So I don't go for that nickel and diming "let me speak to my manager up in the tower" nonsense. I go in there knowing exactly what I want (including options) and what I expect to pay. I already have my money up front as I get pre-approved for a car loan from my credit union ahead of time. I never finance through the dealership so I don't have to get caught up in that four square "what would you like your monthly payment to be" crap.
With the trade-in, I have my car detailed ahead of time and have a full history of all the maintenance that was done to it. So I expect pretty close to blue book or I'm taking my business elsewhere. I let them know this up front so there's no hassle.
Most important thing is I let them know up front I want no hassle. Here's the model I want, here's the options I want, here's what I expect to get for trade-in and here's the price I expect to pay.
I probably overpay for my cars a little. I don't worry too much about that. I just don't want the hassle and the back and forth and the "let me speak to my manager" routine. Some people enjoy that. I don't.
Actually, I have a modified version of that approach. I usually open with: "I don't want to waste my time or yours. I'm pre-approved and you have 30 minutes to sell me a car. I know what I want. If you can't do it in 30 minutes, then you must not want to sell me a car."
My record so far is 16 minutes on a new Chevy van.
Do any of you have experience using Sam’s Club or Costco for new car buying?
Me too....In 2013, after owning my car for 18 years, I said screw it, I need a new car.
So that July I leased a Ford Focus. In December of 2015, maybe 7 months before the 3 year lease was up, I got an email from the dealership that they might be able to offer me an early out on the lease. So I went to the dealership and the first young guy (Jared) who approached me asked me who the original salesman was that sold me the 2013 and I told him they guy was a jerk and I didn't want to deal with that guy again and I would deal him (Jared) . So we sat down and he said they couldn't make an offer at that time but he would contact me in the future if they could.
Well 5 months later (April 2016), Jared called me back and said they could make a deal since I only had 3 months left on the lease. I said OK.
So he asked me what I was interested in and I told him I was happy with the Focus and would get another one. So he asked me what color and I said Red. Then he asked what options and I said everything my existing Focus had. He said he would get back with me.
So the next day he called me back and said he had what I wanted so I said I'll take it. Then he asked me when I would like to pick it up and I said Tuesday of the following week in the morning........He said ok
Drove in that Tuesday, dropped off my old Focus, signed some papers and drove off with the new one.........
All that was done in just two phone calls and a monthly lease payment that I could afford (nothing out of pocket)..........Easy Peezy.
I probably overpay for my cars a little. I don’t worry too much about that.
I make all the deals on our cars. I’m just better at it than hubby. Your whole process sounds like mine except for that line. I like a deal and most people are shocked at how little I pay for our cars. We have 2 Mercedes sitting in our garage that we paid no more for than a regular brand because of my deal making. lol