How I have scored invoice pricing with 3.99% APR on my 370Z?

Originally Posted by xTIMMYxCOREx

I actually found a car and I should be picking it up Saturday. Big big thanks to Koeppel Nissan on here for making it all happen!! I have to say this message board is full of awesome people. I hope there is a meetup soon so we can all meet and show off our 370Zs!!

Originally Posted by FuszNissan

^^Loser

Originally Posted by slease

Thanks for the great info AK.

I applied and got pre-approved but Penfed said they want a purchase order before I can get the loan.

What exactly does this mean?

Originally Posted by Daishi

You can get lower or similar rates at a regular bank than penfed. dont have to go through the hassel of signing up for a buncha stuff like you do with penfed and waiting for paperwork and you can apply right online. I financed my car originaly for 72 months because I planned on keeping the car for a long time. I made 6 payments on it and just refinanced it for 66 months through chase which is the same amount of payments I owe and got 3.84% which is better than what penfed offers AND its technically a used car which have higher rates than when new.

Originally Posted by mr_sparkle

true... bank of america offers 3.25% which is what I got...

Originally Posted by AK370Z

Yes, here’s how I have scored invoice pricing from the convenience of my living room couch!

First step: Getting invoice pricing

I know you guys are aware of the invoice pricing thread and have used the thread to submit offers to various dealers. I have done the exact same thing but the only difference is that I have put that in a MS word document with a fancy table so that it’s easier to read and looks a bit more professional. I have got the idea from a member of a BMW forum (got to give proper credit). Instead of just sending an email with numbers, it’s a letter that looks a lot better and dealer knows that not only you know what you’re talking about but you’re a knowledgeable person.

Then I went to Nissanusa.com and on the bottom left hand side there’s a space where you can put your zip code and find the nearest dealers. I have used my closest 8 dealers for my 1st batch of emails. I simply went to their website and from their “our team” page, I copied the Sales Manager’s email. Some cases I couldn’t find the Sales Manager’s email and had to use General Manager’s email. The reason you want to send it to General Manager/Sales manager is because he/she can give you yes or no faster than those random sales guy. They are also more educated and least likely to give you the run around.

Within the next 3 days, I have got various replies from those dealerships. Few said yes, few said no and few didn’t even bother writing me back. Those who said yes, I have simply told them when I’m going to come in.

Second Step: Know how much your trade in worth

I was going to trade my 350Z in for the deal. So, I needed to find out how much my car worth. KBB is helpful, but there are so many things that dealers check when you trade your car in, it’s better to have them give you the number. One of our member (can’t remember if it’s “semtex” or “pushing tin”) said that CarMax offers the most money for their trade in. So next morning, I go straight to my nearest CarMax to get a trade in appraisal. In my case, it’s the one in MD which is only 150 miles away. This way, before I walk into ANY of those Nissan dealers, I have an approximate idea how much they are going to give me for my trade in. You always want to do this because if a dealer gives you less, you can simply show them how much another dealer offered for the same car. I did it because I want to know Nissan dealers are not giving me a crappy trade in value. ALWAYS do you homework before you're walking into a dealership.

Third Step: Financing

I was told even with my great credit (790+ FICO score), I am only going to get 6.99% APR. To me that was absolutely unacceptable! I have worked hard to keep my credit score where it is today and I deserve a better rate. So, I went to my nearest credit union and they told me I will get 5.74% APR from their financial institution. I was okay with it but not totally happy. So, I start researching how I can get a better rate. Then I found out about the Pentagon Federal Credit Union. They are offering 3.99% APR on all new car purchase!!! I was sold! But there was a problem. I am not in the Army, Coast Guard or Air Force. How can I get such rate? Well, answer is simple. You can pay $20 and become member of NMFA (National Military Family Association - Option 7) and you’ll get the loan with desired APR. I was surprised to see the knowledge of these customer service reps. I had a very good experience with them. Once you’re member, you’ll have to fill out a loan application ONLINE and you’ll instantly know if you’re approved or no for the 3.99% APR. Then they will FEDEX you check the next day or you can go pick it up at your nearest branch. I opted for the next day FEDEX.

Fourth Step: Closing the deal:

Upon returning from CarMax, I knew how much my car was worth. Then I walked into Team Nissan of Vineland where I have my appointment with the “General Sales Manager”. Why I chose Team Nissan as my first stop? They are recognized by the Owner’s first award for 2009 and only two dealers have that honor for the year 2009 in the state of NJ. I walked in and he was a very professional man. He appraised the car and gave me a very generous amount for my trade in. It was at least 1000 more than what CarMax offered me. I was very happy. Then, without any talking, he makes a worksheet with the exact invoice pricing that I have offered via email. No hidden fees and his number matched EXACTLY the way I emailed him. We were done within 20 minutes!!! I had to ask him, “So, What’s the catch?” His reply, “We are not a big fan of catches. If we were, then our name wouldn’t be listed on the Owner’s First Honors List”. I was sold. I didn’t leave the dealership for another 2 hours because we started talking about GTR and Nismo 350Z and other news from Nissan Corp. We also laughed about the new Nissan Cube but realized all Nissan want to do is expand their earnings to various different customers.


I am very happy how things turn out for me. I am not going to bore you with my long story anymore. The Z looks great, drives great. Thanks for reading.

You can find picture of the Z here Just Picked up my Monterey Blue 370Z **Pics Inside**

Originally Posted by Ry244

Just so everyone is aware, the deal from pentagon is now 2.99%!!!! Great people and easy to deal with. Great post! If I didnt just get screwed by my dealer, this is def the route I would have taken. Just sayin!