Realistic Good Deals on a Titan

3529 Views 42 Replies 18 Participants Last post by tbeecher, Mar 6, 2004

Deerbegone

Discussion Starter · Mar 2, 2004 (Edited)

Realistic Good Deal On A Titan

Yes...I sell Titans. I also own one! Contrary to some "good deal" threads on this site, you have to take a more realistic approach when deciding what a good deal is. As an avid "truck person" having owned all the domestics that are now trying to catch Nissan, this is how I would go about buying a Titan. First of all, truck people have very specific needs and wants. Identify your exact needs. Why pay for a Big Tow pckg. if your towing needs never exceed 7400 lbs. Are you wanting the XE base model, SE, or the LE luxury model.You get the picture! Now you're ready to start your search. I help people identify their needs and find the exact trucks that they need....not the truck a dealer will try to sell you with features you don't need or want. Once you find the truck, now you can focus on price, payment etc... Regardless of what anyone says, 3% to 3.5% under MSRP is a great deal on a limited production vehicle of this quality. Ford is stamping out 700,000 to 800,00 of their F150 while Nissan is only producing 100,000 Titans focusing on QUALITY instead of quantity. If you want a $300 over invoice deal, you're looking at the wrong truck! Buy a Ford, Dodge, or Chevy and deal with your inferior domestic quality and horrible resale value. You only need to drive a Titan to see and feel what I'm talking about. As far as financing, never accept the first rate a dealer quotes you. Negotiate your rate!! Extended warranties should be discounted, but don't expect to get them at dealer cost either. You should meet them somewhere in the middle so they can make a fair profit while giving you a good deal. Finally, check out the CSI scores on the dealership you purchase from. Look for dealers above the district average...it does make a difference! I could go on but this covers the REALISTIC basics. I'll be happy to answer any other questions via email as well as find the Titan you are looking for. Thanks!! Deerbegone

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dman

· #2 · Mar 2, 2004

I understand you viewpoint, I really do as my parents own a boat dealership. However, while 3-5% isn't a bad deal, why settle for that if you are able to get an even better deal. It only took 30-45 minutes of negotiation to get my Titan at cost. On top of that my dealer let me drive the vehicle for a whole week before we were able to finish all of the paperwork. While I consider my dealer a serious exception to the rule, if someone can negotiate more than 3-5% off of MSRP then by all means do it. The worst thing the dealer can tell you is no. May as well try though.

BTW, my dealer was willing to sell me the vehicle so cheap because I told him I was an active member on some truck boards...especially Titantalk and he valued this exposure. Also, he wanted to get some Titans on the road to help him advertise and promote his dealership. I can wholeheartedly recommend them as they have been absolutely wonderful through the whole thing. They even went as far to order me the elusive change tray at no cost to me.

Feel free to PM if you want the name of the dealer...they are in the D/FW area of Texas...actually closer to FW and the mid-cities area.

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geece1

· #3 · Mar 2, 2004

Deerbegone said:
Look for dealers above the district average...it does make a difference! I could go on but this covers the REALISTIC basics. I'll be happy to answer any other questions via email as well as find the Titan you are looking for. Thanks!! Deerbegone

Anybody know if there is a way to find out local scores for dealers, although I already have my truck I am shopping for an acessory and service shop. After the lack of help in the buying process I am wondering if I can trust the nearest shop for service etc.

Thanks

Deerbegone

Discussion Starter · #4 · Mar 2, 2004

dman erply

dman said:
I understand you viewpoint, I really do as my parents own a boat dealership. However, while 3-5% isn't a bad deal, why settle for that if you are able to get an even better deal. It only took 30-45 minutes of negotiation to get my Titan at cost. On top of that my dealer let me drive the vehicle for a whole week before we were able to finish all of the paperwork. While I consider my dealer a serious exception to the rule, if someone can negotiate more than 3-5% off of MSRP then by all means do it. The worst thing the dealer can tell you is no. May as well try though.

BTW, my dealer was willing to sell me the vehicle so cheap because I told him I was an active member on some truck boards...especially Titantalk and he valued this exposure. Also, he wanted to get some Titans on the road to help him advertise and promote his dealership. I can wholeheartedly recommend them as they have been absolutely wonderful through the whole thing. They even went as far to order me the elusive change tray at no cost to me.

