How comfortable are you in directly negotiating with dealers?

[jayhawkco]

I have no problem negotiating. There's never been a time where I've really needed a car. My purchases have all been on my timeline. I know all the tricks that dealers pull, so they're easy enough to avoid.

But, in this case, I'm avoiding all of that and going with Granger because the dealerships have all of the leverage in this case, so it would be tougher to negotiate much when the supply is so limited. I'd rather have my deal be a known quantity.

Chris

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[da_jokker]

Nothing beats pissing off the sales guy and walking out of the dealership.... I always felt that if I am not allowed to walk out of at least 2 dealers, I'll never know how low they can go.

That's why these dealers that are stepping up for the folks on this forum is so important... because we can't just go to the next dealer.

 

[Dmk08]

So what's your walk away price on the Bronco?
- MSRP plus $800 dealer fee
- MSRP and no ADM
- Invoice
- Invoice plus shipping costs
- Invoice less $1,000
- something else?

After seeing multiple deals at $1k under invoice I wouldnt pay any dealer more than that plus travel costs. So probably invoice for me.

 

[Wanted33]

There's nothing to it these days. Dealers know new car prices are an open book these days as everything you need to know is just a search away. Do your due diligence, go into the deal respectively ( going in hot gets you no where), and if the deal isn't to your liking, walk away. There's no need to stress yourself out over nothing. There are a lot of things more important in your life.

Seeing some of the strategies posted it appears many here aren't going to be driving a new Bronco. Be calm, drive happy.

 

[Markubis]

I will say it's easier doing it over emails and phone calls. I did that with a Ford Freestyle and it was a breeze. The final price was all worked out over the phone. I went in on the day of pick up and signed papers.
No pressure from the "manager".

 

[Cheshire]

I've noticed in several threads about pricing, dealer negotiations, etc. that is what appears to be a significant disparity in comfort level among Bronco buyers in having direct conversations with dealers. Examples range from "buyers telling dealers this is what I want and I've got alternatives", to "I've not talked to my dealer at all and am waiting on them", to "I'm just going to piggy back on whatever someone else can find and hopefully I can get in there too".

My perception from reading threads, is that this group skews to the more passive side of negotiating.

So where do you fall?

Keep pushing and pushing until they are visibly mad at you. Then drop your offer again and again. When they won't make that last price drop, walk out the door. If they let you walk, go back in and accept the last agreed number. If the salesperson doesn't hate you by the end of the process, you paid too much!

 

[BroncoBC]

So what's your walk away price on the Bronco?
- MSRP plus $800 dealer fee
- MSRP and no ADM
- Invoice
- Invoice plus shipping costs
- Invoice less $1,000
- something else?

With my other truck purchases if the fleet manager doesn’t start with 10 grand off msrp then I explain to him we are wasting my time and I walk. The problem with the Bronco is it’s new to market and the demand is high. So I see 2 options. Find the best price ( 2 grand below dealer invoice ) or wait a few years.

 

[jehines3]

Don't confuse haggling with negotiation. I enjoy the negotiation process and integrating a great deal with a counterparty. I do this professionally. Unfortunately, many dealerships play too many games to make an effective and cordial process. Basic Rules of engagement, Honest, kind, and cordial. I walked out of a Jeep deal last summer in the finance office. The guy turned into a smart ass and I walked on principal. Don't comment on my 834 credit score and then think you can jilt me another 2% from what the deal on the table already was. The second the dealer lies or shows obvious deceit, the deal is over.

I have not contacted my Selected Bronco dealer (local and small volume) and have zero interest in starting the process until I know exactly when my September 22 reservation needs an entry for my obvious MY22 build. Until then, I'm collecting and writing down all the negotiables in the deal.

 

[gentlemanbronco]

I've already run my numbers and know exactly what I want my final price and monthly payment to be. Hopefully I don't have to play poker with the dealership.

 

[cybersal]

I see the negotiation process as a necessary evil. I'm very glad that Leonardtown Ford has the deal they do.

 

[MikeBravo]

Good thread; curious about opinions and strategy. At this point, it's all speculation and at the end of the day, where is everyone basing their negotiation stance? If the demand for the Bronco is as high as said, where would the appetite for the dealer in engaging in negotiation come from? Sure we walk out, but if the preception is for every walk out there are two others to fill the void, what's the leverage? Different dealer? DIfferent vehicle? If we're to ask for something in a negotiation, what's the justification for the ask? If lease terms are important, how can one control that on a first-year model vehicle with a guesstimate of residual? If this were any other vehicle, that data would frame a more robust negotiation, but how can one overcome the dealer's objection of: "This is the best we can do on this vehicle as we have little to no control over [fill in your ask], we'd love to earn your business, but based on demand for the Bronco we are limited with regards to flexibility." What does a dealer want or need more than what we want? Is the dealer the ultimate authority on finance/lease terms? Are you willing to wait for a better deal in year 2-3 etc? Thoughts?

 

[Inventor]

i have a set monthly price in my head. if they cannot get close to it or they are rude, i'm out the door. easy as that. i have no problem waiting a few years as my wife an i have been working from home the past year have have barely driven our second car. so waiting a couple years and going back and asking for a lower price is the other option for me. i don't need to put my family in this debt. but we will need a new car in the next couple years.

I hated walking on to the Jeep lot. Right away they swarm you like sharks. The three easiest ways to get screwed is the price of the car, the car trade in and financing.
It's the first time I don't need to worry about price. I paid my car off early and gave it to my daughter so no trade in. And the money part is handled.

 

[HeritageRider]

So what's your walk away price on the Bronco?
- MSRP plus $800 dealer fee
- MSRP and no ADM
- Invoice
- Invoice plus shipping costs
- Invoice less $1,000
- something else?

Going with Granger, October reservation. Invoice - $2000 - X-Plan, so about $2300 below invoice. No haggling needed.

 

[Orf]

I keep seeing people say that the dealers are the ones in control. That there are more people in line who will step in to our place if we switch dealerships. I'm willing to consider that I may have this all wrong, but after contemplating it for a while, I don't think I do.

Everything we've been told is that Ford expects to only fill reservations for the 21 MY. There will supposedly be no dealer stock in 2021 - except for the few orders that get backed out on. This tells me that dealers have no limited inventory of Broncos to work from. They need reservation holders to choose them in order to get Broncos delivered to their dealership. Further, for every Bronco they have delivered to reservation holders in 2021 at their dealership, they increase their allotment for dealer stock, when it gets built.

I said in another thread that this isn't a zero sum game. Dealers don't have a fixed number of units to sell to whomever they select. The smart dealers know that the more reservations they can convert to orders, the more dealer stock they can expect down the road. They lose more than a few dollars if a reservation switches away from them, and they gain more than just dollars if a reservation switches to them.

Why would a dealership purposely push a reservation holder away, rather than try to compete with a better deal in another state?

 

[MCG DAWG]

You should of seen me negotiating for my 2015 Ford Taurus SEL. What puts you in the best position is not having a vehicle to trade in.

I ALWAYS negotiate my price for the car I'm buying. When we get that number right THEN I negotiate trade in value. If they get that good enough to warrant me not going through the pain in the ass of selling it myself I trade it.

I approach every deal as if I don't have a trade in.

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