunt to make you off balance. A Toyota dealer pulled that on us in 1998. We'd actually forgot he still had our keys and walked out. I was a jerk (according to my wife). I came back inside yelling. Not calm at all, but yelling they were a crooked dealer to keep my keys. And every customer in the place was looking. So I explained at a very loud voice what they'd done. And to attempt to calm me down no one knew a thing, and they didn't have m keys! Cool. I wanted to call the police, right then.
The salesman who had taken my keys just asked what that would prove, so I said I'd get him arrested for theft, and lets do it and see. Then the sales manager suddenly came up with my keys. He was a real jerk. So I walked over to him and reached for my keys. He did the unbelievable and jerked them away with a smirk. Guess he'd had some experience with motions others made. He then handed me the keys. And asked me what I'd have done had he not. So I was honest, as always. No, I wasn't going to punch him as he assumed. I was going to kick a field goal. And it looked to me he wasn't protecting those parts of his body.
I have no idea who that would turn out in court. But it was awful close to playing out that way. The only advantage I had was the complete attention of about a dozen customer/witness' to tell what had happened. You can lie if the only folks watching are your underlings. When there are others around, lies don't float in a courtroom.
They had no honor and weren't worthy of my time. But the manager then kind of honored the deal. What their "holdback" was is they said the parts dept. was closed for the day, and they couldn't get me the soft top parts. Sounded reasonable. But then after a couple of months (winter) they hadn't bothered to ship the parts to me. Oh, and at that time they had a deal for a free gas card. They didn't bother to turn that in, either. So I spend hours and hours calling Chrysler trying to get to someone who would fix the deal. Finally I got some movement by asking who in Indiana I needed to call to get consumer protection involved. You can't get that from the dealer or the manufacturer. But as soon as I started screaming and demanding and a call to the Attorney Generals office things started to change. Soon I got the brown truck at my door with my parts. But a sorry charlie, still no prepaid debit card for fuel. But that turned out to be easy. Everyone agreed I'd bought the car during the promotional period and the fault was with the dealer, not me. So my point of view prevailed and within a couple of weeks the mail man delivered the envelope.
It seems cheating customers is profitable, too. No reason not to attempt it. If the dealer loses, all he needs to pay is the amount he'd pay if he was an honest business man. If you give up, its all profit to him.
I'm just amazed someone doesn't walk into a dealership and shoot the salesmen who pull this stuff.
Someone mentioned your keys. Its just a crooked stunt to make you off balance. A Toyota dealer pulled that on us in 1998. We'd actually forgot he still had our keys and walked out. I was a jerk (according to my wife). I came back inside yelling. Not calm at all, but yelling they were a crooked dealer to keep my keys. And every customer in the place was looking. So I explained at a very loud voice what they'd done. And to attempt to calm me down no one knew a thing, and they didn't have m keys! Cool. I wanted to call the police, right then.
The salesman who had taken my keys just asked what that would prove, so I said I'd get him arrested for theft, and lets do it and see. Then the sales manager suddenly came up with my keys. He was a real jerk. So I walked over to him and reached for my keys. He did the unbelievable and jerked them away with a smirk. Guess he'd had some experience with motions others made. He then handed me the keys. And asked me what I'd have done had he not. So I was honest, as always. No, I wasn't going to punch him as he assumed. I was going to kick a field goal. And it looked to me he wasn't protecting those parts of his body.
I have no idea who that would turn out in court. But it was awful close to playing out that way. The only advantage I had was the complete attention of about a dozen customer/witness' to tell what had happened. You can lie if the only folks watching are your underlings. When there are others around, lies don't float in a courtroom.
must be a Toyota dealer trademark. I had the local one try that some years ago. they tried the "I can't find your keys" trick and I immediately got out my phone and started dialing the police. was asked who I was calling and said the police. the keys turned up before I finished dialing. I then told the salesman and sales manager what I thought of their tactics, dealership and parentage, in voice loud enough for everyone in earshot to hear. never entered the place again.
For used cars, I like the Carmax way. Here's what we have at what we feel is a fair price. Take it or leave it. Carmax does go low on trade though. I declined their trade offer and sold my vehicle via Craigslist in less than two hours for a $1,000.00 more than Carmax offered.
dcxplant
Member
Car dealers are like real estate agents; they used to protect and help consumers but now only transfer money from the consumer to the middleman driving costs up for everyone.
Tesla is trying to change the way we buy cars, and they are getting substantial pushback from the dealer PAC's.
Tesla is trying to change the way we buy cars, and they are getting substantial pushback from the dealer PAC's.
Rastoff
US Veteran
Bull, you hold all the cards. They want you to think they hold all the cards. The truth is, you have the money so, you have the power. That doesn't mean you can ask for whatever you want, but you can walk at any time and I guarantee there is another care somewhere else.
It's not hard Farmer17, you just have to stand firm. I too like the way Carmax does it. You can actually call the local Carmax and tell them what you want. They will send you an email when one shows up on their lot. See, simple.
Here's exactly the car you mentioned in the OP: 2013 Ford Escape SE in Bakersfield, CA- 10324677 at carmax.com
That one is in Bakersfield, but it showed up only because I searched for it from here. If you want it, they will ship it to OK, but it'll cost about $500 for that. Just search on the Carmax website using your own zip code. I'm sure they can get you the car you want without hassle.
Similar threads
