getting car quotes via email negotiation

Joe1 said:
I am in the initial phases of shopping for a new car. I requested an "out the door" price from two dealerships that includes everything from tax,dealer doc fees, title, registration, dealer installed items and any other fees pre-printed on the sales contract such as window etching etc.

The tone of my emails were very polite and l made it clear that l was soliciting prices for the exact same car with the same MSRP from a few dealerships and the only number that mattered to me was the out the door price.

Both replies l received were along the lines of "call us to schedule an appointment" and neither honored my request for an OTD price quote.

Is it really this difficult to get a final price via email negotiation or do l need to be more persistent? l haven't replied back to the two dealers that asked me to call them. l am determined to do everything under my terms and not cave in to their demands.
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I'll tell you what you did wrong here, when you tell a dealership that you are shopping multiple dealerships they have no reason to do anything because you have made it clear that you are in no way committed to doing business with whatever dealership you are reaching out to. I have gotten some people on BITOG heated in the past by telling them that playing games like this in no way helps anyone buy a vehicle, in fact I 100% expect this reaction from the business side as someone who has worked in the car business and has been incredibly successful in the car business by getting people to commit to buying a car from me when they play games like this.

I'll let you in on a big secret, anymore it does not matter what the price is but rather who you buy from. I recently purchased a 2021 Subaru Outback from a dealership that did not even come close to giving me the lowest price quote at the end of the day. They were the closest dealership to where I live and while the price of the car was not the lowest they did undercut the lowest priced dealership by $900 on an extended warranty and I just didn't want to travel 3 hours to play games at that other, lower price quote dealership. At the end of the day their OTD price was the best and I got it by being straightforward with them and telling them exactly what I wanted, most people have no idea what they expect to get so they play games and hope for the "best" without even knowing what the hoped for end result is in their mind.

I firmly believe that the "car buying experts" make things too hard on themselves and everyone involved on the business side, it is not at all difficult to get a good deal on a vehicle purchase but if you cannot see how a business that wants to sell YOU a vehicle might react as a result of your communication with them than it should come as no surprise if you get nowhere with your hoped for results.
 
The last 3 cars I bought were from a no haggle dealer.
Picked out a car,test drove and signed up.
No brain damage,tons of emails,games or phone calls.
Just sign and drive.
Just like buying a pair of shoes.
 
Did you call/email the internet sales person, or the fleet sales person? You can usually find them on dealer websites.
When we bought our RX (actually 2, 1 year apart), I emailed all the dealers within about 100 miles.
I told them what I wanted, a white RX450h. and that I was emailing all the local dealers.
They all chimed in and were very helpful.

Which car and which metro are you in?
I also agree Costco will get you a good deal.
Good luck.
 
ctrcbob said:
They won’t given out the price in print because they know you will go to another dealer and show them the printed price from the first dealer.

I’ve done it on the phone but not on print.
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This is how I got our CR-V locally. Dealer 3hrs away was at 29k. We stopped by local dealer to test drive some. They also had the same exact thing at 32.5k. After the test drive the sales guy wanted to know what we thought. We told him and were honest that they were way too high. He asked what the other dealer was at and to give him some time to talk to manager. Came back and said they could do 30 but that was about it. We got up and thanked him for his time. He brought manager over and did some haggling on window tint, etc but if they got to 29.2k, would we get from them? I said, yeah, we do that. 😎

Eta: there was a dealer an hour away I talked to that was at 33k for same thing. I told him dealer 3hr away was 29k. Sales guy laughed and said, buy it, they couldn't come anywhere close. I thanked him for his honesty and said I'd try them again in the future due to the way he handled it and see if we could make a deal on something later down the road.
 
