Toyota dealership won't budge on price...say they can sell vehicle anyway!

[Disney_Dreaming]

Honda and Toyota do not negotiate price.

I'm a proud owner of two Honda's.

 

[LoraJ]

I actually did negotiate a price for my old Tercel and my current Corolla. It was a painful process though. It's practically a relief paying sticker price.

I highly recommend the "confessions of" series on edmunds.com under the car buying tips.

 

[mickey&minnie04]

I have been talking with this salesperson for weeks and she has quite the attitude. I would love to speak with someone else, but not sure how to go about it. It's not that she has done anything wrong, just a snippy "whatever" attitude. If I show up on the lot, she will come to me as soon as I pull up. Anyway, how much below the invoice (not MSRP) do you suspect they actually pay for the vehicle?

On an invoice there are usually 3 prices. The price that the manufacturer wants you pay, what the dealer pays (on paper) and then what the dealer actually pays. I have seen this on Honda invoices and also on Dodge/Chrysler. When I purchased my caliber it was through friends and family. There are different levels of friends and family...if you are a friend or distant relative they went by the price that the dealer shows freely what they paid, but immediate family recieves the price that the dealer actual pays for the vehicle....so they made no profit whatsoever when I purchased my vehicle and I went to many before I found one that wasn't trying to con me into paying the bogus dealer price. So I learned alot through that experience. My grandfather worked for dodge so that was the only reason that I did not purchase a Honda. Honda's employee pricing is about 200-300 off the dealer invoice (the one they want you to see). My price for the Dodge was about $3000.00 less then the dealer invoice price. So that goes to show you that there is a lot of room to move.....they just don't want to and or need to in some cases. I hope that this all makes sense!

 

[Pixie Dust for Me!]

My DH refuses to go car shopping with me. He's says that I'm too forceful with the sales idiots...oops, I mean salespeople.

I do all my research up front, know exactly what I want to buy (maybe in 2 or 3 different brands) and exactly what I'm willing to pay for it. THEN I go in. I tell them what I want while DH remains either mute or at home.

First strike is when the sales idiot tries to talk only to my DH. Second strike is when the sales idiot tries to play the "woman" card with me. Third strike is when they try to negotiate the price with my DH. By then, I'm gone and won't come back to that sales idiot ever!

I just loved it one time when one suggested that I bring my DH or dad with me.....!

I've never bought a Toyota or Honda as the sales idiots I've encountered at my local dealerships seem to think you must have a specific type of anatomy to buy a car !

Now, when the Volt comes out...I think I just might be interested in going through the torture of purchasing a car again....but to do it in the cash-for-clunkers era...no way!

Good luck though....I hope you get the car you want at the price you think it is worth.

I do agree

 

[lemondog]

I agree Toyotas hold their value very well, but we were able to get almost $5000 knocked off the window sticker price of my Sienna. Some dealers are more willing to work with you than others. Keep shopping.

 

[newddmommie]

We got 8 grand off the sticker of our brand new Sienna. So Toyota will deal. We went and test drove the car we ended up buying but orginally wanted a different color. The named a price and we left to go eat lunch. After talking about it we decided to go back and order the one we wanted. After negotions they gave us a great deal on the one they had on their lot. We like the color now. I found if you got back late in the afternoon their more willing to deal especially if they have cars sitting on the late that are depreciating. Just a thought.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Years ago MA had a program that would guarantee no more than x% over dealer cost and the dealer had to show you the invoice. It saved a lot of hassle. All dealings were with the sales manager rather than the vultures.

Mass Buying Power. It's still around. I've bought a couple of cars that way, and it was a great experience both times. No hassle at all. Invoices are laid out on the table to look over. I also bought a car from a non-MBP sales manager who knew of their program and matched it. Basically you buy using a set price over invoice (what they paid for the car) - usually around $200 - and not bargain from the window sticker down. There's generally several thousand dollars difference, depending on the price of the car.

I make it a general rule not to buy a car from anyone who acts like they're doing me a favor selling me one. If a salesperson said that to me, they'd be eating my dust. And I agree with Jillpie - they'll be calling you and begging you to buy by the end of the month. (End of the year even more so.)

