Has anyone here had success in negotiating a car deal online?

[fried eggs]

Or at least getting exact pricing before visiting the dealership? I hate car shopping and have tried to limit communication with dealerships to just email and fax, but they're refusing to do it. All I want is an email or fax stating their best offers (based on my credit score) before taking time out of my busy schedule to visit. They're calling constantly even though I keep saying "email only." One manager outright told me he didn't want my business unless I came by the dealership to do a test drive. WTF?

[Pretzel_Warrior]

1. yeah. I only paid $3000 over what I should have. J/K. NEVER do online. EVER

They want people to loathe and fear the process of showing up to the show room and actually low ballling them.

If you do your research and are willing to walk from the dealership, you can pay under invoice price for certain models.

[elleng]

2. Did it on the phone, in 1979!!!

Nothing since then. Sorry.

edit: Had done research, as Pretzel stared, knew just what I wanted, and had walked away from some dealers while test-driving. Clear that one, at least, was not interested in selling me a car. Idiots.

[benld74]

3. Bought last 2 vehicles thru autotrader from dealers

was looking for a price, and they offered it. I took it, put downpayment of the vehicles then went to get them at mutual agreed date.

[GeorgeGist]

4. For used cars I found CarMax very pleasant. No negotiating. Period.

Depending on where you live they also do some New cars.

[JPZenger]

5. The last car I bought, the internet sales guys did all of the negotiating

I went to the manufacturer's site and found new vehicles of the same model that I liked at a few regional dealers. I then used the manufacturer's site to send emails asking for quotes on those vehicles. Some dealers were more responsive than others, and were better with prices. I then pitted the internet sales guys at 2 dealerships against each other, and each day they came back with a better offer or a higher trade in value. It helped that I was buying a car in late December, when the dealerships had few customers and were trying to earn bonuses for year-end sales. The only time I walked into the dealership was for a test drive after I received a good initial offer, and to get my trade-in inspected.

For used cars, I'd start with autotrader.com, as mentioned above.

[ksoze]

6. Only way to buy a car - otherwise get a bike

[pnwmom]

7. We had very good results from Edmunds after unpleasant experiences

in the local dealerships. For example, we left one dealership after not being able to agree on a price. That evening, they called back with another offer and we accepted, so we went back to the dealership. Then they said we'd have to pay $500 more -- that the price we'd agreed on had been approved by the day manager -- but it should have been approved by the night manager. So we said forget it. (And ended up spending $1000 more for a different brand of car -- but it was a better value.)

The dealership Edmunds found for us was in a city a couple hours away, but it was worth it. We knew exactly what we'd be paying for the exact car before we got there, and no complications occurred. We've used them at least once since then with the same result.

[NV Whino]

8. I totaled my original FIT and looked for a replacement online

Found I could get a new one for $2000 more than a used one, arranged the sale online (negotiated with two dealers), and they sent a car (an hour's drive) to pick me up for the paper signing. Drove home in a new FIT.

[The Link]

9. Yes, last week.

I paid a little under invoice.

[Nye Bevan]

10. Yep. Did my homework, checked the dealers' inventories online,

went to Edmunds.com and a couple of other sites to figure out a fair price. Then I emailed the dealer with the VIN of the exact car I wanted that was in their stock, and in the email told them the price I was willing to pay, and said that I would only come in if they agreed to that price beforehand. They did agree, and I got the car at the price I offered.

I'm never again going through the "let me check with my manager" crap.

[Gothmog]

11. USAA has an Internet service that worked for me

The price I paid was close to price quoted online and USAA followed up to make sure their system worked

[oldhippie]

14. I've also used the USAA Car Buying Service .....

... for my last 5 new vehicles, going back to the 1990's. I specify what I want, USAA gives me the price I should pay for that model. They have several dealers contact me who will agree to that price (sometimes even lower.) Then I see which gives me the best trade-in for the lowest overall cost out the door. I always pay cash, no financing. I usually spend less than an hour at the dealership doing the test drive and filling out the forms. It took me 35 minutes to buy my last Dodge 3/4 ton pickup.

[etherealtruth]

12. They're calling constantly even though I keep saying "email only."

I had that exact same experience.

I politely verify their dealership and their name, thank them for verifying and tell them I will absolutely not do business with them, since they clearly decided it was not important to them to honor a potential customer's request.

In answer to your question though ... I have never tried

[Warren DeMontague]

13. Do you have a Costco membership? You can arrange it through them, with many dealerships. They have a

set Costco price and they take all the head games out of it.

I agree, I can't stand it. I hate all that haggling bullshit.