Anyone buying cars right now?

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bearcub
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by bearcub »

Few months ago I purchased a new 2021 Subaru Impreza Hatch Base model. Got it for a wee bit under their listed price. A few small add ins thrown in. Subaru is known for not haggling much. Plan on keeping it for a long time. Sold my 16 year old Highlander. Before that had my Camry for 17 + a half years. Before that had a Corolla that I gave to a family member. Love Toyota but just felt like a change. Life is short. Drive what you like.
smalliebigs
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by smalliebigs »

Current lease is ending next Feb. Thinking of selling it to carvana near then because the market rate is 10k over the residual. And that's our only vehicle because we sold the other a few months ago for that sweet sweet cash.

So depending on WFH policy changes, it's likely we'll buy at least 1, if not 2 new vehicles in the next few months.
Lucien786
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by Lucien786 »

Just weighing in to say I got a new 2020 RDX A-SPEC back during early COVID, and I love the car. It still feels like an extremely versatile and capable car. It's both fun and practical. Hoping to keep it for a very long time.
pennywise
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by pennywise »

My 2010 Ford Fusion with 130K miles is approaching the point at which we usually replace vehicles (10 years/100K miles or more). When the AC started having intermittent problems and the repair was estimated at $1000 earlier this summer I got very eager to replace it.

Until I discovered that I'm screwed on that plan because I'm interested in one of the most popular vehicle styles: compact SUV. Specifically the RAV4 hybrid, which is just not available right now at least in my area.

Same response from local dealers: pay MSRP, sign contract committing me to purchase then wait till dealer gets a vehicle to deliver to me. Could be weeks, probably months. If I wanted a Camry, those are available but alas i want the same thing every other car buyer does or so it seems!

Like many other Bogleheads this scenario simply infuriates me. To basically beg a car salesman to take as much of my money as they choose, then patiently wait till they decide to provide the vehicle as if it's a gift...I just can't do it.

I'm also feeling another impulse which is dangerous: resentment that I am driving an old beater even though I could easily pay MSRP or more, while "everyone else" is swanning around in new cars even if they are scraping to afford the monthly lease/payment. That mindset is always a BH code red warning to me to slow down and take a fiscal deep breath :D

In my case, although I told my mechanic not to do the repair the AC seems to be holding on so far. So I will hang on till the car market changes or I decide the heck with it and bite the car buying bullet. As with every other aspect of post-COVID life, things are wonky now but some point there will be a plethora of vehicles again. There will be a day when even if I want the prom queen car I will at least be able to wander around the lot and pick the one I want to drive home.

Then too with the delta variant raging I don't plan to be doing any road trips for awhile so my hoopty will get me to the grocery store for early morning food runs just fine. In fairness it's not ever (yet) left me stranded.

I must say, delaying a car purchase this cycle feels different and more challenging simply because IMO the past decade has yielded by far the most improvements in automotive safety and technology features I've ever experienced.

Comparing my ride to that of friends and family in newer vehicles I'm acutely aware of how lacking my old model is. It's got none of the now ubiquitous stuff like back up cameras, variable cruise control, lane assist etc. And no way to easily manage technology like navigation guidance much less hands free music or phone contact while driving-not that one should be working the phone on the road but still it's convenient to have.

I will be very happy when the time comes to buy a new car but that time is not quite yet now for me.
InNameOnly
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by InNameOnly »

Last week on a hardware store run I drove by 5 dealerships. Never saw so much bare concrete in my life. 4 of the dealerships had 5 to 10 spaces between their cars. The Ford dealership lot sits a little above road level and they had all the cars lined up side by side out near the road making the lot look full a first glance. But between the cars you could see and empty lot all the way to the building.

The week before our Ranger PU was in the Ford shop getting a new display. It is 12 years old and was lucky they could order the replacement display, the security system for the ignition was blown and keeping it from starting. The service manager said that part uses electronics that are not being made yet. (the chip thing) would have left my truck dead until the shortages are resolved.

We were going to upgrade to a Subaru Forester this summer but not with these prices.
The realist sees the glass as completely full, 50% water and 50% air.
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Tubes
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by Tubes »

pennywise wrote: Tue Aug 17, 2021 8:10 am I must say, delaying a car purchase this cycle feels different and more challenging simply because IMO the past decade has yielded by far the most improvements in automotive safety and technology features I've ever experienced.
Maybe. 2000 to 2010 had huge safety improvements in air bag safety, and also stability control.

The last decade has had more active features (lane control, etc.). Some of this is really only starting to get mature. I've had so many friends buy for these features end up turning them off because they were annoying.

