My Recent Car Buying Experience

[Bluerauder]

What is the Problem with Car Salesman/Dealers? :dunno:

Two weeks ago I went on-line with Edmunds.com and asked for quotes on a 2005 Ford Freestyle Limited in Black or Dark Blue (to match my Marauder). I received automated replies from three dealers telling me to come in and look around; but nothing more. Now I am getting generic automated “updates” since I have been added to their e-mailing list. One dealers’ internet salesman came back after 2 days with a quote on a Gold Ford Explorer. Not even close to what I asked for. Upon informing him of his error, I later received a canned message from the dealer rep with directions, a map, and a history of the family business; but nothing regarding the desired Freestyle. Over the past 25 years, I have bought five new cars from this same dealer ……… I know where they are located.

I was contacted by one of the five dealers and the salesman was very knowledgeable and helpful. Test drove two Freestyles and it was rather evident that my wife really liked it (it’ll be her vehicle). We sat down and started to work up the “paperwork” on the sale. And here is where the deal started to fall apart. The car was right, the price was right (under the Friends and Family Plan) but there was a snag.

My planned trade-in on the sale was a 1995 Ford Conversion Van with low miles in good condition. Retail on the van is some $6000.00. The dealer’s initial “appraisal” was for $1,500.00. After I balked at the number, they agreed to look at it again and came back with a lower figure …. This time it was for $1375.00. :mad: Needless to say, I walked and they lost a sale. No one is gonna steal my van at that offer. :down: I was willing to take $3000 which I considered a “fair” price after researching on the KBB site. Obviously, they didn’t want to negotiate or even consider their numbers. I guess the current pricing is forcing dealers to make there profit in other areas of the sale.

Anyway, I am still looking for a Freestyle Limited … in Dark Blue. With inventories running slim, I may have to wait for the 2006s and some other kinds of incentive packages. :frown:

No wonder American car sales are dropping … I think they have forgotten how to sell. :rolleyes: (Sorry Ray, nothing personal)

I wonder how the response would have been if I was looking for an ughhh !!! Toyota Camry or a Honda Accord. :puke:

[DEFYANT]

We had the exact same problem last night!

We took the Villager to a dealer that had an F150 we liked and had them apraise it. I looked it up at Kelly blue book and found the trade in value to be 11K & change. We owe 10K. I told Mr. Salesman any offer less then what we owe & we are outta there.

We still have a Villager.

He suggested I take the van to CarMax since they usually come in higher on apraisals!!!

Perhaps I should buy a truck from CarMax also!

Sad for him 'cuz we were ready to buy with the prices so low. :shake:

[Eric91Z]

I don't know what it is with sales people. The only reason I am getting the Marauder I am is because I wanted it bad enough. I got a price I was happy with, but the dealings with the salesman have been less then enjoyable - especially from 400 miles away.

[Bluerauder]

We still have a Villager. :shake:
Charlie ... after running with that Villager for a couple hundred miles ... I would say that it is a fine vehicle !! :up: However, I suspect that the throttle linkage may be overworked ... 'cause the DefyantWife was giving it a work out coming home from MV III. :rofl: What she needs is a Marauder Station Wagon :cringe:

Good luck on finding that F-150 ... you should have picked one up at the Rouge plant and saved the $675 S&H charges. :D

[ctrcbob]

1. CarMax will NEVER give you a higher apraisal than other dealers. To get a decent trade at CarMax, your car must be perfect.

2. As for the deal you described, your first error is that you want to trade in your old car. With the offers on new cars, trade in's are now worth a lot less.
If you just buy the FreeStyle and sell your old van yourself, you may make out better, however there is probably no market for a 10 year old van.

Yesterday, I took my 02 Continental in for some service to my local dealer, Prestige Ford. www.prestigefordmtdora.com (http://www.prestigefordmtdora.com/) and while there, I looked at one Freestyle in the showroom. Base model. I just finished looking in their web site (above) and they have four Freestyle's listed in inventory, however all I saw was the one. I love their Service Department, but not their Sales Department. Talked with a customer who just purchased there who told me that in addition to the "Employee Discount", he had to pay a lot more money to get the car. This is not what Ford intended. I know the sales methods they wanted to use on me, and that is not the way I buy cars. Also, they just changed personnel. New mgr and staff. ????????????

I then looked at a nearby "one price" dealership. www.mullinaxfordfl.com (http://www.mullinaxfordfl.com/) and checked their inventory. They have sixteen of them listed. I purchased my 03MM used from their other New Smyrna Beach store, and it was a pleasure dealing with them.

I know you are in Virginia, so it would be a PITA to buy elsewhere. If you did buy in Florida, it is my understanding that even though you will be removing the car from the State, you still pay the tax here, then you have to fight with your home State for them to get the tax money from here. Not worth it to me if that is true.

