Considering 21 Tahoe LT or Z71

[Hrocks]

This is all true ... BUT... When you give them the ground rules up front ( Which generally I like and agree with...) They then know there is going to be no more added profit in the finance office and they better make "Some" money on the actual deal. Most dealers make more money on the gingerbread fees and add on's and financing than they ever do on the actual selling price.... So you won't get the actual "Lowest" price on the vehicle, as the sales guy runs back and forth with the GM/finance manager.
The best position is to get into the finance office as soon as possible telling the sales guy you will make the deal if you can come to terms with Finance/GM. In that office is where the rubber meets the road. #1 rule in this office is don't be afraid to WALK. Have a # in mind that you researched and are willing to pay all in. They can add fee's etc sealant, finance it, loan shark loan it, and give you teddy bears, but this is your number and you are buying today if that # can be met. If its a FAIR # (Subjective and based on availability and consumer demand..) they will not let you walk out of that door.

I usually go in with the attitude that I don't HAVE to buy a car today, but if they will meet me somewhere in a fair zone in my mind, we will make a deal today. Remember a good deal is really only what you perceive it to be. The guy behind you could have paid a lot more or a lot less and you will never really know....

I wouldn't disagree if I were coming into a Chevy/Cadillac/GMC dealer cold and was playing "let's make a deal" with the salesman, his sales manager and then the GM. I had already been down that road with enough dealers to know what the best deal was. When you can get top dollar for your trade and $5,000+ off sticker on a '21 Lexus (not a grossly overpriced domestic) that just got on their lot and it's the LAST day of their fiscal year...I knew I got a fair deal. They offered the extended warranty and other crap, but I told them one of the main reasons I purchase Toyota vehicles is because their bulletproof. The finance guy just smilled and I wrote him a check for the money difference.

 

[captainzombie]

You handled that exactly right. Many, many people only care about their monthly payment and I believe that's why so many sales people ask questions that have nothing to do with the actual money difference. To those in the know, it is very frustrating. Including my new GX, I actually had two other deals made sight unseen for the Genesis, and a L Certified LX. I cut to the chase with these guys and tell them that I am going to buy a car "today" IF the money difference is right and I like their vehicle. They sputter and say they haven't seen my car and give you a low ball number. I get my cars detailed every year, so I tell them let's play "what if"- - If they agree that my car is in the condition I claim it is, then they give me the high number that we've agreed to. In each case, I had no dissension from my characterizion of the quality of my trade in. I tell them that I'm not going to pay for "lifetime warranties, paint and upholstery protectent, etc. etc. etc." It takes all the BS games many like to play out of the equation. I've also asked the sales person if it helps them or makes a $$ difference to them personally if I write a check or finance it. Some deals they make an extra $100 bucks if it's financed. I tell them that as long as there's no prepayment penalty that I'll do that for them. The Lexus dealers were much more straight forward than the Genesis and most other dealers I've delt with over the years. Sounds like you're doing your homework and know what the real numbers are. Bottom line, it's YOUR money. Do what's best for YOU. The dealers always win no matter what they tell you. Good luck!

This is all true ... BUT... When you give them the ground rules up front ( Which generally I like and agree with...) They then know there is going to be no more added profit in the finance office and they better make "Some" money on the actual deal. Most dealers make more money on the gingerbread fees and add on's and financing than they ever do on the actual selling price.... So you won't get the actual "Lowest" price on the vehicle, as the sales guy runs back and forth with the GM/finance manager.
The best position is to get into the finance office as soon as possible telling the sales guy you will make the deal if you can come to terms with Finance/GM. In that office is where the rubber meets the road. #1 rule in this office is don't be afraid to WALK. Have a # in mind that you researched and are willing to pay all in. They can add fee's etc sealant, finance it, loan shark loan it, and give you teddy bears, but this is your number and you are buying today if that # can be met. If its a FAIR # (Subjective and based on availability and consumer demand..) they will not let you walk out of that door.

I usually go in with the attitude that I don't HAVE to buy a car today, but if they will meet me somewhere in a fair zone in my mind, we will make a deal today. Remember a good deal is really only what you perceive it to be. The guy behind you could have paid a lot more or a lot less and you will never really know....

