Q&A About the car business or buying a car (1 Viewer)

[identikit]

I'm about a week away from buying a used Dodge Grand Caravan.

I'm going to pretend this was schtick.

List of People Not Invited to Ride in My New #####in' Minivan:1. JoeT :

2. Tony Romo

3. Hitler

4.

5.

6.

 

[Joe T]

Through Enterprise

Needs spinners.... and bumper nutz

Do they still do those whistle tips things?

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

I'm not trying to steer you away but I'd check out the toyota siennas.

 

[godgers12]

Why does the dealer always try to #### you on the trade in? How much room is there to negotiate on the trade?

This is honestly the hardest thing to overcome in a car deal. The are multiple reasons a dealer tries to hold so much on a trade, could be because they wanna cover their ### if they have to give it all away on the new car, its all about negotiating. Anything they can hold is profit for everyone from salesman to the GM. Now I will say this, you will NEVER EVER feel like you got enough for your trade, its just how it is, no one is ever happy. Any car you trade in is going to get inspected and things done to it by that dealership, whether its oil change, new tires, any repairs, etc. (this of course is if its not a old clunker that gets wholesale, in those cases you are ALWAYS better off selling ti on craigslist or something and not trading it in) By the time it goes through their service dept (who believe it or not rapes their own sales dept like they do anyone else) and they mark it up a little for some profit , because they aren;t there to work for free, they are screwed if they put to much into a trade in.A couple rules of thumb I use for people to get their heads right is take sites like Kelly Blue Book and throw it out the window, it just aint gonna happen at a dealership, anywhere. In my area we use NADA, and get the retail part of that site our of your head , always look at the trade in and use that ONLY as a gauge. Everything gets taken into account, mileage (over 100k and your better on craigs list) interior condition, tires, etc.If someone is not happy even after i get them all the money i can for their trade I recommend two things to them, either sell it ourtight themselves (keep in mind though if it is a significant trade you are not getting taxed on that amount for your new car which can be a good amount of savings!) or bring it to someone like carmax and get a buy it now bid, they will print it out and they are always at the top of what dealerships are going to offer.

 

[General Malaise]

Through Enterprise

Needs spinners.... and bumper nutz

This ain't Avis, bro.

 

[Angry Beavers]

I will be in the car market soon enough and find this information awesome. Just wanted to say thanks for a starting a great thread!

 

[General Malaise]

I'm not trying to steer you away but I'd check out the toyota siennas.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[xulf]

What kind of cash does a salesmen make in a year...like a range from the crappy to the typical to the good. Separate category for internet too if you know it.

 

[godgers12]

I've used my credit union for every used car I've ever purchased and like knowing that when I walk into a dealership, I have financing pre-approved already from my CU. Does it make any sense to go outside of my CU? I'm a creature of comfort, so I get nervous when dealer's try to walk me away from using my CU for financing. Also, I get confused about "Leases". I had a dealer last night try to talk me into a lease and basically called me stupid for saying "sorry, no. I always buy used, pay them off, then sell them on my own". Am I stupid for not considering a lease? He was talking about recouping the $3,000 I would need to put down, turning it in for a profit or buying it from them at the end of my lease for a "smoking good deal". I just got uncomfortable and wanted to leave. I wouldn't mind a discussion about "Lease" vs "Buying a used car".Thanks! Great and timely thread here. I might have more questions. I'm about a week away from buying a used Dodge Grand Caravan.

It is absolutely wonderful to be pre-approved from a CU. But hey a little competition never hurt nobody, and why would you turn down a lower rate if you can get it? Money is money. What I ALWAYS told people in your situation (this is assuming great credit and good rate from CU) is tell me your current rate and lets see if we can beat it. You won't have to worry about them "Shotgunning" your credit to a million banks because if it is really low there is only a couple that will be able to compete, and if they can beat it great , if not no biggie. If your salesman or manager makes it any toughter than how i just explained it, leave and go somewhere else. As far as a lease vs buying, I say this, if you like a new car every three years, no sooner or later, and dont mind the initial down payment for the luxury of just trading it for a new one then leases are perfect. I WOULD NOT expect to see any money back after the lease, if you did for some reason get some great, but give the down payment like youll never see it again. Now if you are someone that drive s a car till the wheels fall off, leasing is not for you. Any other questions feel free.. Ill try my best.

Thoughts on the updated version of the Dodge Grand Caravan (2011-2012)? And thanks, I appreciate the feedback.

Honestly there are only two vans out there imo that i would consider buying if I were in the minivan market, well three but I consider the Chrysler and Dodge the same kinda, and that is the Honda Oddysey and the Dodge/Chrysler.. The Honda is crazy expensive if you want any sort of equipment on it so you def cant go wrong with the Dodge.Now if you are going the used route some of the nice things on the caravan is of course the Stow and Go, its the only can with it and its stupid how cool that is. (all the seat second and third row fold into the floor) The second big windows are electric and roll down. The front interior is all redone, leather wrapped steering wheel, all controls on the steering wheel. Not sure what equipment you are looking for but the media/nav system is so easy to use and filled with a ton of great stuff.I will say that if you are looking for a fairly equipped van the new Chrysler T&C come stock at the lowest trim with leather, and one DVD screen as well as a ton of other things. If you are looking for some of these option the T&C may be the way to go as well. Just a heads up.

I'm eyeballing a 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan with 27K miles for $19,500. I test drove it and loved it. I jumped around in the van like a spider monkey and felt like I could have performed the Flying Fish Sandwich with a willing partner. I test drove an Odyssey last night and while I enjoyed it, I didn't find it nearly as roomy and for the money? Forget it. Not worth it to me to pay more for a brand. I'm going to take my sons with me to look at it today and get their take since they'll be spending the next 5-8 years in the back seat. DVD isn't important to me. I have one in my car, but it hasn't been used in at least a year and probably only a handful of times in the last 3 years. Again, thanks for the feedback. I'm really glad one of 'our guys' has an insiders view into this. This website never ceases to amaze me.

do you have a link to the vehicle online or something? I would like to see how it is equipped. Also let me say usually internet pricing on used vehicles is very very aggressive, especially if you live in a big market, but there is ALWAYS wiggle room.

Through Enterprise

yea enterprise gives good deals and they are non negotiable, thats a fair price but keep in mind I did a two minute search around me and for a caravan SE and internet pricing is 20,100 to 21,000, with no miles full warranty.

 

[Joe T]

Why does the dealer always try to #### you on the trade in? How much room is there to negotiate on the trade?

This is honestly the hardest thing to overcome in a car deal. The are multiple reasons a dealer tries to hold so much on a trade, could be because they wanna cover their ### if they have to give it all away on the new car, its all about negotiating. Anything they can hold is profit for everyone from salesman to the GM. Now I will say this, you will NEVER EVER feel like you got enough for your trade, its just how it is, no one is ever happy. Any car you trade in is going to get inspected and things done to it by that dealership, whether its oil change, new tires, any repairs, etc. (this of course is if its not a old clunker that gets wholesale, in those cases you are ALWAYS better off selling ti on craigslist or something and not trading it in) By the time it goes through their service dept (who believe it or not rapes their own sales dept like they do anyone else) and they mark it up a little for some profit , because they aren;t there to work for free, they are screwed if they put to much into a trade in.A couple rules of thumb I use for people to get their heads right is take sites like Kelly Blue Book and throw it out the window, it just aint gonna happen at a dealership, anywhere. In my area we use NADA, and get the retail part of that site our of your head , always look at the trade in and use that ONLY as a gauge. Everything gets taken into account, mileage (over 100k and your better on craigs list) interior condition, tires, etc.If someone is not happy even after i get them all the money i can for their trade I recommend two things to them, either sell it ourtight themselves (keep in mind though if it is a significant trade you are not getting taxed on that amount for your new car which can be a good amount of savings!) or bring it to someone like carmax and get a buy it now bid, they will print it out and they are always at the top of what dealerships are going to offer.

