buying my first subaru

P

phadras

all.

i've settled on the forester 2.5 xt as my first subaru. i've found a
dealer in town that selling a 2005 w/ 1700 miles on it. they're asking
about $800 below invoice (as i've priced it on kbb.com), presumably due
to the high milage.

my concern is that this car has probably had a relatively hard 1700
miles on it, as this particular model appeals to sports driving
enthusiasts.

how concerned would you all be with this deal? i've heard that you
can't kill a subaru and as far as i know, the car would be covered
under subaru's factory warrantee. since they're already asking for less
than invoice, what's a reasonable starting point for my asking price?

thanks,
--b
 
all.

i've settled on the forester 2.5 xt as my first subaru. i've found a
dealer in town that selling a 2005 w/ 1700 miles on it. they're asking
about $800 below invoice (as i've priced it on kbb.com), presumably due
to the high milage.

my concern is that this car has probably had a relatively hard 1700
miles on it, as this particular model appeals to sports driving
enthusiasts.

how concerned would you all be with this deal? i've heard that you
can't kill a subaru and as far as i know, the car would be covered
under subaru's factory warrantee. since they're already asking for less
than invoice, what's a reasonable starting point for my asking price?

thanks,
--b

1700 hard miles, I'm sure. I know how I drove it when I tested one. I always
test drive one I don't want (wrong color or trim).
 
all.

i've settled on the forester 2.5 xt as my first subaru. i've found a
dealer in town that selling a 2005 w/ 1700 miles on it. they're asking
about $800 below invoice (as i've priced it on kbb.com), presumably due
to the high milage.

my concern is that this car has probably had a relatively hard 1700
miles on it, as this particular model appeals to sports driving
enthusiasts.

how concerned would you all be with this deal? i've heard that you
can't kill a subaru and as far as i know, the car would be covered
under subaru's factory warrantee. since they're already asking for less
than invoice, what's a reasonable starting point for my asking
price?

My gut and experience says you can do better.

Dealer invoice is not dealer cost. Don't forget to factor in that the
factory pays them 3% holdback on the invoice cost--so actual dealer
cost on the vehicle is 97% of the invoice, minus any factory to dealer
incentives (if any).

Your concern is a valid one...and 1700 on a "new" car is a hell of a
lot. I think you're in a position to remain unemotional and either
turn the screw on them further on that deal (which isn't that great,
honestly), or get them to match that price on a truly new one.

Factoring in hold-back for actual dealer cost, I managed to get a
local dealer down to making I think $250 on my car. The salesman was
near the end of his month and very close to a nice incentive vacation
package for a weekend getaway and was _very_ motivated.

Another must-read:
http://www.carbuyingtips.com/

I also found consumer reports new car pricing service very useful
because it listed all options and packages out individually, so i
could tally up invoice cost with just that print out in hand for any
given unit on a dealer's lot. Edmunds.com has the same pricing info
though you'll need to be in front of a computer to price out a given
option package.

Best Regards,
 
outstanding information. you're right: this seems like less and less of
a great deal the more i learn. my dogma was (and still is) never buy on
test drive day, no matter how much you like the car and/or deal. now it
seems as though i'll have to wait on my fightingchance or consumer
reports packet.

thanks again.

--b
 
all.

i've settled on the forester 2.5 xt as my first subaru. i've found a
dealer in town that selling a 2005 w/ 1700 miles on it. they're asking
about $800 below invoice (as i've priced it on kbb.com), presumably due
to the high milage.

my concern is that this car has probably had a relatively hard 1700
miles on it, as this particular model appeals to sports driving
enthusiasts.

how concerned would you all be with this deal? i've heard that you
can't kill a subaru and as far as i know, the car would be covered
under subaru's factory warrantee. since they're already asking for less
than invoice, what's a reasonable starting point for my asking price?

thanks,
--b

Those 1700 miles are probably "Dealer Employee" miles.

Ever notice those special "dealer" plates? Also ever notice how
aggressively asinine they drive? Would you want them doing that in YOUR
car? After all to them, its disposable...

Offer em a buck off invoice per mile at least, but hit em with that after
you do stuff like look at tire wear, etc. that might give you hints as to
what was done with the car.
 
newman said:
outstanding information. you're right: this seems like less and less of
a great deal the more i learn. my dogma was (and still is) never buy on
test drive day, no matter how much you like the car and/or deal. now it
seems as though i'll have to wait on my fightingchance or consumer
reports packet.

