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Showing posts with label Best Deal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Best Deal. Show all posts

Friday, December 18, 2009

How To Buy Your Next New Car Online And Get Best Possible Price

A friend just sent me a link to a presentation by a gentleman named Rob Gruhl at the Ignite Conference in Seattle a few years ago.

http://consumerist.com/2009/12/buy-a-new-car-without-getting-ripped-off.html#comments

It's quick, clear and concise and hits on some great points. Very well done.

Selfishly, almost everything he is touches on are the consumer pain points that led to our creation of AutoBidsOnline.com. Watch the video and pay particular attention to the following:

Says Rob: Give yourself a lot of time - two full weekends.
Says ABOL: Screw that. Use online dealer competition to minimize your time.

Says Rob: Get pre-approved for financing from local bank or credit union.
Says ABOL: Absolutely! The dealer may have better financing but you need to have a pre-approved loan (or cash budget) prior to negotiations.

Says Rob: Don't trade in your old car at the dealership.
Says ABOL: Absolutely - if you have the stomach and financial ability to sell privately. However, if you don't want to go through that hassel, at least get a guaranteed buy bid from CarMax and/or AutoTrader. Your local bank or credit union may give you a bid as well. If the dealer will match your best price, then it will be much easier to trade with the dealer. He does the title work and pays off any existing loan. Just make sure you are getting a reasonable deal before trading with the dealer.

Says Rob: Select 3 (or more) different cars to increase your options.
Says ABOL: Absolutely! It is amazing how emotionally attached people get to a car. Dealers use this to their advantage. However, it is equally amazing how quickly the newness wears off that new car and the emotional attachment withers away. There are very likely several cars in your desired class that will provide similar performance. Try to focus on the one that provides you with the best VALUE and you will be way ahead when it comes time to trade in 2-4 years.

Says Rob: Don't buy a car when you test drive.
Says ABOL: ABSOLUTELY!

Says Rob: Call up to 8-10 dealers to get into a competitive bidding situation.
Says ABOL: Screw that. Submit an anonymous buy bids at AutoBidsOnline and let dealers compete to be the first one to meet it.

Says Rob: Get the "drive it off the lot" price.
Says ABOL: Absolutely. We call it the cash price. If I paid you cash out of my wallet today, how much do I need to hand you to get title to the car?

Says Rob: Stick to your guns!
Says ABOL: Absolutely. However, the beauty of ABOL is the consumer's ability to rate the dealer experience.

Says Rob: Say no in the back room.
Says ABOL: Don't ever ENTER the back room. Arrange for delivery of your new car at your local bank branch, home or office.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

How To Get A Great Deal On The 2010 Mazda CX-7

This week’s AutoBidsOnline.com spotlight on the latest and greatest in the new car market focuses on the 2010 Mazda CX-7 4dr S Touring 2WD. The CX-7 is one of the best in class in the Crossover segment and a real bargain listing at $26,550.

"Without a doubt, the 2010 Mazda CX-7 4dr S Touring 2WD is currently leading the way against rivals Subaru Tribeca and Chevy Equinox," said Jeff Cook, President of AutoBidsOnline.com.

Noted industry expert David Ruggles of the Ruggles Report suggests, “With a 36 month residual of 48%, the CX-7 maintains reasonable resale value after three years. Based upon an MSRP of $29,800, that equates to just $400 depreciation per month.”

CHROME REVIEW: None Available

DETAILS:
Invoice/MSRP: $24,905.00/$26,550.00
Current True Car Value: $25,052
Current Edmunds TMV: $25,529
MPG HWY: 25 mpg
MPG City: 18 mpg

CURRENT REBATES & INCENTIVES: 0% financing available from Mazda Credit. Regional incentives may vary.

WARRANTY: 3 years / 36,000 miles

RESIDUAL OUTLOOK: Good

COMPARABLE VEHICLES: Chevy Equinox - Subaru Tribeca

HOW TO GET BEST PRICE: Competitive pressure will always yield the best possible price. If you are looking to get the new CX-7, you would be well served to visit as many Mazda dealers as possible and go armed with as much information as possible.