It's sales, pure and simple. These salesmen are trained professionals. If you stay outside, there's an 80% chance you'll leave. If you go inside, there's a 50% chance you'll leave. Once you sit down at their desk, there's an 80% chance you'll buy. They want you inside and at their desk. They're taught intel gathering, where to stand, what questions to ask, when, and in what order, etc. They can't do that over email or the phone.
 
rob1715 said:
It's sales, pure and simple. These salesmen are trained professionals. If you stay outside, there's an 80% chance you'll leave. If you go inside, there's a 50% chance you'll leave. Once you sit down at their desk, there's an 80% chance you'll buy. They want you inside and at their desk. They're taught intel gathering, where to stand, what questions to ask, when, and in what order, etc. They can't do that over email or the phone.
Click to expand...
Can't sell a car if you don't talk to someone at all. ;)
 
JeffKeryk said:
Did you call/email the internet sales person, or the fleet sales person? You can usually find them on dealer websites.
When we bought our RX (actually 2, 1 year apart), I emailed all the dealers within about 100 miles.
I told them what I wanted, a white RX450h. and that I was emailing all the local dealers.
They all chimed in and were very helpful.

Which car and which metro are you in?
I also agree Costco will get you a good deal.
Good luck.
Click to expand...
I actually made an inquiry from the dealer websites and asked for a quote in the comments section. Now l see that if l dig deep into the dealer websites, most have the email address and contact info for the Internet sales person(s). Maybe l will try that route next.

The car l am shopping is a Toyota Venza ( you chimed in on my thread about a month ago when l asked about it). l am in the NYC/NJ metro area. Tons of Toyota dealers around here. The dealer doc fees can be as high as $699 in NJ, but are limited to $75 by law in NY.

l will shop dealers in both states and compare my best deal to Costco.

My friend bought a Camry through Costco this year and says he did better by $1000 than what he could negotiate on his own.
 
Joe1 said:
I actually made an inquiry from the dealer websites and asked for a quote in the comments section. Now l see that if l dig deep into the dealer websites, most have the email address and contact info for the Internet sales person(s). Maybe l will try that route next.

The car l am shopping is a Toyota Venza ( you chimed in on my thread about a month ago when l asked about it). l am in the NYC/NJ metro area. Tons of Toyota dealers around here. The dealer doc fees can be as high as $699 in NJ, but are limited to $75 by law in NY.

l will shop dealers in both states and compare my best deal to Costco.

My friend bought a Camry through Costco this year and says he did better by $1000 than what he could negotiate on his own.
Click to expand...
If you can't find the internet sales on the website, call the dealer and ask for him/her.
Make a spreadsheet with columns for dealer, salesman, cell, MSRP, discount, out-the-door price. And your comments for each time you talk with them. Date and time.
Tell everybody everything. If they don't wanna play ball, they are a lousy place to do business.
Give yourself a week or 2.
Somebody wants your hard earned money.

Costco will get you close with zero hassle.
The main issue with any car is inventory. Some cars are really hot (especially if they are new) so there is little discounting.
You might also consider another car... If the Venza gets too expensive, you might be in Lexus RX territory.
Good luck.
 
I would second that recommendation. My parents bought one of their last vehicles through Costco, and after negotiating a price, my dad then asked for the Costco price, and was told that it was $1000 less than what they had just negotiated on their own.

Joe1 said:
l will shop dealers in both states and compare my best deal to Costco.

My friend bought a Camry through Costco this year and says he did better by $1000 than what he could negotiate on his own.
Click to expand...
 
Joe1 said:
I am a Costco member and was thinking of using their service to compare to what l can do via negotiating.
I live in a densely populated metro area and there are more than a dozen dealerships reasonably close by to choose from.
Click to expand...

I know using USAA and True Price or whatever, the pricing was horrible.
See if you qualify for X plan or another discount.

I bought my last two new cars using military programs here in the States.
Set price. Sign and drive. Yes I could have saved a few hundred going back and forth but it was smooth.
 
I am in the market for a new car. Because of the Covid shutdown, there is almost no inventory of the particular model available anywhere. I went to the manufacturer's website where they have a "Build Your vehicle" feature and put together my desired model with the color and options I want. I realize that I will have to wait 60-120 days for it to be built and shipped to the US. That's OK.

I sent my build to 5 dealers within a 100 mile radius in Sou. Cal. and asked for their best price. One responded that special order cars were MSRP, and asked me to send a scan of my driver's license and to complete and return the attached credit application.

