Advice to New Q50 to be owners:

cvipgo · 2013-07-13

I am sure most of you are aware of following::D but never hurts to refresh your brain cells:o Please Inspect the car and take a test drive. Please don't bring Kids to buy a new car if you do - bring child car seat. Verify that the car is the right trim version and has all the features you specified. If it doesn't, refer to "Check on whether the dealer has the car you configured," above. Then take a test drive. This is critical for seeing whether the vehicle "fits" you. Even something as seemingly minor as the contour of the driving seat or the position of the steering wheel can be a deal-breaker; if you can't get comfortable behind the wheel, you won't be happy with the car down the road. Here are some test-drive tips. Before you drive, evaluate the driving position and interior. Set the seat in a comfortable position and attach the safety belt. Make sure that you're at least 10 inches away from the steering wheel and that you can fully depress all the pedals. Make sure that you can reach all the controls without straining and that they're easy to use and the displays are easy to see. Spend at least 30 to 45 minutes driving on a variety of road surfaces and in different driving conditions. If possible, take the drive without a salesperson, so you can better concentrate on the vehicle. As you drive, make sure that you can see out well, that you can judge the ends of the vehicle, and that there are no serious blind spots. Pay attention to all of the vehicle's characteristics-how it rides, handles, accelerates, and stops, and how well it shields you from road noise. Negotiate the final deal one item at a time. Although, the Price Report gives you a competitive price on a new car, there are other important aspects of buying a car that must be worked out directly with the dealership, such as ... If you're buying a vehicle with different features than the one you configured online, ask to see the dealer-invoice price for that vehicle, so you can make sure you're getting the same price relative to invoice as is shown on the report. If you're trading in a car or want dealer financing, confirm the new-car price first. If you're buying a car through the Build & Buy Program, that will be either the TrueCar price quote for the exact model you configured, or the dealer-invoice price plus or minus the same margin as the TrueCar price report (see "Call the dealer(s) to find out if they have that exact car in stock" above). Then negotiate the trade-in value and financing separately. Don't let the salesperson combine them into a single monthly payment figure. This gives him or her too much room to manipulate figures to the dealer's advantage. If trading in, you should also have printouts from several pricing sources to support the value you calculated. Remember, you can always sell the car yourself, which may get you a higher price. But if you need the trade-in to make your down payment, you'll have to sell your current car before you can purchase your new one. If you haven't arranged outside financing, be aware that dealers often make extra profit by bumping your interest rate up several percentage points over the rate for which you would normally qualify. That's why it's important to compare interest rates from other sources before going to the dealership. Don't be tempted by unnecessary extras. Dealers often try to make extra profit by selling you additional options and special trim. But you may not need these features or services or might be able to get them for less money later. Corrosion protection, paint sealant, fabric protection, and window etching of the vehicle ID number are common items that dealers try to sell to buyers. But today's vehicles are made with good corrosion protection, so rustproofing is unneeded. And you can treat fabric, apply paint sealant, and etch windows with much less expensive off-the-shelf products. Sometimes extras are printed into the contract, as if it's assumed that you will buy them. We advise you to simply cross out extras that you haven't agreed to, and then ask the salesperson to rework the numbers. Don't purchase an extended warranty on a car with a good reliability record. You'll likely spend more on the warranty than on repairs. If you choose to buy the extended warranty, keep in mind that you can negotiate the price. And don't feel pressured to buy one the same day you buy the car. You can usually buy a plan any time before the basic warranty expires. Sweat the small stuff. When buying a car, the devil can be in the details. Here are some things to keep in mind. The TrueCar.com price report includes all manufacturer fees, including the destination charge. But it does not include taxes or fees for the title, registration, and documentation. Some dealer fees are warranted, others are questionable, and a few, such as dealer prep fees, may be entirely unnecessary. So, make sure you go through all of these charges thoroughly to be sure you understand and agree with them. Click here for a rundown of auto dealer fees and what they mean. Most dealers charge documentation fees, the rules of which vary from state to state. If you're financing, bring a calculator to verify that the terms match the amount you've agreed to finance. Dealers can pad the monthly payment to add extras into the contract, sometimes without the consumer even knowing he or she has paid for them. Don't sign any forms with items left blank. Doing so could permit someone to falsify information later, such as your income or the size of your down payment for the purpose of a loan application. Don't drive the car home before the financial paperwork is complete. That could leave you vulnerable to a so-called "yo-yo" or "spot" delivery, in which a dealer calls the buyer back and claims the financing fell through, in hopes of persuading him or her to sign new paperwork at less favorable terms. Finally, don't feel obligated to buy. If, at any point, you don't feel comfortable with the deal or the dealership, don't hesitate to head for the door. Keep in mind that it's always good to compare the price for a new car with what's available A new car's value drops an average of 47 percent in the first three year

3278 Views 3 Replies 4 Participants Last post by glennp_2014, Jul 15, 2013

cvipgo

Discussion Starter · Jul 13, 2013

I am sure most of you are aware of following: but never hurts to refresh your brain cells

Please Inspect the car and take a test drive.

