New Car Purchase Help (Update Purchased!)

[qwksilver]

I am looking to buy a new car. I have looked at local dealer websites, Cars-com and Auto Trader-com & Cargurus-com. The local dealers have insane DOC fees (999.00), dealer add ons and they don’t have it in the color and options I want. So, I think this purchase will have to come from out of state.

 

Does anyone know of another national car website other than the 3 above?

 

Has anyone ordered a new car from the factory?

 

Has anyone used an auto broker before? My brother-in-law swears by them.

 

Anyone have any other thoughts?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

 

[Mr Info]

I suspect I am in the minority but consider Tesla if they are in your price range. I had an outstanding purchase & delivery experience and have not had as much enjoyment driving a car. If Tesla is out of your budget, maybe another EV? If you can wait a bit, there may be rebate incentives forthcoming for EVs that may place some of them comparable in cost to ICE vehicles. There are very low maintenance expenses for EVs. Also, plenty of free chargers around. The only time I pay for charging/miles is when I am on long trips & using superchargers.

[qwksilver]

30 minutes ago, Mr Info said:

I suspect I am in the minority but consider Tesla if they are in your price range. I had an outstanding purchase & delivery experience and have not had as much enjoyment driving a car. If Tesla is out of your budget, maybe another EV? If you can wait a bit, there may be rebate incentives forthcoming for EVs that may place some of them comparable in cost to ICE vehicles. There are very low maintenance expenses for EVs. Also, plenty of free chargers around. The only time I pay for charging/miles is when I am on long trips & using superchargers.

I do like the look of the Teslas but I'm not ready for an EV yet. I really wish Tesla's model of no show room or pushy salesman would trickle to the rest of the manufacturers. That is one of parts I'm trying to avoid.

Edited April 17, 2021 by qwksilver

[WhoTom]

For a car we bought about twelve years ago, we used the research tool at cars.com to determine the best makes/models for our needs. We took a few test drives at local dealerships and then we searched for the same model at dealership websites within 100 miles of us. Many had low-price guarantees where they'd beat other dealerships' best offers, so my wife printed out the lowest offer, which was from a dealer about 100 miles away. We went to a closer dealer, who beat the offer by $50. We still have that car - our son drives it most of the time. When he moves out, we're giving it to him. (Otherwise, I would have sold it, since my wife and I don't need two cars anymore.)

 

For the car we bought five years ago, we did something similar, although the price-match didn't apply because the car was (technically) used. It was a "program car" - one that a company had leased for a year and only put 1800 miles on it. It was about $6k less than a brand new one of the same model. For $150, we transferred the original warranty, so for all practical purposes, we got a new car at a big discount.

 

 

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

57 minutes ago, qwksilver said:

I do like the look of the Teslas but I'm not ready for an EV yet. I really wish Tesla's model of no show room or pushy salesman would trickle to the rest of the manufacturers. That is one of parts I'm trying to avoid.

They did.  Saturn.

*
Eff you, Roger Smith.  Or as the Saab owners' bumper stickers said: 'A**holes killed my car!'

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

This is probably an antiquated practice. But I emailed all the area Honda dealers and told them exactly What I was looking for and got price quotes. Then I just went with the best price. They Will still get you on the trade in. But that eliminates the haggling and pressure sales. 

[Seasons1992]

3 hours ago, qwksilver said:

I am looking to buy a new car. I have looked at local dealer websites, Cars-com and Auto Trader-com & Cargurus-com. The local dealers have insane DOC fees (999.00), dealer add ons and they don’t have it in the color and options I want. So, I think this purchase will have to come from out of state.

 

Does anyone know of another national car website other than the 3 above?

 

Has anyone ordered a new car from the factory?

 

Has anyone used an auto broker before? My brother-in-law swears by them.

 

Anyone have any other thoughts?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

 

 

Mr. Car Guy here. 

 

You haven't said what you want.

Start there, and let me either judge you based on what you want, or educate you based on what you want, and THEN I'll recommend something.

Edited April 17, 2021 by Seasons1992

[Patrick Duffy]

3 hours ago, qwksilver said:

I am looking to buy a new car. I have looked at local dealer websites, Cars-com and Auto Trader-com & Cargurus-com. The local dealers have insane DOC fees (999.00), dealer add ons and they don’t have it in the color and options I want. So, I think this purchase will have to come from out of state.

 

Does anyone know of another national car website other than the 3 above?

 

Has anyone ordered a new car from the factory?

 

Has anyone used an auto broker before? My brother-in-law swears by them.

