Dreading going to dealer to buy new 4R.

[Oak]

Do any of you guys feel the way I do about new car shopping?

I have been checking google and yelp reviews for Toyota dealers near me and there is not a single place within 30 miles that isn't full of horrible write ups. Some of the stories of the scams and con artistry that some of the dealers do really has me dreading it. They lie, they cheat, why does getting a new car have to be such a pain in the butt?

Anyone know a good dealer in NY/NJ area that they would recommend?

 

[BettysNephew]

Sorry to hear about the reported state of dealerships in your area. I recently purchased a new 4Runner from Cedar Rapids Toyota and could not have had a better experience. Honest and straight forward folks. Keep searching and hopefully you will find a good dealer in your area. Also be aware that the vast number of folks that have a good experience with a dealer do not express their feelings on the internet but anyone with a hangnail that was discovered while visiting the dealership will somehow blame the dealer for it. Squeaky wheel and all that.

 

[c350z]

Contact the general sales manager and deal with them only, they get paid on volume so they usually make the best deal and want it done quickly, you can do it all via email most time and just come in sign and drive.

 

[wnelax04sr5]

could think about it this way, not many people take to the internet to write a review about how great of an experience they had. lots of people are spurred on by a negative experience

 

[KidVermicious]

1) figure out exactly what vehicle you want before you even think about talking to a dealer - model, color, options, everything.

2) have cash in hand if you can, and if not arrange your own financing through a credit union.

3) email every dealer within as big a range as you're willing to drive, asking for their price out the door for that specific truck. Show the lowest price you get to all the other dealers asking them if they want to beat it - some probably will. Repeat as often as you can, until none of them wants to go any lower.

4) get with whoever gave you the lowest price and work out the details to buy your new truck via email. Do not go into the dealership until you have a solid agreement, and be ready to walk the instant they try to add fees that weren't discussed in the email. If you do have to walk, don't call them, wait for them to call you. If they don't, go to whoever offered the second lowest price, tell them how the first guys ****ed up their sale, and give them a chance to do better.

The key is maintaining absolute control of the situation at all times. A good salesman is trained to get money out of you in many many ways, and it takes the same training to sit there in the corner office at the dealership and counter all his tricks. He can't play his Jedi mind tricks in an email, so do your business via email and you'll walk away with the best possible deal for the truck you want at the time you're buying.

 

[preacher35]

The key is maintaining absolute control of the situation at all times. A good salesman is trained to get money out of you in many many ways, and it takes the same training to sit there in the corner office at the dealership and counter all his tricks. He can't play his Jedi mind tricks in an email, so do your business via email and you'll walk away with the best possible deal for the truck you want at the time you're buying.

KidVermicious is right. STAY IN CONTROL of the situation! Remember, believe it or not, you're the one holding all of the cards. Go in there with a dollar amount in mind and do not budge. If they refuse, then thank them and move on down to the next dealership. Believe me, they want you to buy a car from them WAY MORE than you want to buy one from them!

 

[DCGweez]

Most dealers would prefer you finance. Cash in hand is really no help. (Trust me I've tried)

As c350 said they usually "lose money" on the cars individually and make it up on incentives for volume.

Sales guys want you to buy a car "today"

If you know what you want and you know what the "best deal" you're gonna get is, it's a pretty stress free experience.

Find the edmunds TMV and use that. In addition always work from the Invoice price, the MSRP is a useless number.

I usually shoot for 7% below invoice, if i can get 5% then i'm happy. (This doesn't apply to say TDR Pros or in demand vehicles)

Finally and most importantly, always discuss the "walk out the door" price. Especially when comparing prices from different dealerships. "Sale Price" won't give you an apples-to-apples comparison.

 

[drewm]

Seriously, don't start negotiating at a dealer, this technique works so much better. Have them all fight prices against each other before you step into a dealership. This is the way I've purchased cars for the past 15 years:
The Slickdeals Approach to Negotiating the Price of a New Car (Updated July 22, 2010) 03-26-2010 - Slickdeals.net

I landed 3 cars at 20% off msrp (around 10% below invoice) and others way below invoice using this technique.

 

[Titanpat57]

I love wheeling and dealing with sales people...its a game I never get tired of.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to get my my next truck from Prestige Toyota down in Mahwah on 17..... I really like their style. Right now I use Rockland Toyota for service and really like them.

 

[KidVermicious]

Negotiating at the dealership is a great way to get fleeced. And financing at the lot makes it easy for the dealership to give you a "great deal" on a sales price while :frisky: you with interest and finance fees.

Seriously, buying new or used don't ever talk in anything but the "out the door" price, and don't go on the lot until you have a price you like and are ready to write a check. The salesman is a professional negotiator and you are not and if you try to play his game his way on his turf you're going to get schooled. If he's skilled you'll walk away thinking you "won", but nobody ever "wins" negotiating with a dealership salesman.

 

[ben550]

1) figure out exactly what vehicle you want before you even think about talking to a dealer - model, color, options, everything.

2) have cash in hand if you can, and if not arrange your own financing through a credit union.

3) email every dealer within as big a range as you're willing to drive, asking for their price out the door for that specific truck. Show the lowest price you get to all the other dealers asking them if they want to beat it - some probably will. Repeat as often as you can, until none of them wants to go any lower.

