We’re upgrading to a 2008 Kia Rondo V6 at a Non-Kia car dealer. We’re trading in an excellent condition mid 90’s car that’s been in a crash and simply needs a new rear door. We’ll use the insurance money on the new car.
As I wasn’t in the market for a car but need one fairly quickly I haven’t had time for as much of the homework before purchasing. I know that right now the car dealers are hurting and need to sell, but I don’t know how much and what they are generally prepared to do now to ?Move? a car off their lot.
I’m considering using one of those car buying services, but I don’t know if I’ll gain anything from it over DIY. What I really want to know is ? what are the main things I need to know to determine the best price I can get this Kia Rondo for / trading in the damaged car. What do those Car Buying Services know that could help me do it myself and buy the Rondo for the best price in this tough car dealer environment.
Thanks.
Have you told the dealer yet that you will trade a car? If not, negotiate the price of the Kia first. When the salesman asks about a trade, tell him you haven’t decided and don’t let him go there. You want to know what they will sell the Rondo for. After you have negotiated a fair price for the Kia, then ask what you can get for the old car in trade. Don’t expect much. Sure, it only needs a rear door, but that door also has to be painted and installed. A 15 year old car is not worth much to begin with, and the dealer will probably just sell it at auction. But at least you will know what the Rondo and your current car are worth this way.
A 1996 Honda Accord EX will get about $2000 in trade, but a 1996 Buick Century is only worth about $500.
Buying services can’t do anything for you that you can’t do yourself. Get educated and pay yourself. BTW, do buying services do used cars? I’ve only heard of them for new cars.
Thanks, I’m having a look at it. It seems to be mainly for New car purchase, V’s the “Used” 2008 car I plan to buy. I think Used car negotiation isn’t quite the same as new car buying.
I’ve never used a buying service and I hadn’t thought that they may only do New cars - thanks (and thanks for taking the time to tell me your tips). You would think they would do fairly new cars to expand their business.
http://www.e46fanatics.com/faq/rizzo.html
Read this. The key parts of this process are getting quotes and making sellers bid against one another…the fax or email approach, and going to fleet departments just helps make the process more impersonal (you want it to be impersonal).
new or used:
(1) your money aint worth this guys junk. look real hard.
(2) dont talk. they start getting scared and lower the price. works real good on used cars as your checking it out.
(3) dont get excited. never show it. at all. dealers thrive on that.
“(2) dont talk. they start getting scared and lower the price. works real good on used cars as your checking it out.”
And if you do talk, mention how you liked a different car on another lot. Give them a sense or urgency.
For 3 out of the last 4 new cars I bought I just went in and offered about 2/3 of the sticker. Everyone has told me you can not do that. I did and it worked.
Did not try it on the 4th car. It was a new corvette and just did not think that would work.
Be ready to go to their finance, insurance and extended warranty people.
What I say when they try to sell the extended warranty is I ask them if I can walk away from the deal I just made. If they ask why, I tell them they must not have much confidence in the car if they recommend I buy a extended warranty. That usually shuts that up.