car shopping experience so far...
05-31-2011, 06:32 AM
#31
Adminut
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Maple Tree, Branch #2 above the rope swing
Posts: 5,722
If there's a plus side to this, think about how many people are learning about this sort of stuff for the first time? How many have paid it without even knowing? I hope this helps folks out, I know that if I buy new I'll be carrying the info with me when I go into it, so even though you're having problems, I think there's an up side. Good stuff to learn about.
05-31-2011, 09:36 AM
#32
CMOC Supreme poster
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Sherwood Park, Alberta
Posts: 2,437
If there's a plus side to this, think about how many people are learning about this sort of stuff for the first time? How many have paid it without even knowing? I hope this helps folks out, I know that if I buy new I'll be carrying the info with me when I go into it, so even though you're having problems, I think there's an up side. Good stuff to learn about.
06-01-2011, 01:54 AM
#33
CMOC Rookie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Wet Coast, BC
Posts: 41
Finally bought!!
Folks,
Well...finally got the deal i want!
Found a dealer I could work at the price i offered, who was happy to accept! Here's the build:
2012 GT
HID
19" wheels/tires
Rear camera
Auto trans (wife's requirement)
Saddle interior
Along with Ford and Costco rebates, saved about $7600 off MSRP.
After visiting dealers and going though those experiences, i thought i'd learned enough and did research (car cost canada) to make a very fair offer done via emails to several dealers. I sent the offers directly to the general managers. The dealer i finally bought from assigned a sales rep to review and work with me on the specs. This rep didn't try to sell anything else, or talk me up on pricing, and on the infamous doc fee, we agreed to split the difference by taking it out of the price of the car so on the purchase order it would still show ($499). He also agreed to reduce the whole sale price by another $900 because of the 2% holdback fee i derived from the MSRP of the car. No one else would agree to reduce/remove the doc fee, or reduce the total price with the 2% holdback fee amount.
I've no doubt they're making more than what is on our worksheet as there's other things that i couldn't find out such as any other Ford to dealer incentives, etc.
Basically, i thought it's the best deal i could have made at this time. Btw, the costco rebate $1000 will be credited once the car is delivered.
What benefitted me in this experience lasting i would say about 6 months lol:
Here's my top 10 tips:
1) Visit many dealers and listen to sales reps (learn as much as possible about how they work. Internet reading on this process was great. Test drive cars.
2) Join forums such as CMOC to learn from others. This is incredibly valuable.
3) Learn about the terms/words used in car sales and how they work (holdback fee, doc fee, MSRP, etc)
4) Learn how the sales reps, sales managers, and finance manager, their tactics and how they operate. It's painful but going through it several times at different dealers, there is a pattern to behaviour, things said, and who they bring into the mix trying to get someone to commit.
5) Definitely learn everything about the desired car, how much options cost, needs vs wants in the car, etc. Once you do, you'll find you'll know more than most sales reps.
6) Regularly check the Ford website for incentives. Some reps had no clue or had incorrect/misleading information to their benefit.
7) No matter the pressure, do not cave in if one is not ready to buy. Take your time, and weigh out all the numbers, sleep on it, work on it at your pace, think more about it, discuss it with friends, spouse, etc.
8) When ready, send out the same offer to several dealers at once to compare, narrow it down to two or three, and keep eliminating, working one against the others, using your own worksheets. Using my own sheet helped me control the situation and how things are calculated. They had to take their time to understand my offer and gave each party a foundation to work off, in an atmosphere that i was able to control, not the sales rep. (ie: Discounts and reductions were all in places that would appropriately benefit me, not the dealer). Ask them for their fees, input that into your worksheet and see where it can be further taken out (ie: doc fee)
9) Doing the work showed the dealer about being serious in my wanting to buy, and ability to walk away if the deal's not according to terms. Don't waste their time.
10) Now, after the papers are done with the sales rep...it aint over until the finance manager is through with you.