Thx.As a side note, my wife recently tried to trade in her 9 year old honda accord. Jeep dealer offered $2500 for the accord. We sold it on Craigslist next day for $5900 cash in about an hour. The discrepancy between the two offers never made sense to me.

 

[General Malaise]

What kind of cash does a salesmen make in a year...like a range from the crappy to the typical to the good. Separate category for internet too if you know it.

I think he said $5K a month, so using any math other than MOP's, that works out to be $60K a year and I think he copped to being about average, having too much heart and soul to rape the public.

 

[General Malaise]

I've used my credit union for every used car I've ever purchased and like knowing that when I walk into a dealership, I have financing pre-approved already from my CU. Does it make any sense to go outside of my CU? I'm a creature of comfort, so I get nervous when dealer's try to walk me away from using my CU for financing. Also, I get confused about "Leases". I had a dealer last night try to talk me into a lease and basically called me stupid for saying "sorry, no. I always buy used, pay them off, then sell them on my own". Am I stupid for not considering a lease? He was talking about recouping the $3,000 I would need to put down, turning it in for a profit or buying it from them at the end of my lease for a "smoking good deal". I just got uncomfortable and wanted to leave. I wouldn't mind a discussion about "Lease" vs "Buying a used car".Thanks! Great and timely thread here. I might have more questions. I'm about a week away from buying a used Dodge Grand Caravan.

It is absolutely wonderful to be pre-approved from a CU. But hey a little competition never hurt nobody, and why would you turn down a lower rate if you can get it? Money is money. What I ALWAYS told people in your situation (this is assuming great credit and good rate from CU) is tell me your current rate and lets see if we can beat it. You won't have to worry about them "Shotgunning" your credit to a million banks because if it is really low there is only a couple that will be able to compete, and if they can beat it great , if not no biggie. If your salesman or manager makes it any toughter than how i just explained it, leave and go somewhere else. As far as a lease vs buying, I say this, if you like a new car every three years, no sooner or later, and dont mind the initial down payment for the luxury of just trading it for a new one then leases are perfect. I WOULD NOT expect to see any money back after the lease, if you did for some reason get some great, but give the down payment like youll never see it again. Now if you are someone that drive s a car till the wheels fall off, leasing is not for you. Any other questions feel free.. Ill try my best.

Thoughts on the updated version of the Dodge Grand Caravan (2011-2012)? And thanks, I appreciate the feedback.

Honestly there are only two vans out there imo that i would consider buying if I were in the minivan market, well three but I consider the Chrysler and Dodge the same kinda, and that is the Honda Oddysey and the Dodge/Chrysler.. The Honda is crazy expensive if you want any sort of equipment on it so you def cant go wrong with the Dodge.Now if you are going the used route some of the nice things on the caravan is of course the Stow and Go, its the only can with it and its stupid how cool that is. (all the seat second and third row fold into the floor) The second big windows are electric and roll down. The front interior is all redone, leather wrapped steering wheel, all controls on the steering wheel. Not sure what equipment you are looking for but the media/nav system is so easy to use and filled with a ton of great stuff.I will say that if you are looking for a fairly equipped van the new Chrysler T&C come stock at the lowest trim with leather, and one DVD screen as well as a ton of other things. If you are looking for some of these option the T&C may be the way to go as well. Just a heads up.

I'm eyeballing a 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan with 27K miles for $19,500. I test drove it and loved it. I jumped around in the van like a spider monkey and felt like I could have performed the Flying Fish Sandwich with a willing partner. I test drove an Odyssey last night and while I enjoyed it, I didn't find it nearly as roomy and for the money? Forget it. Not worth it to me to pay more for a brand. I'm going to take my sons with me to look at it today and get their take since they'll be spending the next 5-8 years in the back seat. DVD isn't important to me. I have one in my car, but it hasn't been used in at least a year and probably only a handful of times in the last 3 years. Again, thanks for the feedback. I'm really glad one of 'our guys' has an insiders view into this. This website never ceases to amaze me.

do you have a link to the vehicle online or something? I would like to see how it is equipped. Also let me say usually internet pricing on used vehicles is very very aggressive, especially if you live in a big market, but there is ALWAYS wiggle room.

Through Enterprise

yea enterprise gives good deals and they are non negotiable, thats a fair price but keep in mind I did a two minute search around me and for a caravan SE and internet pricing is 20,100 to 21,000, with no miles full warranty.

So I should maybe look at a new one? Thanks again...

 

[godgers12]

I will be in the car market soon enough and find this information awesome. Just wanted to say thanks for a starting a great thread!

No problemo, again the only thing that kept me there as long as I was there was the fact that I so many times I have had a customer come back after the fact and take me to lunch, give me a gift car, or bottle of liqour, or even just a handshake and thank you because so many people despise having to buy a new car and I just wanted to give them a different experience. sadly I was unable to deal with my bosses anymore and had to leave lol.

 

[General Malaise]

Why does the dealer always try to #### you on the trade in? How much room is there to negotiate on the trade?

This is honestly the hardest thing to overcome in a car deal. The are multiple reasons a dealer tries to hold so much on a trade, could be because they wanna cover their ### if they have to give it all away on the new car, its all about negotiating. Anything they can hold is profit for everyone from salesman to the GM. Now I will say this, you will NEVER EVER feel like you got enough for your trade, its just how it is, no one is ever happy. Any car you trade in is going to get inspected and things done to it by that dealership, whether its oil change, new tires, any repairs, etc. (this of course is if its not a old clunker that gets wholesale, in those cases you are ALWAYS better off selling ti on craigslist or something and not trading it in) By the time it goes through their service dept (who believe it or not rapes their own sales dept like they do anyone else) and they mark it up a little for some profit , because they aren;t there to work for free, they are screwed if they put to much into a trade in.A couple rules of thumb I use for people to get their heads right is take sites like Kelly Blue Book and throw it out the window, it just aint gonna happen at a dealership, anywhere. In my area we use NADA, and get the retail part of that site our of your head , always look at the trade in and use that ONLY as a gauge. Everything gets taken into account, mileage (over 100k and your better on craigs list) interior condition, tires, etc.If someone is not happy even after i get them all the money i can for their trade I recommend two things to them, either sell it ourtight themselves (keep in mind though if it is a significant trade you are not getting taxed on that amount for your new car which can be a good amount of savings!) or bring it to someone like carmax and get a buy it now bid, they will print it out and they are always at the top of what dealerships are going to offer.

Thx.As a side note, my wife recently tried to trade in her 9 year old honda accord. Jeep dealer offered $2500 for the accord. We sold it on Craigslist next day for $5900 cash in about an hour. The discrepancy between the two offers never made sense to me.

Yeah, I would never trade a car in that I own outright. Craigslist has been a godsend for me. I sold my wife's Pontiac Vibe in 2 days for $100 more than I listed it for. Just flew off our driveway.

 

[godgers12]

I've used my credit union for every used car I've ever purchased and like knowing that when I walk into a dealership, I have financing pre-approved already from my CU. Does it make any sense to go outside of my CU? I'm a creature of comfort, so I get nervous when dealer's try to walk me away from using my CU for financing. Also, I get confused about "Leases". I had a dealer last night try to talk me into a lease and basically called me stupid for saying "sorry, no. I always buy used, pay them off, then sell them on my own". Am I stupid for not considering a lease? He was talking about recouping the $3,000 I would need to put down, turning it in for a profit or buying it from them at the end of my lease for a "smoking good deal". I just got uncomfortable and wanted to leave. I wouldn't mind a discussion about "Lease" vs "Buying a used car".Thanks! Great and timely thread here. I might have more questions. I'm about a week away from buying a used Dodge Grand Caravan.

