Dilemma + Dealer Trading Fee?
 

Evening all,

New to the forums; you guys all seem like a pretty kewl bunch. Anyways, I'm currently in the process of trying to purchase a Z. Hoping to get some advise! This coming Sunday, I have plans to sell my current 2005 Acura TL A-Spec. Great car, but it's time to move on. Anyways, Robert was kind enough to get me a VPP# and all things have worked out well so far. However, my local dealer doesn't seem to have the color combo I'm interested in - PW, MB, or PG (6mt w/ Sport, Non-Navi). The 40th Ann is the only available color/package on their lot. It's a nice color, but I just don't care much for the purple hue and red leathered interior. They've offered to do a dealer swap, but are intent on charging me $200 to do so (or a couple of hundred more to truck it; has to be even further though); it would be driven from Oregon :mad: meaning I'd essentially be paying for someone else to put miles on my new car! Anyways, not a fan of the dealer swap. Anyways, looking a couple months out, our region has nothing. I've contacted Danny (dealership vendor/sponsor here) to try and see if I can fly down to get the right color combo, but being in Seattle...driving from Socal back to Seattle might be a little burdensome, especially during this season.

Any advise as to what I should/could do? I'm wondering if you can still apply VPP to factory orders? May be my last option...

Thanks,
Eric :tiphat:

Pay for the flatbed, or offer to drive it back yourself. I always end up dealer trading to get the car and price that I want...

Yeah...That's a fair deal. They incur real costs doing a swap. Don't cheap out now...You're buying the car at VPP.....

I did a dealer trade for mine. They charge $200 dollars but added it to my down payment.

I got my car for $200 over invoice through the USAA car buying program.

They did a trade with a dealership about 400 miles away and sent a low boy trailer to go pick it up. Took an extra week for them to get it all set up and taken care of, but I didn't pay a dime for it.

I don't know how VPP compares to the deal I got and if it would really put them out that much.

VPP got extended? That's pretty cool if it did. FYI - When I started my hunt last yr, I was getting VPP +$0 even if the dealer had to "locate" and drive one back for me. And +$500 if they were going to trailer it in. They were looking as far north as NH and as far west as Pittsburgh and as far south as VA. So I'm not sure how many miles it is that they would have to travel but you can use my example as a reference. Now $200 isn't much but the dealer I was first dealing with was not tacking on any fees. Regardless, he couldn't locate the exact combo I wanted and he gave me my $ back.

It's up to you, if you NEED to have it, then you're gonna have to pay something to get it since you don't have any local. Either in $$$ or tacking on miles. I wasn't thrilled about having someone drive my new car a couple hundred miles. And I wasn't thrilled about getting a 1way flight and driving it all the way home while still breaking in.

It's your call but I also do have to say, you're pretty flexible with your color choices. I can't believe you can't find one. Have you tried other dealers?

The USAA car buying program is really good. If you are a member you can get a car at a better price than the VPP I think.

A Sport non nav is $30,300 from their program. Over 3K off MSRP.

I am indeed. I have a preference for the PG, and then MG, but evidently, none of my listed color combos are anywhere in our state, new. There's one in Oregon (white) and a PG in Idaho. Sure, $200 isn't crazy expensive, in fact, it really isn't bad at all, but the Z in itself is a bit out of my..."league" if you will. Hope I don't get flamed - I'm 21, and the car's a very generous gift. Having to deal with dealer trades only pushes the line further away from me!

No flames, but you really should re-consider the purchase if the $200 pushes the envelope. You're gonna be hating life with a huge Car payment and debt at 21.......You've heard of Ramen noodles?

IMO Not really a very good financial move in this day and age.

I've had a bad experience with dealer trades, so I'd like to stay away. But it looks like my only option at this point! Always afraid I'll get some beaten up, ridden hard, over revved car. :shakes head:

Very true. But saving a bit here and then wouldn't hurt? ...am I being cheap? :ohsnap1:

Interesting. I'll try to reference your circumstance. May I ask from what dealer?

Not a dime huh? Can I also have the name of your purchased dealer? Very nice!

You must be referring to the Base + Sport, yes?




Thanks all for the quick responses. I'll try to keep this updated. I may have more questions, so check back from time to time! VERY thankful!

HAHAHA - Ramen Noodles! LOL what I meant by "pushing the envelope" was referring to "the gift." Adding on requests (like paying an extra $200 to get the car) lessens the likelihood of all of this working out and getting "approved" if you will. Even if I were to pay for the $200 (which I would)...no right in being pushy for a free gift, know what I mean? :icon17:

Yet another economic gimmick! Don't give in to 'em!