Feel free to PM if you want the name of the dealer...they are in the D/FW area of Texas...actually closer to FW and the mid-cities area.

yes...some dealers will sell at invoice if you catch them at the right time(allocation etc..) but truck people will recognize the value in a 3-4% discount from MSRP on a limited production vehicle. This is not stressed merchandise. Your situation is the exception rather than the norm and now you are setting that dealership up for everyone to expect the same privileged deal you received because of your status on some truck board which you failed to mention the name. I respect your view but I also deal with every day reality in the market.....I stand by my original comments!! Contact me for the name of the dealership in Las Vegas that recognizes the value of establishing a quality relationship with it's every day customers instead of "special interest" groups who get special deals for advertising purposes.

bvstone1

· #5 · Mar 2, 2004

The dealer offered $500 over invoice without even asking. That's much more that 3-5% under MSRP. That sounds like a salesman. 2-3% over invoice is more what I'm used to paying without much hubub. After the dealing was done, it was $200 over invoice (or $300 more for my trade, 6 of one, half dozen of the other).

Think you'll just "sell it to the next guy that walks in"? Well, then I ask this. Do you want to sell 1, or 2?

I walk in knowing what I want to pay. I lowball them, they come back usually with an offer that's still lower than I expected to pay, and slowly creep a couple hundred more out of them. Works every time, espcially when you're paying cash.

JAKE04TITAN

· #6 · Mar 2, 2004

Deerbegone said:
Yes...I sell Titans. I also own one! Contrary to some "good deal" threads on this site, you have to take a more realistic approach when deciding what a good deal is. As an avid "truck person" having owned all the domestics that are now trying to catch Nissan, this is how I would go about buying a Titan. First of all, truck people have very specific needs and wants. Identify your exact needs. Why pay for a Big Tow pckg. if your towing needs never exceed 7400 lbs. Are you wanting the XE base model, SE, or the LE luxury model.You get the picture! Now you're ready to start your search. I help people identify their needs and find the exact trucks that they need....not the truck a dealer will try to sell you with features you don't need or want. Once you find the truck, now you can focus on price, payment etc... Regardless of what anyone says, 3% to 3.5% under MSRP is a great deal on a limited production vehicle of this quality. Ford is stamping out 700,000 to 800,00 of their F150 while Nissan is only producing 100,000 Titans focusing on QUALITY instead of quantity. If you want a $300 over invoice deal, you're looking at the wrong truck! Buy a Ford, Dodge, or Chevy and deal with your inferior domestic quality and horrible resale value. You only need to drive a Titan to see and feel what I'm talking about. As far as financing, never accept the first rate a dealer quotes you. Negotiate your rate!! Extended warranties should be discounted, but don't expect to get them at dealer cost either. You should meet them somewhere in the middle so they can make a fair profit while giving you a good deal. Finally, check out the CSI scores on the dealership you purchase from. Look for dealers above the district average...it does make a difference! I could go on but this covers the REALISTIC basics. I'll be happy to answer any other questions via email as well as find the Titan you are looking for. Thanks!! Deerbegone

I dont quite agree with some of your points.....first never pay over invoice....walk if the dealer isnt going to invoice....3% is Enough profit IMHO......As far as Nissan focusing on quality vs quantity.....this is BS in my opinion......Nissan (like any other manufacturer ) is going to make whatever the market will support.......if they in the future could sell 700,000 Titans.....(they will not of course) they would make 700,000 Titans.....dont get me wrong I love the truck.......I wouldnt have bought a full size truck if Nissan had stepped up and produced it....I hope the quality is there in the future as only time will tell............

Deerbegone

Discussion Starter · #7 · Mar 2, 2004

bvstone1 said:
The dealer offered $500 over invoice without even asking. That's much more that 3-5% under MSRP. That sounds like a salesman. 2-3% over invoice is more what I'm used to paying without much hubub. After the dealing was done, it was $200 over invoice (or $300 more for my trade, 6 of one, half dozen of the other).

Think you'll just "sell it to the next guy that walks in"? Well, then I ask this. Do you want to sell 1, or 2?

I walk in knowing what I want to pay. I lowball them, they come back usually with an offer that's still lower than I expected to pay, and slowly creep a couple hundred more out of them. Works every time, espcially when you're paying cash.

you're definitely not a math major.....3% over invoice is a 4% discount from MSRP on a Titan which is exactly what I said was a good deal

Deerbegone

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 2, 2004

JAKE04TITAN said:
I dont quite agree with some of your points.....first never pay over invoice....walk if the dealer isnt going to invoice....3% is Enough profit IMHO......As far as Nissan focusing on quality vs quantity.....this is BS in my opinion......Nissan (like any other manufacturer ) is going to make whatever the market will support.......if they in the future could sell 700,000 Titans.....(they will not of course) they would make 700,000 Titans.....dont get me wrong I love the truck.......I wouldnt have bought a full size truck if Nissan had stepped up and produced it....I hope the quality is there in the future as only time will tell............