Hang on, another year, and another set of beta testers before you will have improved the product.
stoptothink
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by stoptothink »

thirdman wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 11:43 pm Buy a Tesla. No dealer, no dickering. :happy
True, but they are raising their prices every few months.
FootballFan5548
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by FootballFan5548 »

I was in a Toyota dealership last week looking at a used 2018 Tacoma. I liked it, test drove it, but ended up passing.

There was a brand new Tacoma, top of the line, in the showroom. It had an MSRP of $49,999, that was crossed out with pen, and hand written was $59,999 (+$10,000). I asked the salesguy about it and why the price went up, he said supply and demand, and chip shortage and all this stuff.

Basically the dealer just jacked the price by 10k because they felt like they could.

Another example when looking for used Tacomas, I saw one I liked for $39,000. It was a 2019 with 25k miles on it. I was able to find the original sticker from when it was sold in 2019, and the list price was $37,500.... somehow the car aged 2 years and picked up 25k miles and the price went UP!

Needless to say, i'm going to wait a few months before buying
UpperNwGuy
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by UpperNwGuy »

I want to buy a car right now, but I'm waiting because there are few cars on the dealer lots, and also because my DMV is still not back to normal following the covid closures.
barnaclebob
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by barnaclebob »

Purchased a 4runner a month ago for MSRP and a 5 week wait from putting down a deposit. 4runners hadn't been selling for much under MSRP for the last few years so this market might have cost me a few grand. I wouldn't have paid more than MSRP.
boston85
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by boston85 »

GIven that new car prices, and used car prices seem to be very high now, would it make sense to sell my current car and move into a lease? I was thinking about a 24 month lease. The thinking would be I could sell my car (CRV) right now for around $20k. Put that money into savings/investments.
Go and lease a car (unsure of model yet) for around $400 a month which would be a total of $9,600 over the course of 2 years. Leaving me still around $10k ahead. In 2 year's time, the cost of new cars may come down, or electric technology continues to improve, and then I buy something new then.

Am I missing something obvious with that strategy?
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RootSki
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by RootSki »

I accidentally joined a “Car dealers only” group on Facebook. Why they approved me for membership is questionable, nonetheless the info I’ve read has been enlightening. Now is a terrible time to buy a car. Chip shortages are not going to subside anytime soon. The days of picking a car off the lot are coming to an end I believe. Pretty soon everything will be a custom order at MSRP.
adamthesmythe
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by adamthesmythe »

Back before the zombie apocalypse we were cautioned against using MSRP as the standard for judging a purchase. That is- we weren't supposed to think we had a great deal just because is was less than MSRP. If that's valid, then we shouldn't think that MSRP is the maximum we should ever pay in times of scarcity. Because that's what it is right now- at least for desirable models.

Right now, buy a car or a house if you really need to. If there's a trade-in the "extra" cost of the purchase might mitigated by the higher price for the trade-in. You might actually be ahead. Or just buy because you want to, and you can afford it, especially since there are not so many other ways to spend money right now.

A reason to wait- if you can- is that not only may prices come down but there will be more choices.

I claim to be smarter than average (although, more honestly, just lucky) as I made my new purchase more than a year ago before the shortages became apparent. The great thing was that dealerships were willing to do negotiations by email or phone.
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Hogan773
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by Hogan773 »

Trader Joe wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 10:16 pm
Hogan773 wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 5:00 pm I have been eyeing getting a new car for past few years to replace one of ours which is now 10 yrs old. While I am always seemingly waiting to see what is about to come out, right now I have been looking at some Acura SUVs either MDX or RDX. This dumb chip shortage thing is killing my buying vibe. The sales guy told me they are getting $5k-$10k OVER STICKER right now as it is a hot model and demand is high. My Boglehead DNA will not allow me to pay MORE than sticker for a car. In fact, I have always prided myself on playing the negotiation game really hard to get a number right around INVOICE and not sticker.

Anyone in the business or in the know that has a sense of when new car inventories will come back to more normal? We talking later this fall or will it be a whole 'nother year? I know it WILL move back to normal markets and won't be this way forever.
It appears that the seller that you have been working with has identified you as a mark (a sucker).

I am currently in the process of purchasing new and multiple dealers are flocking to me to make a deal.

Phone calls, voicemails, emails, text messages. Constantly.