I have gotten to a point at my age (only mid-40's) that I just don't want to play the dealership ******** games and I see right past what they are trying to do. Having bought and sold cars for so many years on top of the research I do before a purchase, they can play these kind of games with someone else that is less knowledgeable. It becomes very frustrating of a process. I understand they want to lowball people so they can get the best deal for them. But when you have proof of what your vehicle is worth for instance, they should be able to at least meet it and even if you are trying to get a few hundred higher they can because for what they end up selling the used car for and money they make off of the interest on the next buyer they've made out. The problem is when I asked him how did you come up with that value of my vehicle, and all he could say is that it was based on market value. Nothing else to back it up.

The funny part is how much this guy was trying to get me to lay out all of the numbers on the table, telling me like it will help the deal go smooth. I pretty much told him I know how that game works and no it works in your favor and not mine, then you can manipulate the numbers.

Like @Stbentoak says, sometimes fully giving out the ground rules can cause a bit of a problem because they know up front that there will be a stalemate for sure. I've even had salesman in the past throw up their arms during a deal and just go get their sales manager to complete it. What they don't get is that when you are willing to walk, the vehicle they have on the lot is not the only one around as there are 100's of dealers within a 100 mile radius you can go to if things don't work out.

 

[Stbentoak]

But when you have proof of what your vehicle is worth for instance, they should be able to at least meet it and even if you are trying to get a few hundred higher they can because for what they end up selling the used car for and money they make off of the interest on the next buyer they've made out. The problem is when I asked him how did you come up with that value of my vehicle, and all he could say is that it was based on market value. Nothing else to back it up.

Places like Carmax, Carvana, and Vroom help keep them honest. Any one of them will give you an estimate that is "fair" and they will write you a check on the spot for it. If my dealer offer is any less then what they will offer... then the answer is obvious...
Also most dealers only really want to give you what your vehicle will bring at auction, no matter how good of shape its in. They may still keep it for their lot if it is a low mileage creampuff, but their basis is always auction price and the vast majority of high mile or more than 3-4 year old ones go to auction. The big Auctions post lists weekly (To Dealers only...) of what used vehicles sold for and they use that as a basis to value what one like yours just went for.

 

[captainzombie]

Places like Carmax, Carvana, and Vroom help keep them honest. Any one of them will give you an estimate that is "fair" and they will write you a check on the spot for it. If my dealer offer is any less then what they will offer... then the answer is obvious...
Also most dealers only really want to give you what your vehicle will bring at auction, no matter how good of shape its in. They may still keep it for their lot if it is a low mileage creampuff, but their basis is always auction price and the vast majority of high mile or more than 3-4 year old ones go to auction. The big Auctions post lists weekly (To Dealers only...) of what used vehicles sold for and they use that as a basis to value what one like yours just went for.

Glad that we do have alternative places like Carmax and Carvana to shake things up a bit with the actual dealerships. I keep forgetting that they do also send a lot of these cars they take in on trade to auctions.

 

[OR VietVet]

I have heard about and read about some horror stories about Vroom, Carvana and Carmax check payments that can be on hold for different times when trying to cash those payment checks.

Sorry, but if I am selling my rig, it is cash only or the trade value at a dealership. I am old and don't trust ANY CHECK payment from whoever.

 

[Thomas Schneider]

For me anyway, in today's world, selling on your own is a bit risky on several fronts, thus I will always trade now (or may try CarMax in the future). I sold my first car, a 1966 Chevelle SS396 to a kid for cash and a week later his dad called me saying I sold him a bad car, wanted his money back because the motor blew up! The motor was running fine when he left the driveway. We all know what happened here... Fortunately, I never heard back from him again. Next time I sold a 1976 Vega that I bought to teach my wife how to drive a manual (which didn't go well and it became "MY" daily driver) and sold it 2 years later for the same price I paid for it!! And finally I sold my 1986 Olds 442 to a kid and had no problems there, so I guess 2 out of three isn't too bad...

