Negotiate price of new Tacoma???

i worked in the automotive business for 20+ years. the methods use are after being in the business, and seeing what goes on. financing is another discussion altogether, but suffice to say i shopped around first, getting the best rates from my local bank/credit union then giving that info to the dealer. i got a great rate.

i never liked swaps for a few reasons. extra mileage on the vehicle being one of them. also, they have to pay someone to go get the vehicle, and it has been my experience that you always get a better deal on an in stock vehicle. something they have been sitting on, paying for every month.

i personally don't let the dealer sit on my offer. i want an answer quickly, so i can buy the vehicle or move to the next dealer. i have purchased 7 vehicles in the past 6 years using my methods, and it has worked out.

i had a buddy who was a car salesman, and used to user other tactics, but usually they involved a lot of wasted time/effort.

dan, i think we are probably very similiar in our approaches, i just dont feel like typing every nuance of my deals.

 

Agreed.

In my case, the dealer I bought from got the swap from a dealer 45 miles away (which is why the truck had 48 miles on it when I bought it). According to the door plate, the truck was mfd. in Texas in April, the same month I bought it, so it really hadn't been on anyone's lot for long.

 

no offense to anyone here, but you're way overthinking this - which isn't unusual in this business. I've been around the car business for most of my life (one of my closest friends owns about 10 dealerships). It's relatively simple to buy a car. i'm copying a past post because i hate to have to keep typing this over and over (i should create a stick on how to buy a car)

A previous post...

This is how you tell - and this is how you buy a car (this is for metropolitan areas, if you're out in the boonies with fewer dealerships to deal with, it will most likely impact this):

1. Go to edmunds.com and get the information regarding how much the dealer is paying (it will be within $100 or so). NEVER buy a car without doing this. Information is your friend.

2. Check on edmunds.com for the current, if any, incentives being offered. If there's factory rebates, etc. - this amount should come off the price you negotiate in the following steps.

Now, only YOU can decide what a good deal is - meaning how much the vehicle is being marked up. Much of it is timing, supply/demand and how patient you're willing to be. When I was looking at a tacoma, they were scarce for the one i wanted, so i was only able to get it down to $500 over. Pretty much other model and i can get it for $100 over or so.

Now - this is how you do it (I have a lot of experience in this business) - you find out if the dealer has what you want (internet, swing by the dealership - (which I don't do), etc.). I can often find what I want by checking their inventory online. Call and ask for the fleet manager (don't do this until you know exactly what you want - they don't have time to play the game). Tell him what you want, can he get it and how much over invoice is it? They will tell you it's $X over, take it or leave it. They've all even faxed me their invoice, which I ask for. NEVER talk to a salesperson first (or ever really), they will want in on the deal and potentially complicate it (wanting their cut of the sale). At this point, you're making and educated decision.

A fleet manager is generally incentivized on volume, and will give you their bottom line price right over the phone, and send you a copy of the invoice. They generally don't give a rats ass about your financing etc (the closer might). I've always had my financing pre arranged ahead of time. If the dealer can beat it (AFTER the price has been determined), well, it's your call.

There are items on the invoice that the dealer get back from Toyota Corporate. They are TDA, Dealer Holdback and Whsl. Financial Reserve listed on the invoice. Personally, I shoot for no more than $500 over the invoice LESS these charges for Tacoma's. A lot of dealers won't budge on these, a few will.

If you follow this method, you'll be getting a great deal and know it, not hope.

Good luck!

 

Woody,

My method is basically the same as yours, with one exception. By sending my email to multiple dealerships, I let the responses tell me what the market is. I've bought two Mini Coopers and the market was so hot and there are so few dealerships that I wasn't able to get less than MSRP. My Tacomas and Subaru I've gotten significant discounts. It often depends on timing, too, since late in the model year is better (but the vehicles are often loaded, which I hate)...also, late in the month is better. In any event, I don't try to game it, I just let the bids roll in and take the one I evaluate to be the best.

If I don't like any, I just wait a few months and try again. The worst mistake is to be so eager for immediate delivery or certain options that you end up overpaying.

 

Yes, agree they're similar. However, it takes me usually about 15 minutes to get mine done, and I deal with fleet managers, not internet departments (which can sometimes be the same people). Internet departments are generally more like traditional sales people regarding their incentive structures. Took me about that long the last time I helped someone buy a Tacoma, got the best price anyone could get, no negotiating, nothing. Person showed up, signed the paperwork, done. The good thing with that one was now I know which dealership will give me the best price, I may have to only make one call when I buy mine, as I'll give them the first shot since they were so good to work with.

At least you're going about it much MUCH better than the guy who walks in the front door and plays the 'work your way down from MSRP' approach... I have ZERO patience for that.

 

I'll second dealing with the fleet department instead of people on the sales floor. You figure out exactly what you want and simply place the order through fleet.

It takes minutes, easier than ordering a burger in a drive through. It is the most painless low stress way to buy a vehicle. You pay $X amount over dealer invoice so they don't lose money handling/prepping the vehicle.

My 98 Durango was delivered 80 miles to where I work for no extra charge when I placed my order through the fleet department over the phone. I never set foot on their lot. I dealt local with the Tacoma.

You overpay when you go the traditional sales route.

 

ill sell you my 2010 trd double cab prerunner with jbl with 8k miles for 25,500