Our friends at Edmunds.com and TrueCar.com have each performed significant research in stating their thoughts on the real market value of the CX-7. Their numbers are a great starting point.

However, if you don’t have the time or desire to invest hours in onsite dealer negotiations, you can join AutoBidsOnline.com and set your own price with our new AutoBidIt! feature. It’s all very easy:

1. Build out the exact car you want.
2. Determine the price you are willing to pay.
3. AutoBidIt!

AutoBids’ dealers are pre-screened for best of breed business practices and all are committed to straight-forward negotiation and transparent pricing. They will compete to be the first to meet your no-obligation bid as only the first dealer to do so will get your business.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Strong Wholesale Values Foretell Brighter Days Ahead

Ricky Beggs, managing editor of Black Book, just reported that all 10 used car segments have shown increased wholesale values for the second time in the last three weeks. And as a whole, cars have been up 6 weeks in a row and trucks have been up 8 in a row.

What does this mean for new car buyer? Quite simply, your trade is worth more today than it was two months ago and you likely have additional room to negotiate a better deal on your next new car.

BB's findings could be a sign of an overall strengthening across both the new and used car markets, but Beggs did not speculate. I think it is the result of more value conscious shoppers eschewing the premium on the purchase price of a new car and turning to the perceived value of late model pre-owned.

Yet many 2008 used cars now cost almost as much to buy as their 2009 counterparts. When that is the case, why on earth would you buy the 08 model?

Additionally, there are a large number of buyers who just do not want to put up with the headache associated with purchasing a used car no matter what the cost. In their minds, the additional security and warranty is worth the additional investment in a new car.

Lastly, it is important to note, there continue to be massive rebates and incentives available on new cars that are just not there for used. $4,000 cash back or 0% financing on 09 Chevy Avalanches and $2,000 cash or 1.9% financing on 2010 Toyota Tundras are just two examples.

Friday, April 24, 2009

The Single Best Way To Save Cash On A New Car: Stir the Competition

We all know competition breeds lower prices but how can you use the internet to get the most out of your next new car purchase?

First you need to be aware of what is out there. Cars.com, AutoTrader, KBB, Edmunds, Manufacturer sites, Dealer sites - it can all be a little overwhelming.

When it comes to getting a great deal, kick out the Manufacturer sites. They provide a great starting point but do little for negotiation other than pointing you to your local dealer.

The Dealer sites are a hodge-podge collection of designs whose goal is to get you on the lot. After all, Dealers excel at selling face-to-face and there are very valid reasons why the buying public has such negative connotations of their local car dealer.

And then there are the "Informational" sites. Some of these provide actual inventory, some contain dealer advertisements. Yet they all provide access to pricing and allow you to "Get a Quote."

But there is a very real drawback to these sites - they are working an angle that is not necessarily in the consumer’s best interest. In addition to advertising revenue, they make their money selling consumer contact information to large numbers of dealers.

Under this model, the dealers can then contact you to “Give" you a quote.

Sounds good, right? Not when you really think about it.

Many of these dealers begin to send you voluminous emails and repeatedly call you (even when you indicate email is your preference). The goal of their online strategy is exactly the same as their more traditional radio & television advertising - THEY WANT TO GET YOU ON THE LOT!

And while there are some dealers who will actually give you a quote via email, these are far more the exception than the rule.

BUT EVEN THEN, you can still bet that the quote they give you is not their best offer.

Does this strategy sound good now?

Enter the newest way to shop for your next new car - AutoBidsOnline.com. AutoBids simplifies the negotiation process and works in the best interest of both the consumer and the dealer.

“How can they do that?”, you might ask.

First you have to look at it from the dealers’ perspective. For the last several years, dealers’ internet departments have been flooded with the online quote requests described above. Yet many of these requests are from nothing more than online tire-kickers or even 10 year old kids fooling around on the net. At best, dealers can only expect to make a deal with 8-9% of all online quote requests. Most are in the 2-3% range.

