anyone else have as easy time at the dealer as I did?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by NOHOME

I tend to be like the OP...I have already decided what the car is worth to me. If they can provide the car on my terms, good, if not, I go away. ALL my barganing is done by the time I meet the salesperson.

A lot of people like playing the car buying game thinking they got something for nothing. That is a hassle that I would gladly pay 1k to not go through; got better things to do with my life.

As to the OP's question, my purchase was easy-peasy at Toyotatown Once I convinced them that such a car actually existed and that they would be selling it sometime in the summer of 2012. (I was there in March) Price was MSRP+ deliver fees+ 13% tax, minus a hospital employee discount. Yeah, they did make me sit with the guy who's job it is to sell you a lot of useless shit for twice what is is worth, but I told him up front that he was talking to himself but go ahead.

Ya, for a place that has a division called "Sciontown" they were sadly lacking in Scion knowledge and the only Scion (other then 5 FRSs) they had on the lot was a TC.

Having said that though, the experience I had would take me back there I a second and I have passed out at least 20 of the salesperson's cards to people that asked where I got the car.

By using the age old negotiating tactic ("playing the game" does seem to make it sound trivial) of walking away from the table I was able to save about $3K and got the exact add ons I wanted and would have had to mess around with putting on later. This is not a small amount and by simply waiting for day to receive a call I really wouldn't say it was a "hassle".
Now it was certainly a gamble since I wanted that particular car and the call back may never have come. This would have meant I would have had to go back in with my tail between my legs and would have lost every single bit of leverage I had. As it worked out, I apparently made the right move, at the right time and my gamble paid off.

[Bergen23]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

By using the age old negotiating tactic ("playing the game" does seem to make it sound trivial) of walking away from the table I was able to save about $3K and got the exact add ons I wanted and would have had to mess around with putting on later. This is not a small amount and by simply waiting for day to receive a call I really wouldn't say it was a "hassle".
Now it was certainly a gamble since I wanted that particular car and the call back may never have come. This would have meant I would have had to go back in with my tail between my legs and would have lost every single bit of leverage I had. As it worked out, I apparently made the right move, at the right time and my gamble paid off.

Being that this was the first new car I purchased, in hindsight I should have brought my father along with me. But, in the end, I did it on my own, and got a damn good deal on the car, dealer cost, minus 1000 and minus another 1000 for being a recent graduate.

In regards to the test drive scenario where the dealer didn't let you take the car over 4k RPM, @Dr Speed my salesman pulled the car out, showed me some of the features in the car and told me to take it for a decent drive then he went back inside the dealership while I pulled off the lot.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Bergen23

Being that this was the first new car I purchased, in hindsight I should have brought my father along with me. But, in the end, I did it on my own, and got a damn good deal on the car, dealer cost, minus 1000 and minus another 1000 for being a recent graduate.

In regards to the test drive scenario where the dealer didn't let you take the car over 4k RPM, @Dr Speed my salesman pulled the car out, showed me some of the features in the car and told me to take it for a decent drive then he went back inside the dealership while I pulled off the lot.

Damn $1000 below dealer cost? Forget your father I am bringing you with me next time!

[Bergen23]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Damn $1000 below dealer cost? Forget your father I am bringing you with me next time!

Daddy works at the Toyota plant in Cambridge. Got the employee pricing discount.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Bergen23

Daddy works at the Toyota plant in Cambridge. Got the employee pricing discount.

Shit, shit, shit, shit and damn it!
We make parts for Toyota and as a tier one supplier are eligible for the "employee" discount!
I just checked and all I had to do was show proof of employment and give a code number (and probably a secret handshake) to get the discount.
Never, ever thought of it even though I went through the process when looking at Challengers.
Let that be a lesson to everybody: Make sure you check all your possibilities!

[jamies31]

@Tcoat
You would have qualified for the TMMC Friends and family discount, Which is probably a higher price than what you paid by the sounds of your add ons,
The below dealer cost is only available to TMMC Employees or direct family members that live at the same address. LOL I can't even get that discount

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by jamies31

@Tcoat
You would have qualified for the TMMC Friends and family discount, Which is probably a higher price than what you paid by the sounds of your add ons,
The below dealer cost is only available to TMMC Employees or direct family members that live at the same address. LOL I can't even get that discount

Ok, that makes me feel better!
Will take down the rope and put the chair away.

[Dr Speed]

Originally Posted by PandaSPUR

Well the 4k RPM thing I can understand, you're not supposed to go above 4k before the first thousand miles. I'm actually happy to hear the dealer didnt let you redline the car during a test drive. Doesn't matter what your age is, the engine doesnt magically break in when the driver is a certain age ;p

But your other experiences sound terrible... those sales people probably didn't last long, they sound idiotic lol.

Completely disagree and the car had over 1,000kms on it. It was a dedicated demo car. If I have cash in hand for a toy, and its a sports car, I expect to drive it the way its meant to be driven. Shifting it at 3,500 was redonkulous.

[Pkush]

Originally Posted by Dr Speed

the car had over 1,000kms on it. It was a dedicated demo car.

You didn't specify that. If that's the case then it's bs he didn't let you drive it to the full extent

[PandaSPUR]

Originally Posted by Dr Speed

Completely disagree and the car had over 1,000kms on it. It was a dedicated demo car. If I have cash in hand for a toy, and its a sports car, I expect to drive it the way its meant to be driven. Shifting it at 3,500 was redonkulous.

Originally Posted by Pkush

You didn't specify that. If that's the case then it's bs he didn't let you drive it to the full extent

What he said ^, in that case the sales person is just an idiot or an ass for not letting you push the car to its limits.

[jamies31]

I don't get to go on nearly as many test drives with customers as I like, But when I do I prefer to drive first and take them sideways around Curtis dr just down form the dealership, Then turn around and let them do it. Car almost feels like it was built to be redlined

[Amaya]

Originally Posted by jamies31

I don't get to go on nearly as many test drives with customers as I like, But when I do I prefer to drive first and take them sideways around Curtis dr just down form the dealership, Then turn around and let them do it. Car almost feels like it was built to be redlined

This makes me want to buy one from you and I already have one! You're a good salesman :p

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Pkush

You didn't specify that. If that's the case then it's bs he didn't let you drive it to the full extent

Ya that is sort of critical info!
Funny part is there are probably 10 threads on here with people freaking because some sales man let some body redline during a demo!
Not gonna look for them but the common quotes are along the line of:
"Salesman should know better"
What an ass ruining a car for somebody to buy"
"Salesmen are stupid and should not let people abuse cars unless they buy it"
And so on ...
The moral of the story is that ya there are some crappy salesmen out there but they also get a bad rap no matter what they do! as it all depends on the perspective of the guy telling the story

[PhantomX]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Ya that is sort of critical info!
Funny part is there are probably 10 threads on here with people freaking because some sales man let some body redline during a demo!
Not gonna look for them but the common quotes are along the line of:
"Salesman should know better"
What an ass ruining a car for somebody to buy"
"Salesmen are stupid and should not let people abuse cars unless they buy it"
And so on ...
The moral of the story is that ya there are some crappy salesmen out there but they also get a bad rap no matter what they do! as it all depends on the perspective of the guy telling the story

Exactly what I was thinking. I'd rather not let my customers ride it hard and not buy it. Customers could complain all day, but they're not the ones with their jobs on the line. It's mine. Until they sign the paperwork that transfers ownership to them, it's the dealership's car. Think of it this way; You wouldn't want a car you're selling private party be test driven hard until you have some guarantee from the prospective buyer that they'll pay for the damages in the event of an accident or some kind of other driver error.