It is absolutely wonderful to be pre-approved from a CU. But hey a little competition never hurt nobody, and why would you turn down a lower rate if you can get it? Money is money. What I ALWAYS told people in your situation (this is assuming great credit and good rate from CU) is tell me your current rate and lets see if we can beat it. You won't have to worry about them "Shotgunning" your credit to a million banks because if it is really low there is only a couple that will be able to compete, and if they can beat it great , if not no biggie. If your salesman or manager makes it any toughter than how i just explained it, leave and go somewhere else. As far as a lease vs buying, I say this, if you like a new car every three years, no sooner or later, and dont mind the initial down payment for the luxury of just trading it for a new one then leases are perfect. I WOULD NOT expect to see any money back after the lease, if you did for some reason get some great, but give the down payment like youll never see it again. Now if you are someone that drive s a car till the wheels fall off, leasing is not for you. Any other questions feel free.. Ill try my best.

Thoughts on the updated version of the Dodge Grand Caravan (2011-2012)? And thanks, I appreciate the feedback.

Honestly there are only two vans out there imo that i would consider buying if I were in the minivan market, well three but I consider the Chrysler and Dodge the same kinda, and that is the Honda Oddysey and the Dodge/Chrysler.. The Honda is crazy expensive if you want any sort of equipment on it so you def cant go wrong with the Dodge.Now if you are going the used route some of the nice things on the caravan is of course the Stow and Go, its the only can with it and its stupid how cool that is. (all the seat second and third row fold into the floor) The second big windows are electric and roll down. The front interior is all redone, leather wrapped steering wheel, all controls on the steering wheel. Not sure what equipment you are looking for but the media/nav system is so easy to use and filled with a ton of great stuff.I will say that if you are looking for a fairly equipped van the new Chrysler T&C come stock at the lowest trim with leather, and one DVD screen as well as a ton of other things. If you are looking for some of these option the T&C may be the way to go as well. Just a heads up.

I'm eyeballing a 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan with 27K miles for $19,500. I test drove it and loved it. I jumped around in the van like a spider monkey and felt like I could have performed the Flying Fish Sandwich with a willing partner. I test drove an Odyssey last night and while I enjoyed it, I didn't find it nearly as roomy and for the money? Forget it. Not worth it to me to pay more for a brand. I'm going to take my sons with me to look at it today and get their take since they'll be spending the next 5-8 years in the back seat. DVD isn't important to me. I have one in my car, but it hasn't been used in at least a year and probably only a handful of times in the last 3 years. Again, thanks for the feedback. I'm really glad one of 'our guys' has an insiders view into this. This website never ceases to amaze me.

do you have a link to the vehicle online or something? I would like to see how it is equipped. Also let me say usually internet pricing on used vehicles is very very aggressive, especially if you live in a big market, but there is ALWAYS wiggle room.

Through Enterprise

yea enterprise gives good deals and they are non negotiable, thats a fair price but keep in mind I did a two minute search around me and for a caravan SE and internet pricing is 20,100 to 21,000, with no miles full warranty.

So I should maybe look at a new one? Thanks again...

Just to give you a idea, this is one of the competing dealerships in the area I work (Houston) and they have two-three listed that I would buy over the enterprise one http://www.allensamuelsdodgekaty.com/new-inventory/index.htm?SByear=clear&SBmake=Dodge&SBmodel=Grand%20Caravan&SBbodystyle=clear&SBprice=clearscroll down for the trim that is like the enterprise one, if they have em there you can find them by you.There is a 500.00 rebate on the SE it looks like and about 1500.00 or so in markup/holdback that they are giving up. The reason I would go this route is buying through enterprise it is not certified, your 36k bumper to bumper is almost up so I WOULD HIGHLY recommend getting a chrylser extended warranty, I can tell you how to get this for cost, and @ 0% interest f you wanted to make payments on it, if you still went used. But i think going new , 0 miles, full warranty makes a lot more sense on that vehicle.

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

Why does the dealer always try to #### you on the trade in? How much room is there to negotiate on the trade?

This is honestly the hardest thing to overcome in a car deal. The are multiple reasons a dealer tries to hold so much on a trade, could be because they wanna cover their ### if they have to give it all away on the new car, its all about negotiating. Anything they can hold is profit for everyone from salesman to the GM. Now I will say this, you will NEVER EVER feel like you got enough for your trade, its just how it is, no one is ever happy. Any car you trade in is going to get inspected and things done to it by that dealership, whether its oil change, new tires, any repairs, etc. (this of course is if its not a old clunker that gets wholesale, in those cases you are ALWAYS better off selling ti on craigslist or something and not trading it in) By the time it goes through their service dept (who believe it or not rapes their own sales dept like they do anyone else) and they mark it up a little for some profit , because they aren;t there to work for free, they are screwed if they put to much into a trade in.A couple rules of thumb I use for people to get their heads right is take sites like Kelly Blue Book and throw it out the window, it just aint gonna happen at a dealership, anywhere. In my area we use NADA, and get the retail part of that site our of your head , always look at the trade in and use that ONLY as a gauge. Everything gets taken into account, mileage (over 100k and your better on craigs list) interior condition, tires, etc.If someone is not happy even after i get them all the money i can for their trade I recommend two things to them, either sell it ourtight themselves (keep in mind though if it is a significant trade you are not getting taxed on that amount for your new car which can be a good amount of savings!) or bring it to someone like carmax and get a buy it now bid, they will print it out and they are always at the top of what dealerships are going to offer.

Thx.As a side note, my wife recently tried to trade in her 9 year old honda accord. Jeep dealer offered $2500 for the accord. We sold it on Craigslist next day for $5900 cash in about an hour. The discrepancy between the two offers never made sense to me.

was the guy who paid 5900 going to fix it up and resell it?you sound like those guys who bring their junk in on pawn stars.

 

[godgers12]

Why does the dealer always try to #### you on the trade in? How much room is there to negotiate on the trade?

This is honestly the hardest thing to overcome in a car deal. The are multiple reasons a dealer tries to hold so much on a trade, could be because they wanna cover their ### if they have to give it all away on the new car, its all about negotiating. Anything they can hold is profit for everyone from salesman to the GM. Now I will say this, you will NEVER EVER feel like you got enough for your trade, its just how it is, no one is ever happy. Any car you trade in is going to get inspected and things done to it by that dealership, whether its oil change, new tires, any repairs, etc. (this of course is if its not a old clunker that gets wholesale, in those cases you are ALWAYS better off selling ti on craigslist or something and not trading it in) By the time it goes through their service dept (who believe it or not rapes their own sales dept like they do anyone else) and they mark it up a little for some profit , because they aren;t there to work for free, they are screwed if they put to much into a trade in.A couple rules of thumb I use for people to get their heads right is take sites like Kelly Blue Book and throw it out the window, it just aint gonna happen at a dealership, anywhere. In my area we use NADA, and get the retail part of that site our of your head , always look at the trade in and use that ONLY as a gauge. Everything gets taken into account, mileage (over 100k and your better on craigs list) interior condition, tires, etc.If someone is not happy even after i get them all the money i can for their trade I recommend two things to them, either sell it ourtight themselves (keep in mind though if it is a significant trade you are not getting taxed on that amount for your new car which can be a good amount of savings!) or bring it to someone like carmax and get a buy it now bid, they will print it out and they are always at the top of what dealerships are going to offer.

Thx.As a side note, my wife recently tried to trade in her 9 year old honda accord. Jeep dealer offered $2500 for the accord. We sold it on Craigslist next day for $5900 cash in about an hour. The discrepancy between the two offers never made sense to me.

