ctrujillo4

Hi guys-

What is the best day to buy a 2013 Lexus ES350, Premium Navigation Package? I've been haggling with local dealers and currently the best price I've received is about 10% off MSRP (before tax, license and registration). I thought waiting until the last day of the month, they would be calling me trying to lure me in with a better....end of month came and didn't receive any calls. Only follow up emails....

Is the last day of the month still the best day to buy? Any other negotiation tips? Better to deal with an internet manager or salesman in person at the dealership?

Mike728

10% off MSRP is not a bad deal. The longer you wait, the less selection you may have.

LexRuger

end of the month is still a good time. I remember one guy got a really good deal on super bowl Sunday. so any day that might be slow would also be good. but I'd be happy with 10% off

ElliotB

Late in the day on the last day of the month is often a day you can get a great deal at a dealership that has not quite made its month sales quota.

SW17LS

Its a good time, but its not a "magic" time like some people think it is. Making your sales quota isn't worth loosing money.

bc6152

I bought my 350 through the Costco auto buying service. I definitely saved money and no hassling with the salesman over price and free upgrades. You deal directly with the sales manager and never talk to a salesman. My belief is that they cut out the salesman's commission this way to lower the price. You go in and they give you the price. That's it. I compared another dealer price beforehand and verified that it was lower. The Costco price was about 12% lower. They tried to steal my '06 Avalon in the trade, but I had obtained three (3) wholesale valuations from the internet from national companies. I used this -printouts - and got what I wanted for the Toyota. All in all IMO an easy transaction.

Lexi66

Do your homework so you know what you want I.e., model, accessories, etc. and potential price you want to pay.

Just saying

dsw13

My understanding is that there are hidden incentives that sometimes award dealerships with exhorbitant amounts of money for hitting certain quotas and that these incentives are so closely guarded that it is almost impossible for the general public to find out about them. If true, it stands to reason that the last day of the month gives you the best chance (no guarantee, but the best chance) of happening upon a dealer who is one car short of earning said incentive and would therefore be willing to take a bath on the particular vehicle on the books because they're going to come out far ahead in the grand scheme of things. Other than giving yourself that chance, I would agree that there's no substitute for doing your homework and at least having a general idea of what a fair price is. But if all things are equal and you are able to wait until the end of the month, why not give yourself the chance to hit the right dealer at the right time, remote as that chance might be?

coach1

I closed a deal that I was very happy with.....I can't specifically say how, but here's how it went down.....I had been shopping in my own small town with little success. I began to look at much bigger dealers in Atlanta. Once you start shopping the word is out that you are a potential buyer. There is a balancing act of how serious you are. I started gathering data on what my car was really worth and what the new car can be had. Surprisingly after talking to a few....you are...recognized.

End result in my case. I got 5% under retail for my trade and 10% under MSRP or roughly $3800. I dealt with only the internet manager. I had already done test rides, and narrowed down the options package, color, etc. I let them attempt to sell me all the extra stuff the finical guys do to make money, but, I was in and out, about 2 hours including the 45 min. the tech guy spends set the electronics.

It happened to be the weekend before tax dead line (april 15) other than that it seemed that just knowing they had a buyer who knew exactly what he wanted, and was ready to buy. It took about a month. I look at out of pocket cost. I reduced that from $12K to $6K over the time it all started.

In my case it wasn't end of month, end of year, end of model year, late at night, or full moon. I hate playing the game and I hope I never have to again, but I know it is the nature of the beast.

SW17LS

Um...I have never known that to be the case when shopping for or buying a car...think about it...why would every dealership share information about every buyer who contacts them about a quote on a car, that doesn't make any sense.

wasjr

Apparently it happens on occasion. When I was in the market for my current MDX I wanted a specific color combination that is rare. I did a search and I only found three in the southeast. I spoke to one dealer and then contacted a dealer in another state. When I then got back with the first dealer he informed me that the second dealer I had spoken with had called him. It really did not affect our dealing, but I thought it interesting that they had compared notes.

SW17LS

Was there any way the first dealer could have found out from you that you had spoken to the out of state dealer and was simply pretending that had occurred? I have never heard of such a thing happening, unless they are owned by the same parent franchise owner all the dealerships are competitors, and don't do a lot of talking with each other unless its to arrange inventory swaps/trades, etc.

If you call my dealer and I call another dealer that you have already spoken to I take the risk of alerting the first dealer that you may be close to a deal with me...prompting him to reach out to you. Why would I do that?

coach1

The lexus dealer here in town was able to go on-line and see what other dealerships had appraised/offered me for my trade. They did asked for e-mail proof of the discount on the new car but I think they already knew that as well. The competition for your business is an open book....don't ask me how....the no-hassle, internet approach does by-pass the "lot-sharks"

.......The dealer in town was a sister dealership.....however....he was able to get some information for another.

SW17LS

There's no database that shows dealers what other dealers have offered you for your trade. I shopped my trade around to several dealers and got very different valuations. They have a general idea what their competition is selling their cars for, as every business has an idea what their competition is offering, but they did not *know* what you had been offered by another dealer...unless those dealers are part of the same franchise. The "sister dealership" is an entirely different situation.

I've bought many Lexus vehicles and shopped at different dealers at the same time. No two dealers have ever shared information about me, and nobody has ever known I've been to a different dealer.

wasjr

No. Neither dealer is in my city and in both cases I had spoken to the sales manager. I had already received a quote from the first dealer and when I called back to get into final negotiations he said "I understand you spoke to X at XYZ". They are not owned by the same parent company, although dealer 1 said that he knew the sales manager at dealer 2 as they frequently trade vehicles.