Imagine you are a car salesman whose livlihood depends on closing these type of leads. It's pretty troubling. And none of this is setting well with dealers who are struggling just to stay afloat. In fact, there is a growing trend of dealers dropping third-party internet leads altogether.

Now take a look at the AutoBids model from the consumer’s perspective. Unlike the other "Informational" sites, AutoBidsOnline charges its members a nominal one-time fee to keep their data private. Instead of "Getting a Quote," AutoBids members can "Set Their Price."

Dealers can then either accept the bid as-is, make a counter-offer or suggest another vehicle that may better fit the consumer’s needs. Either way, the dealer knows the consumer is a serious buyer and can be confident he stands a good chance of making a deal.

As you can now see, AutoBidsOnline greatly simplifies the car buying process. It creates a competitive environment that leads to a great deal for the consumer. And while the dealer may lose a slight amount of margin, his people are more productive, he has a much happier customer and he is free to turn his attention to the more profitable aspects of his business.

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

The Best New Cars In 2009 And 2010

Some of the best new cars and trucks are listed below to give you an idea of what to look out for if you are considering buying a new car in 2009.

These vehicles are either completely new, completely redesigned, or significantly changed to stand out in the current market. If you are seriously considering a new car, those listed here might well rank among your top choices.

Acura
2009 Acura RL
2009 Acura RL
2009 Acura TL

2009 Acura TSX

Audi
2009 Audi A4
2009 Audi Q7
2009 Audi TT

Bentley
2009 Bentley Brooklands

BMW
2009 BMW 3 Series
2009 BMW X5

Cadillac
2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid
2009 Cadillac CTS-V

Chevrolet
2009 Chevrolet Corvette
2009 Chevrolet Traverse

Dodge
2009 Dodge Challenger
2009 Dodge Journey
2009 Dodge Ram Pickup 1500
2009 Dodge Durango

Ford
2009 Ford Flex
2009 Ford F-150
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
2010 Ford Mustang
2009 Ford Taurus

Honda
2009 Honda Fit
2009 Honda Pilot
2010 Honda Insight

HUMMER
2009 Hummer H3T

Hyundai
2009 Hyundai Genesis
2009 Hyundai Sonata

Infiniti
2009 Infiniti FX35
2009 Infiniti FX50

Jaguar
2009 Jaguar XF

Kia
2009 Kia Borrego

Lincoln
2009 Lincoln MKS

Mazda
2009 Mazda 6

Mitsubishi
2009 Mitsubishi Lancer

Nissan
2009 Nissan GT-R
2009 Nissan Maxima
2009 Nissan Murano

Pontiac
2009 Pontiac G8
2009 Pontiac Solstice
2009 Pontiac Vibe

Porsche
2009 Porsche 911

Subaru
2009 Subaru Forester

Toyota
2009 Toyota Corolla
2009 Toyota Matrix
2009 Toyota Venza
2009 Toyota Yaris

Volkswagen
2009 Volkswagen Routan
2009 Volkswagen Tiguan
2009 Volkswagen CC

Volvo
2010 Volvo XC60

Spend some time at AutoBidsOnline.com and see if any of these cars meet your needs and wants. If you find a car you want, see if you can get pre-approved at a local bank or credit union and submit an anonymous “Buy Bid” to the ABOL Dealer Network.

Dealers will compete in a Reverse Auction to accept your bid ensuring you receive a timely response and the most competitive price possible.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Navigating the Trade-In Process

When planning your next car purchase, take some extra time to evaluate the trade-in process. This is the Achilles’ Heel for many buyers as they neglect to take into account everything involved in the trade.

One key is staying focused. Do not be dazzled by your new car, or your dream of getting that new car. Think about your trade-in and do not let its significance disappear as you negotiate with the dealer. They are in business to make money – just make sure they don’t make it all on you!

