The games dealers play, why?

[tltay2005]

Do many people pay the price the dealer first offers? I just don't get the games they play. Went this weekend and traded our current TT on newer, bigger one. Told the sales lady (who was great) what we wanted to pay, $15,500 out the door. She said ok, let me see what I can do. Came back at $19,000 (way to low for trade value). Uh, no deal, we will sell our TT and come back. But wait, she says, let me talk to them (I am guess sales management) again. Came back at $18,000, said that was there lowest offer, that they were not making anything (which I know was crap). Told her no again, that we were paying cash, and $15,500 is what we had. Stood up to leave.....but wait, she wanted to try one more time! Well guess what, we bought our new TT for $15,500 out the door!

 

[peg110]

Campers, cars, whatever.... I hate playing the game but that's what you have to do.

They know that there are people who will go with the higher price (more profit) and that there are those (fewer) who will hold out and perhaps have done their research. They try to get as much as they can.

For us, our latest game was to get the DW a new(er) car (well Van. Town-n-Country). I already had financing pre-approved through my credit union at an outstanding rate. About the only thing I would do to change the rate was for them to offer 0% but I knew, even if they were offering it, that I wouldn't qualify.

Anyway, I told the DW that the current payment ($330) was really where we needed to be. I could probably budge to $350/month, but really didn't want to.

So knowing our trade and it's approximate blue book, and knowing the target vehicle and it's approximate blue book, we went to the dealership to play the game. I told them.... needed price at my already approved financing terms (length and rate) to be at $330 - OUT THE DOOR. So they came close at about $352/month but that meant us paying the taxes/tags/transfer/etc out of pocket. Told them no dice. They did the "Manager" thing, Came back with about the same price inclusive of all fees, and that's the best they were going to do. I said, Okay. Thanks, we will think about it. We got up and got ready to walk out. The salesman got the sales manager to come over and thank us for our time. He then asked what we were looking for price-wise. I told him I need the payment to be what I was currently paying at $330/month. Well it did end up at $336/month, but since I was willing to go to $350/month, I was happy.

My DW is the tough one to go shopping with though. She finds something she likes and she wants it. The salesman start salivating. I told her she has to be willing to walk away. Even if it's the one she wanted, another will present itself.

 

[tiggerdad]

My father was a master at the car and truck deal. First off he'd find a Ford, a Chevy, and a Dodge that he liked, and were comparable in options like size and power. Then the game began...

First stop, Chevy. "Hey I like this S-10 pickup, what's the price? Oh, okay. Well I'm gonna go check out that Ford Ranger pickup up the street and I'll get back with you."

Ford dealer: "Really like the ride and look of this Ranger. What kind of price you getting? Really? The Chevy guys have that S-10 for less than that and I really liked it. Oh, you can come down to that? Huh, well, I tell ya what. Let me think on it."

Next stop, Dodge dealership: "This Dakota here is pretty good. The Ford guy gave me a price on the Ranger, which is less than you're getting here and I really liked the way that Ranger drove, so I'm gonna go with it. Oh really? You can come down to that? Well, let me think on it."

Back to the Ford guy: That Dodge Dakota price is a lot less than you're asking for this Ranger. I mean, I like the looks of this truck, but affordability is winning me over. Thanks for talking to me earlier, I just felt I should be honest with you. What? You can come down to less than the Dakota? Well, the Dodge guy told me he'd beat any price you threw out there (actually didn't say that). Said he would beat anybody's offer on another truck. So I'm gonna see what he says."

On the way back to the Dodge dealer: "Let's stop and see the Chevy guy again. Hey man, look, both the Dodge and Ford guys said they can beat any deal you throw out there. (thunder clouds developing overhead) Oh yeah, they said their product was better and they would prove it. Well, the Ford guy quoted me this on the Ranger. I know, it's a good deal. Don't see how I can turn it down. Oh, you'll match it? I don't know, it rode better. You'll pick up the tax and title too? Let me see, they sounded pretty dead set on being able to beat your deal."

