So last week my wife ran into some vehicle
troubles. This was the last straw for her. There wasn't going to be another “let’s find a nice used one that can make it through the
summer” or “Let’s get this one through the winter and we can get something
better next spring”. That only works 3 or 4 times. It was time to
get a new vehicle.
So of course, that was going to be my
task. So I put my boxing gloves on, threw in my mouth piece and was
prepared for battle. Ok, maybe not, but let’s be real, the experience
should be something to get excited about, not dread! But I tried to be
optimistic and went in with an open mind.
The thrift shopper in me didn't look for
a new vehicle right away, I had to look for something slightly used first. In doing so, I found exactly what I wanted. It was the style
and color vehicle my wife wanted with just a few miles on it, PERFECT!!
So I walked into the dealership, told the salesman I want to purchase that
explorer. I told him, I need a vehicle before the weekend, and I want to
get a deal done today (this is on a Friday). This is where the fun began
(and I just walked in the door!).
I told the salesman to give me their
best price on the vehicle because I didn't want to play around. He told me he would have to speak with his sales manager and get back to me. I
had an appointment to get to so I left.
I returned an hour later and asked the
salesman if he had that price for me yet. It was at that moment that he
slowly fumbled with some papers he had on his desk, and pushed one across to
me. He was trying to present to me a list of comparable vehicles that
have sold and that were still for sale. The average price on those
vehicle miraculously was $3000 higher than what they had their listed for, yet
theirs had still been sitting on their lot for 60 days (in the real estate
world that would be like having your home listed for 6 months). He then
started trying to explain the list to me and say how competitive their price
was. I tried to be polite, but cut in and asked him if the price he was
going to offer me for the vehicle was $3000 higher than what they had it listed
at. He looked at me in awe. He replied and said no, I would have to
offer him a price first before they would talk numbers with me.
Knowing they were not going to talk, I
made an offer $1900 under what their asking price was. I thought it was
respectable but obviously something they were not going to do. The savvy
salesman in me just wanted them to counter and give me something to work
with. The response I received irritated me. He said, “No, I can't sell it for that, you'll have to come up.” He wouldn't even counter my offer. I thought to myself, “in the real estate world, if the seller
says no, that means end of negotiations. I might as well write up a new
purchase agreement on a new house because they probable aren't going to work
with you.” I liked the vehicle though. So I upped my price to $900
under what they had it listed for. This is where the deal started to turn
south for me.
The sales manager said, “No, I can't do
it, you'll have to come up”, and he walked away. It was at that time that
I could tell the salesman was getting a little nervous that he was going to
lose his deal. He looked at me and said, “Mark, offer him $400 under list
price and for a full tank of gas.”
I will let you think about that for a
minute.
Did you see it yet?
I was completely sold on the $400 under
list price. I liked the vehicle, and it was at a competitive price.
BUT
A TANK OF GAS?!?! If I ever buy a vehicle
from a dealer and they do not fill the tank, it would be the last time I would
ever buy a vehicle from that dealer. To me, it would be like buying a
house and having the sellers ask if the price included the light bulbs.
Yeah it’s just a tank of gas, and they probably would have filled it
anyway. It’s the thought that they would attempt to use it as part of
the negotiation that burned me up. After I heard that, I was done.
There are so many occasions that people
lose sight of the big picture and focus too heavily on small affairs.
There can be so much more to a sale than just how much you make off the
product. To me, it is all about the experience and the
relationships. I would rather pay more for a product, and buy it through
someone I enjoy working with, than buying the same product for less, through
someone that just considers me as another number. I ended up working with a dealer down the road. Their price was competitive, the staff was great, and we actually ended up with not one but two brand new vehicles. At RE/MAX Lakes Area Realty, you will never be a number...you will be treated like the friend you will become; from beginning; to end; and beyond.
Contributed by Mark Pietig a Real Estate professional at RE/MAX Lakes Area Realty in Nisswa. Call our office at 218-963-9554 and talk to Mark about your Real Estate needs. You may also email Mark at mark@pietigproperties.com or visit his website at www.pietigproperties.com for more information.
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