I enjoy buying cars because I've learned to play the game. The last time I bought was last summer and it was the first time I used an online search program - that was great. After searching around for a few weeks and visiting many dealerships in person, I wound up buying from a dealership an hour away who not only had the car I was looking for, but treated me right.

Always be willing to walk away and you'll see a difference in price. Play hard ball right back - what do you have to lose? It also helps to have your own financing in place, they'll try to beat that, too. Oh, and yes, you can also bargain on your trade price. Once again, be willing to walk away if you don't get what you need (within reason). Someone out there will be happy to get your sale, you just have to find the right people.

 

[wdwmom2]

Honda and Toyota do not negotiate price.

I'm a proud owner of two Honda's.

Only speaking for Honda, yes they do!!!! We bought an 09 Accord Sedan 4 DR EX-L/Nav Auto about 4 months ago. We added the mud flaps AND the 8yr/100,000mile warrenty to it. After all this PLUS tax and tags we paid (can't remember the exact figure) but a little over $3000 less than sticker.

 

[sbell111]

Anyone who has bought a Honda or Toyota in the past 20 years will know what the salesman said is true. They are better made cars period. There is a reason US made cars are down the tubes.

While the economy may be bad, people want real quality, dependability and longevity for what they are buying.

While you no doubt believe that this is true, JD Power rated Toyota only "about average" in it's 2009 Initial Quality Study. Consumer Reports has not been so charitable.

 

[Kickapoo Joie Juice]

You have a couple of avenues. USAA has a car negotiating service if you are a member. Costco has a similar program. I don't enjoy negotiating so our next vehicle will probably be through one of those systems.

MIL just bought a brand new lexus es350 out the door for 33k with a sticker of 37k. I went with her to the first dealership that basically pointed to the sticker and said, plus tax tag and title.

Yeah, no thanks.

So we then looked on Edmunds.com for what we were supposed to pay. The guy that quoted us MSRP+TTT said "Oh, Edmunds.com isn't right, nobody pays that".

Which we thought was even funnier.

So MIL called around to all the other lexus dealerships in the metro atlanta area and found the car she wanted at the price she wanted. She asked for an "out the door" price. Of course when she got there (an hour later) they claimed that it was out the door plus tax, so she held up her checkbook, said, "I'm going to go buy the Cadillac CTS, they treated me better" and started to walk out.

She got her price.

It's a bear to deal with these people, MIL kept getting migraines the entire week until it was done. Luckily, she drives the wheels off of her cars (all hondas, toyotas, and now lexus), so she probably won't buy another one for ten years.

Look online at other Toyota dealerships in your area and get prices for comparable vehicles. When I bought my Mazda in 2007 the local dealership would not budge on price. I found the exact model and color I wanted for $2000 less at a dealership 2 hours away. The manager at my local dealership still wouldn't budge on price and even told me I wouldn't get that price when I got to the other dealership because there wasn't anyway they could sell me that car for that price, and why would I want to drive 2 hours anyway, um to save $2000 I even showed them the price online while I was in the dealership but they wouldn't come down. I did drive the 2 hours and got the car for the price it was listed at the other dealership.

I'm so amazed that dealerships won't deal-have they never heard of the internet???

I never pay more than $500 off dealer invoice (get the invoice price from edmunds.com). That includes Honda and Toyota. (Invoice price is different from sticker price.)

I've had great luck going to the dealer's website (BEFORE I go to the lot) and requesting an internet price from dealers within 100 miles of me.

Yeah, if you request to talk to the internet sales manager, you almost always get the price you want. Somebody said they work on volume, not commission, so if you're calling them, the only work they have to do is get you to the door because that's the sale.

I'll have to disagree. BIL has had nothing but Toyota for the past 15 years and has never, ever paid the sticker price.

While it may have been true 20, even 5 years ago that Hondas and Toyotas were better made cars than the American brands, that has changed and more recent comparisons rankseveral American cars better than their Honda/Toyota counterparts.

My BFF has a 2004 Toyota Sienna that's quite literally falling apart on her. I have an '03 Mazda minivan that is faring much better (knock wood). However, MIL has an '04 honda odyssey that is literally in perfect condition-nothing has ever broken on it! (her second car, they road trip extensively). I had a '99 Caravan that was a lemon right out of the gate. So I guess it's pick and choose and pay attention to Consumer Reports reliability guides...

