New Tow Vehicle Buying Experience

[dcgrout]

I was in the auto business for about 10 years in the late 80's to early 90's. The Finance Office of any dealership is a huge profit center for them, with profit margins up to 80% of the products they sell. The finance manager's commission when I was there was 40% of the quoted price of any product. I am not a Geico employee or agent, and have no business relationship with them other than I am a Geico customer. Here are the facts in my story about extended warranties: They have had for the last 20 years I have been a customer, a mechanical breakdown coverage add on to each vehicle I have either bought new or if used, still under manufacturer's warranty. The coverage goes out to 7 years or 100K on pretty much the full vehicle with a $250 deductible. I have had it on 5 vehicles, and actually made 5 claims over the 20 years, the largest being $14K to replace the entire 4x4 system in a 2015 F150. It currently costs me about $25.00 every 6 months for my current 2020 F350 Turbo Diesel. About the same cost as all the other vehicles over the years. Just sayin - there is a pretty reasonable option to the dealer costs.

[Radar1]

Normally I would rather go to the dentist for a tooth filling than go to a dealership.
My last experience was actually pretty easy though. It was just a couple months before the COVID hit, and I was researching new pickups for several months. I just about had it nailed down to a Nissan Frontier that I test drove, but hadn't yet committed.
Due to Ford's black Friday sales event, the more expensive Ford Ranger that I had been considering (but too expensive for me) was showing up at a local dealer with a dealer discount applied, Ford was offering a big rebate, plus military appreciation discount.
By the time it was all done, the 32K Ranger was mine for 25K. They had two on the lot with just the three options I desired; XLT, tow package, and locking rear axle.
The process was quick and painless, perhaps because the dealership was getting ready to sell the dealership to a larger conglomerate, but I was a happy camper!

[CE Vogel]

I have walked out of car dealerships due to slimy actions on their part. Sometimes the salespeople even chased after me to try to salvage the sale. No dice. I currently drive a 14 year old Subaru I purchased new, and I plan to keep it much longer, partly to avoid the dealership experience. Also, Subaru no longer offers a manual transmission in the Forester. I'm sorry your experience at RAM was so awful, but if you maintain your vehicle well it will last longer than your memories of the slimy dealership.

[nepaweb]

I was disappointed this week to learn that Ford is severing ties with our local small town dealership where I have been purchasing vehicles for over 40 years. After reading about other's experiences with slimy dealerships I felt kind of lucky to do business with people who knew me by name and knew my vehicle preferences. They even asked about the grandkids whenever I stopped in for service.

I may not have always gotten the best price I could on a vehicle but it was always a fair price and my money was staying in the local community.
Not that many years ago there were 3 car dealerships and 2 farm machinery dealerships in town. Now there are none.

I guess for the next vehicle purchase I'll have to choose between one of the slimy big city dealers or a more reputable dealer that is several states away.

[Janet H]

My pet peeve with dealerships is always about how salespeople and the finance folks interact with me even after learning that I am shopping for a new rig and that I will be the primary driver. Sadly gender bias is still a thing.

I go shopping for large items with my gearhead husband. He enjoys the vehicle tour and has a lot of useful input BUT the choice is ultimately mine and the price negotiations are my responsibility - it's my rig. Without fail dealer employees make eye contact with him, they try to sell HIM, and they treat me as a tagalong. The last time I bought a tow vehicle (this spring) my DH was under the weather and was not present. The salesperson asked me if I would like to come back the next day so my DH could test drive. Gasp! Time warp to the 1940's....

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Janet H

the price negotiations are my responsibility - it's my rig.

Lucky me. My wife is an awesome negotiator and I know enough to stand aside and let her go at it. Even when the rig is for me.

Ron

[Janet H]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Lucky me. My wife is an awesome negotiator and I know enough to stand aside and let her go at it. Even when the rig is for me.

Ron

We have the same arrangement at my house

[Iowa Dave]

People have asked my wife and my youngest daughter both if they’d negotiate for them. One of the rare times I listen.
Iowa Dave

[sherminator]

Originally Posted by Janet H

Sadly gender bias is still a thing.

Sadly it is. My son and daughter-in-law work at a local Ford dealership and we have bought several vehicles there. We work exclusively with a female salesperson, Diane, who has worked there for years and knows her stuff inside out. My daughter-in-law, who supervises online sales, tells us that although Diane has always driven Ford trucks, and knows more about their trucks than any other salesperson, she often gets brushed off by men who "know trucks and want to talk to the truck guy". It's their loss, especially if they want to factory order because Diane is the store expert.

[MrLynn]

When I bought my (used) 2013 Expedition, there was also one at another dealer in the area, so I was able to bargain a bit—not much, as I preferred the local one. And I actually bought an add-on: I wanted a sun roof, which had to be installed.

We recently replaced my wife's 2007 Subaru Outback with a 2003. Worked with the same salesman as in '07, so bargaining was friendly. The business manager tried to sell us a list of add-on warranties, but I have a firm rule: no extended warranties. I figure the factory warranty will cover us for three years, plus more for the drivetrain.

In this case, the Outback we bought had been owned for only six weeks (!), when the new owner traded it for one with fancier options, so it also qualified for the Certified Pre-Owned drivetrain warranty that's for something like 100k. And it was 'used', so we got a little more off. All in all, a pretty easy exerience.

[MrLynn]

Correction: The new Subaru Outback we bought was a 2023, not a 2003—if anyone wondered.

[emers382]

Originally Posted by MrLynn

Correction: The new Subaru Outback we bought was a 2023, not a 2003—if anyone wondered.

I did but figured most people would know what you meant. I find it's generally more polite not to point our grammatical or spelling error in posts unless it made the comment humorous. The one that bugs me the most and I see it often is the use of "break" for "brake."

[Civilguy]

Originally Posted by mresseguie

My wife and I plunked coin down to buy a new pickup yesterday

Kind of makes me wish I'd been there to see it!

[Iowa Dave]

Holy Mackeral
And I thought I was doing good collecting nickel can deposits at $2 per 40 that I saved up. Congratulations
Iowa Dave

[SageRpod]

My daughter and son-in-law bought a Ram 2500 diesel last weekend. They purchased it through the Costco auto-program. What the program doesn't account for is dealer added equipment and the participating Ram dealer loaded up all of their trucks with dealer installed equipment which is way over priced. Their experience was not great but not bad. They feel they got an okay deal but, like many, they were in need of a truck. They had purchased land and needed something that could haul, pull and basically work and their Tacoma simply wasn't up for it.