I am dealing at this point strictly with internet sales, as I’d rather walk 30 miles to work than deal with people.
A few things this Nissan dealership has told me about buying a new Murano:
1. “…I have the first one due into Colorado coming here to Boulder Nissan already! It will be the least expensive Tinted Bronze unit with leather in the entire state, but will not arrive until August!!!..There is another one like this showing available this month as well, however, which I can get.”
I asked the difference, and he said the one coming in August is more expensive. I asked him to point me to the MSRP online, to which he responded:
“You won’t be able to find either of these online yet as they are not yet available to the public. The reason they are more expensive is that as vehicles have been “out” for longer, in this case 2009 Muranos, the MSRP’s gradually increase from the factory. No extra stuff added, just something all manufacturers do as profit margins adjust.”
(Q: C’MON, REALLY???)
2. Also, in discussing my potential trade in, I advised that although my Ford Escape has 90k, there are only 60k mi on this engine, as it threw a rod at 30k. To which he said:
“I’m thinking that your Escape is worth somewhere between $5500 and $7000. It sounds decent enough, but the fact that it does not have the original engine, although newer, unfortunately will actually hinder it’s value to a dealer.”
(AGAIN, C’MON, REALLY? DOES A NEW ENGINE DECREASE VALUE?)
Thank you for anything you can offer!
-karen (altho i guess i should have been communicating with them as “kevin”, or even better, “gearhead tony”)
i’m the poster and boy i hope that they respond quickly re: how do i edit - i surely didn’t mean to post dealership - hopefully i wont be found out but i was concentrating on needing truth, WITH HUMOR…
I’d think that he is. Dealers usually like to pressure you to buy now.
So its the same old problem,Dealer wanting to get top dollar and giving your trade a low value,nothing new here
so guidance…what would you recommend i do? sell as owner? refuse to negotiate under a certain dollar?
THANK YOU
so guidance…what would you recommend i do? sell as owner? refuse to negotiate under a certain dollar?
THANK YOU
so guidance…what would you recommend i do? sell as owner? refuse to negotiate under a certain dollar?
THANK YOU
The only thing I can add is it is hard to out manuver a car salesman,espically when he has a staff they can bounce you around off.
Yes sell the trade yourself and walk when you think you should,easier said than done.
The only guidance I can give you is to go to a dealership where you feel you are being treated with respect.
Cars that are few in supply go up in value, sometimes more than the MSRP. It is basic supply and demand theory.
Yes, if I was buying a car that had to have the engine replaced at 30,000 miles, I would expect to pay less than a car with a proven track record of reliability. That engine might have thrown a rod because it was designed poorly, which would mean the replacement also may have been designed as poorly. I don’t know the normal rule on this issue, but a car with 90,000 miles that had to have a new engine put in is treated with more skepticism than a car with 200,000 miles that had to have a new engine installed. Basically, I would call it a wash. Your 90,000 mile car is worth what any 90,000 mile car is worth. I would not advertise that you had to replace the engine on a car so young.
My last bit of advice is that you always need to be willing to walk away from a deal. Don’t fall so in love with a vehicle (especially a new model you haven’t even seen) that you let yourself be mistreated. As soon as you have to ask the question “C’MON, REALLY???” it is time to walk out. You should never stay long enough to ask “C’MON, REALLY???” more than once.
Sometimes, it’s all bogus when talking to a salesman. He’s making up some good lines. Anything you say can and will be used against you. Oh no! You didn’t have all four brake rotors replaced!
Agreed all around- irresponsible post I wish I could retract! Thanks for the perspective and insight
Keep in mind that if you are going to trade in a car, there are two transactions: 1) you are buying a car from the dealer; and 2) the dealer is buying a car from you. He wants to get as much for his car as he can get, and pay as little as possible for your car. In fact, he probably doesn’t even want your car. You are probably better off selling your car and buying the car outright.
I would suggest that you arrange your financing so that you can pay the dealer in cash and buy the car outright. When I buy a car, I have already decided the car I want. I then go to a dealer and inform him that I am going to buy a car this week. I have some money and you have a car. What we need to determine is how much of my money it is going to take to buy your car. You give me your best price and guarantee it for a week. If you have the best price, I’ll be bsck. If the sales person starts horsing me around, I leave.
