Best way to find a good price on a Titan - Page 3

got_titan · 02-12-2004, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetForeman

c'mon now, I'm only 37........my son is only 6!!! No Dad thing but definitely would help as a friend....

There are many lessons in life that are usually learned the hard way, just put this one behind you and enjoy your awesome truck.

i cant put it behind me the money haunts me like a bad car salesman

next time i will give that salesman a

and if thats not enough ill turn into a

and make the salesman act

for a whole year

JetTech · 02-12-2004, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by got_titan

i cant put it behind me the money haunts me like a bad car salesman

next time i will give that salesman a

and if thats not enough ill turn into a

and make the salesman act

for a whole year

I can assure you it won't be the last time it happens to you, just try to learn as you go and enjoy life, it's waaaaaay to short!!!

got_titan · 02-12-2004, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JetForeman

I can assure you it won't be the last time it happens to you, just try to learn as you go and enjoy life, it's waaaaaay to short!!!

thanks jet your pretty kool im up here in gatlinburg if i can help you with anything

JetTech · 02-12-2004, 08:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by got_titan

thanks jet your pretty kool im up here in gatlinburg if i can help you with anything

Check your PM's

dd564 · 02-12-2004, 09:45 PM

Got Titan,

Don't beat yourself up. I think you were one of the first to buy so dealers were maybe a little tougher then too. Also, it depends on the area.

You mentioned you new invoice, etc. One thing I did after walking out on the first dealer was research what dealers had what trucks. I put them in a spreadsheet listing their invoice price and MSRP for each truck and each option. From there, I ranked them in order on which dealer I'd go to first, and when I went, I took a folder with my pre-approved check, Title, and Insurance Info so the dealer knew I was definitely serious. The dealer even asked what it was that I had, and I told him it had the info and prices for the dealer I'm going to next if we can't deal.

I got a better rate through my dealer, but don't be afraid to bring a fodler in with your info. Do your homework at home on a spreadsheet for trade-in, msrp, invoice, and what you're willing to pay for any possible scenario.

When I found the truck I wanted, the deal went through pretty quickly. Could I have done even better, sure, but I got the exact truck I wanted without letting the dealer know. (until after I had it of course).

got_titan · 02-12-2004, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dd564

Got Titan,

Don't beat yourself up. I think you were one of the first to buy so dealers were maybe a little tougher then too. Also, it depends on the area.

You mentioned you new invoice, etc. One thing I did after walking out on the first dealer was research what dealers had what trucks. I put them in a spreadsheet listing their invoice price and MSRP for each truck and each option. From there, I ranked them in order on which dealer I'd go to first, and when I went, I took a folder with my pre-approved check, Title, and Insurance Info so the dealer knew I was definitely serious. The dealer even asked what it was that I had, and I told him it had the info and prices for the dealer I'm going to next if we can't deal.

I got a better rate through my dealer, but don't be afraid to bring a fodler in with your info. Do your homework at home on a spreadsheet for trade-in, msrp, invoice, and what you're willing to pay for any possible scenario.

When I found the truck I wanted, the deal went through pretty quickly. Could I have done even better, sure, but I got the exact truck I wanted without letting the dealer know. (until after I had it of course).

thnaks dd564 i feel a little better i was the first buyer in tn and i got the first thrashing ill know next time

70boss · 02-12-2004, 10:31 PM

Well, as a dealer I guess I can throw in a few here. If you bought your truck and you like it...you got a great deal. In my experience, the people who pay the most give the best surveys (Very important), send in referrals, bring their family back, and are the most thouroughly satisfied. This usually occurs when the salesperson does their job completely and does not skip directly to negotiations. The person who pays the least, always thinks someone else got a better deal, always thinks the dealer

them.

As a dealer...I take any deal if there is profit and the customer says YES. If they say yes to sticker....great....not to often, but we don't have 4000 rebates either. Typically I have sale tags in all of my cars, all very close to invoice, some below...like Sentras or Frontiers.