 

Anyone have any other thoughts?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

 

I always go with Carmax. 

[Augie]

48 minutes ago, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

This is probably an antiquated practice. But I emailed all the area Honda dealers and told them exactly What I was looking for and got price quotes. Then I just went with the best price. They Will still get you on the trade in. But that eliminates the haggling and pressure sales. 

 

My wife used to do business with a VERY large car dealer. He told her he’ll give the new cars away because he makes all of his money on the used cars (and he makes A LOT of money!). 

 

I’m with @qwksilver here, I just detest the entire experience of the showroom and the pushy sales people. For better or worse, my wife actually enjoys “the game” of it all. Otherwise she seems to be fairly well balanced mentally. She sees the negations as “sport” and is quick to get up and walk out until someone caves for her. 

[\GoBillsInDallas/]

What is wrong with the car you have?

[qwksilver]

I just detest the entire experience of the showroom and the pushy sales people. For better or worse, my wife actually enjoys “the game” of it all. Otherwise she seems to be fairly well balanced mentally. She sees the negations as “sport” and is quick to get up and walk out until someone caves for her. 

 

@AugieI mean its 2021. Can't this process be fixed.

Carvana and Carmax etc have the idea, they just need a way to get new cars. Plus 4 or 5 hours in a dealership is just a big waste of time...

 

Really think I'm going to talk to my brother in law's auto broker. He said they deliver the car to your house/work and I just sign the papers. That's easily worth a few hundred bucks.

2 minutes ago, \GoBillsInDallas/ said:

What is wrong with the car you have?

I sold it to Carvana. We are currently a 1 vehicle house which is fine because I work from home 80% of the time.

[Miyagi-Do Karate]

4 hours ago, qwksilver said:

I am looking to buy a new car. I have looked at local dealer websites, Cars-com and Auto Trader-com & Cargurus-com. The local dealers have insane DOC fees (999.00), dealer add ons and they don’t have it in the color and options I want. So, I think this purchase will have to come from out of state.

 

Does anyone know of another national car website other than the 3 above?

 

Has anyone ordered a new car from the factory?

 

Has anyone used an auto broker before? My brother-in-law swears by them.

 

Anyone have any other thoughts?

 

Thanks for your help!

 

 

I had a former co-worker that used an auto broker, and loved it. I had thought of hiring my own BIL to do it, as he is a huge car guy, but then decided not to bother him in the end. If it’s only a few hundred bucks and this is someone you can trust, it seems like it is worth it. 

[CIrvine]

A coworker bought his car from Costco a few years ago.  He said he saved about $4,000.

[davefan66]

Concerning best vehicles? I don’t know there is a huge difference any longer between manufacturers, and the product they sell.  The classic “lemon” still can be had, but don’t feel it’s much of a concern as it used to be.

 

Purchasing?  Kelly Blur Book is what I use.  Has info on what the car should sell for and what incentives are current.  Not just customer incentives, but what the manufacturer is offering the dealer.  Have a number you want and feel you can live with.  Go in and negotiate it.  Plenty of dealers if you don’t like  a certain one.  

 

As long as you did your research and are comfortable with the number, all is well.  Will you leave a few bucks on the table?  Probably.  That’s what happens in negotiations. 

 

I would suggest a few year old car.  One coming off a 2 year lease.  Don’t get hit with as much quick depreciation as if it was new.  Usually well maintained and you have your choice over mileage.  If there is a problem with the car, original owner hopefully dealt with it.  I’ve found you can work a few items in on these cars.  I’ve gotten the extended warranty at about half price.  Even had a pair of snow tires thrown in after a deal was made.  To me, It’s easier to get $600 bucks in snows versus haggling over the last $500 of the purchase price.  Money saved is money saved.  As long as in the end I’ve done my research and am comfortable, I’m content.
 

[Gugny]

14 hours ago, qwksilver said:

I just detest the entire experience of the showroom and the pushy sales people. For better or worse, my wife actually enjoys “the game” of it all. Otherwise she seems to be fairly well balanced mentally. She sees the negations as “sport” and is quick to get up and walk out until someone caves for her. 

 

@AugieI mean its 2021. Can't this process be fixed.

Carvana and Carmax etc have the idea, they just need a way to get new cars. Plus 4 or 5 hours in a dealership is just a big waste of time...

 

Really think I'm going to talk to my brother in law's auto broker. He said they deliver the car to your house/work and I just sign the papers. That's easily worth a few hundred bucks.

I sold it to Carvana. We are currently a 1 vehicle house which is fine because I work from home 80% of the time.

