Price negotiated from MSRP

[usafakid09]

I just got a 2500 Lunar Edition. $88k sticker. $73k after rebates/discounts and no tax due to trade credit. No dealer add on nonsense. $500 doc fee.

 

[Bighoof]

The longer you wait, the less inventory..

That boat already sailed, at least here it has.

 

[ErikTheRed]

That boat already sailed, at least here it has.

Yeah as of summer of this year here too (near Sacramento, CA). Very low selection of 3500 trucks and the ones we could find were all bloated with crap we didn't want and bumping on $100k. We had to go to Reno to get the truck we wanted, and the dealership was willing to make a deal where most of the Sac area dealerships still were not. Whats interesting is, we drove to Carson City to look at a Tradesman, the dealership wouldn't come off even $4000 so we walked. And they let us walk! Drove immediately to Reno, about 30 miles away, to look at a more expensive Bighorn and that dealership worked us a deal for nearly $12k off. Amazing how two dealerships in the same market selling nearly the same truck, one wanted to sell a truck and one didn't.

 

[poorman_pw]

Yeah as of summer of this year here too (near Sacramento, CA). Very low selection of 3500 trucks and the ones we could find were all bloated with crap we didn't want and bumping on $100k. We had to go to Reno to get the truck we wanted, and the dealership was willing to make a deal where most of the Sac area dealerships still were not. Whats interesting is, we drove to Carson City to look at a Tradesman, the dealership wouldn't come off even $4000 so we walked. And they let us walk! Drove immediately to Reno, about 30 miles away, to look at a more expensive Bighorn and that dealership worked us a deal for nearly $12k off. Amazing how two dealerships in the same market selling nearly the same truck, one wanted to sell a truck and one didn't.

There is a pretty popular comic now, has a bit about car dealers. Something about how it’s weird how in 2024 consumers are informed when buying anything, thousands of products with millions of reviews and one price. However when it comes to vehicles, there are always 6 dudes in khakis, polos with goatees that will lie to your face consistently and you just pray you can spot most of them and not get screwed… but you still will somehow.

 

[RichM752]

With info available on the web these days, why people in the market can't get a deal is a question I can not understand.

 

[zazmatazz]

I just got a 2500 Lunar Edition. $88k sticker. $73k after rebates/discounts and no tax due to trade credit. No dealer add on nonsense. $500 doc fee.

Was that close to the advertised price or how did you get to the 15k off?

 

[usafakid09]

Was that close to the advertised price or how did you get to the 15k off?

Advertised price was only about $7k off. They can only advertise prices that discount to a certain level. Get in the dealership and they can and will go lower, if they have good sense.

 

[ErikTheRed]

Advertised price was only about $7k off. They can only advertise prices that discount to a certain level. Get in the dealership and they can and will go lower, if they have good sense.

In my experience, far more dealerships than not lack "good sense" but they make up for it in strides with greed. They have a right to make a profit, but I have a right to go elsewhere if I feel like they aren't even trying to be fair.

 

[HAMMER77777]

I basically email each one within a few 100 miles, asking how much below "Holdback below invoice", they will go. In other words, they give their entire Holdback BELOW invoice, and maybe then Some more. Ask a dozen or so of them, by email, someone will bite. At least that's what I did for my previous by

 

[Brutal_HO]

I basically email each one within a few 100 miles, asking how much below "Holdback below invoice", they will go. In other words, they give their entire Holdback BELOW invoice, and maybe then Some more. Ask a dozen or so of them, by email, someone will bite. At least that's what I did for my previous by

Exactly what I did and the local dealer ended up being close enough to the big guys' discounts to make it worthwhile to buy local.

Not everyone will be able to work those deals in their area and that's where Mark Dodge(LA) and Granger Motors(IA), and other high volume factory order dealers come in as a great option.

 

[HAMMER77777]

Exactly what I did and the local dealer ended up being close enough to the big guys' discounts to make it worthwhile to buy local.