Best of luck.
ok slow the roll

I literally stopped at an Acura dealer after lunch one day to look at MDX and RDX in person, as I have been eyeing them on the roads. The 22-year old kid was nice and we sat inside them and looked at them. I chose not to do a test drive at this time because I am not motivated to buy in this market at the moment and I didn't want to take the time that day. I took his card, and didn't give him any of my info since I don't want the calls at this time. I am just reporting what the guy mentioned when I asked "so are these selling for sticker, or what?" I think you are taking some liberties by marking me as a "sucker" based on my very limited story here. But glad you are getting strong deals. Like someone else said, maybe you are buying a Buick or something that most people don't really clamor for, don't know

In the past I have always pushed to get pricing that is among the lowest I can find from others who are posting prices paid on Edmunds or whatever enthusiast forum I join for the car in question.
Topic Author
Hogan773
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by Hogan773 »

RootSki wrote: Tue Aug 17, 2021 11:58 am I accidentally joined a “Car dealers only” group on Facebook. Why they approved me for membership is questionable, nonetheless the info I’ve read has been enlightening. Now is a terrible time to buy a car. Chip shortages are not going to subside anytime soon. The days of picking a car off the lot are coming to an end I believe. Pretty soon everything will be a custom order at MSRP.
Wow, that is a big prediction. That would be a major change for the industry for them to all move successfully to an "order and wait" model. Certainly they could lose a lot of real estate land for all those parking lots, but my guess is that the manufacturers and dealers who step out and hold some inventory will get the sales first, and then others will want to do so, and it will go back to the way it was. OEMs need to pump out the iron from the factories and keep them running. And a lot of people really don't want to WAIT months and months for a car. Now if you INCENTIVIZE me to wait by offering a discount if I place an order and wait, allowing the factory to optimize their production schedule by only producing what they need and not over-producing, then I am game to do that.

By the way, with many manufacturers I've read there are 10s of thousands of cars already built and sitting on lots, waiting to get certain electronics modules popped in to finish them up. When the chips get produced and all those modules popped in, there will be a nice flow of product coming out to the dealers....
knowledge
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by knowledge »

thirdman wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 11:43 pm Buy a Tesla. No dealer, no dickering. :happy
It's what I'm doing. I'm taking advantage of the high resale value of my current ICE and getting a model 3. It's something I was planning to do, just under an accelerated timeline.
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Tubes
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by Tubes »

The retail sales statistics are out for July and car sales are down, helping product a larger than expected drop in the index.

Pundits are saying the auto sales component isn't necessarily because of covid-delta, confidence, or anything else. Rather, people just can't get the car they want.
sjeff3
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by sjeff3 »

I just bought a 2021 RDX SHAWD w/tech. I had emailed all the dealers in my area and got responses of $200-500 off MSRP. Then went thru COSTCO and got an instant price of $2900 off, plus a very good price for my trade. I was pleased.
GT99
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by GT99 »

z3r0c00l wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 5:16 pm I would wait 'till it cools down and buy a used car not new. A lightly used car will be $10,000 under sticker easy.
Depending on how you define "lightly used" and the specific vehicle, this wasn't widely true anymore before the chip shortage. Manufacturer Certification programs and other factors have narrowed the gap between New and Used over the past ~15 years or so.

In the current market, I doubt this is close to true for anything. The used market is probably crazier than new right now - Carvana just offered me $24,648 for a 2016 Honda Pilot EX-L that I paid $34,900 for near the end of 2015. It has almost 70k miles on it.
Hoosier CPA
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by Hoosier CPA »

barnaclebob wrote: Tue Aug 17, 2021 10:07 am Purchased a 4runner a month ago for MSRP and a 5 week wait from putting down a deposit. 4runners hadn't been selling for much under MSRP for the last few years so this market might have cost me a few grand. I wouldn't have paid more than MSRP.
I find it interesting that the models most in consumer demand are the ones like this - older, proven, reliable technology, while the regulations on the horizon seem to make manufacturing and selling them impossible. I'd like to find a truck or larger SUV and the prices are outrageous for me at least.
boogiehead
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by boogiehead »

Hogan773 wrote: Tue Aug 17, 2021 1:58 pm
Trader Joe wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 10:16 pm
Hogan773 wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 5:00 pm I have been eyeing getting a new car for past few years to replace one of ours which is now 10 yrs old. While I am always seemingly waiting to see what is about to come out, right now I have been looking at some Acura SUVs either MDX or RDX. This dumb chip shortage thing is killing my buying vibe. The sales guy told me they are getting $5k-$10k OVER STICKER right now as it is a hot model and demand is high. My Boglehead DNA will not allow me to pay MORE than sticker for a car. In fact, I have always prided myself on playing the negotiation game really hard to get a number right around INVOICE and not sticker.

Anyone in the business or in the know that has a sense of when new car inventories will come back to more normal? We talking later this fall or will it be a whole 'nother year? I know it WILL move back to normal markets and won't be this way forever.
It appears that the seller that you have been working with has identified you as a mark (a sucker).

I am currently in the process of purchasing new and multiple dealers are flocking to me to make a deal.

Phone calls, voicemails, emails, text messages. Constantly.

