Need advice on trade in
 

Dealer called me earlier today. I'm gonna go Monday evening to talk to them.

They want me to trade in my Z. They're offering trade in value, $14k in "cash incentives" and some other BS. Also promising "equal or lower payments"

I'm gonna go in asking for GTR or GTFO.

I feel like it's gonna be a 15 second conversation that'll end with me walking out and thanking them for wasting my precious time. (Also I'll be getting a free oil change, I'm buddies with the service manager)

What should I ask/know? What to expect? It's gonna be my first time in this situation. I can trade my car in modded or stock, no big deal. But I'm gonna hold my ground on the upgrade.

Pitch in your 2 cents boys and girls! Every bit of advice here will be greatly appreciated!


FYI: 2009 370z, nav, auto, bought in April 2010 on a 7-year finance (best I could get... I was making $12/hour back then)

They're not going to do anything but waste your time. It's a game to get you into the dealership in the hopes you impulse buy a car. Save your gas.

Ask exactly what you posted and if no deal then give them a rage about how they wasted your time so maybe you can get some freebies :D

well he's getting a free oil change so might as well go for that and try to get other freebies lol

my magic 8 ball says they are going to try to get you into a 14 , and your payments will be "slightly" higher than they are now..and they will just tell you "sign and drive" hoping you impulse buy a 14 z.

Every time I go to the dealer for oil changes, a new sales man tries to get me to trade in for a new one.. they ask me "how much are you paying a month for the car?" I tell them zero, because I paid cash. Then they usually leave me alone.

Is it common for Dealers to call and ask you to trade in your car for another? Not being sarcastic, I'm genuinely curious.

They can call, but it's a lot more common to mail you some "guaranteed trade in value" bs to get you in the door.

They send mailers that are designed to trick you into thinking that your car is hot commodity due to low volume in the lots, then they flip you into a new car if you fall for it. :icon14:

I get those guaranteed trade in value things about once a month. F that I'm driving this thing into the ground

Go in and tell them you want the exact deal they offered you. Of course they're going to say they can't do it anymore or there's a catch or some kind B/S. Then you're going to want to become extremely annoyed and ask to speak to another sales person or sales manager who will give you the deal you want. Tell them you will take the GTR off the lot TODAY if you can get the deal you want or else you're walking out.


They will cave because it's a gtr sale.


something along those lines.:rofl2:

yah. it's a pretty sad story each time.

Eat all the taco bell you can handle the day before.

I get mailers about trading in every few months too. I entertained the idea once when I was getting my oil changed and let me tell you they make so much from the people that fall for this. They get people to basically get a new vehicle a 13 or a 14 with payments close to what you are currently paying (and usually longer financing than you had if they have to get payments down) and then they offer you a low ball trade in value that is just enough to get your payments down to what you want to pay monthly. They offered me about 2/3 of blue book value at best. I guess they get people to fall for it that like having new cars every few years, in that case they would have been better off doing a lease IMHO. But I did get a free oil change! :happydance:

Thanks everyone. I'm very good at following through with the "rage quit for freebies" plan, and that's exactly what I'm going to do. They called me to come in, not vice versa. Of course asking for a new GTR would be obscene, but I'd take a 3-5 year old one with ~50-60,000km on it. Even if that means an extra year or 2 of payments. Plus, they're the only GTR certified place in the area, so they know they're gonna get $$ from service.

It's long shot, but you miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

You aren't going to walk out of there with a GTR. No matter what their conversation was you still need to do the math. They are going to offer you 20k for your car meanwhile they'll want 70k plus for a used GTR. $50k over 60 months even with 0% is $833 a month. Don't waste your time.

:iagree:

At best, they'll try and sell you a new Z. The idea that this in any way results in a GTR is laughable.

...A new Z with "just a little higher payment" that "you can afford now."

Of course he'll be back to 5-7 more years of financing to keep the payments close as well.

Yep. It's all a game and the only person who can win is the dealer. And a free oil change by the most inexperienced tech at the dealer is hardly a freebie. Save the gas, DIY the oil change, go on with life.

The dealership is just across the street from my work so it's not an issue at all going there for a half hour to bust some sales guys balls. If they don't give me what I want, too bad.

And they're promising equal or lesser payments, so there's no way I'll agree to pay a penny more.

I can get close to $30k for the Z (this is canada) and with the cash incentives I can have about $40-45k to argue towards the GTR. If they offer me a used one for $60-70k, I wouldn't have a problem adding the $20-25k to my finance. If it works out, I'll be walking out with my dream car. And I'm not taking a new Z, f that.


Edit: also, if I re-do the finance now, I can afford a shorter term with a lower rate as well.

Live the dream my friend, just make sure the salesperson does not dupe you too hard, they always dupe but some to a lesser degree.

No, I'm gonna stand my ground, no compromises. The Z is my first car, it means a lot to me. It's gonna have to be one hell of a deal for me to actually trade it in.