I have been talking with this salesperson for weeks and she has quite the attitude. I would love to speak with someone else, but not sure how to go about it. It's not that she has done anything wrong, just a snippy "whatever" attitude. If I show up on the lot, she will come to me as soon as I pull up. Anyway, how much below the invoice (not MSRP) do you suspect they actually pay for the vehicle?

You are in charge. She's there to service you. It's your hard-earned cash. Tell her "I'd like to speak to your manager" in a friendly tone. If she says he/she isn't there, just walk up to the receptionist at the front desk and say "I'd like somebody ELSE to help me buy a car, please." Believe me, you'll get someone!

She's obviously one of those salespeople that likes to guilt and humiliate people into spending more money. The guy at the first lexus dealership kept making jabs at MIL about not being able to afford the lexus. We thought it was pretty sad (like we have to prove something to him)-how many people let salespeople make them feel like they need to keep up with the joneses? Bottom feeders. OTOH, at the other lexus dealership, they were much more straightforward and no guilt trips involved...

 

[sbell111]

You have a couple of avenues. ...

Awesome advice.

 

[Gabes_mommy]

We bought a mini-van in March. First we priced out the Chrysler Town & Country and knew what we could get it for. Then we test drove the Nissan Quest which we liked a lot. When we sat down with the Nissan salesman he had that "whatever" attitude too and they were not willing to negotiate at all. They wouldn't even offer us the deals advertised on the Nissan site - it was really weird actually. We ended up getting an amazing deal on the Chrysler so it all worked out. The Nissan would have been 15K more for a vehicle equipped the same as our new Town and Country. To me, that is a HUGE difference.

FWIW, my father has bought 2 Toyota trucks in the past and has been able to deal for good reductions.

If a car dealer isn't willing to work really hard for me they aren't getting my sale.

 

[N.Bailey]

Toyota does negotiate on some of its vehicles but the Prius has always been MSRP and they have only had rebates on them for the expiring model year. I owned a 2006 Prius and just traded it for a 2010. The car is fantastic and it is the ONLY hybrid that can run on electric only.

I'm not sure if this is true or not, but it won't be once the Chevy Volt hits the production line. The 45 to 50 MPG that the Prius will deliver won't even be a pimple on the Volt's you know what when it starts coming in at over 230 MPG with the first 40 miles per charge requiring no gas at all. I was always rather impressed with the fuel efficiency of the Prius until the fuel standard was revamped in '08. They used to tout 60 miles per gallon and that was impressive, but I'm not so impressed with the true numbers. I am 100% impressed with the Volt. I guess time will tell how it stacks up, but GM has announced that they expect it to get better than 230, not simply, 230. Unfortunately, it will be releasing at close to $40,000 to compensate for the pricing of the batteries, so I won't be among the first to make a purchase, but 2 years down the road and I have little doubt I'll be buying me my first, GM automobile.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Costco buying program and the Credit Union buying programs are both excellent ways to a lower priced vehicle at a pre-negotiated discount.

You must know the make, model and options you want. They will find the car for you. If the dealer they use doesn't have the car, the dealers will 'trade' vehicles for the one you want. It's quite hassle-free.

 

[Kathi OD]

Honda and Toyota do not negotiate price.

I'm a proud owner of two Honda's.

Sure they do; plenty of posters on this thread have given witness to the fact that they do deal. You just haven't gone to a dealership that does.

My DH refuses to go car shopping with me. He's says that I'm too forceful with the sales idiots...oops, I mean salespeople.

I do all my research up front, know exactly what I want to buy (maybe in 2 or 3 different brands) and exactly what I'm willing to pay for it. THEN I go in. I tell them what I want while DH remains either mute or at home.

First strike is when the sales idiot tries to talk only to my DH. Second strike is when the sales idiot tries to play the "woman" card with me. Third strike is when they try to negotiate the price with my DH. By then, I'm gone and won't come back to that sales idiot ever!

I just loved it one time when one suggested that I bring my DH or dad with me.....!

