Last night, I went to go look for cars.
I wound up test driving an '03 Taurus, base model.
I sat down afterwards with the salesman, and started discussing price. I then decided I didn’t want it with the options on it, and started to leave. They said “Hey! What if we lowered the price to $7995?”
This got my attention, as it was within the realm of negotiation, but at the bottom end of what a dealer will take on that particular model.
I ran some financial calculations, and then the general manager came out, said I’d taken too long, and the price had gone up to $8995.
I assumed they were kidding, but no, 5 minutes later the salesman assured me they really had just raised the price on me.
OMFG. What in the world is that???
Anyway, before I left I noticed that they had handed me an NADA book appraisal on the car which included added value for no less than 3 items that the car did not have, and were not even claimed on the window sticker.
So, I repeat, Doug Chevrolet of Akron, Ohio and sales guy I never got the name of, F* you, and may your cars be filled with eels in an old-school Bible-style plague.
Has anyone else ever had the price of a car inflate during negotations?
This is why, from now on, I’m only dealing with the Internet department at any dealership.
Those guys trade a lower commission for much higher volume. The last guy I dealt with moved six cars the day I bought. Mine was the sixth.
I got the car for a few hundred over invoice, no bickering. The only negotiating involved was over the value of my trade-in, and we gave the dealership the opportunity to beat credit-union financing we brought in with us.
Only way to go, in my book.
I got my car from Hertz. They sell their rental fleet after 20-30,000 miles for a fixed, reasonable price, and they’re upfront about any problems the car may have and its repair history. Mine had a broken child lock that they fixed for free. Other than that it’s been great.
I think I see your problem - what were you still doing in there five minutes after they pulled an incredible stunt like that?
We were looking at a Hyundai dealership when we were taken hostage by the worst salesman EVAR! We were seriously discussing sneaking out the back door to get away from this incredibly aggressive guy.
Amen.
I bought my current car (the only one I’ve ever bought) from Cars Direct. Gave the model, year, color and options and the next day their rep called me: they’d found a car that met my criteria (save one that didn’t exist in the region–my mistake) at a dealer about one hour away, and the price ended up being a couple hundred above invoice. Very, very easy.
Next car I buy will probably be via the “fax a request-for-quote to the fleet sales reps of all dealers in the area” method. I really hate dealing with car salesmen. The only thing worse is a mattress salesman.
I just this past Summer bought a Toyota Camry with 30K miles from Enterprise used cars(up near Tallmadge Circle, Jonathan 
).
They post the no-haggle price, the salespeople are on salary, and they back it for 12K themselves. They offer financing, and I got a rate that I could not have gotten on my own, IMHO.
Hmmm, $8,995… darn it for me taking so long, but this car is just what I want, I’ll take it!
<Salesman spends 20minutes drawing up some papers> Sign here Mr Woodall.
Sorry, you took too long, the price is back down to $7,995.
WTF, why not go back there tomorrow and have yourself some fun? Pick a car, go for the list price, then back out at the last minute after wasting the salesman’s time.
Seconded. I almost bought a car from them, and they were very pleasant to deal with, and all the cars I looked at were a good price and in excellent shape. They also offer a fairly affordable extended warranty if you want it, and you know all the cars have had their regular maintenance etc.
(Didn’t buy my car because my financing didn’t go through because of a fuck-up on my credit report – a bunch of written off debt that wasn’t mine, from a mistyped SSN at AmEx – not because of anything Hertz did/didn’t do.)
Heh. I used to live 4 blocks from there.
Honestly, I considered Enterprise during my most recent car search, but it turned out I can get better prices on the specific vehicles I was looking at on pro-haggle lots. I enjoy the haggling part, I just can’t figure out how to cope with people who combine “haggle” with bizarre.
I wound up test driving an Impala from the Enterprise lot next to Belden Village earlier in the current car search.
What scares me about former rentals… is people like me. I used my last few rentals to find out what happens if you shift an auto into R at 55.
Nice. I actually envisioned taking a different car there on a test drive, then getting a pre-text to inspect the outside of the car… then driving off as soon as the salesman got out, and running it STRAIGHT back to the dealership before he could call the cops.
Too much Rockstar Games for me…
Another shout toCars Direct and their ilk. I did my homework, then put in a request for a car. I received a quote that was maybe 1 or 2 hundred over invoice, then went to the dealer, signed some papers, and drove it off. No hassles.