4 LONG HOURS LATER OF NEGOTIATING

Actually I am a confused old man. I started out as an electrical engineer, then computer manufacturing, moved into marketing in high tech (my main career), consultant, high school physics and logic teacher and track coach, and for the last 5 years an adjunct college professor teaching marketing and entrepreneurship. Poster child for Attention Deficit Disorder.

My perspective comes from having bought a lot of vehicles and having friends, ex-students, and friends of my kids who worked at car dealerships. I have heard the stories both of their unreasonable customers and seeing them taken advantage of, had the process explained several times, and I have been on the receiving end of sales managers trying to give me low-ball offers on both ends, and especially trying to give a great deal off list price and screw me on the trade. More than once I have been coached real time in a negotiation (every time my sales guy went in to talk to the sales manager one of my friends would discretely come over and give me feedback on the deal). I always try to see both sides.

Lots of people come in with the idea that dealers should only make a couple of hundred off any deal. Nobody would survive in that environment. There is always more hidden somewhere in the deal, whether it is in the trade, add-ons, corporate incentives, or financing. I try to be as informed as I possibly can on what is reasonable to expect off list and what my trade is worth. I try to eliminate as much as possible of the hidden money in add-ons and I pay cash. (note: Southeast Toyota makes this impossible to accomplish, but I do the best I can). I want them to make money and for both of us to be happy. What I have found is that if I communicate up front what I want I can usually find someone who will negotiate on my terms (it may take a few attempts). I like to think that I will bend over backwards for a win-win, but I refuse to bend over forwards

On the other hand, I have no problems with people who want to negotiate as hard as possible as the dealer can always walk away from the deal, and they will. We are emotional about it, they are rational. They will always make money. I do have a problem with people who ask for unreasonable things not based on fact but just because they want it to be so, or express some sort of moral outrage that the dealer would not accept their terms. If you have the right to walk away from what you consider an unreasonable deal, why should they not have that right as well?

 

This. This. This. THIS! At what point did we say that the sales guy has to accept everything even if you are being unreasonable. (Im not pointing fingers) But seriously the Dealership is a business and it needs to make money off every sale. Your local Gas station does the same thing but with smaller numbers. 0.13c candy bar being sold for 3.99. No I am not saying everyone is rich, for you uniformed inbreds. However, every business is out to make a profit. Just like you want to make a profit.

 

Awesome man! Congrats... moving over to tundras.com? @sean266 look another Tundra!!

 

Statement may apply to lower years of your range. But you won't find a 2013 FX4 with upgrades and average or low miles for under $30K.

 

Lol. You clearly don't own a gas station. Their margins or slim. Not 300% or more per item sold. Lol. Oh, man. That was funny. Clearly you are someone that thinks every business owner is "rich".

#bummer
#ill-informed

 

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...^^^.... Very true ... your wisdom is infinite grasshopper.

You should be negotiating our nuclear arms deal with Iran

PS. I really like the old man yelling at the cloud pic you posted

 

Its more fun to just see who gets butt hurt And also I know not every owner is rich. Ask why I know that...

 

Thank you!!! Staying here for now, its fun here.

 

Why ask why ...


ok inquiring minds want to know WHY?

 

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From my personal experiences with Tundras & Tacomas and the various web sites for last 10 years .... TACOMA WORLD ... Is by far the most active and best for my needs.

TW is like a .. "smorgasbord of knowledge & craziness" .. rolled into one indigestible burrito that you crave 24/7/365.
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Because I own a business with my wife. If I was rich I'd be doing way more to my truck lol.

 

Well then, we have a lot in common.

 

Actually, their margins on GAS are rather slim, generally 1-2%. Although not as large as the previous poster imagined the margins on what they sell inside are healthy. Gas accounts for over 70% of sales, but non-gas items account for almost 70% of profit. So, when you fill up with gas and go inside to grab that pack of cigarettes and a bottle or water or cup of coffee they make as much or more money on the latter. People comparison shop on the price of gas but once they stop at the station they buy what they want inside without regard to price.

 

Hey @ti3agooo, any updates? I saw you on tundra forum