Car Shopping Advice

[tarheelpride]

Title is pretty self-explanatory. This is the first time my wife and I are buying a car.

 

We already secured financing from a credit union. We're looking to purchase on Saturday. I'll be trading in my 2009 Corolla, which I feel is too expensive to fix and the gas mileage on it is atrocious (I think the fuel pump is going out).

 

I'm looking for tips in general, how to negotiate on the price, trade-in value, what to look for, etc. I already know to talk about the price of the car first and then talk about the trade-in afterwards.

 

She wants an Infiniti sedan. I want a Volvo sedan or SUV. We can settle on Mazda if we can't agree.

[OHYO]

Stick your Toyota on market place or Craigslist, you will come out better mqybe. No doubt it will move quick, someone’s always looking for a used Toyota. I can’t remember in NC if the taxes you will owe on the car is based on price minus trade in or the full price of your purchase. Do the math if ithe tax owed is price minus trade in.

[OHYO]

Fords doing some great things!

 

https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2019/02/07/ford-chicago-assembly-stamping-plants-jobs-explorer-lincoln-navigator-police-interceptor-suvs/

[motocross_cat]

You are setting yourself up to get worked if you have the mind set of " looking to purchase saturday".  The way I read it was your buying a car Saturday.  Nah.  Shop, shop, shop, do your homework and stick to your budget.  Dont buy the first car that you see man. These car salesmen will twist things and talk so fast that anyone can fall into a bad deal for themselves.   

Also if your concerned about resale I'd stray from an Infiniti or mazda.

[tarheelpride]

17 minutes ago, OHYO said:

Stick your Toyota on market place or Craigslist, you will come out better mqybe. No doubt it will move quick, someone’s always looking for a used Toyota. I can’t remember in NC if the taxes you will owe on the car is based on price minus trade in or the full price of your purchase. Do the math if ithe tax owed is price minus trade in.

We're in Georgia now. Due to my situation, it isn't feasible for me to do a private sale, hence, doing the trade-in.

[tarheelpride]

16 minutes ago, motocross_cat said:

You are setting yourself up to get worked if you have the mind set of " looking to purchase saturday".  The way I read it was your buying a car Saturday.  Nah.  Shop, shop, shop, do your homework and stick to your budget.  Dont buy the first car that you see man. These car salesmen will twist things and talk so fast that anyone can fall into a bad deal for themselves.   

Also if your concerned about resale I'd stray from an Infiniti or mazda.

We've already gotten a budget and have been shopping for a few weeks, looking at prices and figuring out what we want. I won't be scared to walk away from a car if the price isn't right. I'm concerned about the negotiation part, which I don't think I'm good at. The prices for even the same year, make, and model vary wildly with the location and that kind of blows my mind some.

 

I'm not concerned about resale value. I'm planning on holding on to this car for hopefully 10 or more years. We're looking for something easy for her to drive, hence the short list. Just need to do a test drive or two and go from there.

[OHYO]

2 minutes ago, tarheelpride said:

We've already gotten a budget and have been shopping for a few weeks, looking at prices and figuring out what we want. I won't be scared to walk away from a car if the price isn't right. I'm concerned about the negotiation part, which I don't think I'm good at. The prices for even the same year, make, and model vary wildly with the location and that kind of blows my mind some.

 

I'm not concerned about resale value. I'm planning on holding on to this car for hopefully 10 or more years. We're looking for something easy for her to drive, hence the short list. Just need to do a test drive or two and go from there.

Good cop bad cop always works in negotiations. My wife will be the one who likes it and I’m the one who doesn’t  I’ve said in negotiations before I don’t care if we trade or not because I don’t like it that much then walk out while your wife stays.I've had salesman come out to park lot and talk to me with deal guy by his side. 

[Ja Rhule]

I’m also new car shopping but won’t buy until November-December when new inventory is getting in. I know for the fact I want to buy Audi Q7 but I will leave the Audi dealership without buying a new car.  I will tell them I’m going to Infiniti to check out qx60 and then Volvo.  They will let me leave with their best offer but will call 2 hours later with $2-$3k lower offer.

I purchased Yukon 2.5 years ago with almost $10k off sticker price and 0% financing.  The owner told me he’s basically giving me car at loss but he needs room for new inventory.  I contacted 4-5 GMC dealers and basically made them fight for me.  I waited few days before I made my decision.  

Never rush with car purchase.  It pays to wait.

Also, you can ask for blind trade-in.  My first car had severe issues... I drove that car into the ground and Carmax offered me $300 for it (no joke).  I made blind trade-in with Toyota and they gave me $3,200 for it.  My car on KBB was worth $2,200 and to fix it would cost $2,500...  my car was considered a total loss but with blind trade-in I got $3,200.

[motocross_cat]

1 hour ago, tarheelpride said:

We've already gotten a budget and have been shopping for a few weeks, looking at prices and figuring out what we want. I won't be scared to walk away from a car if the price isn't right. I'm concerned about the negotiation part, which I don't think I'm good at. The prices for even the same year, make, and model vary wildly with the location and that kind of blows my mind some.

 

I'm not concerned about resale value. I'm planning on holding on to this car for hopefully 10 or more years. We're looking for something easy for her to drive, hence the short list. Just need to do a test drive or two and go from there.

The only way I can negotiate with fast talkers is not to negotiate.  My terms within reason or I move on.  It takes time but seems to work well.

[panther4life]

Been in the car biz over a decade. This is so easy for you it’s not even funny. Create an alternate e-mail for the sake of car buying alone (this is to avoid spamming you’re primary e-mail).

Log onto edmunds.com and or truecar.com and build the vehicle(s)you’re interested in. You will then be sent very aggressive price quotes from multiple dealers. 

