[mazin]

I put money down on a factory built car but the dealer received another unpurchased sky due to a buyer falling through. I'm about to buy the car that they've been using as a demo but I'm wondering...

The car has nearly 600 miles on it. The dealer says that there's no demo car discount because the car is technically not a demo (he says because it hasn't been registered yet or something). He also says that he won't come down on the price since they can sell that car at msrp to someone else.

Is he trying to pull my leg or do I have nothing to worry about?

I could always have them build the car that I wanted them to build anyways (the car that I nearly ordered is nearly a copy of the "demo" car).

Get back to me when you can. Thanks

~mazin

 

[krazygoat]

That is just silly and they are trying to screw you over. The car has 600 miles on it, it is technically a used car that is owned by the dealership. They need to hook you up with some sort of deal, either money off the price of the car, I would say $1000 off of MSRP is more than fair and that is still well above invoice, or give you tons of free service and/or dealer add-ons that you may want.

It sounds like too many of these dealerships are turning into shady used car salesman types now that they FINALLY have a successful vehicle on their hand. But once the new car glow wears off then they will be losing customers to other dealers who don't treat their customers like crap.

 

[bndbythec]

be happy

I would think i'd be happy to have the car i wanted. Or wait 6 to 7 months the car is worth more now than it will ever be. There are hundereds if not thousends waiting for a car! Buy, Drive , Enjoy you will be the first to have one. That dosen,t happen very often. Good Luck & GOOD WISHES bUDD & DIANE VENICE FL

 

[usmc]

all I have to say is that when I test drove my dealers demo, I wasn't exactly gentle. Normally, there is a 500 mile break in period on the sky... do you think he told people to go easy during that first 500 miles when test driving? he** no!
I took our demo around the backstreets and got on it... took it to redline... a few times. It was raining out so I couldn't really get on it hard outta first because the tires would spin, but I gave it a run.
and this is with 34 miles on it!

I don't think I'd feel comfortable buying a demo car at full price knowing that the last 600 miles were drivin by people who knew they weren't going to be buying that car. Now if they gave you a discount to compensate, then it might be worth it... sad thing is, he's probably right... he will sell it to someone else at msrp.

 

[mazin]

Yeah and I'm trying to seperate emotion from reality here. I know that having the car that I really really like would be sweet but I'm wondering if the salesperson was accurate in saying that technically, that car is not a demo.

And yes, usmc, that's exactly why I'm bringing up the concern. The dealer told me that I could fire it up when I test drove it but I'm not in a position to get a speeding ticket again. I leave my racing on the tracks so I passed up the oppourtunity. That seems like just another reason to not buy this car off the lot.

~mazin

 

[usmc]

Yeah and I'm trying to seperate emotion from reality here. I know that having the car that I really really like would be sweet but I'm wondering if the salesperson was accurate in saying that technically, that car is not a demo.

And yes, usmc, that's exactly why I'm bringing up the concern. The dealer told me that I could fire it up when I test drove it but I'm not in a position to get a speeding ticket again. I leave my racing on the tracks so I passed up the oppourtunity. That seems like just another reason to not buy this car off the lot.

~mazin

I can only imagine hard it is passing it up... with it right there in front of you screaming at you to break out the checkbook! :willy:

how far down the list are you to officially order your sky (get an image)

 

[seal9]

"I wasn't exactly gentle" No say it isn't so.......Shame on you USMC..Seal9:willy:

 

[richmcc]

I put money down on a factory built car but the dealer received another unpurchased sky due to a buyer falling through. I'm about to buy the car that they've been using as a demo but I'm wondering...

The car has nearly 600 miles on it. The dealer says that there's no demo car discount because the car is technically not a demo (he says because it hasn't been registered yet or something). He also says that he won't come down on the price since they can sell that car at msrp to someone else.

Is he trying to pull my leg or do I have nothing to worry about?

I could always have them build the car that I wanted them to build anyways (the car that I nearly ordered is nearly a copy of the "demo" car).

Get back to me when you can. Thanks

~mazin

I think the point about it being not being broken in correctly is a strong reason to stay away from this car period.
I think technically the Dealer is right it is a new car and he will be able to sell it to someone for MSRP. I personally do not begrudge him that. However, I would not buy it with 600 miles on it, h--- I would not buy it with over 50 miles on it. :nono:

I know the waiting is tough, but this one will be more than likely to be trouble!

 

[usmc]

"I wasn't exactly gentle" No say it isn't so.......Shame on you USMC..Seal9:willy:

HEHEHEHE, hey, it was the salespersons idea! who am I to say no.

A few years back I test drove a mustang cobra (I'm a big mustang guy) and I was taking it easy down some backstreets and the sales guy (about 22 years old) asked me if I ever drove muscle cars before. so I gave him a quick history of my mustang ownerships.

next thing I know, he's taunting me!!! so, can't be shown up buy a 22 year old punk!!!!
I got squirly around the next corner and floored down the straight away! it was awesome! black convertible cobra.... and the entire time he knew I wasn't going to buy it...... :thumbs:

 

[triple black]

It is a new car, never been titled. The dealer only has possesion of it. All cars would be considered used then because all go thru the dealer. He has to pay floor juice on it if no one buys it. 600 miles is nothing. It's under full warranty. If it's the color you want and has the options you want then I say go for it. But, if it's not exactly what you want, wait.