Yeah, I would never trade a car in that I own outright. Craigslist has been a godsend for me. I sold my wife's Pontiac Vibe in 2 days for $100 more than I listed it for. Just flew off our driveway.

Yea but keep in mind, and this is especially the case around me, many people will take less to not have to deal with random people off craigslist as well. I 100% agree and ALWAYS recommend it but it is not for everyone.

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

I've used my credit union for every used car I've ever purchased and like knowing that when I walk into a dealership, I have financing pre-approved already from my CU. Does it make any sense to go outside of my CU? I'm a creature of comfort, so I get nervous when dealer's try to walk me away from using my CU for financing. Also, I get confused about "Leases". I had a dealer last night try to talk me into a lease and basically called me stupid for saying "sorry, no. I always buy used, pay them off, then sell them on my own". Am I stupid for not considering a lease? He was talking about recouping the $3,000 I would need to put down, turning it in for a profit or buying it from them at the end of my lease for a "smoking good deal". I just got uncomfortable and wanted to leave. I wouldn't mind a discussion about "Lease" vs "Buying a used car".Thanks! Great and timely thread here. I might have more questions. I'm about a week away from buying a used Dodge Grand Caravan.

It is absolutely wonderful to be pre-approved from a CU. But hey a little competition never hurt nobody, and why would you turn down a lower rate if you can get it? Money is money. What I ALWAYS told people in your situation (this is assuming great credit and good rate from CU) is tell me your current rate and lets see if we can beat it. You won't have to worry about them "Shotgunning" your credit to a million banks because if it is really low there is only a couple that will be able to compete, and if they can beat it great , if not no biggie. If your salesman or manager makes it any toughter than how i just explained it, leave and go somewhere else. As far as a lease vs buying, I say this, if you like a new car every three years, no sooner or later, and dont mind the initial down payment for the luxury of just trading it for a new one then leases are perfect. I WOULD NOT expect to see any money back after the lease, if you did for some reason get some great, but give the down payment like youll never see it again. Now if you are someone that drive s a car till the wheels fall off, leasing is not for you. Any other questions feel free.. Ill try my best.

Thoughts on the updated version of the Dodge Grand Caravan (2011-2012)? And thanks, I appreciate the feedback.

Honestly there are only two vans out there imo that i would consider buying if I were in the minivan market, well three but I consider the Chrysler and Dodge the same kinda, and that is the Honda Oddysey and the Dodge/Chrysler.. The Honda is crazy expensive if you want any sort of equipment on it so you def cant go wrong with the Dodge.Now if you are going the used route some of the nice things on the caravan is of course the Stow and Go, its the only can with it and its stupid how cool that is. (all the seat second and third row fold into the floor) The second big windows are electric and roll down. The front interior is all redone, leather wrapped steering wheel, all controls on the steering wheel. Not sure what equipment you are looking for but the media/nav system is so easy to use and filled with a ton of great stuff.I will say that if you are looking for a fairly equipped van the new Chrysler T&C come stock at the lowest trim with leather, and one DVD screen as well as a ton of other things. If you are looking for some of these option the T&C may be the way to go as well. Just a heads up.

I'm eyeballing a 2012 Dodge Grand Caravan with 27K miles for $19,500. I test drove it and loved it. I jumped around in the van like a spider monkey and felt like I could have performed the Flying Fish Sandwich with a willing partner. I test drove an Odyssey last night and while I enjoyed it, I didn't find it nearly as roomy and for the money? Forget it. Not worth it to me to pay more for a brand. I'm going to take my sons with me to look at it today and get their take since they'll be spending the next 5-8 years in the back seat. DVD isn't important to me. I have one in my car, but it hasn't been used in at least a year and probably only a handful of times in the last 3 years. Again, thanks for the feedback. I'm really glad one of 'our guys' has an insiders view into this. This website never ceases to amaze me.

do you have a link to the vehicle online or something? I would like to see how it is equipped. Also let me say usually internet pricing on used vehicles is very very aggressive, especially if you live in a big market, but there is ALWAYS wiggle room.

Through Enterprise

yea enterprise gives good deals and they are non negotiable, thats a fair price but keep in mind I did a two minute search around me and for a caravan SE and internet pricing is 20,100 to 21,000, with no miles full warranty.

So I should maybe look at a new one? Thanks again...

Just to give you a idea, this is one of the competing dealerships in the area I work (Houston) and they have two-three listed that I would buy over the enterprise one http://www.allensamuelsdodgekaty.com/new-inventory/index.htm?SByear=clear&SBmake=Dodge&SBmodel=Grand%20Caravan&SBbodystyle=clear&SBprice=clearscroll down for the trim that is like the enterprise one, if they have em there you can find them by you.There is a 500.00 rebate on the SE it looks like and about 1500.00 or so in markup/holdback that they are giving up. The reason I would go this route is buying through enterprise it is not certified, your 36k bumper to bumper is almost up so I WOULD HIGHLY recommend getting a chrylser extended warranty, I can tell you how to get this for cost, and @ 0% interest f you wanted to make payments on it, if you still went used. But i think going new , 0 miles, full warranty makes a lot more sense on that vehicle.

this dude is out of the business and still makin' sales.

 

[godgers12]

to tell a little more about that warranty it extends your bumper to bumper coverage to 7 years or 100k miles with either 100.00 or 150.00 deductible. It is worth every penny , mine for my Ram 1500 Sport 2011 was right around 1000.00, i put 100.00 down pay a monthly payment for 12 months @ 0%, I woulda just bought it but I won't turn down free money.

 

[Joe T]

Why does the dealer always try to #### you on the trade in? How much room is there to negotiate on the trade?

This is honestly the hardest thing to overcome in a car deal. The are multiple reasons a dealer tries to hold so much on a trade, could be because they wanna cover their ### if they have to give it all away on the new car, its all about negotiating. Anything they can hold is profit for everyone from salesman to the GM. Now I will say this, you will NEVER EVER feel like you got enough for your trade, its just how it is, no one is ever happy. Any car you trade in is going to get inspected and things done to it by that dealership, whether its oil change, new tires, any repairs, etc. (this of course is if its not a old clunker that gets wholesale, in those cases you are ALWAYS better off selling ti on craigslist or something and not trading it in) By the time it goes through their service dept (who believe it or not rapes their own sales dept like they do anyone else) and they mark it up a little for some profit , because they aren;t there to work for free, they are screwed if they put to much into a trade in.A couple rules of thumb I use for people to get their heads right is take sites like Kelly Blue Book and throw it out the window, it just aint gonna happen at a dealership, anywhere. In my area we use NADA, and get the retail part of that site our of your head , always look at the trade in and use that ONLY as a gauge. Everything gets taken into account, mileage (over 100k and your better on craigs list) interior condition, tires, etc.If someone is not happy even after i get them all the money i can for their trade I recommend two things to them, either sell it ourtight themselves (keep in mind though if it is a significant trade you are not getting taxed on that amount for your new car which can be a good amount of savings!) or bring it to someone like carmax and get a buy it now bid, they will print it out and they are always at the top of what dealerships are going to offer.

Thx.As a side note, my wife recently tried to trade in her 9 year old honda accord. Jeep dealer offered $2500 for the accord. We sold it on Craigslist next day for $5900 cash in about an hour. The discrepancy between the two offers never made sense to me.

was the guy who paid 5900 going to fix it up and resell it?you sound like those guys who bring their junk in on pawn stars.

It was clean. Ran great. No need to fix it up.The purpose of the question was to figure out why the dealers always lowball by about 3k what you can get on Craigslist relatively quickly.

