Tips for buying a car

Daymoe · 10-06-2009, 06:13 PM

Hello everyone, I know I'm not everyone's favorite member but I need some advice. I just got off the phone to a car dealer and he wants me to put a deposit down on a car before he will give me a definite price, he said they'll take it off the market and let me test drive it to see if I actually like the car first and if I don't, they'll give me a full refund.

He said there was lots of interest in the car, so I should be quick. I made an offer of $16,000, its a BF XR6 Manual listed for $17,999 with 192,000km on the clock but with a full service history, he wouldn't give me a yes or no about my offer, but he hinted at yes a fair few times.

I'm wondering, should I lay down a deposit, or can they stooge me and take my money if the car happens to sell on me before I get down to test driving it/making up my mind?

Thanks guys, help is much appreciated.

XT UTE 68 · 10-06-2009, 06:18 PM

sales talk, thats a lotta ks for a BF, too much money at 16

VICFPV · 10-06-2009, 06:22 PM

Don't put any money down till you actually like the car.
They are just trying to lock you in for a sale. You won't see your money till maybe three weeks if you are lucky for a refund if deposit is paid.
Find alternatives to this car and play the dealer off. You should be able to test drive the car before you put down a deposit on it.
Never pay a deposit until you are very keen on the car.

Daymoe · 10-06-2009, 06:27 PM

I was thinking on playing the dealer against another one with a BA XR6 with less ks but I didn't think it would work due to the model difference and the BF having an extra gear and rear power windows plus its newer.

I might do it the other way around, because there is a BA XR6 listed which is manual with 140,000 KM for $16,999 and I should play him against the other dealer with the BF XR6 and see how low I can get him. These guys must have done psychology at school, they're pretty good at making you believe things.

Keep the information coming, thanks much.

Lightning Strike XR6 · 10-06-2009, 07:04 PM

Way too many kays man.

Look at private. I got mine a 2004 xr for $13,500 with 93k on the clock

Be patient i too was keen on getting my car but waited until the right one came up.

How long until you get your p's anyway?

Bmobile · 10-06-2009, 07:43 PM

Don't pay... play

If your after a car from a dealer be prepared to walk out the door and leave your number. 9 times out of 10 if you have made a fair offer they will ring you up and get you to come back. Play them and don't get sukkered into their little sales tricks. You have the power and the ball is allways in your court, play it as such.

Buzz Box · 10-06-2009, 07:52 PM

I can't believe your honestly even thinking of putting money down on a car that you havn't even test driven!!!!!!

Also you could ask any used car salesmen about any car in any lot and they will tell you theres been great interest its greats a sense of urgency so you will rush your decision and skip things or miss things like the fact he is over charging you and pulling your leg.

MITCHAY · 10-06-2009, 07:53 PM

As above too many KMs. Look privately for used cars is my suggestion the price is way too high.

Daymoe · 10-06-2009, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lightning Strike XR6

Way too many kays man.

Look at private. I got mine a 2004 xr for $13,500 with 93k on the clock

Be patient i too was keen on getting my car but waited until the right one came up.

How long until you get your p's anyway?

About 3 months, I'm after a manual one and they seem to be very thin on the ground and commanding way high prices for what they actually are. Most of them as private sales are $17,000+. If I wasn't specifically after a manual one, wouldn't be having a problem finding them cheap, my cousin picked up his 03 XR6 Auto for $11,000.

Quote:

Originally Posted by B mobile

Don't pay... play

If your after a car from a dealer be prepared to walk out the door and leave your number. 9 times out of 10 if you have made a fair offer they will ring you up and get you to come back. Play them and don't get sukkered into their little sales tricks. You have the power and the ball is allways in your court, play it as such.

Ah yes, he seemed to hint that $16,000 was a good price, but Dad reckons $12k...... No. If I can get them down to $14,500/$15,500 I'd be happy.

Yes I know it sounds insane about the test driving thing, but walking the 80km to the dealer might be a bit of an issue, I need to arrange a way to get down there when we don't have work on the weekends, or school on weekdays and when Dad isn't running errands.

How much does a BF XR6 Manual usually go for?

The cheapest one is the one I was ringing up about.

alter_EGOXR · 10-06-2009, 08:08 PM

yep thats way too much...i got my bf2 xr6 4spd with less than 50ks on the clock for around that price...you shld be able to knock back alot more off that car...number one tip, mate...never show the car dealer that you are really interested in that particular car, otherwise hes gonna try to squeeze every little penny out of you....take a look at the car before you pull your wallet out...watch this video..Mike Brewer is a car dealer guru, who knows how to knock off a few gs on a car, whilst able to sell the same car for a load more than he purchased it for...PS if you get a chance to watch wheeler dealers, its a great show!!

