Sigh, will we ever get rid of the stupid dealership system we have for new cars at the moment?

[Anonymous]

Tesla only sells direct to customers and no negotiating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most people just ignore the pitter-patter. If you can't, and it stresses out that much, it probably means you have a social deficit such that you're not within the range of normal.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you do your homework (you should . . . it is only a car but it is an important purchase), it isn't hard at all.

I bought a car on '22 brand new. I knew what I wanted, the color, the price I was willing to pay and how I was going to pay for it. Walked in and when the dealer started to try to negotiate I just got up and started walking out. They stopped me and 10 seconds later I had a new car. Total time spent was under an hour waiting for 1 other buyer to finish and the filling out of forms.

NBD

OP here... oh, it's not hard. It's just stupid, unpleasant and unneccessary. And counter-productive and bad for consumers.

For some reason reddit has been serving me posts from autodealers and it is mind-blowing their mentality. They apparently get really irritated at people who come i and "look around" and ask for prices—they don't want to tell you the price until you're going to sit down and ready to make a deal, so they talk about how they put it off. The reason they don't want to give prices is because they're afraid people will get up and walk out and go to another dealership and ask their price there! They're outraged that people want to waste their time like that...

like how people shop in literally every other industry!

Their response is smug satisfaction knowing that the Subaru dealership down the road, or whatever, will have the same price, because the reality is that there is a floor price, which is about the sticker price, and it's only a question of how much they can lard on, there's not going to be any serious reduction below the sticker.

And as another poster pointed out, it's because it's all super tightly controlled thanks to heavy lobbying. Auto dealers are a powerful special interest at the state and federal level.

The dealers claim that if you just posted prices, like they do in every other retail setting, it would drive buyers away, because they wouldn't like "the true cost" of a car... so what's wrong with that? Isn't it worse if I go into a dealership thinking I can buy a new CRV Hybrid for $39.5k and it turns out that, in all reality, I can't get it for less than $42k? Well, if I can pay $42k, save me (and you) a lot of grief and just tell me. Don't tell me it's $39.5k, but you've added on "dealer enhancements" that can't be removed... I don't want to negotiate! It's a waste of time! If I can't pay $42k, I shouldn't be looking at it, and I should go check out Rav4s or a HRV. It's more efficient and more likely to put me in the car I want and the car I can afford.

Are you actually shopping for a Subaru? One of the reasons I buy Subarus is that their dealers have been willing to give me prices over email. Not all of them, but several around me will do it.

[Anonymous]

Don’t buy from Carvana.
Never again. Their after purchase customer service is terrible. I had checked the box online that I wanted to transfer my tags. When I got there they gave me new tags. It took 2 months of phone calls and e-mails to get it put right. I was on hold for 1-2 hours several times. I escalated to a supervisor, or tried to, the runaround was terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most people just ignore the pitter-patter. If you can't, and it stresses out that much, it probably means you have a social deficit such that you're not within the range of normal.

Oh BS. The majority of people do not enjoy the car sales process. Sales pressure is not enjoyable.

This. Too much wasted time and paperwork.

I'd like to walk on the lot, pick what I want, haggle a little over price, pay money, get title, leave.

The paperwork shouldn't take a whole frigging hour or more! 1-2 min max.

I bring a laptop and do my own thing like catch up on email while they try and sell me clearcoat or what not. I’m cheerful the whole time, I know it’s not personal it’s just their job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tesla only sells direct to customers and no negotiating.

That’s because their prices are way way higher than most other cars.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tesla only sells direct to customers and no negotiating.

That’s because their prices are way way higher than most other cars.

If the electric system fails (crash, fire, etc.) you are locked in the car. No thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yep, I bought 2 last year using Costco. Super straightforward and simple.

If you did not buy from a new car dealer, where do you go for routine car maintenance?

Unless it's covered by maintenance I would NEVER take my car to the dealership for any kind of service. In addition to being extremely over-priced, they're usually dishonest and while there are some good techs, a lot are kind of bottom of the barrel. Find a good independent mechanic. If a dealer ever quotes you something more than $400, take it to a well-rated local mechanic and see what he thinks...

Thats what used to think...yes they are expensive but at least they are not using $5 oil filters and the wrong oil. They are forced to use the right parts. The labor is portion is sketchy...I agree

A reputable mechanic can use the right product. My mechanic has a personal relationship with me - he has a lot of motivation to make me feel like I’m being taken care of … he shows me what he did, be explains his charge, he admits when he can’t keep the costs down…

180 from the dealer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you do your homework (you should . . . it is only a car but it is an important purchase), it isn't hard at all.

