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      07-02-2008, 08:18 PM   #1
tangfish
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How To Negotiate Off Of MSRP (And Sales Data)

I'm about to take delivery of my E93 next week, and I wanted to know if anyone has purchased a 2008 M3 (any of the models) for under MSRP. IF you did, how much were you able to get them to knock off, and how did you do it?

I'm going to be very frank about it, and ask them to knock off 4K. If they don't knock off at least 3K, I'll walk out the door (whether or not I'll go back is another story). Right now they have 3 M3s sitting on the lot and they've been there for a month. I'm sure they don't want a fourth, especially one that was built to order.

The dealerships get to enjoy having long wait-lists of people happy to pay MSRP during roaring economies, so it's only fair that they get some negotiation when buyers are scarce.

Please post any helpful info here (price paid, buying and negotiating experience, etc.)

Thanks.
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      07-02-2008, 08:55 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tangfish View Post
I'm about to take delivery of my E93 next week, and I wanted to know if anyone has purchased a 2008 M3 (any of the models) for under MSRP. IF you did, how much were you able to get them to knock off, and how did you do it?

I'm going to be very frank about it, and ask them to knock off 4K. If they don't knock off at least 3K, I'll walk out the door (whether or not I'll go back is another story). Right now they have 3 M3s sitting on the lot and they've been there for a month. I'm sure they don't want a fourth, especially one that was built to order.

The dealerships get to enjoy having long wait-lists of people happy to pay MSRP during roaring economies, so it's only fair that they get some negotiation when buyers are scarce.

Please post any helpful info here (price paid, buying and negotiating experience, etc.)

Thanks.
You ordered a car without negotiating a price or you ordered a car and negotiated a price and now you want to re-negotiate the price? Some really shady dealers will try to re-negotiate a price after your ordered car is delivered if the market is strong. Are you trying to emulate an unethical dealership? This might be why ethical dealerships become unethical dealership...

Plenty of people have negotiated for under MSRP. If you somehow got the dealership to custom order the car without negotiating a price then you should be golden to get it for under MSRP.

Keep in mind the dealership might just say NO and then knock off $4K (or $8K) for the next person that walks through the door just because you ticked them off. I'd pay extra to not do business with a dealership that was jerking me around.
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      07-02-2008, 10:35 PM   #3
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just FYI, I've been lurking around the forums for a few weeks now and the best deal I have seen is 5k off MSRP by someone from the east coast. However, i was thinking today that strictly comparing how much below MSRP one got their car for must be pretty inaccurate as I imagine you will be able to get more off the MSRP if you have more options on the car. I could be wrong about that, but that would be my guess.

Cheers.
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      07-02-2008, 11:24 PM   #4
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most of those good deals were on the 6mt sedans tho.
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      07-03-2008, 10:56 AM   #5
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Yes, I did order the car and it's about to arrive and we never once talked about price. I don't think that they should *assume* that I planned to pay MSRP all along, any more than I should assume that I'm paying a few bucks over invoice.

So, when I get there I'll sit down straight away and say that I want to figure out how much the car costs.

Good to know about the person paying 5K off of MSRP, and yes, since the options widen the spread it may be more appropriate to think of the price as the amount over invoice.

I have a MT convertible, and selected just about every option. I believe MSRP comes out in the 80s.
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      07-03-2008, 11:16 AM   #6
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Which dealership in or around Seattle is it? Right now, all the dealerships that I have talked to around Seattle want MSRP. I am interested to find out how your negotiations go.

Although, I am planning to agree on a price before I confirm the order and put my deposit down.
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      07-03-2008, 01:35 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tangfish View Post
Yes, I did order the car and it's about to arrive and we never once talked about price. I don't think that they should *assume* that I planned to pay MSRP all along, any more than I should assume that I'm paying a few bucks over invoice.

So, when I get there I'll sit down straight away and say that I want to figure out how much the car costs.

Good to know about the person paying 5K off of MSRP, and yes, since the options widen the spread it may be more appropriate to think of the price as the amount over invoice.

I have a MT convertible, and selected just about every option. I believe MSRP comes out in the 80s.
The $5k off was on a 6 mt sedan sitting on the dealer lot. If you order a car I wouldnt expect that type of discount.
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      07-03-2008, 06:40 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tangfish View Post
Yes, I did order the car and it's about to arrive and we never once talked about price. I don't think that they should *assume* that I planned to pay MSRP all along, any more than I should assume that I'm paying a few bucks over invoice.

So, when I get there I'll sit down straight away and say that I want to figure out how much the car costs.

Good to know about the person paying 5K off of MSRP, and yes, since the options widen the spread it may be more appropriate to think of the price as the amount over invoice.

I have a MT convertible, and selected just about every option. I believe MSRP comes out in the 80s.
You ordered a car without a sales contract?
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      07-03-2008, 08:52 PM   #9
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The dealers i've spoken to around LA seem to routinely allow you to order a car without a contractually agreed upon price, leaving the negotiations up to the whim of the market (and the sales manager) on the day when the car delivers. That being said selling prices seem to vary significantly from dealer to dealer...in the last couple of weeks i've been quoted anywhere from 500-1000 over MSRP to 1500 over invoice (for a 2008 DCT car that would need to be special ordered). It pays to shop around.
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      07-04-2008, 06:55 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheRichness View Post
The dealers i've spoken to around LA seem to routinely allow you to order a car without a contractually agreed upon price, leaving the negotiations up to the whim of the market (and the sales manager) on the day when the car delivers. That being said selling prices seem to vary significantly from dealer to dealer...in the last couple of weeks i've been quoted anywhere from 500-1000 over MSRP to 1500 over invoice (for a 2008 DCT car that would need to be special ordered). It pays to shop around.
I'd guess that they might balk at an unusually spec'd car though.
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      07-04-2008, 01:12 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tangfish View Post
Yes, I did order the car and it's about to arrive and we never once talked about price. I don't think that they should *assume* that I planned to pay MSRP all along, any more than I should assume that I'm paying a few bucks over invoice.