do your homework......the quality IS THERE. while i don't expect you to be an engineer, suffice to say that the titan is the direct result of a 7 yr testing process from drawing board to production as opposed to 2-3 yrs from the domestics.....so much for your BS comment. Nissan believes in quality over quantity and the limited production is a direct result of that....not market support. yes they will step up production to meet market demands but not at the cost of the consumer in quality

Memphis4x4

· #9 · Mar 2, 2004 (Edited)

I AM an Engineer AND I have a MBA.....so I can talk at any level regarding this subject. However, more importantly, I would like to see this thread become more civil in tone.

Here are the facts: the Titan is a great truck and has good Market demand and Nissan & their Dealers need to make some profit in meeting this demand even with a somewhat limited supply. The rest is up to how the negotiation of the deal works out. Many factors play into that. But still remember that both parties must 'win' in the end. The Dealers must make money to stay in business and we the customers must receive a perceived value for the money spent. Some of this value may be tangible in the form of a low initial cost (as some folks are stating that they are getting great deals) or this value may be latent/intangible as in the form of getting a great truck for a great price.

I personally appreciate our Dealer Friends giving their points of view on this Forum. Getting into the minds of who we will be negotiating with only helps us negotiate more realistically......that is the point that any of these Dealer Friends have ever laid out before us. They are just telling us to have realsitic expectations. These expectations may and do change over time as Market factors change......If we read this thread 6 months from now, all of these figures as far as above/below invoice and MSRP will have changed. I also appreciate that others are getting great deals....it gives me hope. I love a getting good deal as much as anyone, but I try and stay realistic about the deal and work to negotiate as attractive a deal for myself and 'win' but I temper this with the understanding that the Dealer must 'win' in some way too......

So let's please temper our tones from here on out and state our positions in a professional fashion.......remember, sinking to a low level is not a way to attract others to support your point of view. It just pisses us off and drives us to the other side.

Memphis

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bvstone1

· #10 · Mar 2, 2004

Deerbegone said:
you're definitely not a math major.....3% over invoice is a 4% discount from MSRP on a Titan which is exactly what I said was a good deal

36000 - 4% = 34560 (you originally said 3-3.5% is a GREAT deal, now you're saying 4% which must be super great)

32500 + 3% = 33475 (high end of what I often shoot for when buying a car)

32500 + $200 = 32700 (my actual price)

You're definaltly a salesman... massage the numbers around for your favor and try to intimidate the customer and make them feel stupid. As you can see, even with your massaging there's still a $1000 difference. And or subtract a percetange here and it's even more.

And your numbers still don't work out to $200 over invoice, which is what I paid for an LE and many others did as well. Anyone who negotiates off MSRP is an uniformed buyer, and salesmen love that.

Need to just realize that consumers have more advantage when it comes to the numbers... even though most of us know invoice is rarely the net cost of a vehicle to a dealer. Sounds like you don't want that to happen.

titanized

· #11 · Mar 2, 2004

You took the words right out of my mouth....!!!

keane

· #12 · Mar 2, 2004

Memphis4x4 said:
I AM ... It just pisses us off and drives us to the other side.

Memphis

Well said!! Both sides must WIN in order to have a good relationship going forward. I personally don't have a problem in paying what I think a vehicle is worth - if that is MSRP - great! (although, I would never pay over that and only paid it once when i bought a Saturn)

In my market, for the size of my dealer, who I must have a relationship with going forward, asking for invoice isn't going to be a win-win situation. I don't have the option of going to other dealers for repairs as they are all far away.

bvstone1

· #13 · Mar 2, 2004

keane said:
In my market, for the size of my dealer, who I must have a relationship with going forward, asking for invoice isn't going to be a win-win situation. I don't have the option of going to other dealers for repairs as they are all far away.

Im in the same situation, but my dealer knew I was serious (musta been cuz I walk around with checkbook in hand... LOL!) and had no problem offering a great deal. I knew they wanted to get a Titan on the road, and they knew I knew that.

Even after the little screw up causing me to wait a couple more weeks for my Titan, we're still on great terms and both feel we did the best we could. That's how you know if you got a good deal... if both parties are happy with the outcome. If a dealer won't negotiate for what's fair for both parties, then there will be no way to make them happy and it's best to find someone else to deal with.

ringo

· #14 · Mar 2, 2004

How much is the dealer hold back on this truck? Is it 3%. If I would get the truck at invoice won't they still make 3% from the holdback?

keane

· #15 · Mar 2, 2004

ringo said:
How much is the dealer hold back on this truck? Is it 3%. If I would get the truck at invoice won't they still make 3% from the holdback?