First, negotiate two transactions as Triedaq mentioned. Before that, do your research on the value of your trade in. Look at nadaguides.com, kbb.com and edmunds.com to get a rough estimate of value of the car. Use 90K as the car mileage since that is what all the other car components less engine have on them. These numbers will be a bit high because of the engine replacement, although it should be fairly obvious that the problem had to be with the first engine and not any problem with the second due to the mileage differences. You will probably get more money out of your car if you can sell privately and can show that the current engine has been properly maintained since its installation.
Secondly, shop around for the same car in places like Denver, Loveland, Fort Collins. Boulder, in my opinion, has two things going against it: probably only one Nissan dealer and it is a college town. I have found that dealer profit expectations are higher in the college towns. There is more competition in the larger towns, and you may be able to purchase or use the information as leverage to get the deal you want from the local guy, if you want to continue to deal with him.
If this car is in short supply, then the supply/demand curve that increases the “value” of the car to the dealer enters into the picture. Honda enjoyed this situation with Odyssey (take it or leave it MSRP plus add’l profit), Accord (we demand MSRP) models in the 80’s/90’s, and I simply refused to play. Hence I have never purchased a Honda and always found an alternative in the market to a given preference of model. Don’t fall in love with the new car. Always leave yourself room to walk if the deal can’t be completed. You can always make a final offer and then walk if it is not accepted.
Good luck, take your time, and extend your search to other dealers. Make sure all the salesmen understand you are happy with your current vehicle and don’t feel compelled to buy at the current time if the deal isn’t right for you. No confrontation, no emotion, just the facts approach seems to work for me.
The 2009 Murano sells for about $2000 under MSRP in Boulder. There is a $100 addition for your color choice. Options seem to be a few dollars over invoice, and there is a $1500 rebate. The current model year is nearing the end, so you should get your best price now. You can check prices in your area at Edmunds.com and KBB.com.
Negotiate your best price before you tell them that you want to trade your current ride. If they ask about it, tell them you haven’t decided or plan to sell it yourself at this time. That way you will get an accurate value for the new Murano and your old truck at the same time. You might also take the Escape to another dealer and ask them what they would give you for it. There is no need to mention the engine replacement unless they specifically ask about major repairs.
This is all pure salesman balogna. If you’re uncomfortable there, do as others have suggested and go elsewhere.
This reminds me of the time many years ago (1976) when I went into a dealership to negotiate for a new car. As I negotiated the price, the salesman started telling me hiw he had overhead to cover, people to pay, etc. etc. etc. I smiled and simply said that was his problem and not mine. He kept trying anyway. I got the price I wanted but the “pitch” has remained in my memory as something to chuckle at.
Today when I go in and they start with the balogna I like to mess with their minds. I looked at a Nissan Cube recently and the young fella started. I then had him pop the hood, and started asking him stupid questions about the components…and then correcting his answers. I then asked him what the green valvecaps meant and he said “it means the tires are filled with hydrogen”. I corrected him and told him it meant nitrogen. I then described the mountiing process and asked him how they got the shop’s air out of the tire while they pumped in the nitrogen…or was it still in there?
He gave up the blarney at that point.
I had fun.
“…the tires are filled with hydrogen”
C’mon, MB! They do that to reduce the unsprung weight! 
Thanks. I’ll keep that one in mind for the next time. I’ll play “guess the gas” with him.
I have so much fun with those salesmen who try to BS me.
Did he try to tell you the traction control button made the car heavier? 
It’s always sad to see the customers know more about the vehicles than the salesmen do.
“It’s always sad to see the customers know more about the vehicles than the salesmen do.”
Not when I’m shopping! And I’ll be you’re pretty happy that you know more than the average salesman, too.
I have interviewed at Dealerships for both Sales and Service Advisor jobs and most but not all actually told me they don’t want a high level of technical competence in the people they select for these positions.
MB why you don’t you go head to head with the shop foreman,that would be a fair game.
Did you actually expect the Salesman to be smarter than you? no,you picked easy prey:0)