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The Car Shopping Thread

Unless I have some very specific wants/needs or a ton of cash laying around I don't think I will ever buy NEW again.

There are so many gently used and coming-off-lease vehicles that I believe I can get something satisfactory.
 
Always remember this tip I read, The salespeople get either paid or screwed when you buy a new car based on the satisfaction survey after the sale. I know that 1-2 bad (not full 5 star) ratings from a customer and the salesperson can write off that month. So to get around that tell them that you will give them a good review, good phone number to contact you and that you will pick up right away in exchange for another $500 off the purchase price. the survey score is worth a ton more to them and the dealer than the $500.
 
My method for buying my last 2 cars worked extremely well.

I send an email to all the fleet sales email addresses in the area, making sure they are all in the send to field so they see I am emailing all of their competitors. I state the model and features I want and advise I won't negotiate, I will simply bhuy from the Dealer that emails me the best price for the vehicle I want. They don't know what the other locations are sending me, so they either give me the best offer they can or I simply ignore them.

I show up and buy the vehicle I want. If they get shady with me when I arrive, I have all the other offers readily available and simply walk out.

I have not had to leave the first location either time now.

I love the Internet.
 
JRod said:
You at Toyota? I've heard they're none to thrilled e about negotiating on Prius.
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They weren't and we walked...even with family member there.
 
JB said:
We might have it figured out but I went mikedean on them and might have some favors owed
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Well played
 
JB said:
They weren't and we walked...even with family member there.
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Yah that's the problem. They did the same thing with me on a Tacoma. They sell so many of them they don't negotiate. It's pretty irritating.
 
JRod said:
Yah that's the problem. They did the same thing with me on a Tacoma. They sell so many of them they don't negotiate. It's pretty irritating.
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I love the old "we are losing 4k on this car". Sure you are. And you only make $900 on each car you sell and can still pay the commission and keep the lights on. Right....
 
JB said:
I love the old "we are losing 4k on this car". Sure you are. And you only make $900 on each car you sell and can still pay the commission and keep the lights on. Right....
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Yah i hear Yah bro. It's infuriating.
 
adwillingham said:
After driving one in Las Vegas last year, I'm really thinking about getting a Dodge Charger as my next vehicle (maybe next year when I can find a '15 slightly used). So sick of my 07 Sonata after driving it for 8 years now. Really trying to wait until we are able to pay off our van first so that we only have one payment (or have a small enough amount to roll/combine it into the new loan).
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I have an 08 with nearly 200,000 miles - has been a great car! May be selling it to my son - might buy another Charger, although this time I want the srt! I like the back end of the 08 Charger, but the front end of the newer Charger - but I know the new Charger is way more fuel efficient.
 
Oh yeah, another tip I remember...end of month is the best time to buy because monthly sales goals - and that isn't just pure numbers - start hitting people hard. It can be easier to make deals happen at the end of the month.
 
JRod said:
Yah i hear Yah bro. It's infuriating.
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Really like the optima. Really really like the features of the fully loaded model
 
JB said:
Really like the optima. Really really like the features of the fully loaded model
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its nice indeed, and it does look a lot better than the prius
 
Love mine so much I've put 34k in miles on it in 15 months
 
JB said:
Really like the optima. Really really like the features of the fully loaded model
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We would have walked out with that, but it lacked AWD... we got the Sportage instead.
 
JB said:
Don't need a lot of that in FL fortunately.
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Solid point. IIRC the Optima had an option of cooled seats though, that could come in handy.
 
Cooled seats?

Well that changes some things.
 
fupresti said:
Cooled seats?

Well that changes some things.
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And it works. Ford and Lexus has them too I bekieve.

I might be going home with one if these. They have a fully loaded one here we like.
 
JB said:
And it works. Ford and Lexus has them too I believe.

I might be going home with one if these. They have a fully loaded one here we like.
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some BMW's have the cooled seats as well
 
JB said:
And it works. Ford and Lexus has them too I bekieve.

I might be going home with one if these. They have a fully loaded one here we like.
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I don't know how I ever did leather before cooled seats. Don't think I could ever get another car without them
 
I drove an Optima as my rental car at the 2012 THP Outing and I was really impressed by it. Like TeedUpThoughts, if AWD wasn't a big consideration for me, it would be at the top of my list. I definitely prefer the styling of the Optima over the Sonata, even though both cars share a good number of similarities in terms of build.
 
Do not buy an extended warranty unless it's through kia themselves and explicitly States that hybrid is covered.
 
arydolphin said:
I drove an Optima as my rental car at the 2012 THP Outing and I was really impressed by it. Like TeedUpThoughts, if AWD wasn't a big consideration for me, it would be at the top of my list. I definitely prefer the styling of the Optima over the Sonata, even though both cars share a good number of similarities in terms of build.
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Absolutely adore everything about my 2013 Optima SX. So fun tonight drive with the turbo but great gas mileage on the highways still!

ute7erag.jpg
 
Dang I should have gotten cooled seats for the 3 months we have summer
 
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