Best of luck.
ok slow the roll

I literally stopped at an Acura dealer after lunch one day to look at MDX and RDX in person, as I have been eyeing them on the roads. The 22-year old kid was nice and we sat inside them and looked at them. I chose not to do a test drive at this time because I am not motivated to buy in this market at the moment and I didn't want to take the time that day. I took his card, and didn't give him any of my info since I don't want the calls at this time. I am just reporting what the guy mentioned when I asked "so are these selling for sticker, or what?" I think you are taking some liberties by marking me as a "sucker" based on my very limited story here. But glad you are getting strong deals. Like someone else said, maybe you are buying a Buick or something that most people don't really clamor for, don't know

In the past I have always pushed to get pricing that is among the lowest I can find from others who are posting prices paid on Edmunds or whatever enthusiast forum I join for the car in question.
Seems like you have been out of the game for a while… anyone who shows up at a dealer in person without negotiating over email will be identified as a “sucker” to the sales guy so I would advise you start negotiating without stepping into the dealership and try to negotiate with the internet sales manager via email multiple dealerships to get better pricing
student
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by student »

pennywise wrote: Tue Aug 17, 2021 8:10 am Until I discovered that I'm screwed on that plan because I'm interested in one of the most popular vehicle styles: compact SUV. Specifically the RAV4 hybrid, which is just not available right now at least in my area.
Have you considered Venza? It is also a hybrid and I think a bit more than the RAV4 hybrid.
student
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by student »

Maybe it will give people a chance to try a car from an American company. A Buick dealer in the area has over 50 Encores on the lot with about $3,000 discount.
Topic Author
Hogan773
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by Hogan773 »

boogiehead wrote: Tue Aug 17, 2021 8:48 pm
Hogan773 wrote: Tue Aug 17, 2021 1:58 pm
Trader Joe wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 10:16 pm
Hogan773 wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 5:00 pm I have been eyeing getting a new car for past few years to replace one of ours which is now 10 yrs old. While I am always seemingly waiting to see what is about to come out, right now I have been looking at some Acura SUVs either MDX or RDX. This dumb chip shortage thing is killing my buying vibe. The sales guy told me they are getting $5k-$10k OVER STICKER right now as it is a hot model and demand is high. My Boglehead DNA will not allow me to pay MORE than sticker for a car. In fact, I have always prided myself on playing the negotiation game really hard to get a number right around INVOICE and not sticker.

Anyone in the business or in the know that has a sense of when new car inventories will come back to more normal? We talking later this fall or will it be a whole 'nother year? I know it WILL move back to normal markets and won't be this way forever.
It appears that the seller that you have been working with has identified you as a mark (a sucker).

I am currently in the process of purchasing new and multiple dealers are flocking to me to make a deal.

Phone calls, voicemails, emails, text messages. Constantly.

Best of luck.
ok slow the roll

I literally stopped at an Acura dealer after lunch one day to look at MDX and RDX in person, as I have been eyeing them on the roads. The 22-year old kid was nice and we sat inside them and looked at them. I chose not to do a test drive at this time because I am not motivated to buy in this market at the moment and I didn't want to take the time that day. I took his card, and didn't give him any of my info since I don't want the calls at this time. I am just reporting what the guy mentioned when I asked "so are these selling for sticker, or what?" I think you are taking some liberties by marking me as a "sucker" based on my very limited story here. But glad you are getting strong deals. Like someone else said, maybe you are buying a Buick or something that most people don't really clamor for, don't know

In the past I have always pushed to get pricing that is among the lowest I can find from others who are posting prices paid on Edmunds or whatever enthusiast forum I join for the car in question.
Seems like you have been out of the game for a while… anyone who shows up at a dealer in person without negotiating over email will be identified as a “sucker” to the sales guy so I would advise you start negotiating without stepping into the dealership and try to negotiate with the internet sales manager via email multiple dealerships to get better pricing
Oh dear lord I love statements like this

I stopped by a dealer to LOOK at a car. Without leaving any of my info. How am I supposed to start negotiating on the internet and email before I even have a lock on WHICH car I am negotiating on? Do you just email the dealers and ask them to give you the best price for "a car"?

Believe me every time I have bought a car, I have negotiated through internet and email first, and maybe phone follow up if necessary, and play dealer offers off each other. But there is a point before all that where one needs to actually SIT in a car, and also test drive it. I haven't gotten to that point yet of test driving, but before I start any buying process I would certainly do so.