 

[godgers12]

this dude is out of the business and still makin' sales.LMAO , yea i dunno I just happen to know about that product obv and they way vehicles are now if looking a year behind sometimes your better off going new if a extra thousand isnt a deal breaker.Also I NEVER EVER recommend anyone driving a car out of warranty ever, so if your gonna buy one for a used car and after thats done can buy the same car new, why not?

 

[Tiger Fan]

Why does the dealer always try to #### you on the trade in? How much room is there to negotiate on the trade?

This is honestly the hardest thing to overcome in a car deal. The are multiple reasons a dealer tries to hold so much on a trade, could be because they wanna cover their ### if they have to give it all away on the new car, its all about negotiating. Anything they can hold is profit for everyone from salesman to the GM. Now I will say this, you will NEVER EVER feel like you got enough for your trade, its just how it is, no one is ever happy. Any car you trade in is going to get inspected and things done to it by that dealership, whether its oil change, new tires, any repairs, etc. (this of course is if its not a old clunker that gets wholesale, in those cases you are ALWAYS better off selling ti on craigslist or something and not trading it in) By the time it goes through their service dept (who believe it or not rapes their own sales dept like they do anyone else) and they mark it up a little for some profit , because they aren;t there to work for free, they are screwed if they put to much into a trade in.A couple rules of thumb I use for people to get their heads right is take sites like Kelly Blue Book and throw it out the window, it just aint gonna happen at a dealership, anywhere. In my area we use NADA, and get the retail part of that site our of your head , always look at the trade in and use that ONLY as a gauge. Everything gets taken into account, mileage (over 100k and your better on craigs list) interior condition, tires, etc.If someone is not happy even after i get them all the money i can for their trade I recommend two things to them, either sell it ourtight themselves (keep in mind though if it is a significant trade you are not getting taxed on that amount for your new car which can be a good amount of savings!) or bring it to someone like carmax and get a buy it now bid, they will print it out and they are always at the top of what dealerships are going to offer.

Thx.As a side note, my wife recently tried to trade in her 9 year old honda accord. Jeep dealer offered $2500 for the accord. We sold it on Craigslist next day for $5900 cash in about an hour. The discrepancy between the two offers never made sense to me.

How many miles? I too have a 9 year old Honda Accord

 

[godgers12]

Why does the dealer always try to #### you on the trade in? How much room is there to negotiate on the trade?

This is honestly the hardest thing to overcome in a car deal. The are multiple reasons a dealer tries to hold so much on a trade, could be because they wanna cover their ### if they have to give it all away on the new car, its all about negotiating. Anything they can hold is profit for everyone from salesman to the GM. Now I will say this, you will NEVER EVER feel like you got enough for your trade, its just how it is, no one is ever happy. Any car you trade in is going to get inspected and things done to it by that dealership, whether its oil change, new tires, any repairs, etc. (this of course is if its not a old clunker that gets wholesale, in those cases you are ALWAYS better off selling ti on craigslist or something and not trading it in) By the time it goes through their service dept (who believe it or not rapes their own sales dept like they do anyone else) and they mark it up a little for some profit , because they aren;t there to work for free, they are screwed if they put to much into a trade in.A couple rules of thumb I use for people to get their heads right is take sites like Kelly Blue Book and throw it out the window, it just aint gonna happen at a dealership, anywhere. In my area we use NADA, and get the retail part of that site our of your head , always look at the trade in and use that ONLY as a gauge. Everything gets taken into account, mileage (over 100k and your better on craigs list) interior condition, tires, etc.If someone is not happy even after i get them all the money i can for their trade I recommend two things to them, either sell it ourtight themselves (keep in mind though if it is a significant trade you are not getting taxed on that amount for your new car which can be a good amount of savings!) or bring it to someone like carmax and get a buy it now bid, they will print it out and they are always at the top of what dealerships are going to offer.

Thx.As a side note, my wife recently tried to trade in her 9 year old honda accord. Jeep dealer offered $2500 for the accord. We sold it on Craigslist next day for $5900 cash in about an hour. The discrepancy between the two offers never made sense to me.

was the guy who paid 5900 going to fix it up and resell it?you sound like those guys who bring their junk in on pawn stars.

It was clean. Ran great. No need to fix it up.The purpose of the question was to figure out why the dealers always lowball by about 3k what you can get on Craigslist relatively quickly.

Exactly so think about it, 3k is alot to be marked down for you, but to the dealer, by the time it goes through inspection, etc. average ticket is 1k, but sometimes more. so now they are +2k Say they put it on the lot at +2k form where they bought it, well the person who buys it wants a deal right? No one pays sticker, so there ya go. The hardest thing to overcome as a dealership/salesman was the fact that anyone (me included) wants to pay wholesale for the new car and get retail for their used car. It just can't work like that. But there is ALMOST ALWAYS a happy medium.

 

[Tiger Fan]

Why does the dealer always try to #### you on the trade in? How much room is there to negotiate on the trade?

This is honestly the hardest thing to overcome in a car deal. The are multiple reasons a dealer tries to hold so much on a trade, could be because they wanna cover their ### if they have to give it all away on the new car, its all about negotiating. Anything they can hold is profit for everyone from salesman to the GM. Now I will say this, you will NEVER EVER feel like you got enough for your trade, its just how it is, no one is ever happy. Any car you trade in is going to get inspected and things done to it by that dealership, whether its oil change, new tires, any repairs, etc. (this of course is if its not a old clunker that gets wholesale, in those cases you are ALWAYS better off selling ti on craigslist or something and not trading it in) By the time it goes through their service dept (who believe it or not rapes their own sales dept like they do anyone else) and they mark it up a little for some profit , because they aren;t there to work for free, they are screwed if they put to much into a trade in.A couple rules of thumb I use for people to get their heads right is take sites like Kelly Blue Book and throw it out the window, it just aint gonna happen at a dealership, anywhere. In my area we use NADA, and get the retail part of that site our of your head , always look at the trade in and use that ONLY as a gauge. Everything gets taken into account, mileage (over 100k and your better on craigs list) interior condition, tires, etc.If someone is not happy even after i get them all the money i can for their trade I recommend two things to them, either sell it ourtight themselves (keep in mind though if it is a significant trade you are not getting taxed on that amount for your new car which can be a good amount of savings!) or bring it to someone like carmax and get a buy it now bid, they will print it out and they are always at the top of what dealerships are going to offer.

Thx.As a side note, my wife recently tried to trade in her 9 year old honda accord. Jeep dealer offered $2500 for the accord. We sold it on Craigslist next day for $5900 cash in about an hour. The discrepancy between the two offers never made sense to me.

was the guy who paid 5900 going to fix it up and resell it?you sound like those guys who bring their junk in on pawn stars.

It was clean. Ran great. No need to fix it up.The purpose of the question was to figure out why the dealers always lowball by about 3k what you can get on Craigslist relatively quickly.

I would assume bc a majority of the people don't want to deal with the hassle of selling it themselves.

 

[godgers12]

I would assume bc a majority of the people don't want to deal with the hassle of selling it themselves.Yea that is a lot of it as well. The other thing you gotta understand is these managers in these have been in the business all their lives, its all they know. And A TON of them still treat it like the old school, so it makes it impossible as a employee to overcome the fact that they think all customers are walking mouth breathers with a blindfold. For example it happened regularly, someone comes in with a E-Price on a vehicle and its gone, so I find a different one they like and go to get a buyers order or "numbers" on that one. Well it could be the same exact vehicle but different color, #### same color don't matter, but they will hit you with full sticker + all the adds just because. Now as a salesman I KNOW this person is gonna be pissed and say WTF just give me a E-Price, do I really have to go home and do this again. I know that is what they will say but guess what, I still have to go do it. Well I got to the point where I would walk it in, draw a big X on it and tell the customer to ask for the same price or they are walking.It really is hard as a salesman when the customers already hate you before they know you, and you manager hates you because they are miserable pricks that wake up every morning and realize they have added nothing to the world in all the years they have been in the business.

