another crazy day...
So yesterday morning, Theresa has her mini van start smoking when she tried to turn the AC on for the fan. (Her passenger window still wasn't fixed yet.) She knew that she has to pick up her boys this morning, so was stressed. I had her sleep some, then when we got up around noon, I had her focus first on what kind of car she wanted, then when we found what she wanted (the Mitsubishi was too expensive for what she needed with the boys, so she decided to test drive a PT Cruiser, cause I've raved about them for a while...) and then we went to her bank to talk financing. The dealerships will most likely find the best deal for them, not the buyer, so I used my own mistakes in the past to help her get off on the right foot.
While she was starting the paperwork there, I got us some Taco Bell. By 2 pm, we were headed to go test drive the blue PT Cruiser I found at Baxter.
http://www.baxterchryslerjeepdodge.net/new-inventory/vehicle-details.htm?vehicleId=728b4f184046381e005789f39a3e8733
We were hoping to do the cash for clunkers, and I admit, sleep dep made me forget that the cars had to be made between 1985 and 2001. Her van, with the huge dent on one side, and other problems, wasn't worth the 3500 we'd get as a clunker, so we were hoping to just do it that way.
Negotiations began. I started with a 14k offer, before trade. He went to verify, and came back saying that the vehicle wasn't eligible, but he could get 1200$ for trade in. He also had a price of 16890 for the offered sale price. We told him we needed more for the trade and were still wanting 14k before trade. He went back. Second time he came back, I got up to leave and she got ready to leave and he went back again. About 4 more negotiations later we got 15,500$ for the before trade, and 3200$ for the trade in. Done. Deal.
So even with the 5500$ she owed on the mini van, her new loan is going to be less than their original asking price.
I did good.
Where did I learn about the industry and how to negotiate? Well, while TJ and I had issues in the past, I learned a lot (some by making mistakes) from his family and him. Especially from Bob, his step dad. Speaking of which, my roomate met TJ's parents at a "brown bag party" so I might be able to call Bob soon to thank him.
(No, I wouldn't have been able to get this good of a deal from Bob, because you can't use knowledge and skills you got from a salesman ON that same salesman ;-) (That, and I likely wouldn't have gotten him up as high on the trade, because he knows my tells and would have fished more for problems with the car. He was a used car sales manager multiple times.)
Thanks TJ.
Yes, leaving not private so TJ can see this.
While she was starting the paperwork there, I got us some Taco Bell. By 2 pm, we were headed to go test drive the blue PT Cruiser I found at Baxter.
http://www.baxterchryslerjeepdodge.net/new-inventory/vehicle-details.htm?vehicleId=728b4f184046381e005789f39a3e8733
We were hoping to do the cash for clunkers, and I admit, sleep dep made me forget that the cars had to be made between 1985 and 2001. Her van, with the huge dent on one side, and other problems, wasn't worth the 3500 we'd get as a clunker, so we were hoping to just do it that way.
Negotiations began. I started with a 14k offer, before trade. He went to verify, and came back saying that the vehicle wasn't eligible, but he could get 1200$ for trade in. He also had a price of 16890 for the offered sale price. We told him we needed more for the trade and were still wanting 14k before trade. He went back. Second time he came back, I got up to leave and she got ready to leave and he went back again. About 4 more negotiations later we got 15,500$ for the before trade, and 3200$ for the trade in. Done. Deal.
So even with the 5500$ she owed on the mini van, her new loan is going to be less than their original asking price.
I did good.
Where did I learn about the industry and how to negotiate? Well, while TJ and I had issues in the past, I learned a lot (some by making mistakes) from his family and him. Especially from Bob, his step dad. Speaking of which, my roomate met TJ's parents at a "brown bag party" so I might be able to call Bob soon to thank him.
(No, I wouldn't have been able to get this good of a deal from Bob, because you can't use knowledge and skills you got from a salesman ON that same salesman ;-) (That, and I likely wouldn't have gotten him up as high on the trade, because he knows my tells and would have fished more for problems with the car. He was a used car sales manager multiple times.)
Thanks TJ.
Yes, leaving not private so TJ can see this.