First you should consider selling it yourself. This will most always yield a higher return. However, many of today’s new car buyers just don’t have the time, energy or desire to do this effectively.

If selling it outright is not for you, spend an hour to get an actual appraisal for your trade. If you have a local CarMax, take it in and get a guaranteed appraisal from them. It’s painless. In fact, their prices are often higher than BlackBook trade values or what your dealer may be willing to pay.


If you don’t have a CarMax nearby, check with your local bank or credit union. Many of these institutions will offer an appraisal if you ask.

Take these appraisals with you and use them in your dealer negotiation. Also be sure to spend the roughly $100 necessary to fully detail your vehicle. A clean car will always bring more money.

The next thing is to keep in mind that many trade-ins offer a high source of profit for a dealership – but certainly not all of them. Keep this in mind as you shop your trade-in. Not every dealer will offer the same price for a particular car. Some won’t give you the top dollar because they have other similar cars or no demand for the make and model in your local market.

Nevertheless, emphasize you expect full credit for your trade-in. Write down the figure before you begin negotiations and stick to it.

Lastly, you need to be realistic throughout the trade-in process. Be firm about the value for your trade but keep in mind the dealer costs of accepting your trade. They incur very real expenses as a result of this process. They will need to insure, inspect, repair, service and detail your car to make it ready for resale.

In addition, they are not only accepting the resale risk of your car, they are also risking a no-sale. If the dealer cannot sell your vehicle in roughly 45 days, he will incur transportation, additional detailing, and auction fees. All of these weigh heavily on the actual profit a dealer will make on your trade.

Knowing what your vehicle is worth going into the negotiation is certainly important. However, recognizing the dealer’s risk in the transaction will help ensure you get the best deal possible.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Why You Should Hunt for Your Auto Loan Online…And Have It Ready Before You Start Shopping!

The advantages of getting your next auto loan online are pretty impressive. First of all, it can save you a lot of time. You can research your purchase and the interest rates for car loans online, which takes a lot less time than traveling from car dealer to car dealer to get the same information.

Another advantage is you can generally get the lowest auto loan rates from online lenders. Many online loan companies offer a means of comparing automobile loan rates from many loan company's websites.

With online auto loans, you generally do not have to pay any sort of processing or application.

Online auto loans also give you the chance to research what type of car you want to buy. You can find a good price for your chosen make and model, and review interest rates before you even consider approaching a dealer. You can almost always get a better deal when you have the facts and figures relevant to your situation.

Keep in mind another time saving tip: you should only have to fill out one loan application to apply for your auto loan online. You can send a single loan application to multiple dealers in no time at all and receive responses in no time.

You should, of course, take your time to review every response you receive, no matter how appealing it looks at first glance. Do not let anyone rush you at any stage of the car buying process, particularly at this crucial point.

Your auto loan (or lease) is absolutely crucial to whether or not you secure a good deal. Lose focus here and you will regret it. At least, your pocket book will.

By getting an auto loan online, you not only minimize the amount of time and effort required to get through the details, you also dramatically increase your chances of securing the best deal.

The College Grad’s Guide to Car Buying

Deals and incentives are available for many car buyers. Although there are many problems when you’re trying to buy your first car as a recent college graduate (i.e. you’ve only just got a job and you’ve got tons of student loans), it can be difficult to find a good deal unless you know where to look.

Fortunately, there are tons of special incentives for recent college graduates. Most automakers offer incentive programs for college grads. The little known specials are rarely advertised. Nevertheless, applied properly, they can lead to big savings on new cars.

Since most incentives aimed at college graduates can usually be combined with other incentives, they can be particularly beneficial.

Among the top deals for college graduates start with one or two packages for which full-time college students are also eligible.

In the past, Ford has offered a discount of $500 on select models of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models. Toyota/Scion has offered a similar discount of $400 against the purchase of select Toyotas and Scions. The Toyota/Scion package even included one year of free roadside assistance.