4) get with whoever gave you the lowest price and work out the details to buy your new truck via email. Do not go into the dealership until you have a solid agreement, and be ready to walk the instant they try to add fees that weren't discussed in the email. If you do have to walk, don't call them, wait for them to call you. If they don't, go to whoever offered the second lowest price, tell them how the first guys ****ed up their sale, and give them a chance to do better.

The key is maintaining absolute control of the situation at all times. A good salesman is trained to get money out of you in many many ways, and it takes the same training to sit there in the corner office at the dealership and counter all his tricks. He can't play his Jedi mind tricks in an email, so do your business via email and you'll walk away with the best possible deal for the truck you want at the time you're buying.

Negotiating at the dealership is a great way to get fleeced. And financing at the lot makes it easy for the dealership to give you a "great deal" on a sales price while :frisky: you with interest and finance fees.

Seriously, buying new or used don't ever talk in anything but the "out the door" price, and don't go on the lot until you have a price you like and are ready to write a check. The salesman is a professional negotiator and you are not and if you try to play his game his way on his turf you're going to get schooled. If he's skilled you'll walk away thinking you "won", but nobody ever "wins" negotiating with a dealership salesman.

Great advice.

It might be a bit far for you but Freedom Toyota in Hamburg, PA has pretty good reviews. Its not a bad drive.

Freedom Toyota of Hamburg | Toyota Scion & Used Car Dealer in PA

 

[4eigner]

1) figure out exactly what vehicle you want before you even think about talking to a dealer ...

Sounds nearly identical to what Clark Howard says about buying a new car Clark Smart steps for buying a new car | www.clarkhoward.com

 

[Martinjmpr]

Buying used is a bit trickier simply because while all new vehicles of the same make/model are identical, no two used vehicles are the same. With used it's important to have already decided what is negotiable and what is a 'dealbreaker.'

I probably paid more than I should have for my '07 simply because it was in a hard-to-find color (silver, gray, white and black 4runners are a dime a dozen around here but I didn't want one of those, I really wanted the SRP.)

I prefer to do as much research as possible and come up, in advance, with what I think is a fair price based on what I've seen similar vehicles advertised for and what I can find on the internet, and as long as the salesman can meet my "fair price" I'm happy.

If the vehicle is already priced at or near what I consider the "fair" price, then I'm OK paying it - I don't drive myself crazy thinking "I couldn't have gotten it for less!" like some people do. Even if I could, so what? I got it at what I consider a "fair price" so the fact that somebody else could have gotten it for less doesn't bother me.

I think some people work themselves into a frenzy because they go in with the mindset that they want to "beat the dealer." At some point, "beating" the salesman becomes the objective (my wife is kind of like that) and then you lose sight of the fact that the real objective ought to be getting a car and then getting on with your life.

Some might say "if you just [insert negotiating tactic here] then you could have gotten it for less!" But my reply is to say that my time has value, too, so if I waste my time trying to get another $500 off the price, that's time I would actually rather be doing something else (not to mention the stress...)

 

[Oak]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm going to try the email method and see what happens.

Should I email with the internet sales manager or general sales manager? Also what would be an acceptable contract or document that I can make with them before Ingondown to actually buy.

Another issue is I do have a car I was hoping to trade in and get a few bucks for. Should i negotiate an OTD price and get it in writing, and then when I get there ask them if they have interest in the trade in?

In thinking if they offer me less than 5 grand ill just give the car to a relative. KBB lists it as $10k value on dealer trade in.

 

[blight1234]

Do NOT let them play the "How much can you afford" game!!! I worked in a stealership for about 7 years and they are always trying to sqeeze as much money as they can out of you.

Dont bash me for saying this, but have you tried that carvona.com website? I have 0% experience with it but atleast you would not have to deal with a salesmen. Just a thought.

 

[KidVermicious]

Sounds nearly identical to what Clark Howard says about buying a new car Clark Smart steps for buying a new car | www.clarkhoward.com

There's several different versions of that going around, and they have been for a while (I first heard it when it was fax machines, before we even had email ).

 

[Martinjmpr]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm going to try the email method and see what happens.

Should I email with the internet sales manager or general sales manager? Also what would be an acceptable contract or document that I can make with them before Ingondown to actually buy.

Another issue is I do have a car I was hoping to trade in and get a few bucks for. Should i negotiate an OTD price and get it in writing, and then when I get there ask them if they have interest in the trade in?

In thinking if they offer me less than 5 grand ill just give the car to a relative. KBB lists it as $10k value on dealer trade in.

If it is feasible to do, I would say sell the car separately. Here's why: When it comes to the car buying game, complexity favors the dealer, not you. The more complex the deal is, the more opportunities for the dealer to sock you for more $$. That's why dealers love the "four square."

The simpler the deal is (as in "I want X vehicle and I'll pay Y dollars for it") the easier it is for you to know whether you're getting a good deal or not.

I've had pretty good experience selling vehicles on CL. Yes, it takes time. Yes, you have to deal with flakey people. Yes, it's work. But you will usually get a better price going with a private sale. It's up to you to decide whether the $$ you earn are worth the time and effort (see my statement in the previous reply: My time is worth money, too.)

One option you might want to consider is CarMax, if there is one in your area. Car max will give you a written offer that is good for (I think) 7 days.

If the car is clean and in good shape, you might be surprised at how much it will sell for. Decent used cars are still in high demand.

 

[llessur2]

If you have any questions about the process or. Price let me know. I work at a used car dealership in nc, and my father in law owns and runs a toyota dealership ( Go Toyota of Clinton, NC).