Dealer Invoice?

Ray Brandes

New member
Joined
Mar 20, 2011
Location
Panama City Beach, FL
TDI
none
I have my heart set on a SportWagon. I am all over the web trying to find what the dealer pays for one of these so I can make my best deal. But, I don't find much at all. Most sites want all my info and then I get hammered with dealers phone calls and emails.
The closest thing I can find is Langhorn, PA (I bought my Honda Z600 there in 1972!), but his prices are only $1000 lower than what my local prices here in Florida. The dealers here want $28K to $29K just for the car. With other charges it will be more like $30K to $31K out the door.
I am going to pay cash and I want to offer $1000 over invoice. It would be a quick, no hassle sale and I think that is fair. Advice please!!!!
Thanks, Ray
PS: I currently have a Dodge Cummings Turbo which I no longer need.
 

Joe_Meehan

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 3, 2005
Location
Ohio USA
TDI
NB TDI, 2002.5, Silver
Don't bother with "dealer invoice" There are so many adjustments that it is really a meaningless number, used mostly to confuse the deal.

My suggestion is to do one of two things. Pick out what you want and fine at least two cars at different dealers and pit one against the other, or as I have let them do the bidding.

I chose at least three dealers and tell each on the same thing. You are going to go to other dealers and compare bids. Each dealer can have one and only one chance to bid. You will chose the best bid. Then do exactly that. I would suggest at least one out of town bid. A drive to an out of town dealer is not all that much effort.

Don't mix the trade-in with the purchase. It just confuses things more and the dealer wants to do just that. Don't let the dealer even see or know if you have a trade in. Remember to plan is to take the mystery out of the deal not add more things to the deal. Once you get the final price for the car, you can ask if they want your trade-in. Let them make an offer.

I have found that once you have convinced them you mean business, they tend to go along. I find this has worked for me to get a good price for far less effort. Listening to what the salesmen were telling other customers, I am always glad that I am not letting them control the deal.

Hint: Never let them get their hands on your current car. Keep your keys in your hands. Better yet have a friend go with you and have them drive. Once a dealer gets your keys you are stuck, and they have control.

Try to never get your heart set on a specific car. All additions like floor matts warranties (best bet is to avoid extended warranties) etc. should be taken care of AFTER you have settled on the cost of the car.

KISS (keep it simple stupid) the dealer wants to do the opposite.
 

Joe_Meehan

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 3, 2005
Location
Ohio USA
TDI
NB TDI, 2002.5, Silver
Don't bother with "dealer invoice" There are so many adjustments that it is really a meaningless number, used mostly to confuse the deal.

My suggestion is to do one of two things. Pick out what you want and fine at least two cars at different dealers and pit one against the other, or as I have let them do the bidding.

I chose at least three dealers and tell each on the same thing. You are going to go to other dealers and compare bids. Each dealer can have one and only one chance to bid. You will chose the best bid. Then do exactly that. I would suggest at least one out of town bid. A drive to an out of town dealer is not all that much effort.

Don't mix the trade-in with the purchase. It just confuses things more and the dealer wants to do just that. Don't let the dealer even see or know if you have a trade in. Remember to plan is to take the mystery out of the deal not add more things to the deal. Once you get the final price for the car, you can ask if they want your trade-in. Let them make an offer.

I have found that once you have convinced them you mean business, they tend to go along. I find this has worked for me to get a good price for far less effort. Listening to what the salesmen were telling other customers, I am always glad that I am not letting them control the deal.

Hint: Never let them get their hands on your current car. Keep your keys in your hands. Better yet have a friend go with you and have them drive. Once a dealer gets your keys you are stuck, and they have control.

Try to never get your heart set on a specific car. All additions like floor matts warranties (best bet is to avoid extended warranties) etc. should be taken care of AFTER you have settled on the cost of the car.

KISS (keep it simple stupid) the dealer wants to do the opposite.

Don't even for a second consider how much off sticker the price may be. Sticker price is a sales tool not a price tag. Ignore it totally.
 

MonsterTDI09

TDIClub Enthusiast, Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2009
Location
NoVa/NJ
TDI
2010 Jetta DSG/ up keep on 2009 Jetta DSG 2006 Jetta Pag 2 in North SEA Green
Sell your truck your self.Wait until end of the month.I would pay no more than 25k that is a fare deal.Let them make first move don't show them your hand.When I bough my car they try for sticker price I said no way.Then they ask me for a price I said no.I said I made the first move by coming to you they were not to happy about that.They came back with a price about 2K lower.I looked at the price for like 10 mins walk outside looked at the car again then I gave them my price wich was about 1k lower.The manger aproved my price after he said I give you that price I have to make my numbers.They still made money on the deal and that is fine but they didn't bend me over.Good luck
 

jasonTDI

TDI GURU Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Apr 26, 2001
Location
Oregon, WI
TDI
20' RAM 3500 CCLB dually HO/Aisan. 2019 Cherokee 2.0T
There isn't that much margin in the cars. 6-10% is the norm. Saying you'll just pay 25K and no more is irrelevant due to the number of configurations available.

Also a side nit-pick. Its Cummins. Not Cummings.
 

TDI_Timmy

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2011
Location
Seattle
TDI
2012 JSW, DSG, Pano
Joe's method is fantastic. I would also suggest taking a look at www.truecar.com. They find the best local price, that a dealer promises to sell the car at as long as you bring the print off from truecar for that dealer to that same dealer. Also, you can get quotes from several dealers from that same site. Setup a fake gmail account or something if you don't want dealer emails coming to your personal email. For the phone number I put 555.555.5555 and said that whoever came back with best price for the car I wanted got my business. It worked pretty well, as I got about five dealer replies without leaving the house. I really liked truecar.com
 

KLXD

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 22, 2009
Location
Lompoc, CA
TDI
'98, '2 Jettas
And tell the two or three dealers you go to you want the out their out the door price.
 

TDI_Timmy

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2011
Location
Seattle
TDI
2012 JSW, DSG, Pano
Just looking through the Costco auto site and it looks the same as truecar.com when getting to options part. Truecar.com has same prices at least in my area. We are Costco members and forgot to use the Costco auto buying program. Nice to see that it would of been same price if we had.
 

MonsterTDI09

TDIClub Enthusiast, Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 3, 2009
Location
NoVa/NJ
TDI
2010 Jetta DSG/ up keep on 2009 Jetta DSG 2006 Jetta Pag 2 in North SEA Green
There isn't that much margin in the cars. 6-10% is the norm. Saying you'll just pay 25K and no more is irrelevant due to the number of configurations available.

Also a side nit-pick. Its Cummins. Not Cummings.


Ok I should of said around 25k to 26k for the car.
 
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