Is now the best time to buy a 2009 Tacoma?

Hi guys I'm new here,

Well here's my story. So I'm currently in the market for a new truck, about to retire old faithful (beat up 1990 Honda Civic). So since we're in a recession and GM cars are in debt, will a 2009 Tacoma be a good deal now? I want to go to a dealership to take a look and see their offers but I don't want to get swindled. This is my first time buying a car. I have good credit (750ish) but I'm willing to pay cash.

The main specs I'm looking at are:

2009 Toyota tacoma
extended cab
4x2 prerunner
5spd manual
TRD Sport

This runs about 27k on the toyota website...
1. Whats a good, negotiable price?
2. Is now the best time to buy it or should I wait next december so the price goes down even more?
3. How do you handle with pushy salespeople?

 

Check out Edmunds.com & Carsdirect.com Also look for rebates. These sites will tell you if there is one available. Toyota was doing 0% financing, not sure if that is still on.

I would use the free buying service Carsdirect.com They will negotiate the deal for you. They will find the exact vehicle you want.

Or if you want to deal with the Stealership yourself, use those sites & put in what options you want & it will show you what everyone is paying. Print the info off & take it to the dealer with you as a bargaining chip.

Good luck,
Sean

 

Oh! & Yes you want to buy a Toyota & not an American vehicle. The resale value on a Toyota is through the roof.

Give you an example: My 2005 DC SR5 2wd V6 with 102,000 miles is worth to the dealer $10,000. Retail it is worth $14,500. These are outstanding trucks. I haven't had any major problems with my truck. Just usual maintenance.

 

2009 Toyota tacoma
extended cab
4x2 prerunner
5spd manual
TRD Sport

This is my zipcode 30322

V6
between $23,800 - $24,225

I4 (doesn't have TRD option, only SR5)
between $20,145 - $20,458

You will be very happy with the V6!

 

1. Price the exact truck you want on edmunds and kbb... see which one has a lower invoice price, and bring a print out into the dealer. It helps to have ammunition. My salesman basically told me that he just needed me to give him a print out showing the invoice prices to give to his manager in order to get me the truck at invoice.

2. You should have no problem getting invoice price right now. Anything less, who knows.

3. I have no idea. My salesman was far from pushy. He knew that I had done my research, and that I knew exactly what I wanted and wanted to pay for it... from there, it was just up to him to meet my price.

 

Now is the best time to buy any vehicle.

 

Do it.........

 

Wow, thank you guys very much for the responses.

Which will get me a better deal:

A. Buy the 2009 tacoma now in DEC 2008

or

B. Wait till DEC 2009 and buy the 2009 Tacoma

I'm wondering how the recession fairs in to buying cars. I know it relates but how much of a discount will I be getting I guess is the right question. Originally I planned on buying a 2009 Tacoma in DEC 2009 as a graduation gift to myself but now that I've been hearing I can get a good deal now...I'm torn...

I'm really considering paying it off in full so I don't have to worry about interest financing so how do I negotiate that?

i can deal with driving my pos 1990 civic till Dec 09 but if I'm getting a better deal now, I wouldnt mind getting it now.

 

There aren't many, if any at all, 2008's available right now, so there's no guarantee that you'll be able to get an '09 in December of next year, and you will definitely have trouble finding the options you want... I couldn't find an '08 with the options that I wanted back in August.

Sure, you can settle for driving around your "pos 1990 civic" for a while, but life is short, so do what makes you happy now, especially if you have the money. You may get a better deal in 9 months or so if you wait, but you'll also be cheating yourself out of the enjoyment of driving a new Taco for those 9 months.

 

look at their website, they should have an internet price that should be a lot cheaper then the sticker, in most cases ive found that internet prices are cheaper by 4-4,500

 

Tell the sales guy you are paying in cash, even if you aren't, you want to negotiate the price of the vehicle first. If you decide to do financing that's fine, but have the price of the vehicle negotiated before you mention financing.

Same goes for your trade in. If you have a trade, don't tell them about it until you have negotiated the price of the vehicle first.

The two most common places for hiding where they are porking you is in the interest rate and the trade in value, they'll make it seem like you are getting a great deal on the purchase price but then pork you on the trade in. By the time you notice what they've done you're already in the finance managers office and they're counting on you not wanting to go back to the table at that point. So it is imperative that you have the total purchase price of the truck out the door in writing before even thinking about talking about financing or trade in.

(Are you noticing a pattern yet?)

Remember that sales people don't only commission off the purchase price. They make money by keeping your factory rebate (if there is one, do your research) or hitting you with an extra half point or more on your interest rate over what you were really approved for. And don't believe the whole "Look at our invoice, you're getting it for less than that." Bullshit. The invoice is just a sales tool to trick you into thinking you're getting a deal. Everyone wants to feel like they are getting a deal. Sales 101.

I just bought a 2009 Double Cab V6 4x4. Sticker was $29,950 not including the dealer addon of window tint and some other bullshit that I refused to pay for. I walked out the door paying $20,500. I bought on 11/30 so the end of the month quota was looming over everyone's head.

