IS-SV

For the experienced car buyer the 2 key reference price points are the invoice price and the MSRP. In California, markup and/or overpriced accessories are almost always listed on the window and are generally ignored by experienced buyers.

Any dealer added (typed or handwritten) "markup" on the window should be ignored and means little regarding what the price will actually be. Of course when a car is in high demand and very low supply some premium over MSRP will have to be paid. But the markup on the window does not reflect what that markup will end up being.

leedogg

people want a car now, when its new and nobody else has it. Thats the whole thing about exclusivity. For the rich, 50k is nothing, they drop 3x that on their big screen TV's. Besides, the american dealers have been hurting, they could use all the extra revenue they can get.

8speed

True, but regardless of auto-market "cycles" you can't discount the severe depreciation of a new car the moment you drive it off a car lot..........and with the quality pre-owned warrantys covering the life span of the car, there is really no reason to buy new when you can buy a newer car with low miles and a full warranty!

mmarshall

It's true that dealer-bought used cars, in general, are somewhat less of a risk than they were years ago, but, there is still nothing like a brand-new car. And, I've seen even some so-called "Certified" used cars, which are supposed to be the cream of the crop, which didn't impress me, despite their 150-point "Inspection". It is one thing to advertise something on paper, often another matter to actually deliver it. And those long warranties sometimes don't apply to second owners....the much-touted Hyundai/Kia 10/100 and 5/60 warranties, for example, are not transferrable unless the car remains within the immediate family (mother, daughter, son, etc...)

Don't get me wrong. There can be (and are) some great used-car buys out there, particularly with expensive cars that have proven to be reliable, like the Lexus LS series. (And, I'll depart from my usual modesty long enough to truthfully say that anyone who gets a used car that I owned gets a vehicle that has been WELL taken care of and carefully driven). But, unfortunately, there is a still lot of junk out there in the used-car market, and too many people get stuck with lemons. And, adding to that, is the sad fact that some cars taken back by dealers and manufacturers under the state Lemon Laws are sometimes re-sold, in the used-car market, to unsuspecting buyers.

8speed

very true........good insight MM

mmarshall

Thanks.

The used-car buisness, in general, is far better and more credible than it was years ago, but still, there are reasons why cars depreciate. It's not always a free lunch.

I8ABMR

I have to say that would never buy a " HOT" car the first year it came out. I did that with the G35 and ended up with the typical "teething " problems of a first generation model. I would skip the premiums added and the added trips to the dealership and just wait 2 years. You will get a better car at a better price


Dont get me wrong . Its fun driving the new new car , but it will wear in 6 months when you start seeing them all of the time and you still have 4.5 years left of payments to make

mmarshall

I won't buy a car I can't pay cash for (though I might consider a lease, if the car is very expensive). True, all cash sales today over $10,000, by law, are reported to police, but I don't care. IMO, that's better than being in debt.

Of course, I know the auto industry would collapse without credit. And, like it or not, for whatever reasons, most (or at least the clear majority) of car sales today are financed. And leasing is what keeps many upmarket dealerships in buisness. Those who can't afford the monthly payments on purchasing a Mercedes S-Class or BMW 7-series, for example, often find they can handle the lease payments with no sweat. That's why some manufacturers just recently stopped leasing.......they saw that customers were making out on the deals and they, the manufacturers, were losing money on the residual values.

I8ABMR

hey I am the only one wondering how the Camaro V6 beat the Genesis coupe when the genesis beat the Camaro in every single performance category.

mmarshall

That, of course, depends on the people doing the testing and what their testing criteria is. There is often more to a car than just raw performance numbers on paper.

toy4two

The best way I've found to buy used cars is avoid used car dealers, buy only in certain locales, I prefer Orange County and Coastal San Diego or rich enclaves inland. Only buy things with full service histories, I've had very good luck using my system and always sorry when I don't.

I want to see how the owner lives, how he eats, how many kids/pets he/she has, what other cars they drive, all that is important to tell me how well kept his old car was.

8speed

+1


Rich people in So Cal treat their cars like gold! Always garaged, never driven in the rain, usually non-smoker, only driven on weekends etc.

When I'm in the market for the new CTS-V.........I will be looking in the OC or Palm Springs for a 60 year old who traded the car in because it was "too" much car and was traded in for a DTS!

suislide

i finally saw one cruising down a main street. So many necks were broken including mine.