Determining proper price for a new car

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Parents are looking to purchase a new Prius 2 - is checking edmunds/truecar (auto buying service) and then just calling 2-3 dealerships enough to get a good price?

Browsing the Prius forums for recent purchase prices was complicated because once you add in options and other things that change it person to person, it's tough to keep track of.

Any suggestions are helpful - they just want a simple transaction.

 

[Jimzz]

If they want to keep it simple use the car buying proigrams like what costco and others do. They will not get the best price but they will also not get taken for a ride or have to deal with "let me ask my manager..." BS either.

 

[NutBucket]

Its all dependent on how much work you're willing to do and how far you're willing to travel. Aside from model and trim, are there options that your parents must have or are they flexible? Flexible makes it easy obviously since you won't be limited to working with the dealer that has what you want.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Its all dependent on how much work you're willing to do and how far you're willing to travel. Aside from model and trim, are there options that your parents must have or are they flexible? Flexible makes it easy obviously since you won't be limited to working with the dealer that has what you want.

Flexible - they just want the base model and carpet floor mats (it's actually an option, not standard). Ideally, at a dealership in state.

Jimzz - good call on costco, I will check on that. Thanks.

 

[thegimp03]

Also have them consider doing offers via the internet to multiple dealerships...Cuts back on dealing with slimy car salesmen in person it makes it easier to tell "Y" dealership that "X" or "Z" dealership offered your parents a better price on the same car with the same options.

 

[sze5003]

My friend used the internet and communicated through email with dealers on a price before going in. Get emails and quotes save everything and when they tell you this is the lowest we can go show them the other quotes. When ready to buy you go in with your emails and correspondences and that way you won't get taken.

When I bought my 09 rx8 I sucked at negotiating. They would not drop the price on the gt model by much. Average sale price at the time for one with low mileage and excellent condition was in the mid twenties.

My father's friend would go to auctions he is rich and could buy any car he wanted. He did the online thing I told you about and then talked on the phone. He had the sales rep agree to drop the proce from 26k to 22k for the car that had 7k miles on it. Beautiful color and condition and it was the grand touring. We went in to finalize the deal and when we got there the sales rep gave us the my boss is gonna kill me at that deal, let me check. He brought the boss out and we told him what I was willing to put down and what I wanted to finance. When he heard 22k he was pissed and said absolutely not. After a minute we both stood up and extended our hands, saying thank you for your time and consideration. As we stepped back out of the chairs, immediately the guy was like ok you guys have a deal.

I loved the car but a year later it snowed so bad I got stuck on the highway so I traded it in for literally what I had financed it. I put 4k down and by the time I realized I needed to drive to work in the shitty snow I had the loan down to 17k or so. I got 19k for trade so now I have a more versatile car but its not as cool or fun

 

[KK]

what price are they getting? my guess would be 25k otd would be a good price to pay. We picked up a 2012 prius 3 last september for 26.8 otd if I remember correctly and probably could have got it alittle cheaper. There was a dealership in asheville, nc or somewhere up that way that we used as a base price as people were saying that they had pretty straight forward cheapest prices listed on their site.

 

[Midwayman]

I had good luck with the costco program. Zero hassle pricing, and slightly better than I got using the edmunds service/calling around. Far below the TMV and average selling prices I found online.

 

[RossMAN]

Flexible - they just want the base model and carpet floor mats (it's actually an option, not standard). Ideally, at a dealership in state.

Jimzz - good call on costco, I will check on that. Thanks.

I will second the CostCo suggestion, I helped someone buy a new Corolla and it was super easy.

Did your parents buy one, which method did they eventually go with, price?

 

[Pardus]

http://www.truecar.com/

 

[michal1980]

http://www.truecar.com/

truecar is crap now. They changed how they operator so dealers will be happy.

 

[michal1980]

I had good luck with the costco program. Zero hassle pricing, and slightly better than I got using the edmunds service/calling around. Far below the TMV and average selling prices I found online.

If i'm in a rush. and I have a few times. (sister wants a car TODAY).