I understand you are just popping into a thread without really reading but don't worry, I am not the type to just wander in off the street and say I need to buy a car today and please give me your best deal and oh by the way I am most interested in the monthly payment and not the total price of the car haha (the dealer's typical scheme)
pennywise
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by pennywise »

student wrote: Tue Aug 17, 2021 8:49 pm
pennywise wrote: Tue Aug 17, 2021 8:10 am Until I discovered that I'm screwed on that plan because I'm interested in one of the most popular vehicle styles: compact SUV. Specifically the RAV4 hybrid, which is just not available right now at least in my area.
Have you considered Venza? It is also a hybrid and I think a bit more than the RAV4 hybrid.
Thanks for the suggestion.

The Toyota salesman asked the same question-for our purposes, the Venza is a bit larger than what I want/need. Of course if my ancient car has a few more system or convenience failures, the size might grow to be just perfect!
SanAntionetta
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by SanAntionetta »

I just bought a 2021 Volvo S60 off the lot. It had 4,000 miles on it since they used it as a loaner so I got $3500 off.

The positive was that I sold my civic with almost 200k miles for $5,000. I've never gotten that much for a used civic before and I got more than 50 responses w/in 24H after posting it on FB marketplace.

I decided to buy new because used are actually more expensive. Plus buying a new Volvo included 5 years of scheduled maintenance which in itself is valuable.
SQRT
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by SQRT »

teuton33 wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 9:00 pm I bought a new BMW 3 series fairly loaded (m sport + premium packages) with sticker of 51.5 in June. I got it for 45k after negotiation + incentive.

I greatly prefer sedans to SUV. I think the market is significantly softer for sedans so you could give some sedans a look.
I replaced my 2013 M5 with a 2021 X3M comp in Dec/20. 5% under MSRP. Not that happy with it but will keep it for a couple years then consider something a little more age appropriate. Now would not be a good time to switch methinks.
Last edited by SQRT on Wed Aug 18, 2021 9:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
Rwsavory
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by Rwsavory »

Before this year, the last time we bought a car was in 2006. We don't put a lot of miles on them. In March of this year I saw a 2015 BMW coupe at Carmax that was exactly the model DW was looking for, and we bought it for a fair price, as it needed some reconditioning. Looking at prices for these since then, they really haven't gone up much. Turns out it was a good move, because our 1998 BMW with 170,000 miles blew a head gasket just a few months later.

A couple weeks ago I bought a 2019 Ford Fusion for a family member who was in a tough situation and needed a car asap. We found it at a Ford dealership, and my guess is I paid about 2K more than it would bring in a "normal" market. Still, it's a nice car with all the latest technology, and we did not have the luxury of waiting for a better deal. Our local market has a lot of used sedans for sale, and they don't seem to be turning over much.
Last edited by Rwsavory on Wed Aug 18, 2021 10:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
barnaclebob
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by barnaclebob »

Hogan773 wrote: Tue Aug 17, 2021 2:08 pm
RootSki wrote: Tue Aug 17, 2021 11:58 am I accidentally joined a “Car dealers only” group on Facebook. Why they approved me for membership is questionable, nonetheless the info I’ve read has been enlightening. Now is a terrible time to buy a car. Chip shortages are not going to subside anytime soon. The days of picking a car off the lot are coming to an end I believe. Pretty soon everything will be a custom order at MSRP.
Wow, that is a big prediction. That would be a major change for the industry for them to all move successfully to an "order and wait" model. Certainly they could lose a lot of real estate land for all those parking lots, but my guess is that the manufacturers and dealers who step out and hold some inventory will get the sales first, and then others will want to do so, and it will go back to the way it was. OEMs need to pump out the iron from the factories and keep them running. And a lot of people really don't want to WAIT months and months for a car. Now if you INCENTIVIZE me to wait by offering a discount if I place an order and wait, allowing the factory to optimize their production schedule by only producing what they need and not over-producing, then I am game to do that.

By the way, with many manufacturers I've read there are 10s of thousands of cars already built and sitting on lots, waiting to get certain electronics modules popped in to finish them up. When the chips get produced and all those modules popped in, there will be a nice flow of product coming out to the dealers....
Car dealers thinking they can go long term to "order and wait at MSRP" seems like a guaranteed ticket to industry consolidation to companies like carvana where you can just order a car and have it dropped off. Amazon would probably get into that game. I certainly wouldn't mind it, think of all the real estate that could be opened for other purposes.
SethJane42
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by SethJane42 »

Hanging on to my '05 Toyota Corolla. Still runs great. Paid it off in '06. I like my 6-CD deck that came with.
Californiastate
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by Californiastate »

SethJane42 wrote: Wed Aug 18, 2021 9:32 am Hanging on to my '05 Toyota Corolla. Still runs great. Paid it off in '06. I like my 6-CD deck that came with.
I know an individual who has been acquiring old Camrys for decades. They are mostly wrecks and few if any are running. IIRC he's planning for an armageddon scenario where he'll act like Dr. Frankenstein, reconstitute units and flood the market. I think he's currently missing his opportunity.
teuton33
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by teuton33 »

SQRT wrote: Wed Aug 18, 2021 9:24 am
teuton33 wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 9:00 pm I bought a new BMW 3 series fairly loaded (m sport + premium packages) with sticker of 51.5 in June. I got it for 45k after negotiation + incentive.

