How much should I Pay?
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On March 28th, in the Los Angeles area, I paid $300 over invoice, less $ 2500 in rebates for my 2006 M6. It was under 29K before tax and license. If nobody where you are will match it, I have someone who will. Mine had 2.8 miles on it when I picked it up with the plastic on the seats and all the stickers on the windshield. It had the suspension blocks removed, but was never washed before I got it, which was just fine with me. It did have the typical 58 pounds of air in the tires. The only thing that I was mad about was that they'd already mounted the front plate bracket, which meant holes in the bumper.
They had to dealer trade for the car I wanted (Torrid red with red). I had wanted the 18's as well but could not find one with low enough miles at a dealer where I could pick it up. The sales person drove me to the dealer who had the car and put the reg in the window so I could drive it back myself. I did not want someone else putting those first miles on my car.
First, Southwest flys to LA every day. Second, PM me if you need help.
They had to dealer trade for the car I wanted (Torrid red with red). I had wanted the 18's as well but could not find one with low enough miles at a dealer where I could pick it up. The sales person drove me to the dealer who had the car and put the reg in the window so I could drive it back myself. I did not want someone else putting those first miles on my car.
First, Southwest flys to LA every day. Second, PM me if you need help.
First, you need to find out what rebates are available. I got the standard $500 GTO rebate, a $1000 "conquest rebate" for being able to show I own a non GM car and another $1000 rebate that was unexplained. I did not argue. One bad thing about rebates is that they are treated like part of your payment, so you pay sales tax on them. So I lost about 8.25 percet of the rebates. Big deal. The car was sold to me at $300.00 over invoice. There are two invoices, one which includes advertising and such and another that is probably the real cost because they could not stay in business at the low markup between the invoice you might get to see and the MSRP. Kelly Blue Book's web site is close, but not dead on. If you go to kbb.com, you'll find that the 6 speed is a $577.00 invoice add, but deletes a $1300.00 Gas Guzzler tax, making the M6 about $723.00 less expensive than the auto. The 18" wheels invoice at $410. I wanted them, but could not get them on my color combo. So kbb says invoice is $30,845 for the car you want. Add $300 and that's $31,145.00. Now knock off either $1500 or $2500 depending on what rebates are available and you have your target. Again, if they are convinced they can get more they will. Even when I came to pay for mine I found they'd added and extended warranty for about $2500, which came right back off. Get your hard numbers written down before you walk into the F & I department (finance and insurance). The numbers have a funy way of changing when the computer starts printing. Simply say "no" and tell them what the numbers you agreed to were. I was a cash customer, which represents the least profit for them. Customers who lease or finance are more profitable because the dealer gets a kickback on the lease or finance profit. Banks and credit unions give a better deal. Best of all is a home equity loan because the interest is tax deductable. If you are going to finance, shop the interest rate at your bank first. Leasing uses a "money factor" which is much harder to pin down and the least cost is heavily weighted by what they think the car will be worth at the end of the lease. A Camry on a three year lease might be worth 67% of the initial "cap cost" which is the price you agreed to "buy" it for. The GTO is softer in the market and will probabaly have a residual of about 48%, so in your three years, you buy 52% of the car and pay the interest on the entire value for the lease period. You then get to pay sales tax on both the depreciation (the 52% or whatever part of the car you're buying) and the interest. The sales tax bite on a lease can be brutal. I think lease rates on a GTO are not going to be favorable, so I'm guessing you'll want to buy it. So, what color, interior and wheels are you looking for?
arty:Brazen: Wouldn't it be great to think that you were getting good deals because of loyalty? Instead, they usually know after the first sale how much than can "mess" with you, so it is easier on everone if they just cut to the chase and give you the the price you were plannning to pay anyway. The ususal "I'll check with the manager" means I'll go get a cup of coffee.
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