First off, I am new here and would like to thank everyone for the great wealth of information that can be found on this site. I have just been reading posts for a while now to educate myself on what should hopefully be the purchase of a CS in the near future.

Anyway on to my question. The local dealership has an 06 on their lot that has 13k miles on the clock that has been for sell since May 1. Everything about the car looks to be in good condition and correct. Originally it was listed at $49995, which I thought was a bit high considering it only had preferred package with tip and bose stereo. That price stayed for a few months then last week they lowered the price to $49388. That was encouraging because it showed that they might be willing to deal on the price. Three days after that they moved the price to $48888. Now things were starting to look really good. I figured I was going to offer them $43000 and negotiate to no higher than $45000. However the day after the $48k price was posted, they put up a new price of $51995.

So I called the dealership to ask if it was a certified preowned (not shown on site) and they said it was. Then I asked why the price had changed 3 times in four or five days with the last change being a $3000 jump in price. The internet sales manager's reply was at first was a whole lot of stuttering like he was surprised that someone had noticed and then he said that it was because he had been looking at other cars on the market and they realized they had under price the car but they would still honor the $48888 price if i wanted the car.

This makes me very apprehensive to have any dealings with this dealership as they are likely to just change other numbers (like labor and parts) in the future. He tried to tell me about how the car was previously owned be two doctors and some other stuff in effort to justify the price.

I wished him luck with the sale at that price in light of the PDK coming out in the spring and the market being soft. His reply was if they don't sell it this week then they were going to wholesale it to another dealer.

I know this is a free market and anybody can price anything at any price, but does this sound even remotely logical on their part or is it me that is not seeing the whole picture.

Thanks for your responses in advance.

Who knows what goes on behind the scenes at car dealerships, except for those who work there?

You didn't say what market you are in, or what the NADA/Bluebook etc. value is, but I would tend to agree with you - $52K for a lightly optioned 06 CS seems a little high, even with the CPO warranty. On the other hand, I think your $45K offer is a little low given the mileage and CPO, unless there are other problems with the condition of the car. I think that $48K for the car would be pretty fair if the condition is right - and it's the car you want.

Welcome, and good luck with your croc hunt!

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My Blogs
2006 CS Tip (Daily Driver & Part-time Track Toy)
2005 Ford Expedition (to haul the CS)
2006 Lexus RX400h (wifey's)
Gone, but not forgotten: 2002 WRX, 2004 MINI

I'm not sure what the occupation of the owners has to do with the condition. . .

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My Blogs
2006 CS Tip (Daily Driver & Part-time Track Toy)
2005 Ford Expedition (to haul the CS)
2006 Lexus RX400h (wifey's)
Gone, but not forgotten: 2002 WRX, 2004 MINI

As a professional sales person that actually sells to car dealerships, I'd like to share some advice.

Step 1: Know your adversary

You're dealing with the slickest salespeople on the planet, car salespeople. I don't mean to generalize, and I'd like to point out that there are some real professionals in the industry, but for every professional there are probably 3 stereotypical car salespeople. That means that you can't necessarily take all statements at face value. Every statement they make must be treated as a clue to the truth until you can better determine the credibility of the person you are dealing with. This is easier to do in person where you can see body language, facial expressions, etc....


Step 2: Remember who has the power

Remember, you are the customer. The power is in your hands. You can buy, or not buy. They can't make you buy. You can make ridiculous statements and not jeopardize the deal, they must be careful what they say or they may cause you to walk. They need to work to gain your business, you don't need to work to gain theirs. Keep this in mind and you will remove all of that car buying anxiety.


Step 3: Set the stage

Good work on the observations. You've already demonstrated that you are not an emotional buyer, and also that you are an interested potential customer. If you haven't already done so, stop in and meet the sales team there face to face. Reaffirm that you've been paying attention. Ask for a test drive. Drop a few loose but carefully placed statements. Make it clear that you are likely to buy a Cayman, but have not decided where yet. Show an awareness of other dealerships, where they're located, what they have in inventory, etc.... You can learn this from the Porsche web site. When they see that you may visit another dealership, they will become far more generous. They realize that their competitor may throw out a really aggressive deal to button you down. They do not want that. So to prevent it, they will take the price very close to the bottom. Conversely, if they think they have your exclusive attention (that you won't shop another dealership) they will hold out for the most they 'think' they can get out of you.


Step 5: Timing is everything

Your first visit should be at the beginning of the month. Why? Because you are going to 'walk'. Meaning on your first visit you will leave without buying. Dealerships are most motivated to get creative at the end of the month. Visiting the dealership, and then walking tells them that you are a potential customer and that you need to be pushed over the edge. You are not a 'lay down' sale. They will need to work to get you past your internal objection. They will be hunting for the root of that objection. Is it price? Trade in? Interest rate? Payment? You can use this against them. Make statements like, "Man, I really love this car. But I simply can't spend more than $45K." Then thank them, ask them to take your number and give you a call if they come across a car that better meets your needs, then walk.

When the end of the month comes, don't be surprised if you get a call telling you that they can do better. If you don't get that call, stop in and remind them that you're interested. Ask if they've taken any new Caymans on trade. Don't be afraid to walk again. Have some fun toying with them.

Good luck.

So cliché. In the old days it was a little old lady that only drove on Sundays. Not very believable when talking about a Porsche, so they go for the 'older doctor who needed a tax write off' to convince you that the car was not abused and well taken care of. Have you ever heard a car dealer say, "Yeah, this one was owned by some rich guys 18 year old son. The back tires were so bald when it came in that we had to replace them, so you're getting brand new tires....."