I bought a car on '22 brand new. I knew what I wanted, the color, the price I was willing to pay and how I was going to pay for it. Walked in and when the dealer started to try to negotiate I just got up and started walking out. They stopped me and 10 seconds later I had a new car. Total time spent was under an hour waiting for 1 other buyer to finish and the filling out of forms.

NBD

OP here... oh, it's not hard. It's just stupid, unpleasant and unneccessary. And counter-productive and bad for consumers.

For some reason reddit has been serving me posts from autodealers and it is mind-blowing their mentality. They apparently get really irritated at people who come i and "look around" and ask for prices—they don't want to tell you the price until you're going to sit down and ready to make a deal, so they talk about how they put it off. The reason they don't want to give prices is because they're afraid people will get up and walk out and go to another dealership and ask their price there! They're outraged that people want to waste their time like that...

like how people shop in literally every other industry!

Their response is smug satisfaction knowing that the Subaru dealership down the road, or whatever, will have the same price, because the reality is that there is a floor price, which is about the sticker price, and it's only a question of how much they can lard on, there's not going to be any serious reduction below the sticker.

And as another poster pointed out, it's because it's all super tightly controlled thanks to heavy lobbying. Auto dealers are a powerful special interest at the state and federal level.

The dealers claim that if you just posted prices, like they do in every other retail setting, it would drive buyers away, because they wouldn't like "the true cost" of a car... so what's wrong with that? Isn't it worse if I go into a dealership thinking I can buy a new CRV Hybrid for $39.5k and it turns out that, in all reality, I can't get it for less than $42k? Well, if I can pay $42k, save me (and you) a lot of grief and just tell me. Don't tell me it's $39.5k, but you've added on "dealer enhancements" that can't be removed... I don't want to negotiate! It's a waste of time! If I can't pay $42k, I shouldn't be looking at it, and I should go check out Rav4s or a HRV. It's more efficient and more likely to put me in the car I want and the car I can afford.

Are you actually shopping for a Subaru? One of the reasons I buy Subarus is that their dealers have been willing to give me prices over email. Not all of them, but several around me will do it.

I had a Subaru and the dealer was so miserable I won’t go back. The guy would not shut up. I don’t need that.

The service department tried to con my wife.

Fitzgerald Subaru in Bethesda - don’t go.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don’t buy from Carvana.
Never again. Their after purchase customer service is terrible. I had checked the box online that I wanted to transfer my tags. When I got there they gave me new tags. It took 2 months of phone calls and e-mails to get it put right. I was on hold for 1-2 hours several times. I escalated to a supervisor, or tried to, the runaround was terrible.

I bought from a dealership and they DID transfer my tags (I asked for new ones) and now I’ve got a $300 fine to pay DC because they also failed to file the title transfer in a timely way and dc thinks I had an unregistered and uninsured car.

So, don’t expect anything better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tesla only sells direct to customers and no negotiating.

That’s because their prices are way way higher than most other cars.

It’s because they’re selling a product that most dealers refuse to deal with.

A major reason electric cars aren’t more prevalent is dealer reluctance to sell them. They are mechanically much simpler which makes it much harder to lard on at the front and severely limits the service department’s ability to scam customers down the road.

[Anonymous]

I went into my last purchase with financing, knew the car I wanted and what I was willing to pay… the hiccup they they used to drag things out was the value of the trade in. It was the opportunity for them to talk to me about nitrogen tires.

Then they managed to beat my financing which really effed everything up. I’m saving $9 a month and I’m not sure it was worth those four hours of my life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most people just ignore the pitter-patter. If you can't, and it stresses out that much, it probably means you have a social deficit such that you're not within the range of normal.

You're thinking about this too much. I just like to look around in peace. I don't care what the salespersons job is. I don't need someone trying to encage me in conversation . If I need your help I'll ask for it.

[Anonymous]

Took me two years to buy a new car because I hated the dealerships.

[Anonymous]

I absolutely agree, but I still want to be able to sit in vehicles and look at them. DH likes to test drive (I do not). I really want to look at the new Kia Carnival, but I'd never buy it without looking inside.

Some of what I hate the most about dealerships is that they never have the colors and interior that I want. You can order it, but then it's a lot more expensive.