When you buy really depends on how the dealer has done all year. If they are hurting to make quota in 2009 then things are in your favor. I also read just yesterday that the ports are dealing with vehicle imports that dealers don't have room for so there is certainly an over supply working to your advantage. I would say conservatively that any purchase made in the next 6 months is going to work to your favor.

But only if you do your research and remember that the dealer needs you more than you need them.

Good luck and may I be the first to prematurely welcome you to the Tacoma family.

Oh, one more thing, I know a lot of TW members are current/former military. If you or anyone reading this is a USAA member, use their vehicle buying service. You'll walk on the lot with a substantial discount already in your back pocket. I did!

 

If ya got $14 bucks hanging around, go to Consumer Reports and download the info on the Tacoma. It breaks down the holdback, the option costs etc. Add up the low number costs and go UP from that number. Never DOWN from the high number. 4% over the low number is a good deal for both of you. After I punched through the numbers I thought they were gonna own me money.

A good thing to do is take a legal pad in with you. Have some figures written down, doesn't matter what figures, wife's or girlfriends measurements, a phone number, just make it jumbled and well used. As the sales person is tossing out numbers....write down his numbers and just play add and subtract. It keeps them on their toes. My sales guy was getting sweaty watching me hen scratch. He kept asking "what's with all the numbers?" I told him I wanted to just keep to my number. It was and has been a good trick for me in a few vehicle purchases.

 

Best time to buy will be December 31st. Start shopping now, but wait til the end of the month (last day is the best) as well as it's the end of the quarter & they will be desperate to make a sale. NEVER take the first deal. Have the attitude you can WALK AWAY & do. I also get a preapproved loan at the credit union where you find the best interest rate & make the dealers beat that rate. Got 2.9% last June. Always act like you can take it or leave & say you are looking at other trucks (even if your not). This should be a great time to make a deal. Good luck - give em hell.

 

i wouldn't tell them you're paying cash. negotiate a financed deal for a good price (they'll think they'll make up for it in warranty & finance) then tell them you want to pay cash for the negotiated price IF they will throw in free service for a couple years or cut you a very good deal on the warranty (should be no higher that $1000 for the Platinum) pushy salespeople...don't budge till you see the dealer invoice. they make money on the vehicle even at invoice sell price through kickbacks and such. could tell them you have a loan pre-approved for $xx,xxx and can only spend that much. just don't let them push you around...the sales manager was fairly upset with me the day i went to get mine. but he sure wanted to sell me that truck...what did it for me was that the regular salesman was BSing with me and told me he need to sell 4 more cars that month so he could be entered in the dealerships MONTHLY drawing to win a new Harley. if they can give away a mototcycle a month to thier sales staff...they can make me a great deal.

these words are more true now than ever:

It's a buyers market.

oh yeah...test drive what you want, then a base model, then a loaded one. it will give you a feel for what all that extra/less money is for.

good luck!

 

I always use KBB or Edmunds and build the vehicled exactly the way i want it. I look at the invoice price, not MSRP and mark it down from there about 3-4k. I go to the dealer and give them the price I want. Of course they say its too low, but eventually they agree to something close. I always get all my cars under invoice. They can sell it to you below invoice so dont believe them when they say they cant.

 

You might try the Costco auto program...

 

Never negotiate by telling them you will finance through them. You will get screwed several ways. Always negotiate like you are paying cash. And if you have access to a credit union, finance through them.

Also an extended warranty is a complete waste of money on a Tacoma. I have a 102,000 miles on my 2005 not a single problem. Instead put the money you would have spent on an extended warranty into a savings or investment account. This way if something goes wrong, you have the money to fix it. If not you will have a nest egg for your next vehicle.

RCBS has a good point here "could tell them you have a loan pre-approved for $xx,xxx and can only spend that much. just don't let them push you around..."

Good luck,
Sean

 

Ok... I'm gathering some info.

I've put my specs on kbb and edmunds.

So far this is my pricing with all my options...

2009 Tacoma 4x4 access cab
New Car Blue Book ValueInvoiceMSRP(price will update)

So 22,700 is my invoice price, how much can I lower it down to? There are also some other options I'd like to include like all weather mats and side rails for easy entrance, should I buy it from the dealer or just find it on ebay?

This is my first time buying a car and talking to a sleazy salesman, what should I expect? As soon as this semester is over, I will be going to the dealership and start seeing what my options are. Again I pose the question, Will I getting the same deal I get now? Or if I wait, will it go lower?

I drive a '90 civic and commute 17 miles to school, I can wait till DEC 09 if i know that the price will be cheaper then.

Thanks for everything guys hopefully I can get it at the price range and officially join the tacoma world.

 

Is there more than one toyota dealer in your area...always helps to pit them against each other

 

If you have a Costco membership they have a "Costco price" in the book at the dealership, I got 1,000 below invoice.......that's pretty damn good