hi guys, i'm new on this board, looking to buy a T4R soon. i hope you guys can give me some insights into the negotiating process. if i do buy, or when i buy, i'll be buying a 2005 toyota avalon along with a 2005( or 2006) toyota 4runner at the same time. If i am going to let the salesman make 2 sells in less than one hour, you think i can just walk in and demand that he give me BOTH cars at invoice?? or even 200~300 bucks less than invoice for both cars??? would i be humiliated by his outbursts of laughter??? and also, i read from you guys that i can demand the dealer to equip the sports edition (the one i want) with the michellin tires without adding too much cost??? 100 bucks for the tire swap sounds reasonable????
2 cars count as a fleet purchast??
- Thread starter daveman
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sharp4runr
New member
Giving a salesman two sales at the same time gives you big bargaining chips bro. It cannot hurt to ask and stand your ground. If he says no, tell him thats fine and you're going to the OTHER Toyota dealership across town and giving them the same chance. Watch him dance 
okay, so i take it from you that he will easily meet my demands?? i'm in So. Cal right now, but i will most likely move to the Houston area (the Texas one) before the end of the year. i know that's truck country and imports are rare sightings out there, so a toyota dealer would be willing to sell at lower prices than on the west coast, in cali. I also know that there are only a few toyo dealers around there as compared to Fords and GMC delaers, so would the dealer know i have no one to buy my toyotas but from him??? i'll be in the Sugar Land area, i'm pretty sure.
THUNDER, THUNDER, THUNDER, THUNDER CATS!!! I SURE MISS THOSE DAYS...
THUNDER, THUNDER, THUNDER, THUNDER CATS!!! I SURE MISS THOSE DAYS...
sharp4runr
New member
I wouldn't say easily, but with some prodding there is a good chance he'll cave. You're talking about purchasing 2 $30K+ cars from him at the same time. He'll be salivating to make the sale to you.
daveman said:
Toyota prices might be a little softer here, but don't kid yourself Toyotas are not rare here, the dealers aren't hurting, and there are more than a few dealers in the area.
Don Mcgill Toyota
Don McGill Toyota Katy
Sterling Mccall Toyota
Mike Calvert Toyota
Joe Myers Toyota
Tejas Toyota
Sterling Mccall Toyota Fort Bend
Ron Carter Toyota
Star Toyota
Toyota Of Baytown
Gulf Coast Toyota
Gullo Toyota Of Conroe
Demontrond Toyota
and more....
AZRunner
New member
Find the exact vehicle you want on the dealers lot. Price it out at CarsDirect.com for your area. Print it out and use it as a starting price. Ask the dealer to beat it. If they won't (they will) you can purchase directly from cars direct online. Use that as your bargaining tool. Never let them start at MSRP. Always start at invoice. Remember that the dealership gets money back from the factory after the sale. Right now in zip code 85208 (Mesa, AZ) cars direct lists $29,822 for the basic 4X4 V8 sport edition. About $400 below invoice. Propably about the same where you're at. The dealer won't give you that unless they know you can get it somewhere else for that.
thanks for the input, guys.... there are houston, alabama; houston, minnesota; houston, i think it was arkansas????? i checked for reat estate in houston area and the real estate showed me 7 results with houston, only one in Texas. I live, I learn. okay, so, armed with a fleet purchase (2 cars), i skip the salesman all together, and walk directly into the office, and ask the nice lady for the sales manager?? or the fleet manager??? those guys don't work on commision, so they'll be more willing to deal?? but if they don't work on commision, they wouldn't appreciate me giving them 2 sales in one hour anyhow, so wouldn't i loose my bargaining chip of 2 purchases???
realyfishy
New member
The invoice on mine shows a "dealer holdback of $ 575.00, port installed acces. program reserve of $300.38" This is money the dealer gets rebateted to them from Southeast Toyota, our local distributor. Its printed right on the invoice. Also dealers get monthly incentives based on volume and sales, that can add up to tens of thousands. Go to the dealer the last few days of the month. Think of the dealer hitting their monthly objective....and call first, and ask to speak to a sales manager, put your foot in the door first. Texas has Gulf States Distributors.....No 2 cars is not a fleet, but you should get a break. Good luck, offer below invioce!
Fortyounces
New member
Have to agree with realfishy,
you should definately "qualify" yourself before stepping foot in the dealer. By "qualify" I don't mean in terms of financing, I mean in terms of introducing yourself to the fleet/sales manager and explaining to him/her your special situation. It's not everyday a dealership gets someone walking in and rolling out with 2 new cars at once.
Set up and appointment with the guy/gal if they come across as genuine and interested in discussing getting you in those two cars ASAP. If they seem vague or dis-interested, you probably aren't going to have the upper hand in negotiations. Believe it or not, there are car salesmen that don't want to be bothered chasing after you for your business.
