Dealer prices offered on ES 350
06-29-07, 11:52 PM
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Dealer prices offered on ES 350
Well, I finally purchased tonight. Got the basic (premium package) ES 350 in Aquamarine Pearl with Gray interiors.
MSRP: $37,387
Invoice: $33,404
Sales Price: $32,350 + T/L Someone might do a little better but I'm a happy camper.
Via internet connections through Edmunds and our credit union, plus one rec from this board, I contacted a total of seven sources and received eight bids.
The high was $33,904, the initial low was $32,404 by two dealers. I broke the tie by asking one of those two to knock it down to $32,350 and they did so in a second. I may have been able to squeeze for more but I'd been happy with them all through the process of investigation, going for test drives, etc. The other dealership was much further away...shrug.
The intermediate price bids were $33,250, $32,904, $32,688, and $32,589, the last two by two different reps at the same dealership...a situation arising out of delayed communications, crossed wires, etc. The spread from lowest to highest was $1,654 dollars.
In requesting each bid, my e-mail included the following:
Also, several dealer reps have told me, "Let me know what price quotes you're getting elsewhere and I'll work with you." Sorry, but I won't work that way. Just give me the price up front that you'd give in "working with me" if you were in competition with another dealer...hit me with your best shot.
I'd like to give a negative shout out about Santa Monica Lexus. Originally, they were the dealership I was most predisposed to do business with, being the closest, most convenient. But they. would. not. give. me. a. bid. under. the. terms. I. requested. In an exchange of e-mails that went around for at least five cycles, they kept telling me to come in tonight, why drive through traffic, how could I walk away from the lowest price, etc.
Well, the price they quoted orally a couple of weeks ago was beaten by three bids at the time and two of those bids were improved by the time I got quotes in writing today. I bent over backwards to give them the chance to compete for my business but they were by turns obnoxious, insulting, and manipulative and ultimately would not do business my way and just give me a number, whereas five other dealerships and a broker did. Their excuses for not doing so and their tactics, pretty transparent, were a b.s. and c.s.
Of the seven bids, the dealer that I'd liked the best from the initial round of discussions made the lowest offer, the dealer that I liked second-best was the highest offer.
And finally, to name the dealership that I purchased from: Jim Faulk Lexus, Beverly Hills. Kudos to internet manager Angela Polasky, who managed to hit that nice zone of being persistent without being pushy and was always helpful and informative; a nod also to her assistant Andrew. The only thing I can complain about is the time it took to see the Finance guy to do the paperwork but I guess that you need to expect that on a Friday night at the end of the month. (Elapsed time from walk-in to drive-out was a little over two hours.)
MSRP: $37,387
Invoice: $33,404
Sales Price: $32,350 + T/L Someone might do a little better but I'm a happy camper.
Via internet connections through Edmunds and our credit union, plus one rec from this board, I contacted a total of seven sources and received eight bids.
The high was $33,904, the initial low was $32,404 by two dealers. I broke the tie by asking one of those two to knock it down to $32,350 and they did so in a second. I may have been able to squeeze for more but I'd been happy with them all through the process of investigation, going for test drives, etc. The other dealership was much further away...shrug.
The intermediate price bids were $33,250, $32,904, $32,688, and $32,589, the last two by two different reps at the same dealership...a situation arising out of delayed communications, crossed wires, etc. The spread from lowest to highest was $1,654 dollars.
In requesting each bid, my e-mail included the following:
Also, several dealer reps have told me, "Let me know what price quotes you're getting elsewhere and I'll work with you." Sorry, but I won't work that way. Just give me the price up front that you'd give in "working with me" if you were in competition with another dealer...hit me with your best shot.
I'd like to give a negative shout out about Santa Monica Lexus. Originally, they were the dealership I was most predisposed to do business with, being the closest, most convenient. But they. would. not. give. me. a. bid. under. the. terms. I. requested. In an exchange of e-mails that went around for at least five cycles, they kept telling me to come in tonight, why drive through traffic, how could I walk away from the lowest price, etc.
Well, the price they quoted orally a couple of weeks ago was beaten by three bids at the time and two of those bids were improved by the time I got quotes in writing today. I bent over backwards to give them the chance to compete for my business but they were by turns obnoxious, insulting, and manipulative and ultimately would not do business my way and just give me a number, whereas five other dealerships and a broker did. Their excuses for not doing so and their tactics, pretty transparent, were a b.s. and c.s.
Of the seven bids, the dealer that I'd liked the best from the initial round of discussions made the lowest offer, the dealer that I liked second-best was the highest offer.
And finally, to name the dealership that I purchased from: Jim Faulk Lexus, Beverly Hills. Kudos to internet manager Angela Polasky, who managed to hit that nice zone of being persistent without being pushy and was always helpful and informative; a nod also to her assistant Andrew. The only thing I can complain about is the time it took to see the Finance guy to do the paperwork but I guess that you need to expect that on a Friday night at the end of the month. (Elapsed time from walk-in to drive-out was a little over two hours.)
07-02-07, 11:07 PM
#3
when i contacted santa monica when i was looking for a car they were very unwilling to budge on price.they even told me nicely that for the car i wanted and the price i wanted it for that they WOULD not go lower and to go somewhere else if i really would only pay that price.
07-19-07, 11:38 PM
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Imo, the trick is to get them to compete on price on your terms, not theirs. If they know what other prices you've been offered, they only have to edge them out. If they don't know, they have to figure how much they want your business.
Also, on one hand, you can go into the dealership to meet them for test drives and such. But when it's time to haggle, stay behind your keyboard...none of this go in and let them twist your arm stuff.
They may, like one dealership did with me, suggest that you're a bad person and try to psych you out. It's not up to you to please them...it's up to them to please you.
Also, on one hand, you can go into the dealership to meet them for test drives and such. But when it's time to haggle, stay behind your keyboard...none of this go in and let them twist your arm stuff.
They may, like one dealership did with me, suggest that you're a bad person and try to psych you out. It's not up to you to please them...it's up to them to please you.
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