Two more responded and said the factory was not accepting orders at this time and to check back in a month. One never responded. The last one said that they would be able to submit an order next month but couldn't quote a price at this time. They did invite me to come by and at least have a look at what they had in their showroom and see the colors in person and ask questions. No pressure, they did not ask to run my credit and were very friendly.

So I am going to have to start negotiations once I can actually place an order. One thing I can tell you is that I won't bother with the dealer who didn't respond nor the one who said "the price is MSRP".
I suppose my situation is very different from those who are looking to buy a popular and common model that is more of a commodity.
 
Exactly how I bought my last car. A total of six emails were exchanged. When I went to the dealer for pick up, the paperwork was ready to go. No additional sneaky fees and no changes to the price. I was out of there in 90 minutes.

Keep trying. There are dealerships that have evolved.
 
DwightFrye said:
I am in the market for a new car. Because of the Covid shutdown, there is almost no inventory of the particular model available anywhere. I went to the manufacturer's website where they have a "Build Your vehicle" feature and put together my desired model with the color and options I want. I realize that I will have to wait 60-120 days for it to be built and shipped to the US. That's OK.

I sent my build to 5 dealers within a 100 mile radius in Sou. Cal. and asked for their best price. One responded that special order cars were MSRP, and asked me to send a scan of my driver's license and to complete and return the attached credit application.

Two more responded and said the factory was not accepting orders at this time and to check back in a month. One never responded. The last one said that they would be able to submit an order next month but couldn't quote a price at this time. They did invite me to come by and at least have a look at what they had in their showroom and see the colors in person and ask questions. No pressure, they did not ask to run my credit and were very friendly.

So I am going to have to start negotiations once I can actually place an order. One thing I can tell you is that I won't bother with the dealer who didn't respond nor the one who said "the price is MSRP".
I suppose my situation is very different from those who are looking to buy a popular and common model that is more of a commodity.
Click to expand...

Here is a good case study on what I was eluding to earlier. Here are the questions I would ask of the customer as someone who has no interest in selling them a car but has insight into how those in the car business think and react to such an inquiry:

1. What are your expectations for pricing? What are you seeking to accomplish? Why I ask is because right now the "best price" is MSRP. You have stated that buying a car at MSRP will not garner your commitment to purchase, so in your mind what will?

2. What if no one is willing to meet your expectations for pricing? Let's say that all are at or near MSRP and will not budge, what is "good enough" for you to commit to purchase?

3. What if one of those dealerships that you are now excluding from your shopping process one that would, at the end of the day, be willing to offer a better deal than all the others but YOU are not going to get that deal because you initiated the non-committal game playing which turned them off to doing business with you?

What I am about to say may be perceived as accusatory, that is in no way the intention nor is it directed at anyone here. One thing that people need to understand is that car dealerships are not simply desperate to sell any vehicle to anyone. I have seen too many people with some semblance of an entitlement complex shopping and believing this when they have no idea what they are seeking to accomplish in acquiring a vehicle. When you do this you make the process waaaay more difficult on yourself and all others involved.
 
https://yourautoadvocate.com/guides..._Requesting_the_Best_out_the_Door_Price_Quote

Hello,

My name is (your name), and I live in your area. My zip code is (Put in your zip code), and I am looking to purchase the following:

2020 Subaru Outback with the Premium package, no sunroof and a dark interior. (Be sure to put in the details of the vehicle, and specify a stock # if you have an exact vehicle in mind)

I have already arranged for my own financing but I might be open to what financing options you offer. I would even entertain a pre-owned or retired service loaner if it would offer the appropriate savings. (Remove if not applicable) I am looking to take delivery by month end at the latest. I am prepared to move sooner if the deal warrants it.

Please provide me with your best detailed out the door price breakdown including all fees and please be competitive as I am contacting several dealers within a (enter a reasonable number, like 75 or 100) mile radius.

Thanks so much, and I look forward to hearing back from you.

All the best,
YOUR NAME



Email Response for When The Dealer Doesn’t Provide the Info You Requested​


Hello,

A couple of days ago I requested some information from you regarding an out the door price for the vehicle that I am interested in buying before month end and your response was to ignore my request, and to instead invite me to come in for a test drive. You assured me that your boss would be more than happy to work with me once I come in.

