Dealers rant

subaru-man · 12-19-2007, 06:11 PM

Hello,

I am new to the forum. I wanted to share my frustration with Oregon and Washington Subaru dealers.

I am currently looking for an 08 STI. Yesterday I contacted 8 dealerships via e-mail and requested quotes. Out of those 8 only 1 provided an actual quote. The other 7 sent nice e-mails and asked me to come in. Why the heck would I want to come in when all I want is a freaking quote?

I ended up having to call them for a quote.

So far 2 will do MSRP and one wants $42k. Yikes.

Have you guys experienced the same thing?

BTW, this will be my second Subaru (my wife drives an 06 Legacy). My current daily driver is an E46 330ci and my summer car is an E30 M3.

Looking forward to joining the STI club.

USNSTI · 12-19-2007, 06:29 PM

Don't expect any dealership, of any brand, in any state, to email their rock bottom best price to you just for asking. If you want to get the best price then you will have to work for it. Try this instead of asking for a quote: email the dealerships with a well written letter. State what you want (color, options, etc.) and state what you are willing to pay. Don't keep it a secret that you are emailing multiple dealerships. See if any of them bite. Let us all know what you end up paying.

Pre · 12-19-2007, 06:51 PM

One dealer in Oregon is hooking it up on the price. It was posted on here.

subaru-man · 12-19-2007, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pre

One dealer in Oregon is hooking it up on the price. It was posted on here.

Are you referring to this post:

http://www.iwsti.com/forums/2008-sti...ice-sti-3.html

I contacted the dealer that quoted $32.7k and they are asking for MSRP now.

skark_burmer · 12-19-2007, 07:30 PM

I got the same treatment, although i was expecting it.
I called around almost all the dealers in Ca and the best i could find was $1000 over invoice. I'm buying it this weekend and will enjoy the drive home.

subaru-man · 12-19-2007, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skark_burmer

I got the same treatment, although i was expecting it.
I called around almost all the dealers in Ca and the best i could find was $1000 over invoice. I'm buying it this weekend and will enjoy the drive home.

Hey, I see that you are from San Jose. I am actually in San Jose for business until Friday. Is the dealer you are working with local?

I stopped by Stevens Creek Subaru this afternoon. They have 4 STIs but will not sell below MSRP.

skark_burmer · 12-19-2007, 07:55 PM

No, i avoid Stevens Creek Subaru like the plauge. Very rude treatment once. I still called them and got the same answer as you. The place i found for my deal is down in LA, but i have bought a car from them before so that might have factored into the equasion.
Local the best deal i found was MSRP, Stevens Creek Subaru and Capitol Subaru.

steiner · 12-19-2007, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skark_burmer

No, i avoid Stevens Creek Subaru like the plauge. Very rude treatment once. I still called them and got the same answer as you. The place i found for my deal is down in LA, but i have bought a car from them before so that might have factored into the equasion.
Local the best deal i found was MSRP, Stevens Creek Subaru and Capitol Subaru.

Walnut Creek Subaru wants MSRP + $1995

minorthreats · 12-19-2007, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by USNSTI

Don't expect any dealership, of any brand, in any state, to email their rock bottom best price to you just for asking. If you want to get the best price then you will have to work for it. Try this instead of asking for a quote: email the dealerships with a well written letter. State what you want (color, options, etc.) and state what you are willing to pay. Don't keep it a secret that you are emailing multiple dealerships. See if any of them bite. Let us all know what you end up paying.

this is the most untrue thing I have heard in my life...they know you are talking with multiple dealerships for starters.

RabidSTi · 12-19-2007, 08:21 PM

when I bought mine a while ago and I talked to guy about the internet dept. He said he used to be doing it and hated it. All day long he would reply to people and zero people came in. Or when they did come in they wouldn't bother to mention his name. At this dealer the internet dept had an average tenure of 1 month. Regular sales he only had to track 10 - 15 customers at a time. Internet it was over a hundred a day. I no longer get upset with the bs internet responses. Best bet is to actually call and talk to the sales manager.

PBR600RR · 12-19-2007, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by minorthreats

this is the most untrue thing I have heard in my life...they know you are talking with multiple dealerships for starters.

what about it is untrue? the part you have to work for it? USNSTI said "don't keep it a secret"

Flycaster · 12-19-2007, 09:26 PM

MSRP is about as good as you can do since they've only been on the lots for about a week now - the market's too new to expect them to dicker much. Once the pre-orders are filled and if the sales soften, they'll start to deal. Carr in Portland has already had 3 pre-orders back out and are now in inventory (at least they were yesterday). Be patient.

MJM · 12-20-2007, 01:49 AM

When you ask a dealer for a "quote" via email or by phone. They think you're not a serious buyer just price shopping.

LSE · 12-20-2007, 04:30 AM

dude you need to call them. I find that people respond best when they hear a guy who sounds serious about the car actually talking to them.

every single dealer I called gave me a price and more than half called me back asking me if I had found it cheaper and would try to sell it to me.

the last week it came down to a battle of 2 dealers with one sounding upset when I decided not to go for them

but hey that's their job.

polyol · 12-20-2007, 05:08 AM

Right now is not the best time to get a "deal" on a new STi. Personally I would wait until the supply is up and demand is down. Call me crazy but I would wait a year untill someone buys one, gets in over their head, and sells it with low mileage. I see it all the time..."STi w/ 10,000mi" for 5-7K less than MSRP.

