Car shopping: Getting multiple dealer quotes from kbb.com, edmunds.com, etc.

[gimygirl 0]

ari ...

i haven't bought a new car in a while (2003) ... but i HAVE rented about 3 cars (SUV's/minivans) in the last 2 months (when relatives were visiting).

i would recommend viewing the title before you purchase the vehicle (or at least a copy of it). i wouldn't buy a rental or a demo. i know how we treated the rentals (and i remember doing hole-shots in rentals when i was younger! ), and it was with less care than i do our own family vehicle. kind of the same thing with the demo's ... i used to work in a car dealership and we used to treat the cars like #######.

cars off of lease aren't so bad because the leasing company does expect the customer to maintain a certain level of maintenance with the car. the customer also gets charged for excess wear and tear.

best of luck wth the new car!!

[VetsWife328 7]

No we have not agent.

But we just got a car from ####### Hannah up in Vancopuver WA last month.

GREAT PEOPLE up there.!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They were really working their butts off for us and after 7 (!!!!!) hours we drove home with our new car.A Buick Regal 2004 with less than 22 000 miles on it.

I would tell everybody to go to ####### Hannah!!!!! We are more than satisfied with what they did for us.

Natasha

[kc456 0]

New or CPO. I was thinking of looking at the used cars from Enterprise but the wife nixed the idea. Something about it not "feeling" right.

I'm glad you had a good experience. How much above invoice did you end up paying (percentage)?

And can you tell me what your rationale was for opting to buy a new car?

Well, we are moving and being a one-car household will be pretty tough, since my husband changed jobs as well, and he won’t be able use public transportation. The car shopping itself started when a co-worker let me know that he’s selling his 04 Subaru Forrester due to a move to another state. I’ve been wanting a small SUV/wagon for a long time, so we looked into pricing, and the new 06 Forrester would have been the same price (with a rebate going on). Depreciation on the Subarus is pretty low, so you are better off buying new. Meanwhile, we also test drove the new RAV4, and that felt more like a family car to me (we have a baby on the way). It has a comfortable ride, has all the latest safety features, and it very versatile. So now shopping for a RAV4 and it’s hard to get it in the trim I want!!

The pricing will depend on how in demand the car is. If it’s a buyer’s market and dealers want to get the cars off the lot, then you can get it *under* invoice, like the Forrester. With the RAV4, the best quote I got was $1,000 over invoice (still $1,500 under MSRP).

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

New or CPO. I was thinking of looking at the used cars from Enterprise but the wife nixed the idea. Something about it not "feeling" right.

I'm glad you had a good experience. How much above invoice did you end up paying (percentage)?

And can you tell me what your rationale was for opting to buy a new car?

Well, we are moving and being a one-car household will be pretty tough, since my husband changed jobs as well, and he won’t be able use public transportation. The car shopping itself started when a co-worker let me know that he’s selling his 04 Subaru Forrester due to a move to another state. I’ve been wanting a small SUV/wagon for a long time, so we looked into pricing, and the new 06 Forrester would have been the same price (with a rebate going on). Depreciation on the Subarus is pretty low, so you are better off buying new. Meanwhile, we also test drove the new RAV4, and that felt more like a family car to me (we have a baby on the way). It has a comfortable ride, has all the latest safety features, and it very versatile. So now shopping for a RAV4 and it’s hard to get it in the trim I want!!

The pricing will depend on how in demand the car is. If it’s a buyer’s market and dealers want to get the cars off the lot, then you can get it *under* invoice, like the Forrester. With the RAV4, the best quote I got was $1,000 over invoice (still $1,500 under MSRP).

Thank you for the feedback. More food for thought

[kc456 0]

Good luck!

What kind of car are you looking for?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Good luck!

What kind of car are you looking for?

a compact, automatic trans, 4-dr sedan. preferably less than 15k so i can pay all cash.

still not sure which one I want. the corolla is a possibility.

[gimygirl 0]

The pricing will depend on how in demand the car is. If it’s a buyer’s market and dealers want to get the cars off the lot, then you can get it *under* invoice, like the Forrester. With the RAV4, the best quote I got was $1,000 over invoice (still $1,500 under MSRP).

$1000 above invoice is pretty good! get them to throw in the first year oil changes ... or at least the first few months!

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

we bought the 2006 hyunday sonata. we love the car. recently took it all the way down to L.A. and back. throught the interstate in bad weather and over the Grapevine through even worse weather. then in the L.A. traffic. handled it all like a stroll in the park. really affordable vehicle.

you should at least take a test drive.

Daniel

:energetic:

[kc456 0]

I rented a Sonata once and was really impressed. I think it's a mid-size car, on par with Camry or Accord in drive and size. Very comfortable and nicely appointed.

If you are looking for a compact, then Consumer Report (and pretty much everyone one else) lists Civic is the best compact car for 2006. It's been redesigned, as I understand, so you get the latest technology and sharp styling.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I rented a Sonata once and was really impressed. I think it's a mid-size car, on par with Camry or Accord in drive and size. Very comfortable and nicely appointed.

If you are looking for a compact, then Consumer Report (and pretty much everyone one else) lists Civic is the best compact car for 2006. It's been redesigned, as I understand, so you get the latest technology and sharp styling.

ya i love the 06 civic but the lx trim is pricey and the dx is kind o flame

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Good luck!

What kind of car are you looking for?

a compact, automatic trans, 4-dr sedan. preferably less than 15k so i can pay all cash.

still not sure which one I want. the corolla is a possibility.

Accent (Hyundai), Aveo (Chevy--even for "top" trim LT) and Aerio (Suzuki) all seem to fit that description easily.

Have you considered the Echo instead of the Corolla?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Good luck!

What kind of car are you looking for?

a compact, automatic trans, 4-dr sedan. preferably less than 15k so i can pay all cash.

still not sure which one I want. the corolla is a possibility.

Accent (Hyundai), Aveo (Chevy--even for "top" trim LT) and Aerio (Suzuki) all seem to fit that description easily.

Have you considered the Echo instead of the Corolla?

I test drove the accent. Didn't like it much. 15k isnt written in stone, i can finance some too.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Good luck!

What kind of car are you looking for?

a compact, automatic trans, 4-dr sedan. preferably less than 15k so i can pay all cash.

still not sure which one I want. the corolla is a possibility.

Accent (Hyundai), Aveo (Chevy--even for "top" trim LT) and Aerio (Suzuki) all seem to fit that description easily.

Have you considered the Echo instead of the Corolla?

I test drove the accent. Didn't like it much. 15k isnt written in stone, i can finance some too.

What about the Aerio or the Echo (which, BTW, IS a Toyota)?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

What about the Aerio or the Echo (which, BTW, IS a Toyota)?

Echo's been discontinued. I am keeping my eyes open for CPO echo's though.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

What about the Aerio or the Echo (which, BTW, IS a Toyota)?

Echo's been discontinued. I am keeping my eyes open for CPO echo's though.

I tried Suzuki's site and got a drive-out MSRP of $15,6 for Aerio (basic) with auto; 16,8 for a Aerio-SX-Premium-pak with auto (neither including AWD).