How much can I negotiate off a used car?

[Hardbat]

I'm looking at buying a GTO soon, and I found an 05 at a dealership for 18k. The NADA "Clean Retail" for this car is 17,400. Obviously, I am not going to pay sticker price for this vehicle. Something that could either work in my favor, or against me, is the fact that I live 5 hours from the dealership, so all negotiating would likely be done via email, as I'll be damned if I'm gonna make a 5 hour trip to buy a vehicle if a final price has not been negotiated.

Like I said, that could work in my favor as they know I won't come unless a price is agreed upon, but it could also work against me cuz as soon as I got there, they would know that I've already made a big commitment by making a 5 hour trip, so they could try jacking up the price, or tacking on unnecessary extras.

It's been almost 7 years since I've bought a car, so I'm a little out of practice when it comes to the car buying game. How much would I be able to talk the dealer down in price? I've been told to offer 15% below the sticker price and negotiate up from there, so basically a 15k opening offer?

[ItHurtz]

I dont know why your posting in a gp forum. But I bet you could get 16 5 out the door. Dealers can read you look a book so if they can intimidate you, you wont stand a chance. I talked down a 13k car to 10 5 out the door when my g/f was looking. Didnt buy it, but it was fun. Famous line they use is " I gotta make some money off of it" or something close to that. I laughed at them and said I dont care if you make a penny.

[ctracer]

being 5 hours away they already can reel you in...they know that there is a low chance of you driving 5 hours away and not buying the car.

[Hardbat]

I'm posting on here cuz I have a GP, and the GTO forum I was looking at doesn't really have an OT thread.....

I wouldn't have to pay sales tax at the dealership since I'm not a resident of the state the vehicle is in, so the OTD price could possibly even be 1k lower than the 16.5k. Granted, I would have to pay that 1k in taxes in my home state though. I would love if I could get it for 15.5k.

[Hardbat]

being 5 hours away they already can reel you in...they know that there is a low chance of you driving 5 hours away and not buying the car.

But they also know that they would have to make a pretty sweet deal to get me to to even make the drive. At least all negotiating will be done via email. I'd probably cave in during an in-person negotiation.

[ItHurtz]

They wont make ANY deal with u being 5hrs away. Why would they pamper you when they can get a local to pay what they are selling it for.....

[Hardbat]

Good point.....

[Tuner-Extraordinaire]

I'm looking at buying a GTO soon, and I found an 05 at a dealership for 18k. The NADA "Clean Retail" for this car is 17,400. Obviously, I am not going to pay sticker price for this vehicle. Something that could either work in my favor, or against me, is the fact that I live 5 hours from the dealership, so all negotiating would likely be done via email, as I'll be damned if I'm gonna make a 5 hour trip to buy a vehicle if a final price has not been negotiated.

Like I said, that could work in my favor as they know I won't come unless a price is agreed upon, but it could also work against me cuz as soon as I got there, they would know that I've already made a big commitment by making a 5 hour trip, so they could try jacking up the price, or tacking on unnecessary extras.

It's been almost 7 years since I've bought a car, so I'm a little out of practice when it comes to the car buying game. How much would I be able to talk the dealer down in price? I've been told to offer 15% below the sticker price and negotiate up from there, so basically a 15k opening offer?

I'm confident you could drive away for 13.5-14 out the door

[Hardbat]

I'm confident you could drive away for 13.5-14 out the door

So I asked my car salesman buddy for some negotiating tips. So far I think I'm on the right track. I asked em what their cash price is (price they'd sell for if i didnt finance through them). My buddy estimates it's probably 16,800, and said I could probably get it for about 15.5k out the door.

The salesman I've been talking to emailed back and said "I'm a non-commissioned salesman so I don't get into the numbers really, but I could take a number to my sales manager. What number did you have in mind?"

I wrote back "can you ask your sales manager what his cash price is? or even just give me his email address?"

Basically my buddy says the first person to name a price loses the negotiation. I'm sticking firm and making them name a price first. This negotiating stuff is fun!

[Hardbat]

Well, looks like I ain't gonna be able to negotiate a dime off this damn dealership. They claim to have dumped 3k in maintenance in the vehicle when they took it in on trade in. That should have meant they docked the original owner 3k off his trade in value anyways, but they are sticking to their guns that 18k is a "fair price" I told the sales manager to call me when he came up with a real number, and he told me "guess this isn't the right car for you"..... Nope, I guess it isn't jackass.

The search continues.

[TexasTanker19kilo20]

Good luck with your search and stay in the fight.