99% chance is that all I'll get out of it is a free oil change

I think you might be starting to get it but I still see a shimmer of hope:

1. No dealer hands you $15k cash "incentives"
2. I don't know what you paid for your car but you still owe 36 payments on your current car. Even if they gave you $30k on your car as trade, you/they still need to pay off 42.8% of your original loan.
3. You won't get $30k for your car, sorry. I just searched autotrader for all of Canada. There are twenty eight (28) 2009 370Zs for sale and only 1 is over $30k (a private seller even). The dealer would have trouble selling your car at $30k retail. He'll give you $22-24K if you are lucky realizing they want about $4k out of a used car.

When it's all done and said my original estimate of what you'll need to finance a GTR stands.

Keep your current loan and car. Make any extra payments to a savings account. When that savings account amount matches the loan payoff, pay it off. Others will tell you to refinance a shorter term and decreased interest which is also fine as long as your budget can take it and you are pretty sure of your employment for at least the life of the loan.

Jut look at it as killing time while they change your oil if you're set on going in there. There is no outcome that results in you driving home in a GTR unless you're adding a whole lot of cash to the deal.

Yes, go for the oil change and free coffee

I ate 4 of their donuts when I was getting my car serviced lol also took a few cans of soda

That's some good advice. Didn't think of it that way. Thanks.

+1 :driving:

I get a mailer from every major dealer (doesn't matter what brand) around me about once a month. They are gags, nothing more. Some of the little devices and glitter they attach to them is kind of funny, but laughable in and of itself.

As for the trade-in idea, if you really have to time and energy to go bust a salesman's balls, by all means go for it. I wouldn't personally because it seems like the mental equivalent to clubbing a cripple (if you can forgive the analogy). I would think doing it to a sales manager would be a lot more satisfying though, as they tend to be the true scumbags.

Oh well, it's all for entertainment.

If those are the two choices, I agree that the latter is what they're going to tell you. OTOH, nothing ventured nothing gained. Dealers in a lot of places are really hot for good used cars.

I wouldn't even go in. This is just a way to get you in the door and either a) impulse buy something new, or b) trick you into getting a new car at nearly the same monthly payment, but with a crappy financing deal or high sticker.

Only the financing will have it stretched out so you're still on the hook for a new, $40k car. And instead of x more years that you're paying on your current, you'll be paying for x+5 more or something.

They've made a new car sale, and have new blood to put on the old car sales lot.

Don't even go unless you actually want a new car.

It's going to be an interesting afternoon that's for sure. The only thing i will accept is an upgrade. No trade in for a new car or any other bs. I didn't void the warranty just so I could come get the same car with warranty again. Also they know who I am and they know my Z. It's one of their fav cars to see in the service dept. Also, this is the first time they called me with such an offer since I first got the car. Previously they had 2 free oil changes, which I passed onto my moms infiniti (they didn't care).

And I was a little confused about the date I guess, it is on Monday in a week.

Anyways, if anyone has something to say, good or bad, say it! There's already been a few very helpful people here, to whom I owe many thanks :)

Either way, it will be a good experience dealing with the sales guy. But I'm here hoping I get the hot blondie though. At least she entertains me with her assets every time I visit.

Edit: it may help to add that when I first walked in to buy my car, they all laughed at me saying "you'll never afford it" ... Fast forward to 3 hours later and I was burning rubber into the managers face on my way out. They won't make that mistake twice haha

Not to be a real prick but with 7 years financing on your car... you really couldn't. Making payments doesn't mean you can afford it and being able to truly afford something doesn't mean you should buy it. Of course I wasn't this wise at 26 either so learn from the older guys on the board. :)

Aye, you got a point.

Your goal of this trip shouldn't be to somehow buy a GTR. Aim lower. Shoot for getting the keys to one for a test drive.

best advise yet! :tup:

treat crap with crap

I've already had the opportunities to drive it both stock and with the Switzer P800 package. Also I've been lucky enough to drive a Lamborgini Gallardo (my other dream car). My taste has been shifting more towards the GTR than the Lambo lately. The GTR is a lot more useful.

But also thanks to your and Ubetit's comments, I'm now leaning towards just a ball busting session. No matter what happens, I'll be sure to post it down so everyone can have a good giggle!

P.S. I'll be also asking your guys' opinion before I agree to anything. (Other than my free oil change)


Edit: the other me in me is trying to say: is a dream car really worth it right now? You guys both speak from experience, which I obviously don't have much of. This is one of the major reasons for why I've come for advice.

you're putting too much thought into this. just go in there and talk. you're going to a car dealership, not some executive level meeting to talk multi-million dollar transactions. :icon17:

They don't have to know this and it would still be fun to play with one for a half hour while your oil gets changed. You don't have to tell them the truth. :rofl2:

I will definitely try. But from what my friend tells me, they rarely let test drives happen without a purchase. But I'll play the "then why should I buy it if I don't even know what I'm getting" card.