This is when other things are peddled (extended warranty, financing, rust proofing, maintenance programs). Stand your ground folks, you'll be out of there in no time!
Basically, it was like a second job doing this.
So.....car is due 8 to 12 weeks...
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Well...finally got the deal i want!
Found a dealer I could work at the price i offered, who was happy to accept! Here's the build:
2012 GT
HID
19" wheels/tires
Rear camera
Auto trans (wife's requirement)
Saddle interior
Along with Ford and Costco rebates, saved about $7600 off MSRP.
After visiting dealers and going though those experiences, i thought i'd learned enough and did research (car cost canada) to make a very fair offer done via emails to several dealers. I sent the offers directly to the general managers. The dealer i finally bought from assigned a sales rep to review and work with me on the specs. This rep didn't try to sell anything else, or talk me up on pricing, and on the infamous doc fee, we agreed to split the difference by taking it out of the price of the car so on the purchase order it would still show ($499). He also agreed to reduce the whole sale price by another $900 because of the 2% holdback fee i derived from the MSRP of the car. No one else would agree to reduce/remove the doc fee, or reduce the total price with the 2% holdback fee amount.
I've no doubt they're making more than what is on our worksheet as there's other things that i couldn't find out such as any other Ford to dealer incentives, etc.
Basically, i thought it's the best deal i could have made at this time. Btw, the costco rebate $1000 will be credited once the car is delivered.
What benefitted me in this experience lasting i would say about 6 months lol:
Here's my top 10 tips:
1) Visit many dealers and listen to sales reps (learn as much as possible about how they work. Internet reading on this process was great. Test drive cars.
2) Join forums such as CMOC to learn from others. This is incredibly valuable.
3) Learn about the terms/words used in car sales and how they work (holdback fee, doc fee, MSRP, etc)
4) Learn how the sales reps, sales managers, and finance manager, their tactics and how they operate. It's painful but going through it several times at different dealers, there is a pattern to behaviour, things said, and who they bring into the mix trying to get someone to commit.
5) Definitely learn everything about the desired car, how much options cost, needs vs wants in the car, etc. Once you do, you'll find you'll know more than most sales reps.
6) Regularly check the Ford website for incentives. Some reps had no clue or had incorrect/misleading information to their benefit.
7) No matter the pressure, do not cave in if one is not ready to buy. Take your time, and weigh out all the numbers, sleep on it, work on it at your pace, think more about it, discuss it with friends, spouse, etc.
8) When ready, send out the same offer to several dealers at once to compare, narrow it down to two or three, and keep eliminating, working one against the others, using your own worksheets. Using my own sheet helped me control the situation and how things are calculated. They had to take their time to understand my offer and gave each party a foundation to work off, in an atmosphere that i was able to control, not the sales rep. (ie: Discounts and reductions were all in places that would appropriately benefit me, not the dealer). Ask them for their fees, input that into your worksheet and see where it can be further taken out (ie: doc fee)
9) Doing the work showed the dealer about being serious in my wanting to buy, and ability to walk away if the deal's not according to terms. Don't waste their time.
10) Now, after the papers are done with the sales rep...it aint over until the finance manager is through with you.
This is when other things are peddled (extended warranty, financing, rust proofing, maintenance programs). Stand your ground folks, you'll be out of there in no time!
Basically, it was like a second job doing this.
So.....car is due 8 to 12 weeks...
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
06-01-2011, 09:01 AM
#35
CMOC Supreme poster
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Sherwood Park, Alberta
Posts: 2,437
You would think that if the FORD Motor Corporation really wanted to gain the publics trust they they would tell franchise operators (dealers) to cut the crap and do everything possible to make the customer happy. Happy customers are repeat business.
06-01-2011, 04:09 PM
#37
CMOC Rookie
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Windsor
Posts: 120
As long as sales are based on commision, the sales people will do all they can to get as much of your money as possible.
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