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I just bought a new car for my wife. One Toyota dealer wouldn't even come off MSRP and wanted to charge extra because the car we wanted wasn't on the lot and they had to bring it in. Outrageous, so we walked. They would not deal at all.
Drove 20 minutes to another Toyota dealer and within another 5 min this dealer sold at a rock bottom price, same exact car, and didn't charge anything extra to bring it in from the other dealer.
Now guess which dealer I visit for service and/or parts.
On the way to the second dealer I called another out of town Toyota dealer and it turns out they offered an even better price than the second dealer (not much, about $100), but it was the wrong color, they said they couldn't get the color we wanted, so we didn't bite.
Just shop around. You can use email now if you want. They all have "internet" sales teams.
One thing I am finding out is sales people at dealers aren't nearly as hungry to make a sale as say 10 years ago. They aren't nearly as aggressive to get the deal done.
I was surprised how passive and not willing to deal some dealers are even when you tell them you are buying RIGHT NOW if the deal is right.
So the dealer "incentive" here for negotiation is that the OP will just buy a 2017 instead? I think the dealer won that arm wrestle. All they have to do is wait.
One thing I am finding out is sales people at dealers aren't nearly as hungry to make a sale as say 10 years ago. They aren't nearly as aggressive to get the deal done.
I was surprised how passive and not willing to deal some dealers are even when you tell them you are buying RIGHT NOW if the deal is right.
In 2008 we were looking to buy our 4th Nissan. A Murano this time. The salesman was supposed to search for a match and get back to us. This was towards the end of a sale. I waited 4 days and called him. Jerk had no idea who I was. Haven't, and will never, buy another Nissan.
For my one new car I knew exactly what I wanted down to the option codes and the price I was willing to pay and it would need to be ordered.
There are 5 Dealers in the Bay Area... and mediocre to poor sums up the experience with the first 4... was going to let it go but decided to call the 5th... I briefly said what I wanted, offered to fax it over and he promised to call back within 30 minutes... yeah right.
30 minutes later he calls and asked how I was planning to pay and I told him cash... he said there was not much in the deal but he would approve it with a $1000 credit card deposit and get it ordered... unbelievably simple... probably helped that he was the general sales manager and even said this only works because there would be no in house commission due.
Being an informed buyer knowing the price required simplifies it to a yes or no...
In 2008 we were looking to buy our 4th Nissan. A Murano this time. The salesman was supposed to search for a match and get back to us. This was towards the end of a sale. I waited 4 days and called him. Jerk had no idea who I was. Haven't, and will never, buy another Nissan.
This one incident and you are writing off a complete manufacturer? That's brutal
One thing is for certain, not all dealerships are created equal. A lot depends upon their volume and location. Some use some very interesting sales tactics. Such as a used dealership down in Florida. I cannot remember the name of it right now, but I've watched a lot of their You Tube video ads. They have very hot, young women as sales people at these dealerships. Now mind you, the women aren't in bikinis or anything like that (darn it!) They are dressed appropriately, but they are very sexy young ladies. You're so caught up in how sexy these women are, that you'd make a special trip down to Florida and probably wind up buying a Yugo from them just to meet these ladies in person! I would imagine most of the guys don't do a lot of hardcore haggling with these ladies. They're probably so engulfed by how attractive they are, that they'll accept the first offer given. Of course, I'd probably send them to their sales manager a few times just to watch them walk away, lol! This is probably the best sales tactic of any dealership in the country! I imagine they have absolutely no problem selling vehicles and selling them for what they're prices at!
Then you have the dealerships from where I grew up at. You'll be looking at cars on the lot and wonder if they're open, because there is not a single sales person in sight! Which is interesting, giving that the area I grew up in is not a very wealthy area. Not a lot of jobs there. So you'd think the first site of someone coming upon the lot should be like fish coming to the fisherman. But they don't ever seem to care much to make sales.
The area I'm in now, it's more of what I'm used to. You have sales people who are right there to help you as soon you come on the lot, which I'm good with. I want dealership sales people to be eager to help me, even if I don't buy from them. Somewhere, down the line, they're going to have the car I want, so they should always be thinking in terms of the future. But then again, I am talking about sales people who you see in person. Internet sales are probably a different ballgame. They are dealing with faceless people online. They probably go through a lot of bogus inquiries each day of the week.
New car dealers' days, as we know them, are numbered.
Tesla is waging a state-by-state battle to overturn direct sales bans. As younger people take over State legislatures the wars will escalate. Just like Uber, et al turned the taxi industry upside down, Tesla will prevail eventually. When they do, look for the other makers to jump into direct sales with both feet.
The dealers know they're through when this happens...
IF it happens, yes dealers as we know them may be through, but the consumer will be in no better a bargaining position, and most likely the buyer will be worse off.
The old time dealer of 40-50 years ago is disappearing slowly anyway, what with pulled franchises and mega consolidations. That's why you see posters saying they went 300 miles seeking a deal. When the same local entity owns 3 Mazda stores plus Chevy, Honda and Lexus you are screwed before you start.
You may not be too happy if you get what you wish for and the Tesla sales model prevails. It is not at all like Uber, Uber added thousands of new players to the marketplace whereas the automakers want to consolidate and/or eliminate; it already happened in construction machinery and farm equipment (think CAT and John Deere), and automobiles may be next, or attempting to anyways.
Dealerships still have their place especially with the service department. Where are customers supposed to go to get warranty work done?
I don't wish for the dealerships to disappear, just makeover their tactics. If most/all of them just went away with the haggling and had one price it would make the car buying experience so much easier. Yes, I do realize you can do that now but if you knew that 99% of people are paying the same price you are you won't feel like you got worked.
No exaggeration... many now expect you to leave your car overnight for an oil change and the list of those I know trying to get recall work like an airbag replaced is crazy with no confirmed date in sight.
For some reason, all the express lane services seem to be no more... at one time several of the local Dealers would offer 59 minute oil changes or the next visit was free...
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