"Space Chimp" <SC@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:nv6Ck.38878$bx1.14582@bignews1.bellsouth.net. ..
> Okay, through e-mail and phone, sales is giving me invoice for the car
> itself, and
> of course there are the unavoidables like sales tax, title charges and
> destination
> charge, but what bugs me are the added crap like the $500-600 "customer
> service" or "doc fee" or whatever they dress it up as, and the dealer
> add-on
> ripoff junk (usually well over $500; often $800 or so--"special" coatings
> or
> other such snake oil, overpriced mudflaps, etc.)
>
> When all this is added up, the drive-out price ain't too great.
> Any of you had any experience getting them to waive the
> "customer service" fee or any of the other crappola? It appears
> from Edmunds that they are getting $500 from Honda this
> month just for moving an '08 Accord. Any ideas/feedback?
> Thanks!

This reminds me of the movie "Fargo" when a couple were buying a car from a
dealer. William Macy was the salesman and kept pushing undercoating. While
dickering over the car he would say, "let me go check it out with my
manager". He would then go into his office, spit out a howdy and not even
mention the deal and then go back out to the couple and tell them that the
manager said this or that. It was a hoot.

"Space Chimp" <SC@nospam.com> wrote in message news:eYxCk.37800

Weellllllll, the salesman then
> walks into another office, and stays awhile. Another dude
> soon shows. I'm beginning to smell the old-style bait
> and switch routine. And surely be, there was a bit
> of a problem. The young dude tells me that there was a
> misunderstanding and that THAT car (because of spoiler
> and pin striping) could not be sold at that price. It was
> just a mistake understand. He then told me they could get
> an identical car (w/o spoiler and pin striping) from a sister
> dlship in about two hours, and when he saw I was putting
> away my checkbook and beginning to walk, he added they
> would knock off $200 more for my trouble. Truth is,
> I don't think that would've been a bad deal for me at all,
> but I was so pissed at their tactic of waiting to tell me this
> at the very LAST minute that it made it moot, as far as I
> was concerned. We walked. Do you guys think I made a good decision?


Depends on the amount of the overrun. That second carpimp was
scamming you. But if it were only a couple hundred bucks or so,
maybe it was a decent deal.

I believe in "principle", but also you have to think in terms of dollars.

I wouldnt be surprised if they called you back in a couple of days
and tried to "make up".

You havent burned any bridges. This is a poker game. Keep a
straight face and keep in the game.

On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:09:08 -0400, "Space Chimp" <SC@nospam.com>
wrote:

> These tactics really cause me to shun them. Maybe I'm too
>persnikity or something, but I hate games like this.
>

So do I and I would have walked out as well. If you give in that just
encourages them to do the same thing to the next guy that comes in.

Steve B.

Thus spake AJ Lake <nomail@fakeaddress.com> :

>"Space Chimp" <SC@nospam.com> wrote:
>
>>When all this is added up, the drive-out price ain't too great.
>>Any of you had any experience getting them to waive the
>>"customer service" fee or any of the other crappola?
>
>I usually dicker for the bottom line price and let them fill in the
>blanks. Course you have to do your homework to keep from being screwed
>(too badly). In you case though, if you don't like the deal just walk
>and see what happens. If their profit is great enough they will knock
>the amount off. If not they will let you walk. You can always walk
>back later (don't wait too long) and pay the price if you love the car
>badly enough...

Yeah. I've always done that. We walk in with a folder full of papers
that we've printed from all over the place. And tell them "okay, this
is what the check will read".

Nasty trick department: Print the comparison page from Edmunds and
highlight one of the other cars. Put that on the top of the stack in
your folder and take it out while you rummage through the other
papers. Make him sneak a peek with it upside down to him. Sometimes
it works, at the least it tells him you have a solid grasp on what you
are willing to pay.

And always, always walk away when things go south.

Space Chimp wrote:

> '08 Accord EX (black) $23,134
> '09 Accord EX $24,043

Presumably that's for the V6, or it's about $2500 too high.

> Keep in mind these are drive-out prices. They sound good
> to me. I'm about to go over and take a look, and probably
> buy one, unless he hasn't been completely upfront with me.
> (BTW, cash sale so no financing, which I mentioned to
> him already.)

Too bad. Mentioning a cash sale was not a good move. Let them assume
you'll finance, up until the last moment.

