When Buying Your Last Car... Did You Get A Good Deal?

[arwalden]

Poll question: When Buying Your Last Car... Did You Get A Good Deal?

Or did you get screwed?

Dateline NBC had another one of their hidden camera shows where they revealed how many car dealers SCREW the public with dishonest financing and stuffing the deal with unneeded and unwanted extras that the consumer isn't aware of and didn't ask for.

Pretty frightening stuff.

-- Allen

[arwalden]

1. My last car was a TRUCK... from CarMax

Paid cash, so we didn't have to do the financing thing. It was a very simple and painless and fair transaction. I'd deal with them again.

-- Allen

[Lars39]

12. We bought a van from Carmax. It was a good experience, too.

[Piperay]

21. Paid cash too

got it from a local dealer, great to not to worry about car payments. :-)

[greatauntoftriplets]

2. Saturn, May of 2001.

0.9 percent financing for 60 months. My finance payments are something like $100 for the entire time. Also got a good price on the car, because it was the demonstrator -- and has all the bells and whistles.

On edit: And even though I am a couple years past 50, I get looks driving in it.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

3. I always get a good deal

My best recommendation is to foot the bill for a Consumer Reports summary prior to shopping. I never finance an extended warranty..I take the car with the mfr's warranty and purchase it later for cash. I am also not terribly attached to buying this year's model so I'll wait til next year's comes out and buy last years when they want to get rid of it.

[candy331]

5. Bought it off

ebay and went to Florida to pick it up. Very good deal.

[Aristus]

4. Got my PT Cruiser for $500 over invoice.

That's a pretty good deal, especially for a car in such demand. I didn't buy any extras or extended warranties, but if I had, I would probably been okay. Washington has some of the most stringent consumer protection laws in the country regarding automobile sales.

[ET Awful]

6. I got a great price on it . . .

I went in and told the saleseman I wanted $2,500 for my old car (a '94 Nissan Sentra) as a trade, and that I'd pay $100 over factory invoice for the new one (a new 2001 Nissan Sentra SE with the better engine). He told me I was nuts, so I grabbed all my paperwork (and extensive research that I had printed out and brought along), and headed for the door, I got about halfway to the door before he said "WAIT!!!!" and did the old "I have to talk to my manager" bit. After 1/1 an hour or so, I had the papers signed and picked up the car the next morning :).

[sleipnir]

7. Got mine from a known Mafia-associated dealer (shit you not)

Decent price...

[kanrok]

8. Did it fall off the back of a truck?

[sleipnir]

17. LOL!

Found out the dealership was Mafia-influenced after I bought the car from a good friend in the used-car business (he felt bad about selling me a car, didn't want to ruin the relationship if the car was more fucked up than he thought.) So instead, I bought a Mafia Car! Just ingnore the holes...

[thebaghwan]

9. I had a wonderful experience buying through a buying service.

I got a great deal and never had to set foot on a dealer's lot. It was truly on of the most professional experiences I have ever had. This place was called Frey and they were associated somewhat with my credit union. I believe they are national (Man said they had 400 offices) but I believe there has been a name change. Call my credit union in Seattle, Watermark Federal Credit Union at 206-328-7000 and ask about the car buying service. The service was actually in the same building as the downtown credit union. You did not have to be am member of the credit union to use this service. It is important that you do you homework before you talk with them as that was the first thing they asked me. You need to know all the options and colors and so on. I went to a dealer and got a brochure on the model I wanted and also did some internet work. I will never buy a car the traditional way again. How this works is once you know what you want they will search for the car you want (I got mine off the boat)they will come back to you with one price, take it or leave it. I am not in any way affiliated with these people but they were a joy to do business with and delevered my Toyota $ runner to my credit union and then went over all the operational details with me.

[BiggJawn]

10. Bent over a barrel and even the mechanics got a turn...

Even with my Bro's "A" plan (he works for them) I didn't get any deals.
I went Ch. 7 3 years ago so even a "first line" dealerhip is gonna act like a "Buy Here, Pay (and pay, and pay) Here" lot.
fellow that my dad and bro buy there cars from set up the deal, but then he turned me over to "Mr. NASCAR" to finalize the financing...

Hey, whatdy'a expect? It's a GOP market out there and retailers are feeling bold.

[Jack_Dawson]

11. I paid invoice, but love the car

[toddzilla]

13. i practically stole my car off ebay

this lot set up an auction with a very low reserve, and ended it on a thursday afternoon at 1pm..

i paid 999.00 for a 93 crown vic police car with cold a/c and full options, in very good condition. i got it for about 1/2 of what it should have cost.

[jburton]

19. Tell me more!

I'm looking for a cheap yet safe car (recently in nasty wreck, so it has to be cheap and tank-like) and I saw some of those former cop cars on e-bay.

I'll PM you.

[nono]

14. Last one off eBay

Great deal, Seller even dilivered it forless than half of what car shippers charged.

[tridim]

15. When I lost my job

I had to sell my brand spankin new Acura Integra and buy an $1800, 93 Nissan NX2000. I still have it 2 years later and it still runs perfectly. I was very lucky, although it's hard to go wrong with older Japanese cars.

[arewethereyet]

16. the van is a Toyota, they don't have to provide good deals

my car I got at a so-so deal but if the guy knew that it had a problem and didn't say (and this appears to be the case) then it was not a good deal.

avoid buying old Jags. yes they are beautiful but what a piece of crap.

[forgethell]

18. 1999 Toyota Corolla.

Bought it used in 2000 with 27,000 miles on it. It now has 177,000 miles on it. I haven't had any trouble with it except when idiots turn left in front of me and we collide (it has happened twice, and their insurance companies have paid for repairs both times). Hate to say it, I really do, but I doubt that I will ever buy an American brand car, again.

[solinvictus]

20. 2001 Chevy Metro 4 door sedan

For $4800 from a local dealer. I'm happy with it. The payments and insurance are under $175/month.

[guitar man]

22. 1995 Lincoln Mark VIII

One owner trade in at a local dealer. I had been drooling for one ever since they came out in '93,but they were $40,000 new,so I did the poor boy thing and waited several years for the price to come down.

Got my little jewel for $4995 and no regrets. The car has been cared for like a baby and runs and drives flawlessly.

[arwalden]

23. Very Nice... I'm So Jealous

I've always loved those.

-- Allen