Dodge guy again: "Well, the Chevy guy has laughed at your deal. Said not only can he get me in a better truck, he'll do it for less and pay my tax and tag. I gotta go with that. Thanks for taking your time to talk to me. You'll pick up the tax and tag too? Oh, and free oil changes for a year? At the same price as the S-10? I don't know, the Chevy guy said you guys were crooks (lightning strikes a tree in the corner of the car lot). Salesman's head is red and perspiring with anger. "Wow, you'd come down that much more? Let me go to the bank and get out the cash and I'll be back. (lightning strikes the building)

On the way to the bank, stop by the Ford dealer: Sorry, the Dodge guy was just too low to turn down. He beat your price, picked up the tag and title, and threw in free oil changes for a year. Man, I just can't turn down that in this poor economy we are in. I'm just a common working man, gotta go with the price even though I like your truck better. You'll match his offer? All of it? Plus a spray in bedliner? You feeling okay? You're sweating a lot. Well, sir, don't see how I can turn that down. Here's a check for a down payment.

 

[tltay2005]

My father was a master at the car and truck deal. First off he'd find a Ford, a Chevy, and a Dodge that he liked, and were comparable in options like size and power. Then the game began...

First stop, Chevy. "Hey I like this S-10 pickup, what's the price? Oh, okay. Well I'm gonna go check out that Ford Ranger pickup up the street and I'll get back with you."

Ford dealer: "Really like the ride and look of this Ranger. What kind of price you getting? Really? The Chevy guys have that S-10 for less than that and I really liked it. Oh, you can come down to that? Huh, well, I tell ya what. Let me think on it."

Next stop, Dodge dealership: "This Dakota here is pretty good. The Ford guy gave me a price on the Ranger, which is less than you're getting here and I really liked the way that Ranger drove, so I'm gonna go with it. Oh really? You can come down to that? Well, let me think on it."

Back to the Ford guy: That Dodge Dakota price is a lot less than you're asking for this Ranger. I mean, I like the looks of this truck, but affordability is winning me over. Thanks for talking to me earlier, I just felt I should be honest with you. What? You can come down to less than the Dakota? Well, the Dodge guy told me he'd beat any price you threw out there (actually didn't say that). Said he would beat anybody's offer on another truck. So I'm gonna see what he says."

On the way back to the Dodge dealer: "Let's stop and see the Chevy guy again. Hey man, look, both the Dodge and Ford guys said they can beat any deal you throw out there. (thunder clouds developing overhead) Oh yeah, they said their product was better and they would prove it. Well, the Ford guy quoted me this on the Ranger. I know, it's a good deal. Don't see how I can turn it down. Oh, you'll match it? I don't know, it rode better. You'll pick up the tax and title too? Let me see, they sounded pretty dead set on being able to beat your deal."

Dodge guy again: "Well, the Chevy guy has laughed at your deal. Said not only can he get me in a better truck, he'll do it for less and pay my tax and tag. I gotta go with that. Thanks for taking your time to talk to me. You'll pick up the tax and tag too? Oh, and free oil changes for a year? At the same price as the S-10? I don't know, the Chevy guy said you guys were crooks (lightning strikes a tree in the corner of the car lot). Salesman's head is red and perspiring with anger. "Wow, you'd come down that much more? Let me go to the bank and get out the cash and I'll be back. (lightning strikes the building)

On the way to the bank, stop by the Ford dealer: Sorry, the Dodge guy was just too low to turn down. He beat your price, picked up the tag and title, and threw in free oil changes for a year. Man, I just can't turn down that in this poor economy we are in. I'm just a common working man, gotta go with the price even though I like your truck better. You'll match his offer? All of it? Plus a spray in bedliner? You feeling okay? You're sweating a lot. Well, sir, don't see how I can turn that down. Here's a check for a down payment.

That sounds like my first TT purchase. Had Lazy Days, RV One and Camping world going back and forth. They all had the same trailer, so it came down to RV One who was willing to match the price and throw in the stabilizing hitch and brake controller. This time only one dealer had the trailer I wanted, so didn't get to bargain for extras, but I did get the price I wanted, plus free lunch, lol.

 

[peg110]

This time only one dealer had the trailer I wanted, so didn't get to bargain for extras,

That doesn't matter as long as the DEALER doesn't know that there were no competing choices.