My recent experience with the dealer when I purchased my 2021 Tahoe Z71 was typical; KBB had the trade-in Value at a pretty inflated price of $46,431 for my 2016 Yukon Denali with 27,436 miles, which I knew was way high. The dealer started with the offer of $38,900. That's when we started working on each other and it ended up with the trade in being $40,900, which I felt was probably the best I was going to squeeze out of them and was satisfied with it at that point. A few days later they advertised it for $46,000 and after it being on the lot for 2 weeks I'd guess it probably sold for something in the $42,000-$44,000 range. The dealers need to make money and I get that and it's always been worth it to me to avoid all the hassles of selling yourself.

 

[OR VietVet]

Yea, selling a your own vehicle to the public can be a crap shoot. The test drive is iffy at best, even when I get a copy of current valid driver's license and a copy of the current insurance. If I am advertising it I say in the ad that it is cash only-period, I ride in the road test and still get the documentation that I require and I say what my price is. It is not negotiable. That does not mean I may come down when they talk to me but I want that info up front.

 

[captainzombie]

Everyone has been very helpful on these forums which is awesome. You don't get this kind of help anywhere else as I am on a few other GM truck sites.

I found another dealer in another state about 40 miles from me that has an LT with Signature Package and everything that we are looking for at roughly $59K. It was one of the more heavily discounted Tahoe's I have seen online. I called them today to get the scoop and find out why its so low when considering ones around me around roughly in the $60K to $64K range after the discounts from the dealer. He told me that this Tahoe was sitting on the lot for 125 days, since late September. I also asked him about the mileage and it only has 10 miles and then I grilled him a bit to see if he knew anything else as to why its been sitting there this long. He seemed very nice compared to some of the other dealers I've dealt with of late. He even checked to see if there were recalls on it and he was transparent with me, told me that there are 2 recalls with just some lights coming on and that he was taking it right into the shop so they can get those taken care since we might go there tomorrow to check it out.

My wife is interested that we go check it out since its at a bit lower price and it has everything we are looking for. Any reasons to be concerned since it was sitting on there that long.

 

[B520044]

Everyone has been very helpful on these forums which is awesome. You don't get this kind of help anywhere else as I am on a few other GM truck sites.

I found another dealer in another state about 40 miles from me that has an LT with Signature Package and everything that we are looking for at roughly $59K. It was one of the more heavily discounted Tahoe's I have seen online. I called them today to get the scoop and find out why its so low when considering ones around me around roughly in the $60K to $64K range after the discounts from the dealer. He told me that this Tahoe was sitting on the lot for 125 days, since late September. I also asked him about the mileage and it only has 10 miles and then I grilled him a bit to see if he knew anything else as to why its been sitting there this long. He seemed very nice compared to some of the other dealers I've dealt with of late. He even checked to see if there were recalls on it and he was transparent with me, told me that there are 2 recalls with just some lights coming on and that he was taking it right into the shop so they can get those taken care since we might go there tomorrow to check it out.

My wife is interested that we go check it out since its at a bit lower price and it has everything we are looking for. Any reasons to be concerned since it was sitting on there that long.

I know I sound like a broken record on here, but you should wait to purchase. At least get a 2022 model year. Too many bugs; I know some have "so far" had a good experience, but some have not. I do like my Yukon, just wish I would have waited to avoid all the issues. I was one of the first to buy (July) and there was NO content on the forum's yet warning me.

 

[captainzombie]

I know I sound like a broken record on here, but you should wait to purchase. At least get a 2022 model year. Too many bugs; I know some have "so far" had a good experience, but some have not. I do like my Yukon, just wish I would have waited to avoid all the issues. I was one of the first to buy (July) and there was NO content on the forum's yet warning me.

I think many us do appreciate your feedback. I know that it is never really good to buy a first year vehicle with all of the issues that can occur. Some of us like myself, really need to unload this Traverse as it is out of bumper to bumper warranty and I don't want to be spending anymore money on it considering that we want to trade it in. We are planning on getting the extended warranty on the Tahoe so that will help cover any issues that do come up after the factory warranty is out.