I've never bought a Toyota or Honda as the sales idiots I've encountered at my local dealerships seem to think you must have a specific type of anatomy to buy a car !

You pretty much attack car buying like I do. The car I drive now was purchased by checking out different dealerships on the internet. I saw what I wanted for a price that was waaaay lower than expected. I called the dealership and they confirmed that the price listed online was, in fact, the price of the car. DH came home from work, we drove right over to the dealership and inquired about the car. Told them we saw it on the internet. Suddenly, the car is $13,000 MORE than what the price was online. Fortunately, I had the name of the person I had spoken to earlier, AND a printout of the listing. Turns out that whoever posted the car online made a major typo. We did get the car for the price posted, but you know that the dealership wasn't happy.

Talk about "idiots," how about when the sales person actually has the nerve to look at you and ask if you make enough money to purchase the car! This actually came out of a salesman's mouth while DH and I were in the process of buying a car. We wanted the car in my name only, but were going to finance it. DH just looked at the guy, shook his head as I was saying "we're outta here."

My BFF has a 2004 Toyota Sienna that's quite literally falling apart on her.

Maybe it was the year?? My sister's 04 Sienna needed over $20,000 worth of work, which fortunately was covered under warranty. Not long after the warranty ran out, the car needed even more work, some of which was supposedly repaired previously. She didn't waste any time getting rid of it.

 

[Praying Colonel]

I bought my 05 Camry last year for about 3,500 below the listed blue book, but I live in an area where there's a Ford truck plant and there's a lot of loyalty to that model, so Toyotas aren't as in demand here, I think.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Here are some good tips: http://www.carbuyingtips.com/car5.htm

 

[Geoff_M]

The price that the manufacturer wants you pay, what the dealer pays (on paper) and then what the dealer actually pays.

What you're referring to here is the "holdback". Dealers do technically pay "invoice" for their inventory, but for each vehicle they take delivery of the auto maker sets aside a certain dollar amount as a "holdback". For domestic makers it usually 3% of the total MSRP. When the dealer actually sells the car, they are given the "holdback" money from the car maker.

 

[EMom]

I didn't read all 4 pages, but when we bought a Toyota in January, three dealerships got into a bidding war over us. Dealerships were closing all over the place and they were doing anything to sell a car back at the beginning of the year. Cash for clunkers really has made the market move, hasn't it?

We could get a good fleet price from one dealership (something like $50 over invoice) and two other dealerships matched that. It may have actually been less than "customer" invoice....Instead it was based on what I call "the real invoice"....meaning what the dealership actually pays. I think it was $50 more than THAT. Then they started throwing in extras. Before we knew it, one offered us the next level of that model for the exact same price as the base model (middle level model for $50 over actual invoice price of base model) and one of the other dealerships matched that and threw in 6 free oil changes plus something else that I can't remember. Since they could get the exact color, etc., that I wanted, we went with them.

We just sat back and let the three of them duke it out and walked away with a sweet deal. We got it for several thousand under sticker. I have never paid anywhere close to sticker for a car. I don't want ANY car that much. I will (and have) walk out on a salesman who is b.s.ing me with the "I'll have to check with my boss" crap. We walk in and tell them what we want, what we'll pay (after extensive research) and they agree to that or they don't. If they don't, we leave. We don't haggle for hours. There's no need. They know what they can accept and what they can't. Take it or leave it. The last few car purchases have all resulted in bidding wars for our business and that's fine by me. We wind up getting the car for less than we were willing to pay. I think the key for us is, we truly have no emotional connection to the cars. I'm not sad if I lose out one one. I could not care less. If the salespeople realize that, they see that a big bargaining chip has been lost to them. If the car MATTERS to you, you are at a disadvantage.

 

[clgwli]

I'm loyal to Honda but I have looked at Toyotas in the past and also with family members.

Those who say that Toyotas and Hondas do not negotiate I would suggest you look around. I have never paid close to sticker price on any of my new Hondas.

E-mailing the sales department can really help to get lower prices. It does pay to do research and if you don't like the price go somewhere else. There are sites out there that actually give you the average paid for the type of car you want in your zip code. That will be far more telling than anything a salesperson tries to say.