Deals on Wheels BMW E30 M3

timmo · 10-06-2009, 08:10 PM

with 190,000kms on it, it would have been traded in at around 12k. I don't think you'd be able to bargain them down to that, so probably better too look elsewhere. It's also illegal to ask for a garuntee on a sale before price is discussed...

Daymoe · 10-06-2009, 08:17 PM

Is there anything specific that I can point out on a BF? Like wear and tear in certain spots, to bargain my way down?

Watching that video now, thanks.

alter_EGOXR · 10-06-2009, 08:20 PM

you can always try billy T james's way to pick up a bargin :P

Buying a Car, Billy T James style

Springfield_Johny · 10-06-2009, 08:25 PM

Take some money with you, enough for a deposit, waive it in front of the salesman so he can see your serious, but don't part with it until your happy with the sale amount

alter_EGOXR · 10-06-2009, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daymoe

Is there anything specific that I can point out on a BF? Like wear and tear in certain spots, to bargain my way down?

Watching that video now, thanks.

yeah the problem i had with mine was rust in the boot its a very common problem in the Bseries falcon...you should be able to knock off a few hundred if the cars got that problem depending on how bad it is...i have heard that shuddering is another major problem, due to warp brake discs, but i dont think thats common in the BFs..apart from that, i think the BFs rarely had any issues...just have a nice poke around...good luck mate

Daymoe · 10-06-2009, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnandjus

Take some money with you, enough for a deposit, waive it in front of the salesman so he can see your serious, but don't part with it until your happy with the sale amount

Considering if we actually agreed on $16,000 (Which going by what you guys have said, is unlikely) I could buy on the day I see it, because I've got the money I need to buy on the spot sitting in my bank account.

How much do I take out of the bank, $500 or so to wave in front of him? How would I show I'm serious about buying a car, without showing an interest in a particular model?

alter_EGOXR · 10-06-2009, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daymoe

Considering if we actually agreed on $16,000 (Which going by what you guys have said, is unlikely) I could buy on the day I see it, because I've got the money I need to buy on the spot sitting in my bank account.

How much do I take out of the bank, $500 or so to wave in front of him? How would I show I'm serious about buying a car, without showing an interest in a particular model?

depends on the dealer..it maybe a certain percentage of the sale price or an X amount...just find out before you go down..yes you have to show them that you have the cash so they can take you seriously...are you still in highschool? if so, i would get your dad to do the talking...good luck...

Daymoe · 10-06-2009, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hemank

depends on the dealer..it maybe a certain percentage of the sale price or an X amount...just find out before you go down..yes you have to show them that you have the cash so they can take you seriously...are you still in highschool? if so, i would get your dad to do the talking...good luck...

Year 12, I got Dad to actually ring up another dealer about a car but he keeps rigging the deals so they don't ring back or contact me by offering stupidly low offers like the $12,000. Thats why I'm doing things myself, he is dead set on me buying a Hyundai i30 and I want a Falcon. I asked him why he didn't get a Datsun 120Y over an XU1 Torana and he didn't reply. Same situation here.

**Burnout** · 10-06-2009, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daymoe

Year 12, I got Dad to actually ring up another dealer about a car but he keeps rigging the deals so they don't ring back or contact me by offering stupidly low offers like the $12,000. Thats why I'm doing things myself, he is dead set on me buying a Hyundai i30 and I want a Falcon. I asked him why he didn't get a Datsun 120Y over an XU1 Torana and he didn't reply. Same situation here.

The dealer wants to play - get in the game - offer him $13k, work up to $15.5k, then be prepared to walk away. You are in trouble with this bloke he KNOWS you want the manual & he's out to make you pay for it.

You have picked your dad correctly - I tried this one on my son, who has bought an BF XR6. I think you'll find he's trying to protect you from the on costs; it's never really about the car, the on-costs are the killer.

Gobes32 · 10-06-2009, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daymoe

Year 12, I got Dad to actually ring up another dealer about a car but he keeps rigging the deals so they don't ring back or contact me by offering stupidly low offers like the $12,000. Thats why I'm doing things myself, he is dead set on me buying a Hyundai i30 and I want a Falcon. I asked him why he didn't get a Datsun 120Y over an XU1 Torana and he didn't reply. Same situation here.