I get it, you have been trained to take control, to set an appointment, to bring the customer in before you can give them anything. Your boss beats that into your head everyday, “Every! ****! Day!” So I get it. But it is a new world out there, and you either learn how to adapt or you perish. I’m hoping that you can adapt and that you can attain even greater success.

Normally, you have but one opportunity to make a good first impression, however I’ll give you a second chance. All I’m asking for is the information that I requested. Provided that you actually include the information, the possibility of a sale exists. If you choose not to, then I can assure you there will be no sale. Potential sale or no sale, the outcome rests entirely on your response.

I’m betting that you could always use one more sale this month to hit your goal and well, with your help, I would like to be that sale.

I look forward to hearing back from you soon.

YOUR NAME
 
Ignatius said:
Here is a good case study on what I was eluding to earlier. Here are the questions I would ask of the customer as someone who has no interest in selling them a car but has insight into how those in the car business think and react to such an inquiry:

1. What are your expectations for pricing? What are you seeking to accomplish? Why I ask is because right now the "best price" is MSRP. You have stated that buying a car at MSRP will not garner your commitment to purchase, so in your mind what will?

2. What if no one is willing to meet your expectations for pricing? Let's say that all are at or near MSRP and will not budge, what is "good enough" for you to commit to purchase?

3. What if one of those dealerships that you are now excluding from your shopping process one that would, at the end of the day, be willing to offer a better deal than all the others but YOU are not going to get that deal because you initiated the non-committal game playing which turned them off to doing business with you?

What I am about to say may be perceived as accusatory, that is in no way the intention nor is it directed at anyone here. One thing that people need to understand is that car dealerships are not simply desperate to sell any vehicle to anyone. I have seen too many people with some semblance of an entitlement complex shopping and believing this when they have no idea what they are seeking to accomplish in acquiring a vehicle. When you do this you make the process waaaay more difficult on yourself and all others involved.
Click to expand...
 
zzyzzx said:
https://yourautoadvocate.com/guides..._Requesting_the_Best_out_the_Door_Price_Quote

Hello,

My name is (your name), and I live in your area. My zip code is (Put in your zip code), and I am looking to purchase the following:

2020 Subaru Outback with the Premium package, no sunroof and a dark interior. (Be sure to put in the details of the vehicle, and specify a stock # if you have an exact vehicle in mind)

I have already arranged for my own financing but I might be open to what financing options you offer. I would even entertain a pre-owned or retired service loaner if it would offer the appropriate savings. (Remove if not applicable) I am looking to take delivery by month end at the latest. I am prepared to move sooner if the deal warrants it.

Please provide me with your best detailed out the door price breakdown including all fees and please be competitive as I am contacting several dealers within a (enter a reasonable number, like 75 or 100) mile radius.

Thanks so much, and I look forward to hearing back from you.

All the best,
YOUR NAME



Email Response for When The Dealer Doesn’t Provide the Info You Requested​


Hello,

A couple of days ago I requested some information from you regarding an out the door price for the vehicle that I am interested in buying before month end and your response was to ignore my request, and to instead invite me to come in for a test drive. You assured me that your boss would be more than happy to work with me once I come in.

I get it, you have been trained to take control, to set an appointment, to bring the customer in before you can give them anything. Your boss beats that into your head everyday, “Every! ****! Day!” So I get it. But it is a new world out there, and you either learn how to adapt or you perish. I’m hoping that you can adapt and that you can attain even greater success.

Normally, you have but one opportunity to make a good first impression, however I’ll give you a second chance. All I’m asking for is the information that I requested. Provided that you actually include the information, the possibility of a sale exists. If you choose not to, then I can assure you there will be no sale. Potential sale or no sale, the outcome rests entirely on your response.

I’m betting that you could always use one more sale this month to hit your goal and well, with your help, I would like to be that sale.

I look forward to hearing back from you soon.

YOUR NAME
Click to expand...

Does that actually work?

I've always found a vehicle in inventory or in transit to the dealer, filled out a form asking for a price quote on that vehicle (I haven't seen a new car dealer without this option in a long time, some are integrated into the manufacturer's website) and gone from there. Usually I have a phone call and email response within 5 minutes.
 
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