 

[Hopeless Lions Fan]

How was the service department?

 

[General Malaise]

Just to give you a idea, this is one of the competing dealerships in the area I work (Houston) and they have two-three listed that I would buy over the enterprise one

http://www.allensamuelsdodgekaty.com/new-inventory/index.htm?SByear=clear&SBmake=Dodge&SBmodel=Grand%20Caravan&SBbodystyle=clear&SBprice=clear

scroll down for the trim that is like the enterprise one, if they have em there you can find them by you.There is a 500.00 rebate on the SE it looks like and about 1500.00 or so in markup/holdback that they are giving up.

The reason I would go this route is buying through enterprise it is not certified, your 36k bumper to bumper is almost up so I WOULD HIGHLY recommend getting a chrylser extended warranty, I can tell you how to get this for cost, and @ 0% interest f you wanted to make payments on it, if you still went used. But i think going new , 0 miles, full warranty makes a lot more sense on that vehicle.

From their website:

Vehicle Certification

We only sell certified used vehicles. Every Enterprise used car has passed a rigorous 109-point inspection performed by an ASE-Certified technician.

Now that doesn't change anything for me, but just wanted to point that out. Not sure it means a whole helluva a lot, but Enterprise does advertise Certification.Also, what are the differences between the SE and the SXT?

 

[godgers12]

How was the service department?

This is the best thing about my dealership in particular, the service manager loved the product and knew everything about it, we are the only one around open all day on Saturday as well. But again they will screw you even more than when you bought it lol, its ridicuous how a dealership is persistent about screwing you everytime they can.

 

[godgers12]

Just to give you a idea, this is one of the competing dealerships in the area I work (Houston) and they have two-three listed that I would buy over the enterprise one

http://www.allensamuelsdodgekaty.com/new-inventory/index.htm?SByear=clear&SBmake=Dodge&SBmodel=Grand%20Caravan&SBbodystyle=clear&SBprice=clear

scroll down for the trim that is like the enterprise one, if they have em there you can find them by you.There is a 500.00 rebate on the SE it looks like and about 1500.00 or so in markup/holdback that they are giving up.

The reason I would go this route is buying through enterprise it is not certified, your 36k bumper to bumper is almost up so I WOULD HIGHLY recommend getting a chrylser extended warranty, I can tell you how to get this for cost, and @ 0% interest f you wanted to make payments on it, if you still went used. But i think going new , 0 miles, full warranty makes a lot more sense on that vehicle.

From their website:

Vehicle Certification

We only sell certified used vehicles. Every Enterprise used car has passed a rigorous 109-point inspection performed by an ASE-Certified technician.

Now that doesn't change anything for me, but just wanted to point that out. Not sure it means a whole helluva a lot, but Enterprise does advertise Certification.Also, what are the differences between the SE and the SXT?

very ;little things, they stopped making the SXT for 2013 I am pretty sure, the SE i linked that is 21 and change is probably exact to what you were looking at, did it have remote power sliding doors and hatch?

 

[godgers12]

going out for the night but will check back after a while, post any questions and I will get to them.

 

[boots11234]

How was the service department?

This is the best thing about my dealership in particular, the service manager loved the product and knew everything about it, we are the only one around open all day on Saturday as well. But again they will screw you even more than when you bought it lol, its ridicuous how a dealership is persistent about screwing you everytime they can.

Agree. I have extended warranty on my honda, bring it in and find out the ignition coil needs to be replaced. Fine. Covered. Dealership calls and tells me I'm going to be charged because the spark plug needed to be replaced because it was fouled due to coil and this was not covered. Told dealership to drop dead. They stuck by their guns until I asked for the dealer rep phone number. They told me they've never had to give that out before. I told them well there always has to be a first time.....they covered the cost of the new plug and labor. On a side note if you are buying a honda (and maybe other brands too) check the Internet for dealerships who sell OEM warranty online. I did this and saved like 1200 getting OEM honda warranty from an out of state dealership. Same Honda Care warranty I would have got at my dealership. I believe this dealership is being sued by honda for doimg this though. im not even sure they still do it any more.

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

I think service dept can go either way --- you can get robbed by anybody anywhere.when I was younger I think I got robbed in a midas.in theory, a competent service dept will be more familiar with your car and less likely to #### it up, but I've heard service dept horror stories.you'll pay 20-30 bux more for that oil change, but it won't be some 15 yr old illegal at jiffy lube working on your car like an indy pit crew.mfr notifies of a possible defect, and if we hear this noise we should take it in for a part replacement.so, I hear the noise, take it to my nearest dealer, and they give me a call saying my warranty was up in a week, and I might want to replace the wheel bearings while still under warranty.they might've been soaking the mfr on this, but they didn't soak me for a dime, and I'm glad I happened to take it in.no doubt you'll pay a premium, but if you don't have a good shop you can trust, it might be worth it.but, this is all contingent on the particular service dept, I think.

 

[St. Louis Bob]

I'm about a week away from buying a used Dodge Grand Caravan.

I'm going to pretend this was schtick.

List of People Not Invited to Ride in My New #####in' Minivan:1. JoeT :

2. Tony Romo

3. Hitler

4.

5.

6.

 

[St. Louis Bob]

Just to give you a idea, this is one of the competing dealerships in the area I work (Houston) and they have two-three listed that I would buy over the enterprise one

http://www.allensamuelsdodgekaty.com/new-inventory/index.htm?SByear=clear&SBmake=Dodge&SBmodel=Grand%20Caravan&SBbodystyle=clear&SBprice=clear

scroll down for the trim that is like the enterprise one, if they have em there you can find them by you.There is a 500.00 rebate on the SE it looks like and about 1500.00 or so in markup/holdback that they are giving up.

The reason I would go this route is buying through enterprise it is not certified, your 36k bumper to bumper is almost up so I WOULD HIGHLY recommend getting a chrylser extended warranty, I can tell you how to get this for cost, and @ 0% interest f you wanted to make payments on it, if you still went used. But i think going new , 0 miles, full warranty makes a lot more sense on that vehicle.

From their website:

Vehicle Certification

We only sell certified used vehicles. Every Enterprise used car has passed a rigorous 109-point inspection performed by an ASE-Certified technician.

Now that doesn't change anything for me, but just wanted to point that out. Not sure it means a whole helluva a lot, but Enterprise does advertise Certification.Also, what are the differences between the SE and the SXT?

I would advise not to buy a formal rental car. After the Citation, I bought a groovy Cavalier from Enterprise. It broke down more than the Cavalier. I later had a car friend tell me that people are really hard on rentals so it's a bad idea buying to own. FWIW.

 

[Kool-Aid Larry]

I would advise not to buy a formal rental car. After the Citation, I bought a groovy Cavalier from Enterprise. It broke down more than the Cavalier. I later had a car friend tell me that people are really hard on rentals so it's a bad idea buying to own. FWIW.

I hear that a lot and it's always one of those things that I think should be on snopes.how are these people driving a car 'really hard'?I can see how they might mistreat the interior, but when you drive a rental are you driving 'harder', somehow, than your own car?yeah, maybe you bump into more stuff, but all that body work is either fixed, or you can see it.I think the problem with rentals is they pick up an asston of mileage pretty quick, so a year after you get them you might be out of warranty.if you buy a car from some random dude off craigslist how do you know how hard he was driving?he might be driving that thing hard every day for 3 years, and twice a year put 4 hard days on that rental.edit: and if enterprise doesn't sell it direct to you, they probably ship to auctions where it's bought by dealers and resold to you off teh lot.