 

[virginiasky]

The dealer probably can sell it to someone else for MSRP. The engine break-in period is also a serious issue to consider. But one thing no one has mentioned yet is that if the dealer does give you a price break and sell it at a discount as a used car, you may get stuck with a higher-rate used car loan that will eat up the savings over time. You might want to check new car -vs- used car loan rates online and use a payment calculator to determine what the payments total to over the life of the loan. If you are paying cash for the car, then this is a moot point.

 

[rocky777]

With the wait list, of course he's not going to give you a deal, so that's the decision you need to make. 600 miles isn't much, even though they were probably 600 very hard miles, it does still come with a 3 year, 36,000 mile warranty. If this were not a hugely popular and extremely unavailable car, you'd be able to bargain. Right now, he holds the upper hand and if you don't buy it, someone else will.

Personally, If it were me and it were the exact car I wanted to order anyway, I'd buy it now, Its only Spring and there are many months of good convertible weather ahead. I wouldn't want to order one now and get it just in time for winter. If this isn't the car of your dreams though, I wouldn't settle.

 

[CdnSkyGuy]

I would say $1000 off of MSRP is more than fair

Uhhh, yeah I would freaking say it is MORE than fair! The industry standard is $0.10/Kilometer here in Canada. That would be about $100/Cdn, so about $85 USD or so.

$1000...Buyers kill me! HA HA HA :willy:

 

[CdnSkyGuy]

if the dealer does give you a price break and sell it at a discount as a used car, you may get stuck with a higher-rate used car loan that will eat up the savings over time.

He can't sell it as used...it has never been owned by anyone before

 

[krazygoat]

I wish it were the same in the US, but pretty much once the car is driven off the lot you lose a huge percentage of the value of the car. The Sky is a special case and will hold it's value even with the hard miles because demand outstrips supply, but if a dealer only gave me $85 off a car that had 600 miles on it I would laugh in his face.

On my 06 Carrera S I was able to negotiate $10K off the price even though no dealer wanted to sell below MSRP, but we were dropping $60K of cash in their lap to do it. Dealer was kicking themselves because right after we worked the deal numerous people came up to ask about the car (only silver S I could find in all of LA with tiptronic).

Yes the dealer can get MSRP, but he also wants to sell the car. Negotiate something, anything. If they can't knock off money on the car then ask for free service, dealer installed parts, or an extra year warranty. Try to get something out of them, don't let them walk all over you. While he can get MSRP the car really isn't worth MSRP with 600 hard miles on it. Dealers always say they can't negotiate, but they can.

 

[SKYtime]

I think Mr. Goat fails to comprehend the market for Skys. If you don't buy the car at MSRP, someone else will. No doubt about it. This is the same reason why some dealers are charging over MSRP. Demand outstrips supply. You have no bargaining leverage here. Decide what you want and when you want it. But the bottom line is you either pay the price they are asking, go somewhere else or wait for another Sky. Of course, you can buy something entirely different.

 

[usmc]

He can't sell it as used...it has never been owned by anyone before

maybe not used because its never been owned... but any store I've been in sells their "floor models" at a discount. (places like department stores and such) but before you flame me, I understand we are not talking about a washer or dryer here... but a high demand car.

He will sell it at msrp to someone.

 

[CdnSkyGuy]

maybe not used because its never been owned... but any store I've been in sells their "floor models" at a discount. (places like department stores and such) but before you flame me, I understand we are not talking about a washer or dryer here... but a high demand car.

He will sell it at msrp to someone.

I agree with you but everyone seems to think there is $1000's of dollars worth of negotiation room on these cars...simply not true. It is a Saturn folks. I have never ever discounted a Saturn in my 2 years of working here.
The only thing this person would get on a normal Saturn is the $0.10/Km and that is on a normal Saturn...not on a Sky.

If they give you ANYTHING for free on a Sky they are just weak salesmen, period.

 

[mazin]

Yeah I think I'm going to ask for an extended warranty for the car. Or at least something in writing that aknowledges that the car was driven hard during the break-in period and that maintainence for some extended period of time will be free. I plan on going up there either today or tomorrow to seal the deal...

And if not, I'm buying a 350z heh

Thanks for the replies.

 

[mazin]

and btw, there's typically a option that the dealer has and that's to sell it as a demo car. It doesn't have to be considered used as CdnSkyGuy mentioned. But it was explained to me that the car has to be registered as a demo for that to take effect. If the dealer is paying the lot fee to leave it unregistered, then he CAN sell it as a new.

I'm still wondering if there's a law that states if a dealer plans on having people drive it, then it would have to be registered as a demo car to eliminate this sort of thing from happening (selling a car with 600 miles as a new car).

My analysis is that the dealer decided to take the hit on the lot fees knowing that the car will be purchased at msrp regardless of its mileage. Good strategy but imo unfair to the buyer. I guess that's the price of buying a car such as the Sky as quickly as I might end up buying it today. I don't know of too many people going up to dealerships and buying the Sky the next day so I'm still considering it.

Just as long as its not illegal I guess *shrug*