I greatly prefer sedans to SUV. I think the market is significantly softer for sedans so you could give some sedans a look.
I replaced my 2013 M5 with a 2021 X3M comp in Dec/20. 5% under MSRP. Not that happy with it but will keep it for a couple years then consider something a little more age appropriate. Now would not be a good time to switch methinks.
Age appropriate? Is the x3 too young for you or too old?
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Huygens
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by Huygens »

Anyone have experience using a broker to negotiate with dealers? If you do it yourself, do you do it anonymously?
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ImUrHuckleberry
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by ImUrHuckleberry »

I had to buy a new car last month when my head gasket went on a car too old to bother fixing. Ended up paying about the same for a used 2019 Honda with low (4000) miles as I would have paid brand new in 2019. But there were no new ones available anywhere around that price right now. (Honda Accord Sport 2.0T and I had to have exactly that.)
Madbull
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by Madbull »

Hogan773 wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 5:00 pm ....right now I have been looking at some Acura SUVs either MDX or RDX. This dumb chip shortage thing is killing my buying vibe. The sales guy told me they are getting $5k-$10k OVER STICKER right now as it is a hot model and demand is high...
As others have mentioned, definitely find another dealer if you want one of those models. 'Market Adjustments' are pure BS on every day vehicles IMO, and I'd avoid that dealer at all costs. Especially if you go the MDX route, as they're in higher demand than the RDX due to their redesign. It truly is market-dependent though, what your local dealers have, and what those outside your city, (and even State), have either in stock or slots they have to order.

We purchased a '21 RDX Advanced SHAWD at the end of April. We spent about a month going to different dealers of multiple manufacturers to narrow down what we wanted, (from Subbie, to Audi, to Infiniti, to Toyota, et, etc, etc). We knew exactly what color/trim/options we wanted, and we had two options matching in the entire state at the time, both about 3 hours away from us in different cities. One of them didn't want to even speak to us unless we went there in person, the other was willing to chat via e-mail and phone.

We paid MRSP - the Acura incentive at the time, and then got the various 'dealer options' taken off as well, (ie; Lighted door sills, all-weather mats and cargo liner, tint, wheel locks, their version of ceramic coating, etc). They also matched the Carvana/Carmax on our '13 Buick sight unseen with just a pic of odometer, which like many have observed this year was well above what we expected.

Salesman drove it from DFW area down to ATX area the following day, (last day of the month), we signed everything, and he drove our Buick back. (The Buick was actually posted online the following day, and sold the day after that, haha).

Would I have liked more than just the manufacturer incentive and them knocking off the ~1.5k in extras? Of course. Am I okay with the bottom line considering the market and supply issues right now? Yuppers, absolutely.

(Semi-related - If you are an extended warranty person, I highly recommend https://hyannishondacare.com/questionnaire.php a dealer up in Massachusetts who sells online all over the US for only a minor cost as they rely on volume sales. We used them in '15 on our Accord and again this time. Got the maximum D82 8-year 120k mile zero ded Acuracare plan for $1,940, versus the finance guy wanted more than double that and not budging).

HTH. :thumbsup
Chuckles960
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by Chuckles960 »

SethJane42 wrote: Wed Aug 18, 2021 9:32 am Hanging on to my '05 Toyota Corolla. Still runs great. Paid it off in '06. I like my 6-CD deck that came with.
One nice thing about older cars is that one can replace the head unit (radio).

A new radio will take USB drives or SD cards that can hold thousands of CDs' worth, will have no mechanical parts to go bad, and will also let you use Android Auto/Apple Carplay. Crutchfield doesn't have the lowest prices, but it sells custom wiring harnesses that make the switch painless.
teuton33
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by teuton33 »

Hogan773 wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 5:00 pm I have been eyeing getting a new car for past few years to replace one of ours which is now 10 yrs old. While I am always seemingly waiting to see what is about to come out, right now I have been looking at some Acura SUVs either MDX or RDX. This dumb chip shortage thing is killing my buying vibe. The sales guy told me they are getting $5k-$10k OVER STICKER right now as it is a hot model and demand is high. My Boglehead DNA will not allow me to pay MORE than sticker for a car. In fact, I have always prided myself on playing the negotiation game really hard to get a number right around INVOICE and not sticker.