Actually, I bought mine oneline on their website and printed it right
off...

Dont' forget that buying a new car can be a lot of fun... because in
no other situation are you dealing with a commodity item you can get
from multiple places for which you can have such perfect information
on exactly what the dealer paid.

I enjoyed the hell out of it, frankly. :)

Be sure to say no to all the high-profit-margin extras (rustproofing,
extended warranties, financing if you don't qualify for the best
rate--though I used their 2.9% financing to good avail, etc) they'll
try to stick you with after you agree on price, and set a timer and
tell them "I'm setting my watch for 45 minutes. If I'm not out of
here in that amount of time, this deal is off.

Lots of great tips like this on that web site I linked ya to.

Have fun!

Best Regards,
 
yes, i just ordered the packet from fightingchance.

i test drove the car this am (now up to 2500 miles!!). we got about an
inch last night and i insisted we take it on the uplowed roads behind
the dealership. what a champ this thing is in the slush! and it really
hummed on the highway... there were no visible defects or signs of wear
and tear. it handled and drove beautifully.

long and short, that's the model for me. as for the particular car,
they're actually offering it as used.

anyone care to help me formulate an offer? here's my thinking:

since the car is being offered as used, i will assume that it has had a
previous owner (i stupidly did not get the whole story from the
salesman). therefore, there should be a fixed amount of depreciation
that occured based soley on that fact (i.e. a care looses X% of its
value as soon as you drive it off the lot). I will deduct that from the
invoice price. furthermore, i am certain that this car has been driven
hard to this point (although for being manufactured in 4/04, the milage
is probably just on the low side) so I will deduct more for that.

thoughts? proposals? oh yeah, i'm paying cash but they don't know about
that yet (or my terminally ill 93 explorer trade-in).

sorry for the long post, but you guys are awesome. i can't wait to get
my own soob!

--b
 
I did something similar for an '03 XS. It was a 'take-back' that
someones financing fell through on. I made them throw in a 100k
warranty with a $50 deductible.
 
invoice is $24, 258 (turbo boost guage and short throw shifter
installed). assuming this is a dealer buy-back (my salesman has the day
off today, so i couldn't get the full story) i think i've come up with
a negotiation strategy i'm comfortable with. of course, i can walk away
at any time which gives me an advantage. i'd like to let this guy deal
because i believe they'd like to get it off the lot (at a lot of
dealers it doesn't go to internet sales unless it's been on the lot for
30 days).

i think i'll wait until a little closer until the end of the month
(although i'm secretly chomping at the bit. it's a little like waiting
to call a girl you're interested in. i've gotten a lot better at
"playing it cool")

--b
 
newman said:
long and short, that's the model for me. as for the particular car,
they're actually offering it as used.

anyone care to help me formulate an offer? here's my thinking:

since the car is being offered as used, i will assume that it has had a
previous owner (i stupidly did not get the whole story from the
salesman). therefore, there should be a fixed amount of depreciation
that occured based soley on that fact (i.e. a care looses X% of its
value as soon as you drive it off the lot). I will deduct that from the
invoice price.

Invoice price less the 3% holdback you mean. :) AFter all, that
first owner paid for that I'm certain.
furthermore, i am certain that this car has been driven hard to this
point (although for being manufactured in 4/04, the milage is
probably just on the low side) so I will deduct more for that.

thoughts? proposals? oh yeah, i'm paying cash but they don't know
about that yet (or my terminally ill 93 explorer trade-in).

Dont' expect to get more than $500 for the trade in if you negotiate a
solid price. You'd do better selling it privately.
sorry for the long post, but you guys are awesome. i can't wait to get
my own soob!

It's a rush!

What's the invoice on this thing? I'm thinking the miles and used
ness and all that jazz is worth at least couple grand below invoice.
Or get them to throw in a 100k no deductible extended warranty at no
additional cost to offset your "hard driven miles" concern.

The key to this negotiating is having it crystal clear to yourself
that you kinda would rather not have this vehicle unless they make it
worth your while on price. You'd rather have an actually new one.

Be prepared to walk away, and hell start out at 4k below invoice.
Wort they can say is no. Time final negotiations for a rainy or
gloomy icky day near the end of the month. :)

If you can find out how much they rape the previous owner out of on
return of it, that might give additional leverage. Note that on this
unit, you don't have perfect knowledge of what the dealer has or has
not already made on the car. Which makes it something you can be more
aggressive on to ferret out. :)
 

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