Please don't bring Kids to buy a new car if you do - bring child car seat.
Verify that the car is the right trim version and has all the features you specified. If it doesn't, refer to "Check on whether the dealer has the car you configured," above. Then take a test drive. This is critical for seeing whether the vehicle "fits" you. Even something as seemingly minor as the contour of the driving seat or the position of the steering wheel can be a deal-breaker; if you can't get comfortable behind the wheel, you won't be happy with the car down the road. Here are some test-drive tips.

Before you drive, evaluate the driving position and interior. Set the seat in a comfortable position and attach the safety belt. Make sure that you're at least 10 inches away from the steering wheel and that you can fully depress all the pedals. Make sure that you can reach all the controls without straining and that they're easy to use and the displays are easy to see.
Spend at least 30 to 45 minutes driving on a variety of road surfaces and in different driving conditions. If possible, take the drive without a salesperson, so you can better concentrate on the vehicle.
As you drive, make sure that you can see out well, that you can judge the ends of the vehicle, and that there are no serious blind spots. Pay attention to all of the vehicle's characteristics-how it rides, handles, accelerates, and stops, and how well it shields you from road noise.
Negotiate the final deal one item at a time. Although, the Price Report gives you a competitive price on a new car, there are other important aspects of buying a car that must be worked out directly with the dealership, such as ...
If you're buying a vehicle with different features than the one you configured online, ask to see the dealer-invoice price for that vehicle, so you can make sure you're getting the same price relative to invoice as is shown on the report.
If you're trading in a car or want dealer financing, confirm the new-car price first. If you're buying a car through the Build & Buy Program, that will be either the TrueCar price quote for the exact model you configured, or the dealer-invoice price plus or minus the same margin as the TrueCar price report (see "Call the dealer(s) to find out if they have that exact car in stock" above). Then negotiate the trade-in value and financing separately. Don't let the salesperson combine them into a single monthly payment figure. This gives him or her too much room to manipulate figures to the dealer's advantage.
If trading in, you should also have printouts from several pricing sources to support the value you calculated. Remember, you can always sell the car yourself, which may get you a higher price. But if you need the trade-in to make your down payment, you'll have to sell your current car before you can purchase your new one.
If you haven't arranged outside financing, be aware that dealers often make extra profit by bumping your interest rate up several percentage points over the rate for which you would normally qualify. That's why it's important to compare interest rates from other sources before going to the dealership.

Don't be tempted by unnecessary extras.

Dealers often try to make extra profit by selling you additional options and special trim. But you may not need these features or services or might be able to get them for less money later.

Corrosion protection, paint sealant, fabric protection, and window etching of the vehicle ID number are common items that dealers try to sell to buyers. But today's vehicles are made with good corrosion protection, so rustproofing is unneeded. And you can treat fabric, apply paint sealant, and etch windows with much less expensive off-the-shelf products.
Sometimes extras are printed into the contract, as if it's assumed that you will buy them. We advise you to simply cross out extras that you haven't agreed to, and then ask the salesperson to rework the numbers.
Don't purchase an extended warranty on a car with a good reliability record. You'll likely spend more on the warranty than on repairs.
If you choose to buy the extended warranty, keep in mind that you can negotiate the price. And don't feel pressured to buy one the same day you buy the car. You can usually buy a plan any time before the basic warranty expires.

Sweat the small stuff.
When buying a car, the devil can be in the details. Here are some things to keep in mind.