Anyone in the business or in the know that has a sense of when new car inventories will come back to more normal? We talking later this fall or will it be a whole 'nother year? I know it WILL move back to normal markets and won't be this way forever.
Why not look at a different vehicle brand?

It is not an efficient market right now. As you will see on this thread, some have even gotten a new car for less than MSRP. It varies brand to brand and car to car.

Why pay 10k over sticker for a MDX or RDX when you can get a different make and pay MSRP or even under for the same quality of car? Makes no sense.
finite_difference
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by finite_difference »

If buying a new car, I’d look into BEV / plug-in hybrid. It will save you a lot of money over time.
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psteinx
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by psteinx »

So, I've spent some time today poking around websites and talking to some dealers.

Looking to potentially add a small-ish, new, hatchback, with good safety features. Prime contenders are Honda Civic Hatch, Subaru Impreza Hatch, Toyota Corolla Hatch. Open (but not excited about) late model used.

===

Inventory on the above 3 is VERY sparse. I'm in a decent sized metro area - a shade under 3 million. Depending on how one counts inventory (count inbound on truck? count a used with <3K miles? etc...) there seems to be maybe 0-4 or so, total, of each model, at the relatively popular trim point I'm targeting.

Honda dealership has some that I could basically put down a deposit on, pickup (if things go well) in ~3-4 weeks, and pay MSRP+dest+$199 doc fee+ $531 dealer junk accessories (floormats, etc.) Also, those are '21s, and there's a major Civic refresh that starts with '22s, but '22 hatches are not coming out for a while. :(

Subaru dealer claims I can order one at "invoice", $1200-1500 below MSRP, but only for later delivery (~early October). Not sure what junk fees/accessories, if any, might be tacked on.

Multiple Toyota dealers seem to be at MSRP+dest+doc fee ($200-300), less a $500 factory rebate on '22s, with a small number available now-ish.

I typically measure pricing from MSRP+dest, excluding doc fees (aka dealer profits) but also rebates and of course trade-ins. Taxes in my state (Missouri) are paid separately to the state, so I don't consider them directly in my mental pricing model.

Last August, by this standard, I was able to buy a new CR-V and a new Civic Hatch at about 93-95% of MSRP+dest. I think in more normal times, a reasonable target for Honda/Toyota would be around 89-92%. Today, it'd be around 103% for Civic (with delayed delivery), 99% for Corolla (available now-ish), and perhaps 95-97% for Impreza (with delayed delivery). Maybe if I got into serious haggling/cross shopping I could shave a hair more off of that.

So, by my model, a $25K MSRP Honda is perhaps overpriced by around $3.2K, and Toyota by maybe $2.2K, relative to what they might be if times were more normal...
Last edited by psteinx on Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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CenTexan
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by CenTexan »

bloom2708 wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 6:52 pm The car market always “feels high”.

Wait for the next car market crash. 🤭🤔
Hey - isn't that market timing? What you doin' posting such heresy here on BH?? :shock:
tibbitts
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by tibbitts »

Chuckles960 wrote: Wed Aug 18, 2021 1:36 pm
SethJane42 wrote: Wed Aug 18, 2021 9:32 am Hanging on to my '05 Toyota Corolla. Still runs great. Paid it off in '06. I like my 6-CD deck that came with.
One nice thing about older cars is that one can replace the head unit (radio).

A new radio will take USB drives or SD cards that can hold thousands of CDs' worth, will have no mechanical parts to go bad, and will also let you use Android Auto/Apple Carplay. Crutchfield doesn't have the lowest prices, but it sells custom wiring harnesses that make the switch painless.
As with replacing a hard drive or adding memory to a PC, and having installed a few stereos (using Crutchfield kits, actually) I wouldn't be so confident about the process being painless. It's easy to break parts while accessing in-dash components. Like with laptops, the covers are generally held in with a combination of plastic and metal clips, and some percentage of them will break when pried apart - even when carefully pried apart. If you just break a replaceable metal clip that's no big deal (although ordering replacements can be an interesting experience), but if you break the molded-in tabs or slots where the clips attach, that part will never go back in exactly the way it came out. Experience with a specific model can definitely help, but even for someone who does nothing else all day long, it takes a long time to encounter every make and model, and even then, you have to remember the little tricks for all those models. I'm sure if all you did was a few models all day long you'd get to where you didn't break anything pretty quickly, but leave a lot of shrapnel in your path.
Chuckles960
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by Chuckles960 »

I've not broken anything in my car in setting up a new radio that also shows video from a backup camera. But anyway, my main point was, if you buy a new car (with a head unit that also controls various settings and displays various bits of car info) you cannot ever change it or get it changed. So I'm not giving up my old Mazda3.
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by abuss368 »

Dave55 wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 5:56 pm I bought a new 2021 Lexus RX350 for $4K under sticker end of May.

