How would you handle this (purchase negotiation)

[OxFord6G]

I order a car from a dealership and and came to and agreement on price and payments but that car is caught up in the whole seat belt recall and who knows when it will be available. I'm not thrilled about them having to take everything apart to install new seat belts and put it all back together without messing anything up.

I found another car identical to what I ordered that is due to arrive at a different dealership next week. It is not a part of the recall. So I want to go take a look at that one and see if maybe I can get a deal done.

Should I tell the new dealership about my existing order and just say they have to meet or beat those numbers or should I not give them any info? Maybe just tell them I have a car already on order but if I can get a good deal from them then I'll cancel my order and buy the car there. I have a trade-in which the original dealer appraised and maybe I can push the new dealer for a little more value out of the trade? Or should I just be up front and say, "Here's what they offered me, you have to match it."

My circumstances have changed somewhat. I am now X-plan eligible and I have $750 private cash. I didn't have either of those things when I negotiated with the first dealer (but I still ended up with a good final price).

Part of me wants to go in fresh and see what kind of deal I can get but part of me was happy with the deal I got from the original dealer and I would just want the second dealer to match it and be done and have a car.

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[dB Stang]

I'd go in fresh. Don't tell them about the car you ordered - they'll know that they have the exact car you want and how much you want it.

Make them match the numbers you got from the other dealer, but don't let them know that that's what you're doing. You know what numbers are possible, just stick to your guns until they meet them. It could get tedious, but I've never had a car buying experience that wasn't.

At least, that's what I'd do.

 

[daltron]

I order a car from a dealership and and came to and agreement on price and payments but that car is caught up in the whole seat belt recall and who knows when it will be available. I'm not thrilled about them having to take everything apart to install new seat belts and put it all back together without messing anything up.

I found another car identical to what I ordered that is due to arrive at a different dealership next week. It is not a part of the recall. So I want to go take a look at that one and see if maybe I can get a deal done.

Should I tell the new dealership about my existing order and just say they have to meet or beat those numbers or should I not give them any info? Maybe just tell them I have a car already on order but if I can get a good deal from them then I'll cancel my order and buy the car there. I have a trade-in which the original dealer appraised and maybe I can push the new dealer for a little more value out of the trade? Or should I just be up front and say, "Here's what they offered me, you have to match it."

My circumstances have changed somewhat. I am now X-plan eligible and I have $750 private cash. I didn't have either of those things when I negotiated with the first dealer (but I still ended up with a good final price).

Part of me wants to go in fresh and see what kind of deal I can get but part of me was happy with the deal I got from the original dealer and I would just want the second dealer to match it and be done and have a car.

Wait for your ordered car and tell them you are now x-plan eligible and have the 750 private cash?

 

[OxFord6G]

^^^This. Or just cancel the deal, get a refund and buy the car at the other dealership. That way you stop wasting your and their time.

Well, I'm not currently wasting anyone's time because the car I ordered is, and has been, sitting at the rail yard for 3 weeks. The dealership isn't spending any time on it right now and they'll have to fix it whether I buy it or not.

It seems kind of stupid to cancel my order before I possibly negotiate a deal on a different car since that order is, more or less, a sure thing. Seems like I'd want to have that it my pocket in case this other one doesn't work out, no?

At any rate, I'm going to negotiate fresh and see if I can get a better deal. If that doesn't work out for whatever reason then I'll stick with the original order and try to get at least the $750 private cash (they already told me they wouldn't renegotiate based on my becoming X-plan eligible).

 

[CJRogue]

I agree with you. The delay is neither your fault nor the dealership's, so it seems entirely fine for you to continue shopping for a deal that is actually available with a resolution in sight.

As far as negotiating, there are a couple of options. One is that if you intend to buy from the "new" dealership I wouldn't tell them about any previous negotiations, that's just information you have from recent experience and it will probably help you make a good deal again.

An alternative, if you're concerned about loyalty or relationships with the "first" dealer is to ask if they can give you the same deal on a car that is on another lot through a dealer-to-dealer swap/trade/whatever they do. They do this all the time. If they aren't willing to do that, then I see no reason why you should continue to wait for a car that isn't ready. Time is money, and meantime you are sitting on money and NOT driving the car you negotiated about, so there hasn't been any transaction beyond a negotiation and discussion based on what you wrote.

Is this helpful at all?

 

[OxFord6G]

Time is money

Indeed it is. I have a vehicle that I'm trading in and the longer I have to drive it the more of a chance for something to happen that will reduce the value I can get out of it. That's a big part of the reason why I'm wanting to get this thing wrapped up.

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