Lastly, my sister just purchased a FreeStyle SE (middle model) a few weeks ago. She got an AWD as she lives up in "Snow Country". Before she purchased it, I told her what her trade was worth wholesale and what the FreeStyle was going to cost her with the "Employee Discount". Well, I could not believe it. They charged her what I said with the Employee Discount, but they have her $1000.00 more for her trade than what I told her the wholesale (from KBB) said. My brother-in-law drives it more than her, but they both love the car.

[Bluerauder]

... however there is probably no market for a 10 year old van.

Maybe that is true in Florida; but certainly not here in Northern Virginia. I traded in a 1984 Dodge Value van that was 11 years old with 100,000 miles when I bought the 1995 Ford Van. Back then, the dealer "gave" me $2000. He put a For Sale sign on it, drove it to the end of his lot near the highway and sold it for $5000 only 1 day later. That is one heck of a profit on a car that they didn't even wash or vacuum. Heck, the ashtrays were still full. Total investment by the dealer was less than $50.00 including the sign and the driver's time to move the car down the lot. Now, ten years later I still occasionally see that old Dodge van running running around town. It's 21 years old and still going strong.


... If you did buy in Florida, it is my understanding that even though you will be removing the car from the State, you still pay the tax here, then you have to fight with your home State for them to get the tax money from here. Not worth it to me if that is true.

I know what you mean from personal experience here. I bought a car in New Jersey when I was working in Philadelphia. Paid NJ sales tax, too. When I was transferred back to my home state in Maryland, I tried to register the car. It seems the grand old state of my home want their cut too and now wanted to charge me tax again. What's worse is that they wanted to apply the sales tax to the original purchase price and not the current book value. :mad: I argued Double Jeopardy under the Soldier's and Sailors Relief Act to little avail.

Short story ........ I drove to Virginia, registered the car and have been living in Virginia ever since. If I didn't have relatives there, I would never set my foot in Maryland at all. :rolleyes:

[SilverStreak]

My friend had a clean 99 GMC Sierra van (Astro) worth 6000 trade in at Kelly Blue book. Went to buy a Tahoe...They offered him $2500.

The dealer has to make all his money on the back end by selling his van for $8k....My friend still bought the Tahoe but Sierra has a for sale sign on it in his driveway.
:cool:







What is the Problem with Car Salesman/Dealers? :dunno:

Two weeks ago I went on-line with Edmunds.com and asked for quotes on a 2005 Ford Freestyle Limited in Black or Dark Blue (to match my Marauder). I received automated replies from three dealers telling me to come in and look around; but nothing more. Now I am getting generic automated “updates” since I have been added to their e-mailing list. One dealers’ internet salesman came back after 2 days with a quote on a Gold Ford Explorer. Not even close to what I asked for. Upon informing him of his error, I later received a canned message from the dealer rep with directions, a map, and a history of the family business; but nothing regarding the desired Freestyle. Over the past 25 years, I have bought five new cars from this same dealer ……… I know where they are located.

I was contacted by one of the five dealers and the salesman was very knowledgeable and helpful. Test drove two Freestyles and it was rather evident that my wife really liked it (it’ll be her vehicle). We sat down and started to work up the “paperwork” on the sale. And here is where the deal started to fall apart. The car was right, the price was right (under the Friends and Family Plan) but there was a snag.

My planned trade-in on the sale was a 1995 Ford Conversion Van with low miles in good condition. Retail on the van is some $6000.00. The dealer’s initial “appraisal” was for $1,500.00. After I balked at the number, they agreed to look at it again and came back with a lower figure …. This time it was for $1375.00. :mad: Needless to say, I walked and they lost a sale. No one is gonna steal my van at that offer. :down: I was willing to take $3000 which I considered a “fair” price after researching on the KBB site. Obviously, they didn’t want to negotiate or even consider their numbers. I guess the current pricing is forcing dealers to make there profit in other areas of the sale.

Anyway, I am still looking for a Freestyle Limited … in Dark Blue. With inventories running slim, I may have to wait for the 2006s and some other kinds of incentive packages. :frown:

No wonder American car sales are dropping … I think they have forgotten how to sell. :rolleyes: (Sorry Ray, nothing personal)

I wonder how the response would have been if I was looking for an ughhh !!! Toyota Camry or a Honda Accord. :puke:

[mrjones]

[QUOTE=] worth 6000 trade in at Kelly Blue book.

First problem is that the dealers don't use Kelly Blue Book. The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) guide is what dealers and banks use.

Second problem is that with the employee discounts on new cars, the used ones aren't bringing near what the book value would be.

However, it does seem to be a great time to buy a new car right now, especially if you don't have to haggle with a trade in. The dealers are not making what they're used to on new cars, and they'll try to make up the difference on your trade in.