Some people will say that these kind of tactics are dishonest, but really, what's more dishonest... Taking care of YOUR concerns or taking care of the DEALERS concerns? I know which way I lean.

 

[Teamubr]

I love "the game", but my DW despises it.

My first 3 trailers had a bit of a dance to get where we wanted. This last one was too easy. We had been making the rounds to look at different trailers. Didn't find any that really checked all the boxes. Even drove 3+ hours to look at "the perfect" trailer just to decide we didn't like it. The salesman was great at trying to get us into a "deal", but neither DW or me liked it after we saw it.

The next weekend we drove 2 hours to look at a trailer I hadn't been considering... You know. Just to rule it out. Well, it was perfect. We had made a Saturday appointment the 2nd weekend in January with the girl that handled their internet parts sales. Everyone else was on vacation or not working since it was January. The owner was in the Bahamas. It is a very small dealer.

The trailer has a "Winter Sale" price on the counter when we walked through. It was an OK price, but still $3-4000 higher than I thought it should be.

We went back inside where the girl was waiting for us. I said I liked it and asked what the "best" price would be, expecting to start "the game." She asked if I had a trade. I told her I planned on selling my old trailer outright and I'd come back and buy her's after I did that, but... if she wanted to work a trade deal instead, I'd consider it. After taking down my 13 year old trailer info and looking things up on the computer, she wrote a number down. It was $6000 less than the "Winter Sale" price. My wife about choked and said, "Are you sure?" I asked if that was including the payoff on our trailer and included tax and title. When she said yes, I said when can I pick it up? Easiest "game" I've ever played.

3 days later, we drove back up with our old trailer and brought the new one home.

Since buying it, I found a site that lists MSRP and dealer cost for nearly all the current trailers. The site had the MSRP listed exactly after I added in the options. If the dealer cost is accurate, they made less than $1000 on the deal. I'm good with that. She made the comment that they had the trailer since before Thanksgiving and the owner was wanting to move out the "older trailers" (It's a 2016) since he was planning on placing his Spring order when he got back from vacation.

j

 

[Teamubr]

Taking care of YOUR concerns or taking care of the DEALERS concerns? I know which way I lean.

I good friend owns several resorts. He always said the definition of a "good deal" is when both sides walk away thinking they screwed the other party.

Dealers are in business to maximize their profit. I'm in business to minimize my payout.

And let the games begin...

j

 

[SouthAlabama5er]

I've never been good at wheeling and dealing, I just get them thinking I'm about to buy and then say "nah that's too high" and leave and wait on them to call. Now my DW, she'll make them fight, and get a good deal usually.

 

[2goofycampers]

When we walk in to buy a vehicle or camper we tell them up front "you get one shot at this better make it a good one". Then we usually leave and they run out the door after us or call us with the deal we wanted. We bought 12 vehicles from one guy because he learned to played the game the right way.

 

[jaredjohn4]

One year I went to buy a new conversion van. For four days straight I went to 2-3 dealers a day, so after the third day I pretty well had it down to what they cost. I went to a dealer and he really didn't come out and give me a price. He kept on saying what the payment would be. After a little talking, the payment price was almost cut in half. I told him I wouldn't buy from a dealer that wanted to screw me that bad to begin with. Then they "couldn't find" the keys to my trade in, maybe we could talk a little longer. I stood up in the middle of the showroom and said give me my *&%@ing keys. I would never buy a car from a dealer that is willing to screw people that badly. I went to a different dealer the next day and bought a van on the first offer. It was a good deal and we were both happy.

 

[Teamubr]

Then they "couldn't find" the keys to my trade in, maybe we could talk a little longer. I stood up in the middle of the showroom and said give me my *&%@ing keys.

Some of the tactics they do to intimidate people just make me shake my head.

