Don't understand dealers

[StevieG]

Just tried doing a trade deal a few weeks ago a with Boat N RV trading my Fleetwood Discovery and 41' boat plus cash for a new 38 Holiday Rambler. After a lot of BS about getting aggressive, they were taking my boat and Discovery for less than 50 cents on the dollar and pricing their coach at full MSRP. Needless to say, told them they can keep their Motorhome. I showed them via many ads what their rig was selling for cash all over the internet and what my wholesale value was via BUC, NADA, and KBB. When I structured the deal my way, I never heard from them again....

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Mich F

I didn't overlook anything. The NADA price I referenced was the value of the base vehicle, which was more than I paid for the vehicle, which did have all the options offered at the time, included in what I paid. I never added anything to the NADA value for options.

What I posted was a general statement, not directed at anyone in particular.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Old Car Nut

There should not be ANY sales tax on the sale of a used vehicle. They collected the tax on the original sale. To tax it again is a ripoff. But someone has to pay for the multi billion dollar light rail project that no one uses.

That's true if it was bought in the state, the Magna was not so it's a first time sale in WA plus we bought it in OR which has no sales/use tax but still have to register it in WA since we're residents. Didn't like to pony up over $23,000 just because we live here!

[Dogpatch]

Originally Posted by StevieG

Just tried doing a trade deal a few weeks ago a with Boat N RV trading my Fleetwood Discovery and 41' boat plus cash for a new 38 Holiday Rambler. After a lot of BS about getting aggressive, they were taking my boat and Discovery for less than 50 cents on the dollar and pricing their coach at full MSRP. Needless to say, told them they can keep their Motorhome. I showed them via many ads what their rig was selling for cash all over the internet and what my wholesale value was via BUC, NADA, and KBB. When I structured the deal my way, I never heard from them again....

For some reason, I'm not surprised.

Every time I've ever looked at trading in something, the offer has never been remotely close to something I'd accept.

I don't know how they ever get trade-ins unless they are simply preying on the naïve.

[SteveLevin]

IMO, calling dealers and haggling over the phone never gets very far. There's a huge difference between standing there and saying "agree to this price right now and you've sold a coach" and saying "will you sell this coach for XYZ?"

Even as a private party, when I've had people call me up (having looked at pictures) and already start negotiating, I don't take them seriously -- because I expect that even if they showed up, they'd probably want to negotiate even FARTHER down based on various little things they can't see in pictures, etc. So I would never give someone my "best price" sight unseen on the coach, because I know I am setting myself up for failure (in that I will either take even less money, or they will walk away when I refuse to come down even a penny).

Steve

[StevieG]

Originally Posted by SteveLevin

IMO, calling dealers and haggling over the phone never gets very far. There's a huge difference between standing there and saying "agree to this price right now and you've sold a coach" and saying "will you sell this coach for XYZ? Steve

Steve,

I don't know if your comment was in response to my most recent post, but I saw these guys at the Rockland County RV show back in February. I gave them all of my information there and was told, I was going to get a "sweet" deal... About two weeks later they called me and asked me to come up to their dealership RV show on Saturday. The factory guy was going to be there and I would get an awesome deal... When I got there I spent 45 minutes giving them the same information I gave them about my trades a couple of weeks earlier. After waiting around for another 45 minutes, I never got the bottom line... Their "boat wholesaler" was unavailable so they said they would call me. A week later they sent me an email with their offer.

I totally agree with Dogpatch about dealers and knew it would go down this way, but thought I would at least give it a try.

[Dogpatch]

The part that bothers me about any kind of a vehicle dealer is they operate like its some covert operation. Everything about how the arrive at an offer is a secret. It makes them look underhanded.

Why can't they just be up front and discuss their process of value of their offer?
Stop treating us like we're stupid and don't understand that a dealership has to make money to survive. We get it!

I don't like feeling my derrière pucker every time I try to negotiate a deal and I hate being the only one to walk funny after I've done it.

[Mich F]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

What I posted was a general statement, not directed at anyone in particular.

I assumed when you quoted my post, in your previous post, that you were directing it to me.

[Steveoreno]

I looked for almost a year for my current coach. I looked pretty much from coast to coast . EBAY craiglist, RVT & Trader,racing junk and some other auction sites. Found one 22 hours away. I made them send tons of pics until I was satisfied with the condition. One I almost bought right before that I even paid for a 3rd party mobile mechanic to check the mechanicals and had some sketchy oil samples so I passed. Anyway flew in and spent almost a day checking everything making sure all was as advertised and drove it home. Good luck. BTW I also saved every vehicle listed and how long and if possible what it sold for. I had some pretty specific brand and other requirements as well.

[beverly643]

I have spent so much time looking for and assessing true value. That is the word you must hold As a perception of value is in the seller and buyer. Private sales are inflated for the same reason but it is the most honedt deal.

[Papa_Jim]

Originally Posted by Dogpatch

The part that bothers me about any kind of a vehicle dealer is they operate like its some covert operation. Everything about how the arrive at an offer is a secret. It makes them look underhanded.

Why can't they just be up front and discuss their process of value of their offer?
Stop treating us like we're stupid and don't understand that a dealership has to make money to survive. We get it!

I don't like feeling my derrière pucker every time I try to negotiate a deal and I hate being the only one to walk funny after I've done it.

For reasons that I don't wish to launder in a public forum, I don't buy new vehicles.

Having said that, a couple of weeks ago, I found myself with an afternoon of nothing planned, and I felt like spending the afternoon browsing through the selection of RVs currently being offered at a local RV dealership.

I did walk through one motor coach that had a floor plan that really impressed me. As I spent a considerable time drooling over it, the sales person informed me that this coach was regularly $268,000.00. But for this weekend only, the price was lowered to a special super duper deal of $203,000.00. If I was really, really interested, I should move on that price.

Well. I thanked the sales person for the time, and headed home. Later that evening, as I browsed the internet, the thought occurred to me to check out this dealerships website.

That dealer was listing on their website the motor coach that I was looking at for $175,000.00! Not another motor coach LIKE the one I was looking at. THE motor coach that I was looking at!

I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about that experience.

Jim

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Dogpatch

The part that bothers me about any kind of a vehicle dealer is they operate like its some covert operation. Everything about how the arrive at an offer is a secret. It makes them look underhanded.

Why can't they just be up front and discuss their process of value of their offer?
Stop treating us like we're stupid and don't understand that a dealership has to make money to survive. We get it!

I don't like feeling my derrière pucker every time I try to negotiate a deal and I hate being the only one to walk funny after I've done it.

There used to be a traveling sales show that came to town. No matter what rig you asked for a price on you always got the same answer, "It's not on my sales sheet, must be a new unit. You'll have to go to the sales tent and find out". Was interested in a rig they had but after hearing that from one of the other customers and finding it to be true we left.

[Bigd9]

Once a long time ago, my pregnant wife and I were car shopping. We made an offer on a new car and the salesman said "let me go check with the manager". While he was gone I leaned over to my wife and whispered "instead of the car do you think a mini van would be better with an addition to our family on the way?" The salesman came back in with a counter offer and then said "let me show you a couple of mini vans you might be interested in". Those suckers were listening to our conversations while they were "checking with the manager"! We got up and left never to return to that dealer.

My Dad, the ultimate optimist, said to me once, "Son, there are honest use car salesman out there....I just haven't found one yet!".

[Tom N]

Make what you consider a fair offer, after doing your research, and STAND YOUR GROUND. This principle works best with cash in hand. Dealers find it very difficult to pass up cash.