I go by cost co. and feel good when I get the dealer to beat that price.

otherwise it requires a lot more work.

 

[NutBucket]

truecar is crap now. They changed how they operator so dealers will be happy.

Good info. Thanks.

 

[Pardus]

truecar is crap now. They changed how they operator so dealers will be happy.

where did you hear about this-link-source? what websites would you then recommend for car shopping/comparisons?

 

[michal1980]

where did you hear about this-link-source? what websites would you then recommend for car shopping/comparisons?

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/20...perience-a-kinder-gentler-truecar-is-re-born/

I Costco/usaa car buying is ok. But I still think they are powered by truecar, but give slightly different data.


I still prefer the old school method:

find invoice on like Edmunds. find all rebates. find out what the hold back is.

subtract all that. and I start negations like 10% below that.


I've also done the email 5-10 dealers and look to get a price. Armed with the above price info. I get a good feel for what I can get a car for. And I try to play one or two dealers after that.

I wouldn't waste a day trying to save 200 bucks though.

Most important thing: set a budget, and a max price your ok with spending, and be ready to walk out of a dealer if the price is too high

 

[Doppel]

Forget email, it's too slow and most don't use it. Call up a few dealerships and speak to a salesman. You can go into one if you really want them motivated. Look at local dealers' ads that they post on their websites.

At least locally I've noticed some dealers more or less advertising their lowest price in their online/paper ads, and it's just not possible to negotiate lower--but then you don't need to because there are no better prices around.

 

[jaedaliu]

I still prefer the old school method:

find invoice on like Edmunds. find all rebates. find out what the hold back is.

subtract all that. and I start negations like 10% below that.


I've also done the email 5-10 dealers and look to get a price. Armed with the above price info. I get a good feel for what I can get a car for. And I try to play one or two dealers after that.

I wouldn't waste a day trying to save 200 bucks though.

Most important thing: set a budget, and a max price your ok with spending, and be ready to walk out of a dealer if the price is too high

How do you figure out the hold back? I thought that was the tightest guarded secret of all time.

My favorite method (my car is a tool that gets me to work and home) is to grab the Friday morning newspaper and get to the dealership early for the "1 at this price" deal. No options are available at that price, but I do get to avoid having to haggle, and the salesperson knows he can turn me over to finance pretty quickly for his $100 or whatever the minimum commission is on these loss leaders.

Other option is to buy right before fiscal month /quarter end as the dealership is trying to drive up volume to hit the next tier for holdbacks.

 

[A5]

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/20...perience-a-kinder-gentler-truecar-is-re-born/

I Costco/usaa car buying is ok. But I still think they are powered by truecar, but give slightly different data.


I still prefer the old school method:

find invoice on like Edmunds. find all rebates. find out what the hold back is.

subtract all that. and I start negations like 10% below that.


I've also done the email 5-10 dealers and look to get a price. Armed with the above price info. I get a good feel for what I can get a car for. And I try to play one or two dealers after that.

I wouldn't waste a day trying to save 200 bucks though.

Most important thing: set a budget, and a max price your ok with spending, and be ready to walk out of a dealer if the price is too high

I used the USAA service to buy a Mazda 3 and it went great. Even the sales guy was legit shocked at the price their dealer was giving through the program.

It varies from region to region and brand to brand, though. I had some dealers here who were technically in the program who refused to honor the price listed.

 

[michal1980]

How do you figure out the hold back? I thought that was the tightest guarded secret of all time.

My favorite method (my car is a tool that gets me to work and home) is to grab the Friday morning newspaper and get to the dealership early for the "1 at this price" deal. No options are available at that price, but I do get to avoid having to haggle, and the salesperson knows he can turn me over to finance pretty quickly for his $100 or whatever the minimum commission is on these loss leaders.

Other option is to buy right before fiscal month /quarter end as the dealership is trying to drive up volume to hit the next tier for holdbacks.

http://www.edmunds.com/car-buying/dealer-holdback/

The problem with aiming for the end of the month, is what happens if they met their goal already? Then you can be sol.

 

[corinthos]

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