My wife must have had the same salesman you did when she bought her Nissan. We had been to the Nissan dealer the night before and she had their "best" price, but it was more than she wanted to pay. That evening, I checked a couple of places for a used car. A Toyota dealer across from the Nissan dealer had a 1 year old model of the Nissan she was looking for and it was priced a few thousand less than the new one. I was at the race shop the next day so my DW went down to look at it by herself. The salesman offered her a ridiculous price on her trade. (literally half what the Nissan dealer did the night before) She said she was leaving and going across the street to buy the new car. That's when the salesman suddenly couldn't find her keys. She pulled out her cell phone, told the salesman she was calling 911 and he had until the police arrived to produce the keys or she would have him arrested for auto theft and wrongful detention. The salesman watched her punch in 911 and it wasn't until she hit send that he pulled the keys out of the drawer.

j

 

[peg110]

The salesman watched her punch in 911 and it wasn't until she hit send that he pulled the keys out of the drawer.

I would have continued to make the call and reported them for attempted fraud/extortion or whatever.....

I certainly would have made an issue if someone had done that to me or my DW. Local Newspaper, Local TV station with their "Investigative" reporters.... That's not only wrong.... it's illegal.

 

[Teamubr]

I certainly would have made an issue if someone had done that to me or my DW. Local Newspaper, Local TV station with their "Investigative" reporters.... That's not only wrong.... it's illegal.

DW didn't tell me about it until we had already bought the new one and was on her way home. She said she just wanted to get out. The really disappointing part was this dealer was a sister dealership to where we bought our BMW. We always had fantastic customer service on the BMW side.

And I said "we bought" because apparently I was able to buy a new car, completely non benoist to me, while I was 60 miles away at the race shop. DW said I needed to stop by the dealer one day after work to sign the paperwork. I asked when she was picking it up and she said she already had it.

j

 

[tigger92662]

Yeah, my wife has to do all the dealing. I could just as easily punch some salesman as talk to them. We had a deal through our Credit Union. Go to this dealer and pay $99 over invoice. After we test drove the car the finance guy came to talk with us. "What part of $99 over invoice are you not getting?". I had a check in my hand for the car. "Well maybe we can do better on the financing" At the time are Credit Union was .99%, I doubt you can do better than that, just gimme the car and let's call it a night. Yikes!

 

[peg110]

At the time are Credit Union was .99%

.99%??? Wow... That's pretty good even for a credit union.

I have to be in the right mood to go talk to the dealers and "Play the Game" otherwise, I'd be like you and have to punch them in the face.

 

[garneska]

I have to reply to this. Bert and I have great stories that are similar. One guy would only talk to us in monthly payments. I broke out my business calculator determined how much the vehicle would cost, showed it to him and said no way. Start talking to me in total amount not payments. We left and never went back. The next one the dealership kept our license not our keys as we did not have a trade in. The worst part was the car (our current toad) was on the lot for almost a year and they could not even sell it as a new car. At first they would not even come down in price. I got super mad, and after 5 hours of being there i was like give us our license we are leaving. Ended up getting the best deal ever on a car. They had me so made I was no longer willing to come up from my initial low ball price. Of course the fun part, bert talks the sales people about all the mechanical stuff and then the sales person wants to talk money and bert just goes oh, money, you need to talk to her and walks away. I do all the negotiating. Not because Bert does not want to, he does and is good at it, but we throw the sales people off a lot by having me do it. I have scored decent deals on all my vehicles, including the RV this way.

 

[tiggerdad]

I have to reply to this. Bert and I have great stories that are similar. One guy would only talk to us in monthly payments. I broke out my business calculator determined how much the vehicle would cost, showed it to him and said no way. Start talking to me in total amount not payments. We left and never went back. The next one the dealership kept our license not our keys as we did not have a trade in. The worst part was the car (our current toad) was on the lot for almost a year and they could not even sell it as a new car. At first they would not even come down in price. I got super mad, and after 5 hours of being there i was like give us our license we are leaving. Ended up getting the best deal ever on a car. They had me so made I was no longer willing to come up from my initial low ball price. Of course the fun part, bert talks the sales people about all the mechanical stuff and then the sales person wants to talk money and bert just goes oh, money, you need to talk to her and walks away. I do all the negotiating. Not because Bert does not want to, he does and is good at it, but we throw the sales people off a lot by having me do it. I have scored decent deals on all my vehicles, including the RV this way.

Somehow I can see you tearing a salesman a new one and Bert having to pull you off. I remember some of those stories we were hearing at GSP. No way I want an argument with you. I'll take my chances with Yeti.