So, when I get there I'll sit down straight away and say that I want to figure out how much the car costs.
Wow that's awesome. Live and learn I guess, cause I had no idea that was even possible. I think your right, any assumptions on their part are premature.

Did you search Autotrader to see if any dealerships are offering discounts before negotiations begin?
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      07-04-2008, 01:39 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tangfish View Post
Yes, I did order the car and it's about to arrive and we never once talked about price. I don't think that they should *assume* that I planned to pay MSRP all along, any more than I should assume that I'm paying a few bucks over invoice.

So, when I get there I'll sit down straight away and say that I want to figure out how much the car costs.

Good to know about the person paying 5K off of MSRP, and yes, since the options widen the spread it may be more appropriate to think of the price as the amount over invoice.

I have a MT convertible, and selected just about every option. I believe MSRP comes out in the 80s.
Let me know what dealership is giving you that discount.....
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      07-04-2008, 02:19 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VIZSLA View Post
I'd guess that they might balk at an unusually spec'd car though.
Many times if you spec something crazy, you either have to put up significant not refundable cash, or pay upfront... or so it has seemed...

Like ordering Yellow with Red interior or something
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      07-04-2008, 02:46 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by 12:03 View Post
Many times if you spec something crazy, you either have to put up significant not refundable cash, or pay upfront... or so it has seemed...

Like ordering Yellow with Red interior or something
That's what I was getting at.
I don't see the point in ordering a car without a commitment on both parties part. The only way it makes sense for the dealer is if things are slow and he has surplus allocations.
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      07-04-2008, 02:58 PM   #15
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I've ordered my last two M3's and both times I negotiated the price prior to locking the order down.

I think it would be unfortunate to wait so long for your perfectly spec'd vehicle to arrive, to only then find out that the dealer will not budge or potentially has another buyer that is willing to purchase the vehicle for the price their asking.

What's your leverage? The order is already placed through the dealer, if they find another buyer, you're SOL.

I usually use multiple dealers against each other so to speak. I obtain a Prod # and VIR as proof of negotiated price...then walk or discuss w/my local dealers on beating that price. So your leverage, is placing the order with them, as opposed to having to bicker over pricing months later when the car is sitting in the lot and others are looking at it as well.

All personal pref, but this strategy has worked for me...even with an early April delivery date; back when insane premiums were being asked here in NorCal. I started with a prem of 10K+ for a car ordered in Feb....down to under $500; with alum pedals, floor mats, clear coats, etc tossed in. This was all by having the rival dealers beat each others pricing.

So when the car arrived, I walked in and walked out. I guess, the perk to negotiating at the time of delivery, would be if market trends and demand are decreasing and the advantage is on the buyers side; however when the vehicle first rolled out, this was not the case.

Good luck.
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      07-04-2008, 07:27 PM   #16
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i ordered mine at MSRP and then the economy tanked and other dealers were offering 1000 discounts. so I negotiated and got about equivalent to 1200 off.
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      07-04-2008, 09:39 PM   #17
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Uh Colonel - I think that you could get more than $1200 off of the MSRP. Take a look at the current Long Beach thread. They are offering a larger discount than you negotiated. It is your money but you could keep more of it if you choose to. Good luck.
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      07-04-2008, 10:09 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GN2 View Post
Uh Colonel - I think that you could get more than $1200 off of the MSRP. Take a look at the current Long Beach thread. They are offering a larger discount than you negotiated. It is your money but you could keep more of it if you choose to. Good luck.
Now days, especially with the current market, discounts are in the buyers favor..for sure!

Either way, the point of this thread isn't so much who has the highest (as you would anticipate larger discounts the longer the vehicle has been out) but what is the best approach to doing so...ya know
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      07-04-2008, 10:35 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DJ9 View Post
Now days, especially with the current market, discounts are in the buyers favor..for sure!

Either way, the point of this thread isn't so much who has the highest (as you would anticipate larger discounts the longer the vehicle has been out) but what is the best approach to doing so...ya know
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No disagreement here. I'm still waiting to read the top-secret-double-handshake technique to negotiating with a car salesman.
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      07-05-2008, 12:10 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DJ9 View Post
... I guess, the perk to negotiating at the time of delivery, would be if market trends and demand are decreasing and the advantage is on the buyers side...
Unless someone has moral standards that for some reason preclude this, I don't see why someone couldn't follow your model, and still attempt to renegotiate if the market heads south at the time of pickup. Doing so gives you two shots at the best available price, whereas waiting only gives you one opportunity, if the market goes down, and the chance of getting shafted if a car gets hot while you are waiting. (I almost had that happen back in '97 when Car & Driver did a stunning write-up of the A4, after the Audi marque was nearly dead in America, two weeks before my car arrived at the dealer. The dealer told me, that I was "being given a gift in having the option to pay M.S.R.P." for the car, as they could sell the car within a few hours for more than that. I did a stellar job of configuring the car , so they were right.) I worked at a dealership in high school, and have seen some shady practices. I wouldn't hesitate to attempt a renegotiation, even for a second, if the market went south. If it makes you feel any better, most of their profit is from Service so you won't have much of an impact on their bottom line if you manage to pinch an extra few grand.
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