Kbb fair value is pretty damn close to what most dealers will value your trade at, assuming it’s in average condition for the year and mileage. 

Go in armed with your price knowledge on both ends. When you find the car you want, don’t waste time being sneaky just let them know you went on Whatever site provided you the lowest price and they will be quick to oblige you, sometimes reluctantly. 

Keep in mind these price quotes won’t include tax (3% in NC or 5% with a max of $500 in SC) doc fee (average of around $700 in  Charlotte NC) and license plate fee ($90 on average). Those fees are added on and will likely be non negotiable if you go in armed with the lowest price quote found online. The dealer will refer to this price as Out the door or OTD for short, meaning it includes the sales price and all fees. 

If unsure of the vehicle you 100% want, you can call ahead, speak to a manager and request an appointment with an experienced and knowledgeable sales rep. Or if you prefer read google reviews before hand and pick your salesmen from those. This will avoid you getting stuck with a sales rep with a lack of knowledge of the vehicles, which you otherwise run a decent chance at happening, pending which dealer you visit. 

Also do your research and try to decide before hand if you are interested in an extended warranty, gap insurance, prepaid maintenance, etc.Once you reach the finance office their goal is to sell you these things. Some people find value in them and some dont, but it would be wise for you to know the answer to those questions before hand, to reduce your stress levels. 

You’ve already got your interest rate covered through your credit union, so the only question is do you allow the dealer to match or beat the rate? This is often possible for them to at least match for you. 

Factor in the add ons I mentioned earlier, tax, tag and doc fee, combined with the price quotes you get and plug them into an online auto loan calculator (google’s is fine and super easy to use). This will let you know what to expect payment wise and if you’re staying within your budget. 

 

 

[Bronn]

Infiniti? Volvo? Mazda?

Why?

Take it from me, someone who has owned numerous makes/styles of cars over the years:

If you're having trouble resolving repair costs for a Toyota, then you're already starting in the wrong direction.

I try to do all my own work on our vehicles as possible. I know that not everyone has the means/desire to do this, but it will save you a lot of money in the long run. Also, as mentioned before, I don't think the three brands you listed will hold much in resale value.

Inifiniti - Expensive. We owned a G35 once. It was nice, but they come with everything that comes with a luxury brand.

Volvo - Okay, these are still some of the most solidly built/safest vehicles afaik. But, again, you're dealing with higher costs for parts and maintenance than you would on other brands.

Mazda - Cheap. You might not be paying a lot for each repair or for the vehicle itself, but you're likely going to be paying for more repairs.

I've tried to stick with Honda, Chevrolet, and Ford over the past several years, in that order. Hondas are the most reliable thing I've ever owned. Chevrolet and Ford are both going to be budget, and have decent reliability if you take care of them.

I'm not much of a fan of any of the Dodge/Jeep/Chrysler stuff, but I would probably at least give them a hard look before I bought another Infiniti, a Volvo, or a Mazda.

For your Corolla, the first thing I would do is take it to Carmax. They'll give you a purchase offer, and you can accept or walk away. There isn't really any hassle unless they are busy at the time. We've sold them several vehicles in the past, and I think their offers are pretty fair most of the time.

As far as negotiation goes?

Know what you want, and what you're willing to pay.

The first thing they are going to try to do is get you into a payment hierarchy. You might as well figure out what you're willing to pay a month and for how long, if you aren't going to buy it outright. This way, you and your wife have a game plan going into it.

I tend to be pretty hard-assed when it comes to vehicle shopping. At the end of the day, either they want to sell you the vehicle or they don't, and you've got to be the one ready to get up and walk away if it doesn't look like they are flexing. If you don't buy it, MAYBE someone else will.

Know how long they've had the vehicle on the lot. If possible, have a copy of the CarFax to bring with you (most dealers offer them now for free.) Find and plan your route to look at several specific dealerships and vehicles when you go shopping, and name drop both of those as you go (so that they are aware that if they let you get away that you've already got other stops to carry your potential business to.)

Also, make sure you get your hands dirty when inspecting any potential purchase. This is especially true if you're buying used (which I highly recommend.)

Does the oil on the dipstick look/smell burnt? Lay down on the ground and look for leaks/rust, any evidence of leaking CV joint boots, etc. Does your potential vehicle have a timing belt or a timing chain? Does the battery have acid mushrooms/corrosion on the posts? Is the interior of the vehicle clean, and does it smell clean? Do you hear any noises when the engine is running idle, or when you drive it. Does it brake well, and not pulse? Does it accelerate well under load? What is the condition of the tires? Do all 4 tires match? Look at the thresholds/moldings of all doors, the hood, and the trunk. You're looking for tears in the gaskets, or paint that doesn't match (evidence of an accident.) Always ask for the CarFax on a used vehicle, if you can't find it online for free, and verify the VIN when it is provided on-site.

 

[Dex]

Mazda is utter trash. Check out Honda.

[tarheelpride]

5 hours ago, Dex said:

Mazda is utter trash. Check out Honda.

If it was up to me, I'd already have an Accord. She doesn't feel comfortable driving it (her dad has one and she feels uncomfortable driving it). I'd also want a CR-V, but those are out of our price range for the features we want.

[tarheelpride]

19 hours ago, ARSEN said:

 

Also, you can ask for blind trade-in.  My first car had severe issues... I drove that car into the ground and Carmax offered me $300 for it (no joke).  I made blind trade-in with Toyota and they gave me $3,200 for it.  My car on KBB was worth $2,200 and to fix it would cost $2,500...  my car was considered a total loss but with blind trade-in I got $3,200.

I would love to take advantage of this.