New car dealing?
 

It's new car time for Mrs. Moonie. After a painfully drawn out search process she has decided on the Toyota Camry Hybrid.

My problem is that these things are selling like crazy. The dealer cannot keep them in stock. Is there anyway to haggle for a deal in that situation?

About the only opportunity I can see is the "I'll go elsewhere" but of course I'd have the same problem at any dealer and I'm sure they know that.

Any ideas?

No, you're not likely to get a deal. You'll be lucky to get sticker and not something over it.

Maybe, but not the kind of deal that's good for you. Back in '04, we were on a wait list for a Prius. We had to put down a $500 deposit and agree to pay MSRP. Okeydokey. We were told the waiting list was six months, but six months passed, and no car. We looked at Edmund's, and it said that the cars were selling for above MSRP, so we began to get the feeling that we were expected to offer more money, which we did not want to do. We then went to a Honda dealer to look at the Civic Hybrid, which we liked well enough. The salesman said he had to bump up the price because these things were really moving. I had my Edmund's printout and said, "No, they aren't." He caved immediately, and we were out of there in half an hour with a proper 300 to 400 above dealer invoice car that we've been quite happy with.

If you are an AAA member, I suggest you check into AAA Fleet Pricing. We've used it to buy our last three cars and it works very well. AAA negotiates with dealers for volume pricing and there's no individual haggling necessary; you deal with the fleet manager instead of regular salespeople. You may not get the absolute best price you could have gotten by hardcore haggling, but you'll get a price that's more than fair. With the popularity of hybrids, I suspect AAA Fleet Pricing will get you the best price available.

If you're not a member of AAA, Costco also has fleet pricing as do many credit unions.

Good point. You'll likely get the same price from any volume-pricing organization.

In our research (which, granted, was limited - since we had to replace my car which was declared a total loss thanks to the jerk who hit me) we found that even year-old used hybrids are going for more than new MSRP. The demand is simply too great. Great haggling can be done for SUVs, though - nobody wants them. Wonder why?

Sam's does the same.

If you know anyone at a large corporation, you might ask who they buy their company cars from. When my dad was with Monsanto many years ago, we could get Fords at dealer cost.

Not me. I've wanted one for quite some time - and picked one up for really cheap. My car payments are the same. My gas mileage is the same as I was getting before in my mini van. But now I've got a dreamy car I've always wanted and paid about $8k less than KBB.

So - at least I'm even steven.

Although if gas prices go back up I'm sure I'll be singing a different tune.

On the other hand, I keep hearing about how the auto industry is on the rocks due to the crappy economy, and that getting a loan right now is tough. Moonie, are you preapproved, or are you paying cash? ;)

We'll be paying cash which makes me even that more irate. You can usually get a discount for cash.


Mrs. Moonie has a buying service via work so we are checking that out as well as the AAA. Thanks for all the ideas everyone.

Wow, I'm impressed! :eek: I did not expect that answer. WTG! :snap:

I don't think that has been true for new cars for quite a long time. Everything I've ever read for years now says to hide that you're paying cash until negotiations are done.

The modern structure for car dealerships means that they're no longer in the business of selling cars but in selling financing and cash just deprives them of their business.

Yes, I over simplified. The negotiations involve the implication of financing through them and working a price based on that.

Although with all the Internet based info available now, most of the haggle aspect has gone out the window. I know the dealers actual price, they know I know, I know what a reasonable markup is, they know I know, etc...

One would think, but when I went car shopping with my mother last year, it still took us all day, starting with the MSRP+ quote and including endless head-shaking and trips back to the manager before we got where we needed to be. I don't know if it was because they thought my mother was old and not up to the battle or they're just jerks, but it was definitely old school.

Haggling is still alive and well. On my Explorer I haggled on the car. On my Mazda3 I haggled on my trade in (I had friends and family pricing on the car).

For a popular car it may be hard to haggle.

It took me 3 trips to get my Volvo. When I got the price I wanted, I then told them I had to run to the CU for a check. :) I love car buying.

OH, GC - remember my Honda "boyfriend"?

Ohhh, shiny!

We visited a second dealer in the area who quoted us a price ~$1,200 less than the first dealer we visited. Signed, sealed and delivered. Hybrid goodness, Sat-nav, bluetooth, and best of all, butt warmers. :D

Now I just have to face the new car blues. The Moonie mobile which was fine for me last week now feels old and busted sitting next to Mrs. Moonies new ride. Perhaps one of those pine tree air fresheners would help....

God Dammit.

Eh... give it an election. They'll go back up.

*sniff*

You always know just the right thing to say to make it all better.

I saved 7,000 after reading the contract. Always read your contract.

The finance departments like to slip in extra fees without telling you. You are definitely going the right route.

Tell me about it, the first car I ever purchased on my own came with a four year lease yet somehow in the paper work it became a five year lease at the same monthly rate. Sneaky bastards thought they could get away with that S.