I didn't think so......

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Gator Bite
(View My Articles : Blogs : Car : Profile)

As opposed to a certain middle-aged doctor enjoying his mid-life crisis by living out his youthful fantasies in a Porsche as a track toy and daily driver . . . ahem.

Remind me not to drive into the dealership on my track tires if I ever decide to trade-in my CS.

(BTW, great advice above)

__________________
My Blogs
2006 CS Tip (Daily Driver & Part-time Track Toy)
2005 Ford Expedition (to haul the CS)
2006 Lexus RX400h (wifey's)
Gone, but not forgotten: 2002 WRX, 2004 MINI

KS-CS and Gator Bite,

Thank you both for the replies, it is greatly appreciated.

KS-CS - I agree that my offer is probably a bit over optimistic, but I have time on my side as I don't require a new car immediately. My Mustang is almost 10 years old but only has 72000 miles on it and still runs good. As much as I would love to have a CS, I don't want to get into a deal that has me on the short end of the stick. I am willing to go higher on price but the car would have to have a few more options on it than the one in my original post does. Thank you for the advice though, as it reminds me that I do need to at least keep an open mind about how much to offer and to be somewhat flexible.

Gator Bite - Wow, that was a wealth of knowledge that you shared. Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge and experiences with me, not to mention spending the time to type that much in order to share. I agree and that was why I posted the comment about the doctors - I was close to laughing at him when he said they are doctors in a way as if to imply there is no way they ever did any kind of abuse to the vehicle and always made sure to keep the headlight fluid topped off, the muffler bearings replaced every 10k miles, and even installed a radiator insulator. It is people like this salesman that makes me cringe when I think about going into a dealership. Integrity and honesty are demanded in my line of work and I foolishly expect these same character traits from others in their choosen profession.

Again thank you both for taking the time to respond and if there is anything else that you think may be of help please let me know.

I am not trying to contradict previous posts, but I have a tried and true method for dealing, or not dealing, with car dealers.

1) Never go in to the dealer until after you have negotiated.
2) Ask the internet sales manager to provide the terms of the sale via fax
3) Fax your offer and deposit
4) arrive at dealer to pick up car with payment check (oh yeah, don't borrow from the dealer)

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Matt S.
Cayman 2.7L
De-snork, Remote Key, K&N

It is very likely that you should be able to find a brand new car for a very good price. You should be able to get nearly 15% off. I think it is easiest to shop online and correspond through emails because it allows you more time to think of a response worded to work out in your favor. I have been doing so with my current shopping and it has been working out very well. You can also forward emails from other dealerships who give you good offers to use as leverage. Good luck with finding your dream car!

Also, in response to your original question. I would also be one to look at a different dealership. They don't seem to be very honest.

Interesting. I can't say I've ever tried that. I do see where this could be a beneficial method for those that are less comfortable in car buying battle.

I had an absolute blast buying my VW. I sold my other car myself and prearranged my own financing, so I was able to really toy with them. They originally turned down my offer. When I was ready, and needed to buy the car, I walked back into the dealers (at the end of the month). Here's what went down.

Sean (the salesperson): Hey Mr. S*****, nice to see you again. You ready to buy that Passat?"

Me: "Yup. I am definitely buying that Passat, today. I'm just not sure where I'll buy it yet."

Sean: "Uh, what do you mean.....?"

Me: "Well, I have my deposit (out of my pocket comes a roll of hundreds), I have my lucky pen to sign the papers (out of my shirt pocket comes my Monte Blanc), the only thing I don't have is a dealership that's willing to sell me a car. You guys have already told me that you can't accept my offer. So here's a map of every VW dealership in CT and the route I'm going to take from each to the next. You see, here's your dealership (pointing at the color map). Since you were so helpful and let me test drive several cars, I thought it was only right for me to give you guys one last chance to meet my price. If you can't, that's cool. I've dedicated the whole weekend for this project. I'll just go to dealer number 2, make them the same offer, and continue on my way until someone accepts. Tell you what. If I get through these 9 dealerships, and no one accepts my offer, I'll be back. But I seriously doubt that I'll get past dealer number 3."

Sean: "Let me talk to my manager."

Sean (3 minutes later): "Done deal. Let's write."

Ah, what a freak. I think I'm the only guys I know that actually enjoys buying a car. Most of my friends absolutely hate the task.

Interestingly, I did not employ any of these tactics when I bought my Cayman. Why not? Because when buying the Cayman it was more important for me to find a dealership, sales pro and service department that I can trust and count on for years to come. So I visited every Porsche dealership in CT, looking for a connection, interviewing the people. Once I found the dealership that I trusted, I simply told them, "Look, price isn't everything. I recognize the value of service, and I want to do business with YOU. At the same time, I can't feel as though I over paid. I would like a 6% discount from MSRP. Based on my research (people were getting 5-10% off at the time), I think this is a fair price for both of us. What do you say?" Chip, my sales pro, said, "I think we can accommodate that. Let me crunch the numbers." Done deal.

Not the best deal in the country, but I bet I've got one of the best teams in the country supporting me and my car. That is valuable to me.

__________________
Gator Bite
(View My Articles : Blogs : Car : Profile)

Great story Gator Bite. I didn't mess around much either with the Cayman S though I did mention another Porsche dealership to the dealer I was working with and that helped loosen the negotiations a bit.