Subaru Video Shops

I'll be doing my first Subaru shops next month and I have a question. When we get a price from the dealer, we are supposed to make a counter offer that's 15% less. What's the "out" if the dealer accepts the counter offer? The area I'm shopping is notorious for auto dealers being extremely competitive.

"To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful." Edward R. Murrow

Thou shalt not steal. I mean defensively. On offense, indeed thou shall steal and thou must.--Branch Rickey

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Actually, I had this happen a few years ago, not for Subaru and not in your part of the country! The SA was a newbie and the branch manager stepped in to help her make her first sale by accepting my offer. I must admit that I had to pull myself together a bit at that juncture. What I then did was to say, "Gee, you know, I always make bad decisions when I haven't eaten. What a good locally owned place to get some lunch while I do the fine pencil work to see how that would work out for me?" They gave me a super local small restaurant to try, and off I went. (Yes, I ate at the local place and it was excellent.)

When I then called the scheduler in a panic her reply was that "Sometimes @#$%^ happens and you did as well as could be expected. We didn't expect you to buy the car!"

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

You are not obligated to purchase the vehicle. That being said, refrain from verbally agreeing to any verbage such as "Are you ready to buy the car today."

Typically, I would ask something like; "Mr. Smith, if we can meet your expectations, are you ready to purchase this car and take it home today?"

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson

I know exactly the scenario that you are describing. Last year I wound up closing the deal with my ridiculously low offer! I shook hands with the manager and said the only thing that I needed to do was to go home and bring back my spouse, since we would be purchasing the car in both names and since I did not want my spouse thinking that I was buying a car entirely without their input. I left and got paid.
Interestingly, this was also the shop where the sales associate told me that he couldn't wait to hold an AK-47 in his hands again, vowing that he would soon return to his home country to continue the fight for freedom! Yep, all on video.

I've never done a car shop, but as a regular customer I'd have said "Great! That's the best price I've gotten so far today, but I have a couple of other places to check first before I make the final decision. How late are you open tonight?"
Of course, it's easier to think of replies from the comfort of my home while I'm not in a car dealership across from a guy who really wants to sell me a car.

Shopper in California's Bay Area

Ok. Before you make an offer go to www.truecar.com to make sure you actually know what they might accept.

I have no idea what your scenario is. What I can tell you is, unless a dealer is marking a Subaru up over MSRP, there is no way you are buying a new one at 15% below their price.

Now, there are some brands out there with huge rebates, where 15% below MSRP is more than a dealer needs to get. If they accept your offer; no tricks adding back destination or rebates you do not qualify for, or requiring you purchase something extra (service contrat for example), then you most likely didn't do your homework.

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson

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