So... I'm thinking of getting a new car. Trade in the '02 Honda, and try out a Toyota. In "town", they offered me about $4850 - $5000 for my car, without seeing it. The black book says somewhere in the $3300 - $4850 range. The initial offer on the new car was the starting price. Nothing surprising. We went up to S'side yesterday, 'cause basically most people agree that doing business is better and cheaper there than in "town". We liked the owner, I tried one of his cars, he tried mine. He heard the same new noise I heard in mine. He thought it might be the axle on the left front. Max $400, worst-case scenario. If that's it, and it's taken care of, he's offering me $6500 on my car, which may be all he gets for it (maybe up to $7500). The orig. price on the new one stayed the same, but, really, we were already happier with this place.
Now.
Two questions for you.
He doesn't have any manual transmission '09 Corolla S models in the two colours I wanted, blue or silver. Initially I want(ed) blue, but it's harder to get, and the silver one I tried out yesterday looked pretty nice, too. Either way, he's got to try and make a trade for me with a dealer in another province. My options: wait until mid-May for a blue one... but it comes with a moon roof. I wasn't going to get the moon roof package because it's an extra $900-something. Probably near $1200 after tax and interest over 5 years. If I go with silver, with no moon roof, I can get it by the end of this month. Which way would you go? And how much would you haggle with someone you just met who made you a really good offer on a trade-in? Would you "cheat" and bring in a print-out from something like carcost.com? How much would you push your luck?
Well, since I totally blew my two-question goal, I may as well keep going. Which do you like better? Blue or silver?
Hmm... wait a couple weeks more, to pay more, to get the colour I liked first, with a fancy lid... or get a silver one with no fancy top for a lower price. Decisions, decisions...
Now.
Two questions for you.
He doesn't have any manual transmission '09 Corolla S models in the two colours I wanted, blue or silver. Initially I want(ed) blue, but it's harder to get, and the silver one I tried out yesterday looked pretty nice, too. Either way, he's got to try and make a trade for me with a dealer in another province. My options: wait until mid-May for a blue one... but it comes with a moon roof. I wasn't going to get the moon roof package because it's an extra $900-something. Probably near $1200 after tax and interest over 5 years. If I go with silver, with no moon roof, I can get it by the end of this month. Which way would you go? And how much would you haggle with someone you just met who made you a really good offer on a trade-in? Would you "cheat" and bring in a print-out from something like carcost.com? How much would you push your luck?
Well, since I totally blew my two-question goal, I may as well keep going. Which do you like better? Blue or silver?
Hmm... wait a couple weeks more, to pay more, to get the colour I liked first, with a fancy lid... or get a silver one with no fancy top for a lower price. Decisions, decisions...
posted by Steve | 7:43 am
3 Comments:
oooooh Corollas! I love me my Corollas!
Colour - cmon now Steve, that's a totally personal choice here! The discussion of our favourites will only muddy the choice for you...and speaking of muddy...I've always gone for the silver/gold tone colours because they hide a lot of sins if you don't always wash your car (ie me). The added complication of your lovely red PEI mud kinda quashes this logic.
As for haggling, I'm outta that conversation...I'm TERRIBLE at it.
Good luck!!
I'm with Colleen on the partial to the silver one. We are chicks though, so what do we know?
Just don't buy a red one dude!
I'm looking for a used five speed with low kms. I'm so over the whole minivan scene...
Hey wanna buy a butane blue minivan? It has a dvd player in it and four captain's seats! Living on PEI, you probably know a few captains that could ride around with you. LOL!
-Rox
Hey Steverino,
FYI, there is TOTALLY room to haggle on the value of a trade. When we bought our van, I traded in my 01 Neon. The dealer started by offering me $4600 on a car that was in immaculate condition, and had 74,000 km`s on it. Anyway, I still had a loan out on it for about $6500 so I told them I had researched and that I could sell it privately for over $7000. They tried to tell me that it would be a big hassle, but I just said that I had no problem walking away from them today and taking a month to sell my car myself and then come back to get the same deal on the van when it would save me around $2500 instead of trading. Not only that, by I was emphatic that I was not going to take less for the car than the value of my outstanding loan (they tried to tell me they could carry it forward to the new loan but I refused). Anyway, I stuck to my guns and it took a few hours of going back and forth between the salesman and his manager, but I eventually got them up to $6500! Plus, with the trade, I saved around $400 GST on the purchase of the new van. Interesting note, when they offered me $6500 instead of $7000, I quickly calculated that this would cost me an extra $90 in GST, so I told him that if they added another $50 it was a deal ($6550 for the trade then) - the sales manager looked at me and his mouth just dropped open - he started writing it up and said "you`d better be good for some repeat business."
The key to haggling is a) stick to your guns, and b) don`t be afraid to walk away - remember, they NEED your business. You walk and within a week the salesman will be phoning you.
Good luck!
-Blaine (PTM)
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