Not everyone will be able to work those deals in their area and that's where MD and Granger, etc. come in as a great option.

Forgive my ignorance, but what are MD and Granger? Honestly never heard of them. Of course I could google those terms, but I'd rather hear from someone who used it?

And I had the same situation as a local dealer was willing to come close to Holdback below invoice, but this was back in 2014. Haven't done this in a while.

 

[ErikTheRed]

Forgive my ignorance, but what are MD and Granger? Honestly never heard of them.

MD = Mark Dodge, like Granger, like Dave Smith, are the "big guys" Brutal was referring to. They are huge volume dealerships who sell to customers all over the country, and as such can (or at least, are willing to) offer bigger discounts than the smaller local dealerships. In my case, I felt like I got a good enough deal that it was worth it to me to purchase from the smaller guys.

 

[HAMMER77777]

MD = Mark Dodge, like Granger, like Dave Smith, are the "big guys" Brutal was referring to. They are huge volume dealerships who sell to customers all over the country, and as such can (or at least, are willing to) offer bigger discounts than the smaller local dealerships. In my case, I felt like I got a good enough deal that it was worth it to me to purchase from the smaller guys.

Oh OK, stupid question, but why are these considered "big guys"? These are all in relatively small states, not in huge places like CA, NY, TX, FL. So these huys would be considered bigger than, for example, a dealership in NYC, CA, etc.?

 

[Brutal_HO]

Oh OK, stupid question, but why are these considered "big guys"? These are all in relatively small states, not in huge places like CA, NY, TX, FL.

Sheer volume.

 

[HAMMER77777]

Sheer volume.

Cool, but why do these guys get that volume? In other words, how did they get big in the first place? Idaho is a state that has about 8 people in it, LOL, but somehow they have a high volume dealer, but CA, which has a higher GDP than 95% of other countries, has none of the "big guys". Just curious, LOL.

 

[ErikTheRed]

Cool, but why do these guys get that volume? In other words, how did they get big in the first place? Idaho is a state that has about 8 people in it, LOL, but somehow they have a high volume dealer, but CA, which has a higher GDP than 95% of other countries, has none of the "big guys". Just curious, LOL.

Because choices. These dealerships choose to do big discounts and make less per deal, and make up for it on volume. Any smaller local dealership could choose to do biz the same way, but most dont. The mentality of most dealerships since the dawn of time has been "we gotta make ALL the money on this one unit!", as if it's the only unit of its kind in the known universe and every life form from here to Andromeda wants it, and they're never going to get another one to replace it. The big volume dealerships are the big volume dealerships because they're willing to make less per unit and sell more units. Maybe that decision is made, at least in part, because of their remote locations in sparsely-populated areas that don't get the foot traffic. Just a guess.

 

[HAMMER77777]

Because choices. These dealerships choose to do big discounts and make less per deal, and make up for it on volume. Any smaller local dealership could choose to do biz the same way, but most dont. The mentality of most dealerships since the dawn of time has been "we gotta make ALL the money on this one unit!", as if it's the only unit of its kind in the known universe and every life form from here to Andromeda wants it, and they're never going to get another one to replace it. The big volume dealerships are the big volume dealerships because they're willing to make less per unit and sell more units. Maybe that decision is made, at least in part, because of their remote locations in sparsely-populated areas that don't get the foot traffic. Just a guess.

Makes sense, thanks!

 

[Brutal_HO]

Cool, but why do these guys get that volume? In other words, how did they get big in the first place? Idaho is a state that has about 8 people in it, LOL, but somehow they have a high volume dealer, but CA, which has a higher GDP than 95% of other countries, has none of the "big guys". Just curious, LOL.

Perhaps that's a topic best discussed in another thread. However, I'll say in closing that smart people do their research before spending money, and the proclivity of doing business online has grown. That tends to lead them to places like this forum.