12-19-2007, 06:11 PM	#1
subaru-man Lurker Fav Mod: Coming Soon Location: PDX Posts: 5 Join Date: Dec 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Dealers rant Hello, I am new to the forum. I wanted to share my frustration with Oregon and Washington Subaru dealers. I am currently looking for an 08 STI. Yesterday I contacted 8 dealerships via e-mail and requested quotes. Out of those 8 only 1 provided an actual quote. The other 7 sent nice e-mails and asked me to come in. Why the heck would I want to come in when all I want is a freaking quote? I ended up having to call them for a quote. So far 2 will do MSRP and one wants $42k. Yikes. Have you guys experienced the same thing? BTW, this will be my second Subaru (my wife drives an 06 Legacy). My current daily driver is an E46 330ci and my summer car is an E30 M3. Looking forward to joining the STI club. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.

12-19-2007, 06:29 PM	#2
USNSTI Silver Member Car: OBP 07 STI Fav Mod: Boost gauge Location: San Diego Posts: 1,424 Join Date: Dec 2006 Trader Rating: (6)	Re: Dealers rant Don't expect any dealership, of any brand, in any state, to email their rock bottom best price to you just for asking. If you want to get the best price then you will have to work for it. Try this instead of asking for a quote: email the dealerships with a well written letter. State what you want (color, options, etc.) and state what you are willing to pay. Don't keep it a secret that you are emailing multiple dealerships. See if any of them bite. Let us all know what you end up paying.

12-19-2007, 06:51 PM	#3
Pre STI Driver Posts: 222 Join Date: Feb 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Dealers rant One dealer in Oregon is hooking it up on the price. It was posted on here.

12-19-2007, 07:30 PM	#5
skark_burmer Amateur STI Driver Car: Silver 08 STI Fav Mod: bald, smoking tires Location: San Jose, Ca Posts: 47 Join Date: Dec 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Dealers rant I got the same treatment, although i was expecting it. I called around almost all the dealers in Ca and the best i could find was $1000 over invoice. I'm buying it this weekend and will enjoy the drive home.

12-19-2007, 07:55 PM	#7
skark_burmer Amateur STI Driver Car: Silver 08 STI Fav Mod: bald, smoking tires Location: San Jose, Ca Posts: 47 Join Date: Dec 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Dealers rant No, i avoid Stevens Creek Subaru like the plauge. Very rude treatment once. I still called them and got the same answer as you. The place i found for my deal is down in LA, but i have bought a car from them before so that might have factored into the equasion. Local the best deal i found was MSRP, Stevens Creek Subaru and Capitol Subaru.

12-19-2007, 08:21 PM	#10
RabidSTi Silver Member Car: 07 Urban Grey STi Fav Mod: torque Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 268 Join Date: Apr 2004 Trader Rating: (2)	Re: Dealers rant when I bought mine a while ago and I talked to guy about the internet dept. He said he used to be doing it and hated it. All day long he would reply to people and zero people came in. Or when they did come in they wouldn't bother to mention his name. At this dealer the internet dept had an average tenure of 1 month. Regular sales he only had to track 10 - 15 customers at a time. Internet it was over a hundred a day. I no longer get upset with the bs internet responses. Best bet is to actually call and talk to the sales manager.

12-19-2007, 09:26 PM	#12
Flycaster S204 Racer Posts: 3,008 Join Date: Apr 2004 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Dealers rant MSRP is about as good as you can do since they've only been on the lots for about a week now - the market's too new to expect them to dicker much. Once the pre-orders are filled and if the sales soften, they'll start to deal. Carr in Portland has already had 3 pre-orders back out and are now in inventory (at least they were yesterday). Be patient. Last edited by Flycaster : 12-19-2007 at 09:29 PM.

12-20-2007, 01:49 AM	#13
MJM Junior STI Driver Car: '07 WRB R1-R Fav Mod: Coming Soon Location: Yokohama, Japan Posts: 76 Join Date: Dec 2007 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Dealers rant When you ask a dealer for a "quote" via email or by phone. They think you're not a serious buyer just price shopping.

12-20-2007, 04:30 AM	#14
LSE Professional STI Racer Car: 06 STI WRB Fav Mod: Defi Gauges Location: Bethlehem PA Posts: 849 Join Date: Dec 2004 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Dealers rant dude you need to call them. I find that people respond best when they hear a guy who sounds serious about the car actually talking to them. every single dealer I called gave me a price and more than half called me back asking me if I had found it cheaper and would try to sell it to me. the last week it came down to a battle of 2 dealers with one sounding upset when I decided not to go for them but hey that's their job.

12-20-2007, 05:08 AM	#15
polyol Spec C Club Car: 04 STi Fav Mod: Motor Mounts Location: Eugene Posts: 2,266 Join Date: Oct 2004 Trader Rating: (0)	Re: Dealers rant Right now is not the best time to get a "deal" on a new STi. Personally I would wait until the supply is up and demand is down. Call me crazy but I would wait a year untill someone buys one, gets in over their head, and sells it with low mileage. I see it all the time..."STi w/ 10,000mi" for 5-7K less than MSRP. This ad is not endorsed by this member. Please register or login to hide this ad.