So someone's GIVING you the Fooking car and you're whining about $200 out of your pocket to get what you want, When you want it?????????????????????

Unbelievable..Good luck with the rest of your life. You're gonna need it with an attitude like that...

Jerry's Nissan in Weatherford, TX
Jerry Durant Auto Group | And Preowned Auto Dealer | Weatherford, Texas
Adam in Web Sales
(817)341-5707

He might remember me, I talked to the guy like every day for 2 weeks.

Yea if you're getting the car for free, I have no sympathy for you lol. My dealer was in Houston and they had to trade for another car in Dallas, which is around 4 hours away. Originally the car was going to be shipped over but the shipping company screwed up and couldn't get the car in by the weekend. The dealer offered to drive me down to Dallas and drive my car back.

Guys, his car isn't free enough! Help him out!

NO NO NO! Damn...I'm terrible at explaining! Asian parents don't care much about me spending anything "extra" to get my hands on the car. It's a deal breaker for them...

Now I'm coming off as a weiner, aren't I?! :wtf2: Sorry about the misunderstanding :tiphat:

Damn. It's a gift for getting into Dental School. Probably shouldn't have mentioned that part, eh?

:owned: I'll admit.

:wtf2:

My parents bought me a college education. So at a time when I was saving money my peers were paying back student loans. Years later I am able to buy a Z. But I will say if I ever got to a place in life were I could afford college for three kids and a great new car for each, I would. It's not you fault your parents are able to do things like this. Just try not to brag;)

:icon18: Back in the 80s, one of my friends bought a brand new Toyota Supra. Everyone thought he was rich, but in fact he never had money to spend on lunch or dinner and in the trunk of his Supra was full of Ramen noodles. :icon18:

:tiphat:

Either way I think it's still a small price to pay to get the car you want shipped without having someone else driving it. You'll regret it more if you get a car you don't really want and saved a few bucks. Then again being asian, I understand your dilemma lol

If I were you, I'd make it a road trip and try to drive the car back yourself.

:icon18: LOL I'm considering. Switched to another dealer in Puyallup. They're so much more friendlier. They offered to drive me, and pick it up. Unfortunately, we discovered that the remaining 2010 MB was in Idaho; will have to ship or wait for another MB coming in May. Thanks all for your thoughts! Greatly appreciated.

Eric

A. Pay to have it Flat bed.
B. Can't drive due to insurance reasons. You are not the owner of the car. The dealership is and you are not on the payroll, so you will be a liability to the Dealer.
C. VPP only works for in-stock

Hope that helps.

In regards to B, I originally thought that was the case but I guess it's up to the dealership to take a chance or maybe depends how their insurance is set up.

After I picked up my car, it was late saturday and they let me take the car home for the weekend and come back on Monday to do the paperwork. It still had untitled vehicle dealer plates. I wonder what they would do if something happened to the car and I refused to buy it. I never actually signed anything and I don't remember them even taking my driver's license lol

Old Men...............
 

I drive dealer trades for our local Nissan Dealer. I am 67 years old and have done this type of spare time work since my retirement 7 years ago. As you can see I currently own a 370 and owned a 350 since August of 02. Myself and several other "Ole Timers" do this type of work and don't expect to make a living doing so. But the Dealers still do pay us. They in turn must recoup their expenses to send us after your car. That includes our salaries, food, gas, tolls (if they apply) and any other expense that may result in obtaining your car for you. We not only drive them back but we also will pull trailers (only those of us that have experience) to get your car. Since traffic tickets can mean the lose of our jobs, we only drive at posted highway speeds. We are held responsible for any damage to your car and are expected to pay the insurance deductible (in our case that's $1000). So you can see that we drive them very safe. We don't take any chances or speed. So its safe to say that having a dealer do a "Dealer Trade" for your new "Z" is a quick and easy way for you to get the car of your choice quickly and safely............

:twocents:
.

Honestly if something would have happened to the car, it would have been on the dealer not you. Might be a long drawn out law suit , but they would still be the owner of the car.

MS,

Thank you very much for your post. You've set me at ease. I used to work for Acura of Bellevue in high school. Lot attendants were sent to Oregon, etc. to fetch cars and drive them back. Unfortunately, there wasn't a single car that I went to fetch, but I heard stories. What's the dealer to know about something they don't know of? Nissan actually mentioned the "old timers" part, but in all honesty, I just thought they were full of it! Thank you MS.

Eric