The damn car bidness...

[Just1more]

I actually like car buying. The key is being willing to just walk away. Sounds like OP can do that without hesitation. When I bought my current truck, the dealer was, after much back and forth, finally within $500 of my buying and wouldn’t budge any more. I got up and left but told them I was driving right by my credit union on the way home and could easily pick up a bank check to them for the amount I had asked for. I got a call before I even got 1/2 way home.

 

[letusbuyyourcar]

If you owe in your trade they can work the negative equity into a new car much easier. On a high mileage used car it's harder to get financed because of milage and not much room to hide negative equity. Even a strait buy on a used car like that is much harder to finance. Their thinking is the car will break down and leave you with a huge expense possibly causing you to default on the loan. That happens a lot and they are just covering their rear. It's called risk assessment.

I know that newer lower mile vehicles are allowed more months to get the payment down. In the past I've had finance companies willing to accept Hondas and Toyotas showing a lot more miles than any other make and model. I know full well how that part works.
The thing here was that my raggedy Kia is paid for and valued around a thousand. I know it's a straight up wholesale car that's not gonna sit on their lot. But just like every other sales manager I've worked with they just can't let the customer set his terms and stick to it. They HAVE to keep digging until they get cash out of you OR... in my case they piss you off to the point of leaving/ending the entire negotiation.
Before I ever sold cars I tried to buy a used car at the dreaded Five Star Dodge in Macon. But that manager kept trying to flip me into a damn new Dodge Colt. And he said I could drive it twelve months and trade into whatever I wanted. That line was 100% bull**** in 1991 and it's still a bull**** lie here in 2024. Point here is that the script and the tires old lies ain't changed at all after all these years.

 

[cskiles]

I generally make my deal online via email with the salesman, when I get to the dealership I just sign papers and roll out, unless there is something shady going on with the finance (e.g., mark-ups, undisclosed "adders", etc.)

 

[dcline9163]

I walked out of a dealership once over $400.00, the manager asked me wife," Are you going to let him not buy you that car over $400.00?" "She said are you not going to sell us that car over $400.00?" We went to another dealer that day and bought another car, the next day the manager called me at work and said we're going to take your offer, I said too late I bought one the same day at another dealership.

 

[letusbuyyourcar]

I actually like car buying. The key is being willing to just walk away. Sounds like OP can do that without hesitation. When I bought my current truck, the dealer was, after much back and forth, finally within $500 of my buying and wouldn’t budge any more. I got up and left but told them I was driving right by my credit union on the way home and could easily pick up a bank check to them for the amount I had asked for. I got a call before I even got 1/2 way home.

More than once I've had a customer tell me $500.00 wasn't **** after I came back with the buyers order. So I would tell them "Okay if $500.00 ain't **** then give ME $500.00 and I'll get a better deal. Cause that's probably more than I'll make on this anyway." And they always changed their tune after that.

 

[Trailrider]

car max wanted to give me 1800 dollars for my 07 Buick Lacross with 35000 miles on it. I hate dealing with car thugs. I did fing my truck on car max and bought it at a decent price.....about 12000 dollars cheaper than my daughters "good Friend" that was a car salesman/scam artist.

I tried to sell a car to Carmax once. Laughed at the quote they offered. Sold it privately for a good bit more. They offer WAY below book value. Actually worse than the stealerships. The dealer typically offers more since they have some money to work with in the newer vehicle, but still.

 

[moosensquirrel]

Bear in mind that everything about the dealership, even the way a salesman greets you, is choreographed to render the best results for the dealership. No one there is your friend.

 

[GFB]

Not to mention all the customers weren't internet experts and Consumer Reports nerds.

Back when you could sell a dumb kid with an LES a complete ****box at an insane interest rate. Those were the days! Oh, wait. That's still going on.

Sorry you're having these troubles but I do wonder what kind of rate your bank or credit union would offer you. I don't think I saw what interest rate the dealer was offering in your posts. I'm sure you could have a better chance of finding a vehicle if your financing was already handled.

 

[Trailrider]

Bear in mind that everything about the dealership, even the way a salesman greets you, is choreographed to render the best results for the dealership. No one there is your friend.

This 100%. My father in law is a 100% cash guy. He's paid cash the last several vehicles and they hate him. He doesn't fall in the typical mold of folks they like to sell to. They want the folks with no money, negative equity in the trade because they can sell them on the financing. "What payment can you afford" and they work those numbers and you walk out happy but you got screwed.

They hate him because he walks in and tells him what he wants and what he wants to pay, they don't make any of that extra financing money off him and they can't do the financing dance. The days of haggling over the actual cost of the car are gone. It's all about the payment. Don't worry they can get your payment down, just sign here and finance for 96 months 12%APR.

 

[LordMDP]

I hate car lots/stealerships too. I always try to buy from a private seller but of course its harder