Trade-ins.....usually the cause of most frustrations... I try to sick to KBB.com values, and I use Black book too, and I use my own gut. Take the time to clean your car a little...it helps a bit. Don't think that I wont notice the repainted quarter...I don't care how good it looks I can always tell. And heres a little tip...If your car is scratched up, minor hail damage, or has been repainted....it wouldn't hurt to have it appraised in the RAIN, more rain the better...We get sloppy!!!

Keep this in mind....in the 2 or 3 minute appraisal/test drive I can tell the following: All paint work or previous accident damage, potential frame damage, worn suspension, noisy brakes, axles, CV joints, AC problems, power window problems....etc.

I will not try to sell anything on this site...it would compromise my opinion and contribution. If you have questions, do not hesitate to ask.

The point above at the end of the month is somewhat valid....I sometimes squeeze out a few that I may think more about earlier in the month. But like I tell my staff and customers:

"We are not a Museum, we need to roll iron"

I do not let people walk out if there is profit on the table...period.

I have thrown out only 2 people for rude behavior...car buying can be stressfull. Swearing on the sales floor i front of kids will get you tossed.

I have only sold ONE vehicle to people who walk in the door and shout " What, doesn't anyone want to sell a car?"

I have sold that girl 4 cars in the last 3 years. The other 100 people....none.
In fact she stopped in today for a chat and oil change...free car wash too.

If you are happy with the truck, happy with the dealership, etc... JUST BUY THE CAR..DO NOT "Think about it" you already have, and you will just lose sleep.

And YES, there is a Manager in the back office.

Good Luck To All!!

stevnmd · 02-13-2004, 05:09 AM

I commend the "good" sales guys on here, I really do. Customer service is unfortunately something that is VERY rare anymore, but it sounds to me that we have at least two salesmen who understand and apprecitate it here on this site.

As you might have guessed, I've sold cars in the past. (Chryslers and Plymounths YUCK)

I have no problem paying for customer service. I refer people to sales people whom I enjoyed doing business with. If you're looking for a Titan, Bob Jagger at Frederick Nissan in Frederick, MD is a great man to talk to!

I bought my Titan from sleeze-balls. I bought it for the price though, not the friendly discussion, the chit chat, and the funny jokes. I knew I could get my truck below invoice where I did due to a connection I have. Period. Is a pleasant experience with the sales guy worth $1000 of my money to me? Nope... I am having some minor issues with my truck right now (scratch and pinging) and this dealer is promising to take care of me and are being very pleasant about it. That's a good thing... Luckily, the risk I took by going to the lowest price turned out to be okay. It could have just as easily gone horribly, with the dealer telling me the scratch must have happened after I took posession. So, I can appreciate both sides. Pay a little more to have a sales guy who will bend over backwards for you, or low ball a sleeze ball... Unfortunately, when it comes to service, it's completely up to the service department what gets done and how it gets done. The sales guy really doesn't have any pull...

outahere · 02-13-2004, 12:31 PM

No consumer should have to feel guilty about paying close to invoice for a Titan. Believe me, when it is time to get parts or service out of warranty, the dealer will more than make up what they "lost" on the initial sale. Dealer parts prices and hourly service rates are outrageous.

An excellent book for new car buyers is "Don't Get Taken Every Time", written by Remar Sutton.

ChuhBaca · 02-13-2004, 01:21 PM

This has to be one of the most informative threads I've ever read! Great info from everyone!

BigSkyLLC · 02-13-2004, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChuhBaca

This has to be one of the most informative threads I've ever read! Great info from everyone!

Yeah great info but I'd still like to know how much or atleast how the factory to dealer holdback / kickback / incentive is calculated. I'm not sure what the technical term is but it's what the factory gives back to the dealer for each unit sold. This seems to be a very closely guarded figure.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend.

Coolhand · 02-13-2004, 04:53 PM

Ahhh yes 70Boss - your style of checking out the trade-in is what I'm worried about when I get ready to buy (hopefully a Titan). That's when you will hear all of the horrible noises that I keep taking my Chevy Blazer in for, and having the service department say "Sorry, we can't reproduce the problem."

Another trade-in question - how much do these random noises and especially oil leaks affect trade-in value?

