Need Advice from 370Z Owners - Buying My First!

PearlWhite55

Dealership keeps emailing me to 'come drive/try the car' - I keep emailing back 'I don't think it's a Touring model (citing heated seats/bluetooth/etc) - please run the VIN and send me confirmation that it's a Touring or confirm it's a Base with seat upgrades - and then adjust price accordingly - and maybe I'll come drive it…'

You guys think $17k would be a good offer if it's a Base with seat/door insert upgrades?

Thanks again for your patience and advice!

andyj

If you still want to deal with this dealership and/or pursue this specific vehicle, then I would suggest that you send them one more email, asking them again to verify whether it's a Touring or a base and asking them to answer your specific questions, otherwise, tell them that you are not interested and not to send you anymore emails. Might as well begin the negotiating process now, and not allow them to "control the deal" by not answering your questions and by getting you to do what they want you to do, which is to come in before you're ready. Tell them you're not going to waste your time if the car is not what you want, and you're not going to go to the dealership to find that out.

Also, I always try to have more than one car researched (car fax, already talked to dealer, questions answered) and on my list when I go to a dealership to look and drive a car. That way, I am less likely to make a bad deal since I won't feel like a particular car is my only option, and it makes it easier on me to walk if I don't like the deal.

To value the car for an offer, in addition to KBB I would look at Edmunds.com.
In my experience, dealers cite Kelly values to customers, and Kelly seems to me to be usually higher than Edmunds (for some reason I don't know). Here are the Edmunds numbers on this car:

'10 conv 42k miles manual BASE model:
trade 19012
private party 20596
retail 22058

Same car TOURING model
trade 20782
private party 22472
retail 24031

If the dealer says "well we use Kelly not Edmunds", I would say "well I use Edmunds not Kelly". Then you'll find out whether they want your money more than their car, or visa versa.