[DeTomaso] NPC - Truck Shopping

Sun Jan 27 23:03:55 EST 2008

So, just when you think you've sized up the significant value of this list,
another pleasant surprise:  A lurking member of this list that is a Ford
employee offered up his Friends and Family Xplan reference to ensure I
sealed a deal for a Ford.  Figure it saved me $300-$500, depending on the
final outcome of negotiations, which we'll never know for sure.  Could be
more for the average person, but I did my homework - homework is worth every
dollar.  I was prepared for every situation and argument.  Every possible
situation described in the various websites on new car buying came up while
I was shopping and negotiating.

My 2cents:  If you are shopping for a new car, you must absolutely pit two
dealers against each other.  While I was sitting at dealer #2's desk
completing the no-hassle Xplan purchase, dealer #1 that I had visited
earlier and walked out on was calling me repeatedly on my cell with ever
decreasing prices and ever increasing trade-in values.

-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com
[mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com]On Behalf Of Curt Hall
Sent: Friday, January 25, 2008 12:53 AM
To: tony DiGiovanna; detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] NPC - Truck Shopping

Hope things work out! Let us.

tony DiGiovanna <tonydigi at optonline.net> wrote:      This car search is all
very interesting.  I feel more empowered and informed this time than any
previously.  I know exactly exactly what I want.  I have the additional
experience of age.  I have the cash.  I have the time.  I know car sales are
slow.  I have many years of knowlege from internet surfing and posting with
you guys.

  I have taken your approach.  Nearly all the internet sales interfaces have
a spot to add a text note.  I've done essentially what you recommend.  One
dealer has responded beautifully, with an emailed offer price (a good one) a
summary of what's on his lot, and a list of what's close on lots for 150
miles radius.  He was a terrific help on the phone when I called.  I'm going
Saturday to discuss further.

  Here's my favorite:  I go to the Ford Direct Website, enter my specs,
issue the soliciation to the several recommended local dealers.  One dealer,
1/2 mile from here, where I previously bought a car (minor bad experience
therein) responds: No email.  Calls me on my cell.  I can't take the call,
but arrange a time to call back.  I call then. I get the receptionist who
takes my name and puts me on hold.  She comes back to tell me the salesman
is "busy with a manager" and wants to call me back in a few minutes.  I
never get the call back.  The Ford Direct website sends me an automatic
follow-up email for my request posted for this dealer.  Its says if I have
any comments or questions about the Ford Direct Service or the Service I
receive from the dealer to email them at wecare at forddirect.com  I send them
an annoyed email at that address and it bounces back.  wecare my ass....and
they sit in their leather-upholstered offices wondering why their market
share is dwindling.
    -----Original Message-----
From: Curt Hall [mailto:cuvee at sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2008 11:47 PM
To: tony DiGiovanna; MikeLDrew at aol.com; detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] NPC - Truck Shopping

  A few years back I heard about a deal made while looking to buy a Co.car.
  A guy sent a email to three different car dealers (Owner or GM only and CC
the three)  He had financing and looking for the best price. Told them what
color and options on the car, and the best price would get the deal. No
haggling, no salesmen. Bring the check, sign the papers, drive off in the
car. Maybe something like this might work to buy your ford pickup?

tony DiGiovanna <tonydigi at optonline.net> wrote:
  So.....were any of these broker sales on new cars?
I called the local listing for a car broker - used cars only.
I can't really wrap my head around how there could be such a thing as a
broker for new cars: How could the franchise dealership network would ever
stand for it? Isn't the exclusive right to sell the factory product a
primary tenant of any franchise retail contract? It's kind of the basic
points I'd say. Even if so, it would seem like a broker was a dealer then
and would have similar cost/profit structure as a dealer? I also can't
imagine a dealer selling cars to a broker with a discount sufficient for the
broker to sell to me at a price lower than the dealer's retail price to me.

This is difficult to comprehend.

-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com
[mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com]On Behalf Of MikeLDrew at aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 11:46 PM
To: tonydigi at optonline.net; detomaso at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] NPC - Truck Shopping

In a message dated 1/22/08 18 31 30, tonydigi at optonline.net writes:

> I'm shopping for a new V-8 Ford Sport Trac.  Currently following the
advise
> on www.carbuyingtips.com.
> Just checking if anyone has an inside track, like an uncle that owns a
> dealership. Or any other related advise.
>

I'm not a new-car-buying kinda guy. But several friends have utilized the
services of a car broker, and have saved astounding amounts of money above
and
beyond the best possible internet deal available.

I don't really understand exactly how it works, or rather, WHY it works.
But these car broker dudes apparently do such volume business that they are
afforded the opportunity to buy cars at a deep, deep discount. You just go
to
them and tell them what you want, and how specific you are. If you're
flexible
on color, or whatever, that gives them more wiggle room. But you can be as
exact as you like.

Rick Moseley was very specific indeed. He wanted a new Toyota pickup
truck,
a certain model, with certain features, and only in black. He actually
found one that suited his tastes locally. The dealer wouldn't come down on
price
and was offering him peanuts for his trade-in (a very nice, also black and
only a few years old Toyota pickup).

So, Rick went to the broker. The guy took down all his information and his
wants, and went to work. A couple of days later, the broker called him
back
and said he could get a truck that ticked all the right boxes, for X
dollars,
and would give him Y dollars for his trade-in. As I recall, the broker
price
was at least 2-3 thousand dollars less than the dealer's 'best offer' and
the
trade-in on his old truck was higher too. So of course Rick jumped at it.

As it happens, the broker was delivering literally the same truck; he got it
from the local dealer and handed it over to Rick. And for his services he
charges a flat fee, something like $500. Money exceptionally well-spent!

(Ironically, the day after Rick took delivery of the truck, the dealership
phoned him, trying to reel him in to come back into the store and continue
dealing on it--Rick had to (gleefully) announce that he was at that very
moment the
owner of the truck they were trying to sell him--and that he'd paid a hell
of
a lot less for it!)

Look up 'auto broker' in your local yellow pages, then give one of them a
call and see what he has to say!

Mike

**************
Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape.

http://body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489
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