 

[Angry Beavers]

Is there any particular time of the month or year that is better for buying a car than any other? I heard Nov/Dec was great as dealers tend to be slower during the holidays and they are trying to get rid of last years models to make room for the new ones.

 

[Joe T]

Why does the dealer always try to #### you on the trade in? How much room is there to negotiate on the trade?

This is honestly the hardest thing to overcome in a car deal. The are multiple reasons a dealer tries to hold so much on a trade, could be because they wanna cover their ### if they have to give it all away on the new car, its all about negotiating. Anything they can hold is profit for everyone from salesman to the GM. Now I will say this, you will NEVER EVER feel like you got enough for your trade, its just how it is, no one is ever happy. Any car you trade in is going to get inspected and things done to it by that dealership, whether its oil change, new tires, any repairs, etc. (this of course is if its not a old clunker that gets wholesale, in those cases you are ALWAYS better off selling ti on craigslist or something and not trading it in) By the time it goes through their service dept (who believe it or not rapes their own sales dept like they do anyone else) and they mark it up a little for some profit , because they aren;t there to work for free, they are screwed if they put to much into a trade in.A couple rules of thumb I use for people to get their heads right is take sites like Kelly Blue Book and throw it out the window, it just aint gonna happen at a dealership, anywhere. In my area we use NADA, and get the retail part of that site our of your head , always look at the trade in and use that ONLY as a gauge. Everything gets taken into account, mileage (over 100k and your better on craigs list) interior condition, tires, etc.If someone is not happy even after i get them all the money i can for their trade I recommend two things to them, either sell it ourtight themselves (keep in mind though if it is a significant trade you are not getting taxed on that amount for your new car which can be a good amount of savings!) or bring it to someone like carmax and get a buy it now bid, they will print it out and they are always at the top of what dealerships are going to offer.

Thx.As a side note, my wife recently tried to trade in her 9 year old honda accord. Jeep dealer offered $2500 for the accord. We sold it on Craigslist next day for $5900 cash in about an hour. The discrepancy between the two offers never made sense to me.

How many miles? I too have a 9 year old Honda Accord

130k

 

[ScottNorwood]

I'm about a week away from buying a used Dodge Grand Caravan.

I'm going to pretend this was schtick.

List of People Not Invited to Ride in My New #####in' Minivan:1. JoeT :

2. Tony Romo

3. Hitler

4.

5.

6.

But in all seriousness, if Hitler walked up to GM and asked for a van ride, I doubt he gets rejected

 

[Zegras11]

Is there any particular time of the month or year that is better for buying a car than any other? I heard Nov/Dec was great as dealers tend to be slower during the holidays and they are trying to get rid of last years models to make room for the new ones.

end of month when they can hit a bonus.

 

[cstu]

I would advise not to buy a formal rental car. After the Citation, I bought a groovy Cavalier from Enterprise. It broke down more than the Cavalier. I later had a car friend tell me that people are really hard on rentals so it's a bad idea buying to own. FWIW.

I hear that a lot and it's always one of those things that I think should be on snopes.how are these people driving a car 'really hard'?

I can see how they might mistreat the interior, but when you drive a rental are you driving 'harder', somehow, than your own car?

yeah, maybe you bump into more stuff, but all that body work is either fixed, or you can see it.

I think the problem with rentals is they pick up an asston of mileage pretty quick, so a year after you get them you might be out of warranty.

if you buy a car from some random dude off craigslist how do you know how hard he was driving?

he might be driving that thing hard every day for 3 years, and twice a year put 4 hard days on that rental.

edit: and if enterprise doesn't sell it direct to you, they probably ship to auctions where it's bought by dealers and resold to you off teh lot.

There's no way that someone who owns a car would treat it the way I've treated some of the rental cars I've had - in college I once tried to get a Pontiac Vibe to leave the ground over a hill, couldn't have been good for the suspension. I also thought nothing of doing neutral drops in rental cars.

 

[Irish33]

Are the extended warranties on new cars worth it?Is the add on of the "Poly-Steel" (basically scotch guard interior and special car wax)worth it?

 

[Tiger Fan]

Why does the dealer always try to #### you on the trade in? How much room is there to negotiate on the trade?

This is honestly the hardest thing to overcome in a car deal. The are multiple reasons a dealer tries to hold so much on a trade, could be because they wanna cover their ### if they have to give it all away on the new car, its all about negotiating. Anything they can hold is profit for everyone from salesman to the GM. Now I will say this, you will NEVER EVER feel like you got enough for your trade, its just how it is, no one is ever happy. Any car you trade in is going to get inspected and things done to it by that dealership, whether its oil change, new tires, any repairs, etc. (this of course is if its not a old clunker that gets wholesale, in those cases you are ALWAYS better off selling ti on craigslist or something and not trading it in) By the time it goes through their service dept (who believe it or not rapes their own sales dept like they do anyone else) and they mark it up a little for some profit , because they aren;t there to work for free, they are screwed if they put to much into a trade in.A couple rules of thumb I use for people to get their heads right is take sites like Kelly Blue Book and throw it out the window, it just aint gonna happen at a dealership, anywhere. In my area we use NADA, and get the retail part of that site our of your head , always look at the trade in and use that ONLY as a gauge. Everything gets taken into account, mileage (over 100k and your better on craigs list) interior condition, tires, etc.If someone is not happy even after i get them all the money i can for their trade I recommend two things to them, either sell it ourtight themselves (keep in mind though if it is a significant trade you are not getting taxed on that amount for your new car which can be a good amount of savings!) or bring it to someone like carmax and get a buy it now bid, they will print it out and they are always at the top of what dealerships are going to offer.

Thx.As a side note, my wife recently tried to trade in her 9 year old honda accord. Jeep dealer offered $2500 for the accord. We sold it on Craigslist next day for $5900 cash in about an hour. The discrepancy between the two offers never made sense to me.

How many miles? I too have a 9 year old Honda Accord

130k

Nice. I'm virtually in the exact same boat. Not looking to sell anytime soon, but nice to know it's worth about 6k.

 

[Tiger Fan]

FWIW, I would never ever ever buy a used car from enterprise. Think about how much you don't care about a rental car when you rent one.

 

[comfortably numb]

Is there any particular time of the month or year that is better for buying a car than any other? I heard Nov/Dec was great as dealers tend to be slower during the holidays and they are trying to get rid of last years models to make room for the new ones.

end of month when they can hit a bonus.

Last year when i bought my new car, it happened to be the last day of the month.I had my car in mind, stayed home made several calls.Told sales reps I am buying a car today when i leave my house in the afternoon all i wanted to do was basically sign my name.Took the best price i was given had a deal set by noon, when wife got home i took a drive to dealership at 3PM and was out within an hour.Sales rep said last day of the month is the best day to buy.I don't think I will ever buy a car differently going forward.All negotiating was done on the phone.

 

[E-Z Glider]

Here's the situation I always find myself in. I research on-line until I find the exact (make, mileage, price-range, color, options, etc) used vehicle that I want. At this point, what's my best way to negotiate for this vehicle? Assume cash deal with trade-in.In the past, my strategy was to do my research on KBB and make them think I was considering 3 different vehicles at different dealers. I would then keep asking for their best price until they let me walk out the door (my Dad always said once they let you walk, they've given their best deal). At that point, I usually just walk back in and sign the papers. Its served me well, but I dont really enjoy the whole process.

 

[godgers12]

Just to give you a idea, this is one of the competing dealerships in the area I work (Houston) and they have two-three listed that I would buy over the enterprise one

http://www.allensamuelsdodgekaty.com/new-inventory/index.htm?SByear=clear&SBmake=Dodge&SBmodel=Grand%20Caravan&SBbodystyle=clear&SBprice=clear

scroll down for the trim that is like the enterprise one, if they have em there you can find them by you.There is a 500.00 rebate on the SE it looks like and about 1500.00 or so in markup/holdback that they are giving up.