I was only purchasing a single 4runner, but out of the 8 dealerships I contacted requesting a quote, ONLY 3 bothered to reply. I did all the negotiating via many, many emails pitting those 3 dealers against one another and after I had the winning price, I went in and met the fleet/internet sales manager. From the intro handshake to me out the door in my new ride was about an hour and a half. We were both happy. Me because I got a great price without the high pressure sales pitch, them because they didn't have to "waste" time playing the numbers game in person. It was a very casual back and forth of emails that led to a sale for them. For me the email route worked perfect. But in the case of a multiple vehicle purchase, you showing your face in there will let them know you are not playing games and are very serious about making a deal.
and DEFINATELY go toward the end of the month. Leave yourself the last couple days of the month for them to call you back if/when you walk out without a deal. If they have to meet their monthly goals, they'll call you back before the 31st.
you should definately "qualify" yourself before stepping foot in the dealer. By "qualify" I don't mean in terms of financing, I mean in terms of introducing yourself to the fleet/sales manager and explaining to him/her your special situation. It's not everyday a dealership gets someone walking in and rolling out with 2 new cars at once.
Set up and appointment with the guy/gal if they come across as genuine and interested in discussing getting you in those two cars ASAP. If they seem vague or dis-interested, you probably aren't going to have the upper hand in negotiations. Believe it or not, there are car salesmen that don't want to be bothered chasing after you for your business.
I was only purchasing a single 4runner, but out of the 8 dealerships I contacted requesting a quote, ONLY 3 bothered to reply. I did all the negotiating via many, many emails pitting those 3 dealers against one another and after I had the winning price, I went in and met the fleet/internet sales manager. From the intro handshake to me out the door in my new ride was about an hour and a half. We were both happy. Me because I got a great price without the high pressure sales pitch, them because they didn't have to "waste" time playing the numbers game in person. It was a very casual back and forth of emails that led to a sale for them. For me the email route worked perfect. But in the case of a multiple vehicle purchase, you showing your face in there will let them know you are not playing games and are very serious about making a deal.
and DEFINATELY go toward the end of the month. Leave yourself the last couple days of the month for them to call you back if/when you walk out without a deal. If they have to meet their monthly goals, they'll call you back before the 31st.
realyfishy
New member
Thats right, don't expect to get a deal on a new body style change, until you see a few sitting around the lot. Dealers only have untill the supply catches up with the demand to make a decent profit on new models.
fastlif306
New member
Go at the end of the month, last 5 days, not on a Saturday, they are too busy then. Be polite, be reasonable, by that I mean, expect the dealer to make a profit off of you, why, cause they will, they do not pay people with apples that work there, they pay with money. Some people on this forum, and in public, think that they should be given the car at invoice, below invoice, into holdback blah blah blah. Yeah, well to get it at their invoice is great, and 99% of time, thats the most you will get on a GREAT day from a Toyota dealer. What I am trying to say, if you want toget a break like a Chevy, buy a Chevy. Toyota is number 1 for a reason, so they do not have to give 6k back to you off sticker like the other brands. If you treat them right by approaching the dealer that you want two at once, of course its good for you, and in the long run, you can prolly start a relationship at that dealer that will benefit you when you want to trade one down the road?
Keep in mind, Edmunds, and all the other places on line are very close to the invoice when listed, but the BASE invoice, meaning just a 4Runner Sport V8 blah blah, not with option 1,2, ... and destination, and o yeah, the Toyota tacked on sales marketing money they get from each car sold, gotta pay for those commercials somehow right? All this adds up, and people get torqued when they go in there, thinkin they are a know it all, showing this or that from the innnnernet and demanding that low price cause its what Edmunds says. When in fact, if you look at real invoices for Yotas, they are much different.
And, by all means, make sure your credit, or funding is good to go. NOTHING is more dissapointing to a salesperson, than to spend a few hours with you setting you up for your car/cars and run your credit or find out you have no money to pay for your dream. YOU just made them lose other sales, waste time, and make a complete idiot out of yourself. NOT saying you do, I added that for public knowledge, because you would not believe how many people go into the dealer and think they deserve that new car, when they have not paid their Visa bill in the past six months.
Anyway, take what I said and do what you want. Hope it helps, if not, sorry for the long winded post.
PS I bought two 4Runners last year, so I know how you feel. I got them both for invoice of their actual value, meaning, with the options and what nots added to the invoice. I felt this was fair.
Keep in mind, Edmunds, and all the other places on line are very close to the invoice when listed, but the BASE invoice, meaning just a 4Runner Sport V8 blah blah, not with option 1,2, ... and destination, and o yeah, the Toyota tacked on sales marketing money they get from each car sold, gotta pay for those commercials somehow right? All this adds up, and people get torqued when they go in there, thinkin they are a know it all, showing this or that from the innnnernet and demanding that low price cause its what Edmunds says. When in fact, if you look at real invoices for Yotas, they are much different.
And, by all means, make sure your credit, or funding is good to go. NOTHING is more dissapointing to a salesperson, than to spend a few hours with you setting you up for your car/cars and run your credit or find out you have no money to pay for your dream. YOU just made them lose other sales, waste time, and make a complete idiot out of yourself. NOT saying you do, I added that for public knowledge, because you would not believe how many people go into the dealer and think they deserve that new car, when they have not paid their Visa bill in the past six months.
Anyway, take what I said and do what you want. Hope it helps, if not, sorry for the long winded post.
PS I bought two 4Runners last year, so I know how you feel. I got them both for invoice of their actual value, meaning, with the options and what nots added to the invoice. I felt this was fair.
realyfishy
New member
Oh, by the way, dealers are allowed to make some profit.