Thanks,
Justin

outahere · 02-13-2004, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigSkyLLC

Yeah great info but I'd still like to know how much or atleast how the factory to dealer holdback / kickback / incentive is calculated. I'm not sure what the technical term is but it's what the factory gives back to the dealer for each unit sold. This seems to be a very closely guarded figure.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend.

You may find the answer at edmunds.com. Have you taken a look there? Or at kbb.com?

fishinaggie78 · 02-13-2004, 07:15 PM

Consider this, my brother buys 1 or two new vehicles every one to two years and trades in his current vehicle each time. He " gets the bug" and goes directly to one or two dealerships of different "brands", picks one that he likes and lets them tell him what his current ride is worth. He then asks them what promotions and rebates are being offered and asks them what their "best deal is on the vehicle" is and then makes the deal. Then he goes to the business office where the generally beautiful, smoooth talking lady with the dress slit up the side to the G-string. She tells him that they are offering the best extended warranty available in the industry at an unbelievable price - "ONLY $1800.00 and it covers everything that the manufacturers current warranty covers for an additional two years!" Then sells him a special clearcoat sealant/WAXJOB, undercoating and upholstery protectant for an additional $300 to $600. He walks away a happy camper with the vehicle he wanted, the dealership made a healthy profit and the salesman smiles when he gets his paycheck and wishes that all customers were like this 'cuz his job would be so much more enjoyable and EASY!
Now here I come! I test drive a plethora of vehicles that I admire and narrow it down to two or three choices over a span of 2 - 4 weeks. Then I go to the internet and search for all the reviews that I can possibly find and then to all the related forums for current and past owners of the vehicles I'm interested in. I even go so far as to talk to people that I see in public that are driving the car/truck that I'm considering.Then I go to web and search out all available information on options,MSRP, and dealer invoice. Finally, when I've chosen the vehicle I want, I pull up fightingchance.com and enter the info (make & models) on the vehicle(s) that I want, and for a small fee for each vehicle, they either mail or email an extensive and thorough pamphlet on the ART of negotiating and buying the vehicle of your choice at the best possible price based on true and factual dealer invoice and cost, dealer incentives, factory holdback and current rebates and promotions. As we all know the deal isn't done until you get through with the pretty lady in the business office, and well, they tell you what to avoid and how to get out with your pants on. Believe this, you CAN save thousands!
Case in point - I have located my Titan and found a dealer that offered to sell me any model on their lot for $3376.00 off of MSRP which actually calculates out to $845.00 BELOW INVOICE on the truck that I picked,

with the features and color I want. Don't believe me? Well, that's not the end. I told my rich brother about the deal, and he runs over to the same dealer and picks out the fanciest Titan on the lot (over $38,000.00) and the salesman tells him if we buy both of the selected trucks by this Saturday Feb. 14, 2004, he will actually knock $4000.00 off of MSRP on each truck!
I know I will be happy, as well as my brother (who I'm sure will never pay anywhere near MSRP again) and the salesman is acting like he's tickled to sell two brothers two trucks!
Did we screw the dealership? Well, it is a pretty good feeling and I'm loving it so far, but I really won't know until I drive it off the lot if I do decide to get this truck (I'm also considering and dealing on a Toyota Tacoma 4-Door 4WD Tacoma at a helluva price). One things for sure, we won't be lamenting on getting screwed or screwing ourselves through foolishness nor ignorance. I'll let y'all know how it turns out.
Now, you Nissan car salesmen can flame away - me, I'm just gonna smile and save a ton of money! Hopefully, neither the salesman nor his family nor mine will starve to death in the process. If you don't believe any of this, well, just sit back and watch. If I decide on the Titan, I will provide the proof and the Dealer's name.

70boss · 02-14-2004, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigSkyLLC

Yeah great info but I'd still like to know how much or atleast how the factory to dealer holdback / kickback / incentive is calculated. I'm not sure what the technical term is but it's what the factory gives back to the dealer for each unit sold. This seems to be a very closely guarded figure.

Hope everyone has a nice weekend.

Nissan Holdback is 3 percent of MSRP before any options are added.

If someone comes in and expects to negotiate Holdback....then I cordially invite them to shop elsewhere. There are occasions where I need to use $100 here or there, or 200. Maybe on older model year inventory...but for the most part....It is not a negotialble item.