Generally, students or recent graduates are eligible for these deals. It is necessary to provide proof of graduation or student status to qualify for the discounts.

Although the top vehicles and the best incentives vary from year to year, the top deals from 2007 to 2008 are quite representative.

The top ten deals for 2007 and 2008 were as follows:

1. 2007 Suzuki SX4 priced at $14,999.
2. 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution priced a t $28,679.
3. 2008 Scion xB priced at $15,650.
4. 2007 Kia Rio priced at $10,770.
5. 2007 Ford Escape Hybrid priced at $25,075.
6. 2007 Nissan Versa priced at $12,550.
7. 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander priced at $21,370.
8. 2008 Scion tC priced at $15,300.
9. 2007 Ford Mustang priced at $19,250.
10. 2007 Suzuki Grand Vitara priced at $19,379

Anyone who is still in college or who has recently graduated should specifically research deals for college graduates and students when it comes to auto loans. Since college is particularly expensive, it is definitely advantageous to be able to save any money you can on the purchase of a car. With student debts, the last thing you want is to increase what you owe. That said, college graduates and even many students need cars. Most college graduates need to have an attractive car to fit with a new job.

Searching for a car online at AutoBidsOnline, you should be sure to specify that you are interested in receiving information about any incentives for which you qualify based on your status as a recent college graduate or your status as a student.

You should also ask about financing in relation to any such incentives since many packages require you to use a particular organization for financing any auto loan if you want to qualify for any related discount.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

How to Find The Best Deal

New car buyers are often uneasy. There is a nagging fear they will be had when they finally sit down to negotiate with their local dealer.

The first step to getting a great deal is to know what your new car is worth - and there are plenty of automotive research websites that will tell you. In the end however, you still have to sit down and negotiate with the dealer and play their same old dealer games.

Fortunately a new website has come online that will help turn the tables in your favor. At AutoBidsOnline.com, you can get invoice pricing, MSRP, rebates and other incentives for virtually any make and model car. But unlike the other sites, AutoBidsOnline is designed to keep your personal contact information completely private.

The other sites? Their goal is to capture your information and sell it to as many dealers as possible. How does that sound?

But perhaps the best thing about AutoBidsOnline is it will allow you to negotiate the price of your next new car completely online.

Once you have decided which trim style, options and color best meet your needs, you can submit an anonymous Buy Bid which will be distributed to the AutoBidsOnline Dealer Network.

In what is essentially a Reverse Auction, dealers compete to accept your bid. They may of course counter your bid but they are incented to accept your offer as quickly as possible because if they don’t, someone else might.

On the other sites, you enter your personal information in addition to the specifications of the car you want. This information is then sold to their dealer network and you start to receive phone calls and automated emails trying to get you to come to multiple dealerships.

You already know the car you want, you already know what it is worth, why waste your time going to the dealership?

Of course, you will also likely need financing. If so, check out all of your options ahead of time. Contact your local banks and credit unions. Call an independent leasing company like D&M Leasing in Texas. Shop around for the best terms and the best rates.

Lastly, you should have a realistic idea about the value of your trade. You will likely come out ahead if you choose to sell it yourself but you should always take it to CarMax for their free, no-pressure appraisal.

If you decide to trade it directly with your dealer, you should honestly assess its condition. Owners tend to think their vehicle is Extra Clean when it is likely just Average. Depending on your vehicle, this can be as much as a $2,000 difference.

Finally, you should be aware of the costs a dealer may incur after your trade. Reconditioning it for sale sometimes includes replacing the tires an oil change and a tune-up. It almost always includes a complete detail. And if the dealer cannot sell it on his used car lot? He must pay to send it to auction and assume the risk it may be worth less 60 days from now.

The bottom line is get your ducks in a row. Know what your new car is really worth, arrange for financing that meets your needs and credit and try to sell your trade to CarMax or a private party.

Do all of these things ahead of time and you will certainly find that you have gotten a great deal.