The reason I would go this route is buying through enterprise it is not certified, your 36k bumper to bumper is almost up so I WOULD HIGHLY recommend getting a chrylser extended warranty, I can tell you how to get this for cost, and @ 0% interest f you wanted to make payments on it, if you still went used. But i think going new , 0 miles, full warranty makes a lot more sense on that vehicle.

From their website:

Vehicle Certification

We only sell certified used vehicles. Every Enterprise used car has passed a rigorous 109-point inspection performed by an ASE-Certified technician.

Now that doesn't change anything for me, but just wanted to point that out. Not sure it means a whole helluva a lot, but Enterprise does advertise Certification.Also, what are the differences between the SE and the SXT?

I would advise not to buy a formal rental car. After the Citation, I bought a groovy Cavalier from Enterprise. It broke down more than the Cavalier. I later had a car friend tell me that people are really hard on rentals so it's a bad idea buying to own. FWIW.

I'm kind of on the fence about the whole rental car thing for a couple reasons. First off my dealership would buy at least 10-15 chrysler, dodge,jeep vehicles a month from what is called the Smart Auction, and all of these vehicles were from Enterprise and Enterprise delivered them straight to us.Yes I understand the whole thing about people treating rental cars bad and driving them "hard", but at the same time no one upkeeps their personal vehicle like a enterprise vehicle is taken car of. From the maintenance to the cleaning inside and out they are always on top of that stuff, I mean think about anytime you get in a rental car, 95% of the time it is spotless and runs just fine.

I just think buying a year old vehicle with the bumper to bumper warranty basically gone doesn't make sense to only save maybe 1-2k on a brand new vehicle with a full warranty.

 

[godgers12]

Is there any particular time of the month or year that is better for buying a car than any other? I heard Nov/Dec was great as dealers tend to be slower during the holidays and they are trying to get rid of last years models to make room for the new ones.

As other people have stated the end of the month is where it is at. Not only do they have goals they wanna hit for the salesman all these dealerships have certain numbers to hit not only for the manufacturer but also their main lender.For example with Chrysler the main lender is Ally, there is usually two numbers they can hit for Chrysler each paying a different amount, so say a dealership sells 200 cars for the first level they might get 200.00 bonus every car they sell, but level two could be 350.00 a car bonus, on top of that Ally will have a certain amount of new and used cars they need your ealership to get funded through them each month, and that could be a flat bonus for say 40-70k depending on size of dealership each month.This is how many dealerships are ablt to sell their cars over the internet and have E-Prices below invoice because they rely on this extra money. There is ALWAYS a next number they can hit and most the time the last few days a month or "closeout" they are just in a mad dash to move steel over the curb. Not to mention everyone is usually burnt the hell out after working 9-9 for a week straight.

 

[godgers12]

Are the extended warranties on new cars worth it?Is the add on of the "Poly-Steel" (basically scotch guard interior and special car wax)worth it?

Extended warranties are tricky, I would NEVER include the extended warranty if I was paying interest on my vehicle if you have a 0% incentive rate then its different. But otherwise I do this:I bought my truck and bought a extended warranty for it which gives me 7 years or 100k miles bumper to bumper coverage, deductable is 100.00 and it gives me peace of mind knowing I won't ever have a ridiculous repair to worry about. Now I bought mine AFTER i signed my contract and most dealerships can sell you it after the fact, also most can just take like 10% of it down and you can make payments and it is interest free. My warranty was 1025.00 for the coverage I got, i put down like a hundred bucks and paid it off in 6 months. TO me that is more than worth the money I paid to be covered bumper to bumper for 7 years. Keep in mind though just like the car itself they can basically charge what they want for the warranty, smany finance depts will see what you are approved for and try and soak whatever they can into the warranty, tire care, maintenance plans, or EVTS (GPS for your car), and GAP insurance. Peoples with good credit they can really screw over because the bank will loan huge amounts over what the value of the car is. But someone with mediocre credit the bank will only allow so much over the value of the car because unlike how it used to be back in the day the banks actually look out for these people without them knowing.I ALWAYS recommend just buying your car after you negotiate the best price and add gap insurance, in Texas GAP is regulated now, they cannot overcharge you for that most of the time, and anyone financing a new car should get GAP (unless you are putting a HUGE amount down). Then go back at a later time (just dont let the original warranty run out) for the extended warranty and negotiate that. (which can easily be done over the phone as well)

 

[godgers12]

Are the extended warranties on new cars worth it?Is the add on of the "Poly-Steel" (basically scotch guard interior and special car wax)worth it?

oh and the scotch guard, and extra wax and crap like that is just a way for them to make more money off of you, a lot of the time they didn't do #### to it, and if they did it cost them like 20.00 and your gonna pay 400.00. Any adds like VIN Etching, Wheel Locks, Market Adjustement (unless you are on a super rare order only type vehicle, but even then I wouldn't pay it) Scotch Guard, Nitrogen in tires, wax, etc. is all just bull####. The ONLY thing I would pay for would be window tint, my dealership tinted every vehicle on the lot, we initially charge 399.99 for it, but if you are already below invoice on the deal you can at least get that cut in half, be happy with 150.00-200.00 for window tint on a whole car imo, especially since it is guaranteed for life (or until the dealership is gone at least)

 

[St. Louis Bob]

Just to give you a idea, this is one of the competing dealerships in the area I work (Houston) and they have two-three listed that I would buy over the enterprise one

http://www.allensamuelsdodgekaty.com/new-inventory/index.htm?SByear=clear&SBmake=Dodge&SBmodel=Grand%20Caravan&SBbodystyle=clear&SBprice=clear

scroll down for the trim that is like the enterprise one, if they have em there you can find them by you.There is a 500.00 rebate on the SE it looks like and about 1500.00 or so in markup/holdback that they are giving up.

The reason I would go this route is buying through enterprise it is not certified, your 36k bumper to bumper is almost up so I WOULD HIGHLY recommend getting a chrylser extended warranty, I can tell you how to get this for cost, and @ 0% interest f you wanted to make payments on it, if you still went used. But i think going new , 0 miles, full warranty makes a lot more sense on that vehicle.

From their website:

Vehicle Certification

We only sell certified used vehicles. Every Enterprise used car has passed a rigorous 109-point inspection performed by an ASE-Certified technician.

Now that doesn't change anything for me, but just wanted to point that out. Not sure it means a whole helluva a lot, but Enterprise does advertise Certification.Also, what are the differences between the SE and the SXT?

I would advise not to buy a formal rental car. After the Citation, I bought a groovy Cavalier from Enterprise. It broke down more than the Cavalier. I later had a car friend tell me that people are really hard on rentals so it's a bad idea buying to own. FWIW.

I'm kind of on the fence about the whole rental car thing for a couple reasons. First off my dealership would buy at least 10-15 chrysler, dodge,jeep vehicles a month from what is called the Smart Auction, and all of these vehicles were from Enterprise and Enterprise delivered them straight to us.Yes I understand the whole thing about people treating rental cars bad and driving them "hard", but at the same time no one upkeeps their personal vehicle like a enterprise vehicle is taken car of. From the maintenance to the cleaning inside and out they are always on top of that stuff, I mean think about anytime you get in a rental car, 95% of the time it is spotless and runs just fine.

I just think buying a year old vehicle with the bumper to bumper warranty basically gone doesn't make sense to only save maybe 1-2k on a brand new vehicle with a full warranty.

I have a GB (and a great guy like you I'm guessing) that has been selling cars, mostly used, for almost 30 years. This was his advice and from my limited experience, I have to agree with him.