 

You're not going to get away from doc fees.  And if you find a place that has little-to-no doc fees, they're getting it from you in some other clever way.

 

Car dealers, new and used, are among the scummiest people on earth.

 

The onus is on the consumer to do the homework.  

 

If you're buying new, the price is going to be the same wherever you go.  

 

Decide the make/model you want.  Test drive it at the nearest dealership to make sure you want it.  Call the dealership you want to work with.  Give him your information over the phone so he can run your credit, etc.  Go in an pick up your car in the next day or two.  That will have you in the dealership for less than an hour.

[Orlando Buffalo]

If you are buying a new car I can give advice from doing well and doing poorly myself. Make sure you know what financing is available to you, I had a dealer offer me 8% as best offer but when I showed him I could get 3% elsewhere I suddenly got 3%. I also will warn you that often they will try to wait you out, it took me 3+ hours but I got the advertised special as written. Finally make sure you are willing to walk away, unless you are making millions 10 hours is worth 5K.

[Gugny]

34 minutes ago, Buffalo Timmy said:

If you are buying a new car I can give advice from doing well and doing poorly myself. Make sure you know what financing is available to you, I had a dealer offer me 8% as best offer but when I showed him I could get 3% elsewhere I suddenly got 3%. I also will warn you that often they will try to wait you out, it took me 3+ hours but I got the advertised special as written. Finally make sure you are willing to walk away, unless you are making millions 10 hours is worth 5K.

 

This is a great point.  Good chances are the salesman needs to sell a car more than you need to buy one.

[That's No Moon]

On 4/17/2021 at 4:06 PM, Miyagi-Do Karate said:

This is probably an antiquated practice. But I emailed all the area Honda dealers and told them exactly What I was looking for and got price quotes. Then I just went with the best price. They Will still get you on the trade in. But that eliminates the haggling and pressure sales. 

You don't have to do a trade in. You can just straight up sell your car.  If the place that you are trading in with wants it then they need to pay what I can get in a stand alone deal for it.  They usually don't want to do that and it's easier to do both deals separately.  On that note, never go to CarSense or something to sell a car.  I did that once just to see.  I sold the car to another dealer a block away for double what they offered me and I wasn't really trying very hard.

[That's No Moon]

On 4/18/2021 at 8:04 AM, Buffalo Timmy said:

If you are buying a new car I can give advice from doing well and doing poorly myself. Make sure you know what financing is available to you, I had a dealer offer me 8% as best offer but when I showed him I could get 3% elsewhere I suddenly got 3%. I also will warn you that often they will try to wait you out, it took me 3+ hours but I got the advertised special as written. Finally make sure you are willing to walk away, unless you are making millions 10 hours is worth 5K.

I like to walk in the door with my own financing.  If they can beat it fine, if not then I know what I have.  New car guys really do have quotas and the end of the month matters to them.  If you really feel like being ballsy go in on the last day of the month about 60 minutes before close of business, with all your financing in hand, knowing exactly what you want that is on their lot right at that second and see how you do.  Be ready to leave if you don't get what you want.  If you get a guy that needs to sell one more car that month to keep his job or hit his bonus or the dealership needs to sell one more car to hit a factory incentive you'll do really well.  The difference to you between the last day and first day of the month is negligible.  You can buy a car any day.  That specific day matters a lot to the sales guys.

 

If you're going to do that you can't piss around. You need to know exactly which car you want that they have on the lot, what you want to pay for it, and have your financing in hand when you walk in the door. If they give it to you, take it, sign the papers and take the car.  You won't do better the next day by shopping the number. Give them an aggressive, but not stupid, price.

[That's No Moon]

On 4/17/2021 at 5:17 PM, qwksilver said:

I just detest the entire experience of the showroom and the pushy sales people. For better or worse, my wife actually enjoys “the game” of it all. Otherwise she seems to be fairly well balanced mentally. She sees the negations as “sport” and is quick to get up and walk out until someone caves for her. 

 

@AugieI mean its 2021. Can't this process be fixed.

Carvana and Carmax etc have the idea, they just need a way to get new cars. Plus 4 or 5 hours in a dealership is just a big waste of time...

I've negotiated my last three cars (2 certified pre-owned, 1 new for my dad) over e-mail and didn't go to the dealership except to sign papers and take the car. I was there an hour and most of that time was me looking at the car.

 

I strongly suggest buying certified pre-owned over new.  You still have factory warranty, you have a dealership to B word to if something is wrong, you don't eat NEARLY the depreciation hit that you do with a new car.  You'll end up with a much nicer car that is much better equipped for the same money.