Amusing about black being cheaper, as it's the same where I am. They'll
advertise "6 in stock at this price" and they'll all be black, an
they'll try to get $750 more for the other colors (and they'll settle
for $375, at least Autowest Toyota in Fremont would.

"SMS" <scharf.steven@geemail.com> wrote in message
newsxHCk.970$Rx.40@flpi144.ffdc.sbc.com...
> Space Chimp wrote:
>
>> '08 Accord EX (black) $23,134
>> '09 Accord EX $24,043
>
> Presumably that's for the V6, or it's about $2500 too high.

Hey, do tell. These were not for the V6, but the other dealerships
are not willing to match these prices, and they apparently don't
care if I walk. I'll be glad to pay the above if it's offered again.
If not, I won't buy....don't really need the car that much anyway.
>
>> Keep in mind these are drive-out prices. They sound good
>> to me. I'm about to go over and take a look, and probably
>> buy one, unless he hasn't been completely upfront with me.
>> (BTW, cash sale so no financing, which I mentioned to
>> him already.)
>
> Too bad. Mentioning a cash sale was not a good move. Let them assume
> you'll finance, up until the last moment.

And you think they would have any problem backing out of the agreed
to non-cash price at the last moment?

> Amusing about black being cheaper, as it's the same where I am. They'll
> advertise "6 in stock at this price" and they'll all be black, an they'll
> try to get $750 more for the other colors (and they'll settle for $375, at
> least Autowest Toyota in Fremont would.

He said at first there was a black and white '08, but he later
said the white one sold. We saw one of the '09's on the
lot yesterday for the stated driveout price. It was a
nice light green, and just off the truck.

SMS wrote:
>
> Too bad. Mentioning a cash sale was not a good move. Let them assume
> you'll finance, up until the last moment.

Why's that? (seriously, why?)

Ray
(hoping to learn a new trick)

In article <BTSCk.573$4K3.559@newsfe13.iad>,
ray <rollingviolation@domain.invalid.com> wrote:
>SMS wrote:
>>
>> Too bad. Mentioning a cash sale was not a good move. Let them assume
>> you'll finance, up until the last moment.
>
>Why's that? (seriously, why?)

Because if you get the financeing thru the dealer, they make more $ on
the financing than on the sale of the car.

--
Rich Greenberg N Ft Myers, FL, USA richgr atsign panix.com + 1 239 543 1353
Eastern time. N6LRT I speak for myself & my dogs only. VM'er since CP-67
Canines:Val, Red, Shasta & Casey (RIP), Red & Zero, Siberians Owner:Chinook-L
Retired at the beach Asst Owner:Sibernet-L

Thus spake richgr@panix.com (Rich Greenberg) :

>In article <BTSCk.573$4K3.559@newsfe13.iad>,
>ray <rollingviolation@domain.invalid.com> wrote:
>>SMS wrote:
>>>
>>> Too bad. Mentioning a cash sale was not a good move. Let them assume
>>> you'll finance, up until the last moment.
>>
>>Why's that? (seriously, why?)
>
>Because if you get the financeing thru the dealer, they make more $ on
>the financing than on the sale of the car.

Not right now.

Dillon Pyron wrote:

> Yeah. I've always done that. We walk in with a folder full of papers
> that we've printed from all over the place. And tell them "okay, this
> is what the check will read".

The car salespeople laugh at those that come in with all those printouts
and spreadsheets thinking that it'll help. They do this every day. You
do it once every 6-12 years. They especially like people that bargain up
from the invoice, since selling at invoice is already a huge profit for
them.

Have the material, but make your price offers from memory. Always make
it a non-round number and let _them_ ask how you arrived at it, don't
offer the information. When you offer $16,709 rather than $16,700 it
puts them on the defensive, trying to figure out where the heck you came
up with that number, when in fact you made it up out of thin air. Be
vague. Mumble about other dealers, other vehicles, Costco,
advertisements for dealers in other metro areas, and so on.

Let them talk about monthly payments, and draw their diagrams with the
four boxes. Inquire about financing, extended warranties, pin-striping,
gold packages, undercoating, glass etching, fabric guard, digital ash
trays, alarms, etc. Bring a sandwich and ask them to get you a
complimentary soda.

Watch "http://www.youtube.com/watchv/Y2bpsyfJJt4".