eclipse23

**Mods, move this if you like, I'm just sharing my car shopping experiences w/ some of our best competition**

So, now that tax season is over I wanted my G/F to test drive some cars so I could get her opinion on them. Infiniti was the first dealer we went to last night to look at the G35. My local dealer, Ray Catena, which is one of the biggest Porshe, Astin Martin, Mercedes,Jaguar, Lexus, and Infiniti dealerships on the east coast. I've been there before, dealt w/ the same salesman and I have to tell you that I can't say I recommend them since they give terrible prices and have this system when you walk in the door basically where the salesman has ZERO control over the deal and he has to go run and talk to 'the manager' every 3 minutes. I first went to Infiniti back in January curious about the G35 and was quoted close to $650 a month w/ 2500 down. I walked out after a 'spirited' test drive. I liked the car, I did not like the price. Last Saturday I went back there, saw the same salesman and took it for another 'even more spirited' test drive. I still liked the car, it seemed to me to be like 'the way I would want a CLS to look, and drive' although I am not in love w/ the interior it grows on you quickly I feel and the car has alot past a dashboard, hell, worse comes to worse I have Streeteffectz redo it. The salesman quoted me $550 a month w/ 2500 down. I told the salesman I did not want my payments above 450 so he comes back to me and says 2500 down, 4000 into a Multiple Security Deposit, payments $442 a month. I was like WTF! I have to drop $6,500 to drive a 34K car? Yeah, right.

Elena and I go there last night, no appointment, no call, just wanted a test drive. So there is our salesman it's fairly empty. He comes with us on the test drive (GHEY) but Elena gets to feel the car and she is a very aggressive driver so she whips it around turns makes the salesman make nervous giggles and it was funny to watch him try to put on his seatbelt while were taking a turn at 50 or so. We get back into the dealership and I tell him another dealership gave me $2500 down and 469 a month. NO $4000 Deposit. You wanna talk about uncomfortable? I got a load of BS, and he starts adding on all these costs trying to justify their 4K difference. We left shortly thereafter w/ no deal, I'm sure I'll get the phone call.

Guys, I am learning something real quick in car sales:

1. Don't fall in love w/ just one car.

2. Shop the fuck out of car dealerships.

Later this week we go to BMW & Volvo, I'll keep you posted.

Scrib

Unfortunately, a lot of people don't shop around and take it up the pipe w/o lube and don't even know it.

ferizzo

Good Job. Only thing you can really do is be patient and informed. When I got my TLS I told the dealer what another dealer had offered me. He went to his manager and told me, name your price within reason and that was that.

I'm not a great negotiator but as long as you are in no rush to get a car you should be able to get a good deal. If not you can always walk and get something else.

eclipse23

The last two vehicles I bought were somewhat impulse.

I paid almost MSRP for my Mitsubishi GSX cuz it was brand new.

I paid almost MSRP for my CLS for the same reason.

This time. I won't fuckin pay anywhere near MSRP over my dead body.

jimcol711

Ray Catena is such a rip off, dude, you should go up to westchester Co, NY to buy a car, or even check for a dealer on the west side of the Hudson in NY. NJ dealers are a scam, it would most likely be worth your drive up to NY to get a good deal.

Scooter

since when do u drive stick Ern???

i paid almost $3K LESS for my CLS by just driving 35 minutes instead of 5, so yeah, i think shopping around works

zeroday

yeah...thisw would be me...I paid msrp for my Z and now I see people haggling up to 2k$ off the price.

Mistake #1: I fell in love with the car. Wasn't willing to walk away.

Next car I buy I won't make this mistake.

btw...eclipse...my payments are 740$ a month on a 5 year loan at 6.5%...39k OTD for my Z. I could have gotten it for several thousands less if I was patient...oh well it helps that I'm 100% happy with the car. I had already gone through a transmission on my old CLS at my current mileage.

jimcol711

holy shit!! 740 a month?!!!! thats a mortgage dude!!!! wow, did you have no down payment or what???? wow, with intrest, youll be paying 44,400 for that car!!! must have been an impulse desicion, ehh??

eclipse23

My GSX was stick back before I knew all you hooligans.

zeroday

I put $1500 down. I'm paying off the loan within a year though so I won't end up paying all that interest. I worked out a deal with my pop..he's going to buy out my loan and give me me a better interest rate and payment. Dad's looking for a low risk place to put his cash right now plus I let him drive the car whenever he wants so works out for both of us.

zeroday

I had a 98 GST...I LOVED that car. Still wish I had kept it as a second car.

Scooter

my apologies...i meant to say "u can't drive stick Ern"

if u get a manual, i'll make believe u have a "keep back 200 feet" sign...compliments of Tom S. at PAA

jts1207

would you have bough the car for 2500 down and 450 a month?

spooon3

I had the same del with a salesman from infiniti a while back.

eclipse23

Yeah I agree.

I missed my GSX for the first year or so. I had a signifigant amount of money in that engine oh well.....

BIGPOPPA21

liar you don't have a girlfriend j/k

paulff3

I had to carry on for an hour to get a grand of of my first 6speed last April. Oh, those cars with "Limited Availability"!

tdtsai

Eclipse 23, Ray Catena is the worst place in town to buy a car. But it's a good place for test drive and brochures. A friend of mine last year was going to buy a new E320, he and the salesman was taking about the trade-in value. This salesman of Ray Catena told him"it's not going to happen" Now, do you talk that way to a customer? My friend got really pissed and told him,Yea, it's not going to happen all right! and walked off to Millenium in Bridgewater and bought his MB.

Like I said, Ray Catena is a good place for test drive and brochures. After that, buy your car some where else, any where but Ray Catena

njzprettyboy

hey, tdtsai....cool i live in north brunswick too...wht color is ur car?

cusdaddy

Definitely shop around.

I fell in love with the Z, but I (smartly) didn't get it at the first place I looked. (unlike what I did with the CL)

I went to 5 Nissan dealers, and played them all off eachother. I actually ended up getting over $800 below MSRP on the Z - It isn't a huge amount, but not bad for a Z.

JRock

Man just get a damn STi and be done with it. :P

Kkranghkar

Well, not sure how it is where eclipse is from, but around here 740/month will get you a mortgage on really nothing much but a heated cardboard box....

A standalone house around here is $500k minimum, a condo is around $300k, so the payments are like $1800/mo for condo, and $3000/mo for house...

Not showing off or anything, and I can't afford a house around here (yet, hopefully :P), but man, somethimes the prices I hear quoted from other parts of the country get me thinking

BigPimp

Eclipse, F That deal. Right now is the SOFTEST market for cars of the last THREE years. Tell them to F THEMSELVES. There is always someone out there willing to make a deal.

I was quoted 1260 down, 15k 520/ month for 36. If you need that number, holla. I am so freaking tired of BS from Auto Dealers. I understand their job, but I believe honesty gets you better deals.

This quote is on the g35 coupe 6 spd.