I &^$&*#%ing hate dealerships

[DiabloTX]

So my wife and I went to a couple of Chrysler dealerships tonight looking at the new Challengers.  An '09 Challenger RT came by the Kemah car meet Satruday night in hugger orange and looked amazing.  My wife is a MOPAR fan so we decided to look at them tonight.  Check this &*&^ out:

'09 Challenger SE (V6 3.5) List $26,XXX
Dealer "installed protection" package $1635
Dealer "isntalled upgrade appearance" package, essentially 20" chrome wheels, a "blip" trunk spoiler, special sticker graphics, and window tint $10,500


Sticker total price ~$39,XXX...for a V6 Challenger.

 

We laughed all the way back to her car.

I *^%$ing hate car dealerships.

[Masherbrum]

That is pathetic.   Another $1000 and you can get a Shelby Mustang GT.    A V6?        I'd have laughed in his face and walked away in tears.   

Chrysler is cutting their own throats.   They NEED a merge with GM, because they still spend money the wrong way.   

[Bronk]

Gee why can't they sell cars?

[superpug1]

wow thats new Camaro 2SS money

[superpug1]

oops double post. that would be an interesting merger. . .

[Saxman]

That's why whenever I finally am in a place where I can buy a NEW new car, I'm going to go right to the manufacturer and put an order in for it there and cut out the dealer crap.

[Getback]

Gee not that I'm a fan but isn't that Bmer money?

[Grayeagle]

They did the same thing when the Durango came out . . local dealer wanted 52 frik-kin thousand dollars for a 318 Durango .. that's why I went to autotrader.. and cut 20k right off the top.

Very worth the drive.

Best thing you can do when you decide you want a new car .. go to Edmund's or Autotrader .. get the dealer invioce for the car with the toys you want on it, bring it in with you, and tell 'em if they want to sell a car today, this is the most you will pay for it.
There are some you can get for below dealer invoice .. especially if it's a slow sales market .. like NOW f'rinstance.
Can squeeze 'em for 1-2k below even dealer invoice .. just stick to yer guns, tell 'em they aren't the only place that's sellin 'em,
..never give them anything to hold you there (keys to your car, etc) ..bring a folder ..they hate to see that.
In the folder have copies of your drivers license, pay stubs, ..anything you think they may ask for.

Don't talk about trade in until the price is negotiated, then lay it on 'em.
Whatever you do .. dont talk 'payment's' .. until the price is set.
They will rip you long and deep if all you want is a particular payment.

http://www.carbuyingtips.com/

..for some great reading on doin it right and savin a bunch.

-GE (I am not nearly as gullible as I once was

[culero]

Frank nailed it. I know, I spent a few years working in that environment (dealerships). Its the only way you can keep them from flimflamming you.

[LYNX]

Essentially it was poor salesmanship.  In the car dealer world before you ask the metaphorical question "would you like fry's with that"....the UPsell.  One must "qualify" the customer.  In other words gather as much info from the customer before you stitch them up.

Car salesmen are generally commission based in that they have a very low basic pay with a sliding scale of commission + the use of a company car.  So where are the perks for the new car salesman?  The BIG commission is all in the add on's.  The extras over basic price.  The manufacturer doesn't give the individual salesman enough commission in retained profit.  The manufactures incentive is volume bonuses for the dealership as a whole.  Once achieved only the dealer principle (the boss) and the sales manager attain a commissioned bonus.  The salesman may only get a set amount per unit where as the extras commission would exceed this. 

war rantees
manufacturers upgrades (metallic / pearlecent paint, trim, wheels, radios, sat nav, stickers etc)
after market add on's (some kind of crappy alarm, some crappy scheme to do with lost keys, some crappy brake down recovery / tow in scheme etc)
finance
finance insurances (redundancy and death etc)

If the salesman could add on 1 or 2 of the above he's looking at doubling, tripling etc his earned commission.  Your salesman may have jumped the gun so's to speak. 

It could be that he under qualified you and didn't down sell.  That's to say he didn't find out what you were prepared to pay before letting you say "yes" I want this that and the other.

It could also be the dealership had access to only a few vehicles with XYZ design specifications.  Anything outside of the dealerships "allocation" is a build and not likely available to them in THIS months VOLUME dealership bonuses. Depending on his bosses the pressure to sell only allocated stock may have been extreme.

What ever it was the salesman didn't get it right for himself, the manufacture, the dealership and you. 

 



 

[Grayeagle]

..from Edmunds: 

2009 Dodge Challenger   *SRT8* 2dr Coupe (6.1L 8cyl 5A) 
                           What Others Are Paying     MSRP Invoice    National Base Price
                                 $39,320                          $36,603              $39,320 

 No optional equipment selected         
Color Adjustment - -  $0 
  Hemi Orange Pearlcoat   
  Destination Charge       $675                              $675                       $675 
Gas Guzzler Tax           $1,700                            $1,700                    $1,700 
Total with Options       $41,695                           $38,978                 $41,695
 
The R/T is about 8k less, and the V6 is down in the low 20's.

Hammer 'em .. there's about 20 of 'em listed here in Phx

-GE

[Captain Virgil Hilts]

It may be a ways to drive, but if you want a Challenger, you need to see Jeff or Joe Teuton at their Chrysler dealership in Louisiana. Those guys are SERIOUS Mopar racers, and good people, the Teutons will take care of you, really good care of you.

[DiabloTX]

Thanks for the info GE, as always I like your style, but we were out more or less intelligence gathering.  What we do when we buy a new car, as rare as that's been, is go through our credit union who already has contracted prices with the pariticipating dealerships that's usually right at invoice, maybe a little over.  My '96 Camaro was listed at 19.2 or thereabouts, I got it for right at 17 through the credit union, no haggling, no tricks, no BS.   Just went in the CU, signed the paperwork, went to the dealership, and they delivered the car.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised by what I saw tonight as back in the day I used to sell cars but it just amazes me that dealerships do the crap that they do.  Then again there are people stupid enough to pay $40k for a V6 Challenger.

Oh yeah, the other thing that sucks ballz: in order to get the 6-speed manual you have pay $995.  The 5-speed auto is standard.  Bullocks on that.

[DiabloTX]

It may be a ways to drive, but if you want a Challenger, you need to see Jeff or Joe Teuton at their Chrysler dealership in Louisiana. Those guys are SERIOUS Mopar racers, and good people, the Teutons will take care of you, really good care of you.

Thanks!  We may do that as well!

[rpm]

Don't even get me started on new car dealers. I drooled over a few Challengers when I was truck shopping. Best deal I saw was at Roger Williams Chrysler in Weatherford. 31K for a V8 Challenger.