Let's say the 3% holdback equals $900.00 (on a $30,000 invoice), from that amount, the dealer must pay the salesman a commission - maybe
$300, the sales manager gets a cut too (I don't know how much), and all his/her overhead. I also think that the holdback is not a straight 3%. It has something to do with the amount of time a vehicle stays on the lot and other factors.

You start lowering the GP at a dealership like that and eventually they are going to have to cut corners to stay in business.

From a business perspective, No business can survive on 3% GP. They have to make it up in other areas - service, parts, etc...

My $0.02 and MHO - take it for what it is worth.

Memphis4x4

· #16 · Mar 2, 2004 (Edited)

bvstone1 said:
......we're still on great terms and both feel we did the best we could. That's how you know if you got a good deal... if both parties are happy with the outcome. If a dealer won't negotiate for what's fair for both parties, then there will be no way to make them happy and it's best to find someone else to deal with.

Bvstone1: Your points of being "happy with the outcome" and "fair for both parties" are well put and exactly correct.

I'm glad that you got such a great deal.....you are doubly blessed.....you can smile about your deal AND smile because you're driving a great truck.

outahere

· #17 · Mar 2, 2004

Deerbegone said:
Regardless of what anyone says, 3% to 3.5% under MSRP is a great deal on a limited production vehicle of this quality. Ford is stamping out 700,000 to 800,00 of their F150 while Nissan is only producing 100,000 Titans focusing on QUALITY instead of quantity.

LOL! A Porsche GT3 is a limited production vehicle. Any Ferrari is a limited production vehicle. The Titan is not a limited production vehicle, and as many forum members have demonstrated, is available at only hundreds over invoice. Nissan is only producing 100,000 Titans because they are starting production of a new vehicle in a new factory, and because that is what their research tells them they can sell in the first year. If Nissan wanted the Titan to have the "limited production" cachet, they would limit production to 3000 units, wouldn't they.

bvstone1

· #18 · Mar 2, 2004

keane said:
From a business perspective, No business can survive on 3% GP. They have to make it up in other areas - service, parts, etc...

My $0.02 and MHO - take it for what it is worth.

Exactly. For every 1 person that pays invoice or a couple hundred over, there are 5 that will think they got a good deal by taking $1000 off MSRP. Like my mom.

ChuhBaca

· #19 · Mar 3, 2004

I agree about the limited production point. Nissan is building that many because of sales projections. They are entering the full-size truck market which, even though the Titan is better in many ways, is very competitive. Just looking through the paper last weekend, I saw at least 3 ads for a Dodge Hemi Ram Quad cab 4x4 for under $26k! Not that I would pick the Ram just because of the price, but you have to admit its a pretty good deal for a full size truck (not taking into account any shortcomings). Also, I'd say the majority of full-size truck buyers are brand loyal! Nissan knows this, and they know that most of the truck-buying public is going to have to warm up to the Titan, even though for most of us on this board (myself included) it only took one drive.

As far as getting a good deal on one, I am under the impression that the salesman gets his commission based on the selling price over invoice. If this is true, then there is not much of an incentive for the salesman to sell a truck close to, at, or even under invoice! A salesman won't want to do this, and can you blame him? The dealership will still make money on holdback, any "factory-to-dealer" incentives, or a volume-based incentive, financing, ext warranties, undercoating... So the best way to get the best deal is to go directly to the fleet manager. If they won't let you deal with the fleet manager, then the sales manager is the second choice.

As for extended warranties, get a quote from your credit union or insurance agent about an MBI policy. If the dealership can't beat that price on the extended warranty, don't buy the dealer's extended warranty. Don't go with dealer financing unless they can beat your pre-approved financing.

There are plenty of uninformed buyers out there that the dealer can take advantage of. I know that the dealer won't sell me a vehicle unless they are profiting. When I'm ready to buy, I'm going to try to get the best deal I can. If that ends up being $200, $400, or $1,000 over invoice I'll still buy the truck. Now everybody raise your mugs for the best thing to happen to truck guys since 4 wheel drive! :cheers:
The Titan, of course!

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LarryD

· #20 · Mar 3, 2004

Got my Titan SE KC 4X4 for $200 below invoice (VVVP). Invoice was almost exactly 90% of MSRP. No problem there. The hard part was getting a fair value for my Silverado in trade. Buying at the end of the month helped I think.

Picking it up Thursday :upsidedow

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