Don't stress mate, he is just trying to get you to do the "sensible" option. A BF XR6 is a quick car, especially in manual. And he probably remembers the close calls he had in his Torana and does not want that to happen to you.

alter_EGOXR · 10-06-2009, 10:35 PM

well i know with most car dealers, they dont take youngens too seriously, if they do they try to screw them into the ground...they are less likely to screw your dad than you...car dealers tend not to deal over the phone, so the best thing is call them up, ask them how much it is and ask them will they knock a few off if you pay cash...they should say yes..dont tell them a fixed price...as soon as you get down there, try to check out the car without the dealer by your side, so you can find all its problems...once you have established the issues with the car, USE THEM to your advantage to bring the price down...then go get the dealer and ask him if you can take it for a 30 min test drive....after you have worked out all the mechanical issues (if you dont believe there is one..make one up..has to be reasonable like "its a little gutless during take off or something along those lines" and tell them you have test driven loads of XR6s...dont make up an obvious fib like "engine is misfiring" because thats easy to pinpoint...this trick only works with dealers..the reason is obvious they have to sell a yard of cars..not just the one)..now using all those issues and considering you want to buy the car...you can whip out the deposit...once the dealer sees you mean business, you start bidding them..the key is telling him all the problems and the worst case secenarios which may arise from all those issues..you should be able to take off a few grand easy if you can convince them..give them an offer...most likely, if the offer is alot lower than their asking price, they will reject it...but my advice is go as low as you can....because at the end of the day, if your good enuf you will be able to meet halfway between your first offer and the dealers original offer...keep that in mind..if your looking to pick up a bargin, offer cash!....and oh yeah, try to get your old man to do all the talking...hope that helps a lil..good luck and have fun car shopping.....
PS...dont show the dealer that you want the car so bad..if you cant get it down to how much your willling to pay for it, walk away..you still got the cash to work with.....

timmo · 10-06-2009, 10:44 PM

the i30's a really nice car. as I have been in your exact situation, you'll probably end up selling this XR6 in 1 or 2 years when you get off your P's for an XR6T or XR8 (assuming you're through and through blue).
So by then you'll have a 5 year old car with over 200k on it, and you will be selling it in a market that is full of lower km BA's, BF's and FG's.
So even at $15k now, you'll have stamp duty, and insurance (car should have 12 months rego when purchased), so the car owes you $17.5k before you get to drive it. You'll go to sell it in a year, and be low balled maybe $8k trade if you're lucky...affectively losing you $10k in a year.
You always have to look at what car you really want and the cheapest way of getting there...

ILLaViTaR · 10-06-2009, 10:56 PM

Best piece of advise, don't buy new lol.

If you do you may as well go to crown on the way.

Daymoe · 10-06-2009, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timmo

the i30's a really nice car. as I have been in your exact situation, you'll probably end up selling this XR6 in 1 or 2 years when you get off your P's for an XR6T or XR8 (assuming you're through and through blue).
So by then you'll have a 5 year old car with over 200k on it, and you will be selling it in a market that is full of lower km BA's, BF's and FG's.
So even at $15k now, you'll have stamp duty, and insurance (car should have 12 months rego when purchased), so the car owes you $17.5k before you get to drive it. You'll go to sell it in a year, and be low balled maybe $8k trade if you're lucky...affectively losing you $10k in a year.
You always have to look at what car you really want and the cheapest way of getting there...

I'll be on my Ps for 4 years, so regardless, I'm going to lose a lot of money, but you don't buy a car to make money now though do you?

Thanks for the tips guys, keep it coming. Much appreciated.

Spudz27 · 10-06-2009, 11:27 PM

I came across an 05 XR6 metallic grey, for 17k with 45,000 on the clock at a dealer down here. That price with 192k is ridiculous. That said I payed the same for my camry as it would have cost for the XR6 in the end. Shame on me.

Hemicuda · 10-06-2009, 11:46 PM

Never tell the dealer how much you are willing to pay. Tell them that you have been looking for a while and it the highest km car you have inspected which is a little concerning. Then ask them what is their best price and if the price is right you will do business there and then.

mik · 11-06-2009, 03:12 AM

rule no.1 dont be in such a hurry to sign on the dotted line... time is on your side, i would keep looking theres bound to be low mileage examples in the same price range, and also i would think about an racv check if your set set on this one.

Late braker · 11-06-2009, 07:44 AM

You will be severely ripped off going down this route.

They know you've got stars in your eyes and are smitten with the whole performance car thing.

How on earth could anyone ever agree to terms without inspecting (actually driving) the vehicle first then independent checks on it.

Walk away.

merlin · 11-06-2009, 11:54 AM

Never ever walk into a car dealer without someone else with you who is at least 30+. Best bit of advice I have ever recieved.

Mate, you are being stooged. How could you possibly even consider doing this? You view the car, test drive it then make an offer. You do not out any deposit down until after the test drive, and even then you sleep on it.

192,000kms for a BF - mate its worth about $8K at auction. Go down to the auction they regularly go for around $10K with under 100,000kms. Then again most are auto's but you will be able to find a manual privately for MUCH less than what this dealer is asking.

For $17K you could be buying a BA XR6T - then again if you cant have a turbo a nice low kay BF XR6 NA can be had easily for under $15K. You are being taken for a ride

Daymoe · 11-06-2009, 04:24 PM

I'll try haggle them down, hopefully going on Saturday with Dad, then I can get him to do all the talking. What do you guys reckon it is worth roughly?

Not $16,000 obviously going by what you guys have said.