Dave
Baloney Dave! I was driving back from Cape Cod last weekend and your stretch limo blew past me in Stamford, CT on the way into New York City! For a man in your position, time is money! 😂🤣

Tony

P.S. That really did happen - limo blowing past on I-95 in Stamford - windows cracked and smoke flying out!
Last edited by abuss368 on Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Dave55
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by Dave55 »

abuss368 wrote: Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:14 pm
Dave55 wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 5:56 pm I bought a new 2021 Lexus RX350 for $4K under sticker end of May.

Dave
Baloney Dave! I was driving back from Cape Cod last weekend and your stretch limo blew past me in Stamford, CT on the way into New York City! For a man in your position, time is money! 😂🤣

Tony

P.S. That really did happen - limo blowing past on I-95 in Stamford - windows crack and smoke flying out!
Tony, Were you driving your Studebaker?

Dave
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abuss368
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by abuss368 »

Dave55 wrote: Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:37 pm
abuss368 wrote: Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:14 pm
Dave55 wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 5:56 pm I bought a new 2021 Lexus RX350 for $4K under sticker end of May.

Dave
Baloney Dave! I was driving back from Cape Cod last weekend and your stretch limo blew past me in Stamford, CT on the way into New York City! For a man in your position, time is money! 😂🤣

Tony

P.S. That really did happen - limo blowing past on I-95 in Stamford - windows crack and smoke flying out!
Tony, Were you driving your Studebaker?

Dave
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abuss368
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by abuss368 »

Dave55 wrote: Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:37 pm
abuss368 wrote: Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:14 pm
Dave55 wrote: Mon Aug 16, 2021 5:56 pm I bought a new 2021 Lexus RX350 for $4K under sticker end of May.

Dave
Baloney Dave! I was driving back from Cape Cod last weekend and your stretch limo blew past me in Stamford, CT on the way into New York City! For a man in your position, time is money! 😂🤣

Tony

P.S. That really did happen - limo blowing past on I-95 in Stamford - windows crack and smoke flying out!
Tony, Were you driving your Studebaker?

Dave
Dave - was this you?😂

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Sandtrap
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by Sandtrap »

Recently bought 2 new cats.
50k+ each
2021
Both Japaneses, Toyota n Honda
Both dealers did cash deals well below list.
We were able to get the exact cars we wanted.

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tibbitts
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by tibbitts »

Chuckles960 wrote: Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:03 pm I've not broken anything in my car in setting up a new radio that also shows video from a backup camera. But anyway, my main point was, if you buy a new car (with a head unit that also controls various settings and displays various bits of car info) you cannot ever change it or get it changed. So I'm not giving up my old Mazda3.
I haven't tried for a couple of decades, but have had to disassemble dashboards to a similar extent for other reasons - and a couple of times had pros do that for me, with similarly less-than-spectacular results. I just assumed you couldn't replace a modern unit with a third-party product that would understand all the unrelated-to-stereo factory features (or even leave the car in operating condition), but... just glancing now, the usual websites like Crutchfield certainly don't seem to say anything different about compatibility than they did decades ago, so maybe you can?
TimeTheMarket
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by TimeTheMarket »

tibbitts wrote: Wed Aug 18, 2021 7:29 pm
Chuckles960 wrote: Wed Aug 18, 2021 6:03 pm I've not broken anything in my car in setting up a new radio that also shows video from a backup camera. But anyway, my main point was, if you buy a new car (with a head unit that also controls various settings and displays various bits of car info) you cannot ever change it or get it changed. So I'm not giving up my old Mazda3.
I haven't tried for a couple of decades, but have had to disassemble dashboards to a similar extent for other reasons - and a couple of times had pros do that for me, with similarly less-than-spectacular results. I just assumed you couldn't replace a modern unit with a third-party product that would understand all the unrelated-to-stereo factory features (or even leave the car in operating condition), but... just glancing now, the usual websites like Crutchfield certainly don't seem to say anything different about compatibility than they did decades ago, so maybe you can?
Certainly depends on car. New Volvo...forget it. I have a 2013 sienna and got a third party unit that does more (and still has backup camera), including stuff like individual tire pressures (stock 2013 sienna never showed these). But in my case the air conditioning was controlled separately. However, pretty sure my unit actually does support climate in other vehicles. There are intermediary devices between the car and the wire harness—vehicle specific—that open up a ton of options.
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protagonist
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Re: Anyone buying cars right now?

Post by protagonist »

FWIW the best time to buy the prior year's inventory (2021) is usually around October or November, if you can hold out a few months.
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