 

[Thisnthat]

Oh OK, stupid question, but why are these considered "big guys"? These are all in relatively small states, not in huge places like CA, NY, TX, FL. So these huys would be considered bigger than, for example, a dealership in NYC, CA, etc.?

all the posts above hit on it...dealership makes a decision on how they'll do business - these big volume nationwide dealers have found a way to make money and it isn't on the back on the consumers.

another perspective, I bought a 2022 3500 from Mark Dodge in the spring of 22. Ordered in Dec 21...before I decided to buy out of state from Mark Dodge (MD), I asked several local dealers if they could match or come close to their price. I literally took the printout I got from MD and showed it to them. They all said that there was no way they could sell one that cheap...said the dealer was hiding something and that they couldn't get within $2-3k of MD's price....and I paid exactly what I was quoted (no trade in). Back during that time the ordered trucks were increasing in MSRP from when the order was placed...a lot of dealers didn't even seem to know how to lock in the MSRP...or if they did, they were just pocketing the difference.

How do they do it - my guess is that they have certain quotas they are trying to hit from Ram and once they hit them, they get paid a bonus per vehicle sold during that period (monthly/quarterly)...although I don't think these volume dealers have any "add-ons", there has to be a certain percentage of buyers they ask for accessories and then that's just another income stream. Even if only half of the buyers finance, the sheer volume of loans they are processing is almost unthinkable...and then you get the best price in the nation, you might just buy a warranty that you wouldn't buy normally.

Used to be the largest GMC dealer was local (probably still close to being the largest as they have over 400 new half tons on their website), and even though they would sell nationwide, the amount of local vehicles was insane....their service dept was huge, can only imagine how much they make on warranty work.

I'll be "that" person somewhat, but dealers in large metropolitan areas probably don't have to sell themselves too much as they will always have someone come along that simply hasn't researched prices and think they are getting a good deal...metro Houston is almost 7 million people. There are only 16 states that have a population over 7 million. Big city dealers don't have to be super price competitive, not saying they won't or can't be, but if you don't buy it, someone else will pay what they are asking.

 

[HAMMER77777]

all the posts above hit on it...dealership makes a decision on how they'll do business - these big volume nationwide dealers have found a way to make money and it isn't on the back on the consumers.

another perspective, I bought a 2022 3500 from Mark Dodge in the spring of 22. Ordered in Dec 21...before I decided to buy out of state from Mark Dodge (MD), I asked several local dealers if they could match or come close to their price. I literally took the printout I got from MD and showed it to them. They all said that there was no way they could sell one that cheap...said the dealer was hiding something and that they couldn't get within $2-3k of MD's price....and I paid exactly what I was quoted (no trade in). Back during that time the ordered trucks were increasing in MSRP from when the order was placed...a lot of dealers didn't even seem to know how to lock in the MSRP...or if they did, they were just pocketing the difference.

How do they do it - my guess is that they have certain quotas they are trying to hit from Ram and once they hit them, they get paid a bonus per vehicle sold during that period (monthly/quarterly)...although I don't think these volume dealers have any "add-ons", there has to be a certain percentage of buyers they ask for accessories and then that's just another income stream. Even if only half of the buyers finance, the sheer volume of loans they are processing is almost unthinkable...and then you get the best price in the nation, you might just buy a warranty that you wouldn't buy normally.

Used to be the largest GMC dealer was local (probably still close to being the largest as they have over 400 new half tons on their website), and even though they would sell nationwide, the amount of local vehicles was insane....their service dept was huge, can only imagine how much they make on warranty work.

I'll be "that" person somewhat, but dealers in large metropolitan areas probably don't have to sell themselves too much as they will always have someone come along that simply hasn't researched prices and think they are getting a good deal...metro Houston is almost 7 million people. There are only 16 states that have a population over 7 million. Big city dealers don't have to be super price competitive, not saying they won't or can't be, but if you don't buy it, someone else will pay what they are asking.

Excellent answer. Thank you for your Time. That was great!