The TrueCar.com price report includes all manufacturer fees, including the destination charge. But it does not include taxes or fees for the title, registration, and documentation. Some dealer fees are warranted, others are questionable, and a few, such as dealer prep fees, may be entirely unnecessary. So, make sure you go through all of these charges thoroughly to be sure you understand and agree with them. Click here for a rundown of auto dealer fees and what they mean.
Most dealers charge documentation fees, the rules of which vary from state to state.
If you're financing, bring a calculator to verify that the terms match the amount you've agreed to finance. Dealers can pad the monthly payment to add extras into the contract, sometimes without the consumer even knowing he or she has paid for them.
Don't sign any forms with items left blank. Doing so could permit someone to falsify information later, such as your income or the size of your down payment for the purpose of a loan application.
Don't drive the car home before the financial paperwork is complete. That could leave you vulnerable to a so-called "yo-yo" or "spot" delivery, in which a dealer calls the buyer back and claims the financing fell through, in hopes of persuading him or her to sign new paperwork at less favorable terms.

Finally, don't feel obligated to buy. If, at any point, you don't feel comfortable with the deal or the dealership, don't hesitate to head for the door.

Keep in mind that it's always good to compare the price for a new car with what's available A new car's value drops an average of 47 percent in the first three year

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Mrkalu

· #2 · Jul 14, 2013

You sir are appreciated.

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interalia

· #3 · Jul 15, 2013

Some good info, thanks!

While TrueCar on the Q50 will only have Invoice and MSRP it seems reasonable to look at other Infiniti's (G,M,JX) to see what kind of profits/margins they sell at and calc the same for the Q50. TrueCar shows Average Paid on G M JX Infiniti's near or under invoice, and the TC price will below that.

I agree the New and Used are separate transactions. For me I think the Used Car price is the hard part. If you negotiate a discount on the new car it seems easy for them to lower the user price. The new car price seems more definable via known invoice and known margins.

I think this time I will try to nail down the used car price first. To buy new I must sell old. I can get a price from CarMax, but then I pay sales tax on the full price of the new car which if trade is $20,000 at 8% tax that's $1600. In the past it seems the dealer knows I can get 20k at CarMax and offers me 18,500 so after paying tax I save nothing.

Other ways I think I could get the used price up.... It can be a Certified Infiniti 1 owner car. I bought at same dealer and they have done all maint. Certified should sell for more $ so I should get more in trade. Also look at the prices they are asking for used cars like mine. What's a fair margin?

I have a 2009 G with 40,000 miles on it. I think its as old as they go on Certified Infiniti.

I ordered a Q50 non-sport with everything, the order matrix shows 9% will order that config. Seems like they would want to sell to me as I am a 1 out of 10 shot. Maybe the delay until Aug 5 will help me as there will be more cars and more coming. Called diff dealer and they predict 30 cars on Aug 5 with 20 available, but ordered no Premiums with everything. In 2 mos they will have 3.

Bought prior G at this dealer, in past 2 Hondas, son bought 2, father 1. I'd like some money off as a repeat customer, and that people just don't pay list price. My last Acura buy was incredible. Maybe they could tell I was not ready or planning to buy and made me offers I could not refuse. They got me the KBB high price on my trade, and low price on new car.

I also would also like to pay less since I'm taking the first run of a new design, new electronic, new steering. No outside reviewers have tried the car.

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glennp_2014

· #4 · Jul 15, 2013 (Edited)

cvipgo said:
Negotiate the final deal one item at a time. Although, the Price Report gives you a competitive price on a new car, there are other important aspects of buying a car that must be worked out directly with the dealership, such as ...

I find this a waste of time what I usually do is give the dealer exactly what I want and negotiate everything in the deal. That way you don't waste time going back and forth on every single item. I always tell them upfront what I want and tell them this is the price I'm willing to pay for. Then the negotiation starts from there what ever extra the car has well that's their problem find me what I want or give it to me at the price I'm willing to pay.

cvipgo said:
Don't drive the car home before the financial paperwork is complete. That could leave you vulnerable to a so-called "yo-yo" or "spot" delivery, in which a dealer calls the buyer back and claims the financing fell through, in hopes of persuading him or her to sign new paperwork at less favorable terms.

When they "spot roll" a car that means they assume everything will be go through finance without a hitch. Remember when you drive the car home the car is yours no ifs buts or maybe.

If the financing falls through then they call you back and try to sign you for a higher percentage or monthly you have the right to refuse. In some cases even if they match the monthly but they are asking for more money from you have the right to refuse and walk away. This happened to me already I racked up 3k miles in the 3 months I had the car and I walked away from it. They wont be able to force you to get another car or put you in a lesser car or extract more money out of you. YOU have the right to REFUSE and say sorry it's the original deal or no deal.

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