Buying a new car - how much haggling?

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[V8Mazda7]

I have not bought a new car in many years
We are looking at Civic, Hyundai and Mazda 3. Dealers lead you to believe that MSRP is written in stone with no discounts other than the factory offers. I find this hard to believe but I am used to the haggle room on domestics. What is a realistic discount from retail on a new import??
Thanks
Daryl

[JTC]

Curious why you are leaving Toyota out!  If any dealer is going to allow haggling then Toyota is the one.

Toyota is still a solid value despite the hysteria going on at this time. Take advantage of it. 

[Reijo]

A friend of mine recently bought a 2010 Mazda 3 and he is very happy with it.  Good price...good car (I drove it too) ... fun to drive..... award-winning if I recall correctly.

He bought it at Stoney Trail Mazda (in the extreme NW corner of the city - near Spy Hill Land Fill).

And, yes, maybe Toyota will have some deals on ... like extra brake pads or something?  

[rx7racerca]

Manufacturer's SUGGESTED Retail Price. Which already builds in generous profit for the dealer. MSRP is the price to start negotiating down from. Your best weapon if the dealer doesn't want to dicker - walk away. Consumer Reports offers a service that will give you printouts that show dealer cost on the car and all options, plus current rebates and dealer incentives, which can be very helpful - I think they suggest allowing 5% profit is appropriate.  Regardless, it's a good strategy to use the web, or even better, fax around to dealers, giving them the specific model and options you're looking for, asking for their best deal on it. Helps to keep it impersonal, and force them to compete before seeing you, and plying the various tricks car sales are infamous for. The Consumer's Reports car issue (April each year, iirc), is full of tips for dealing, and head's up on the common dealer "tricks". You can probably get it at the library (they tend to be popular and disappear though), or I'm pretty sure I have last year's, I usually buy it, if you want to borrow it.

It's a buyers market right now, dealers are hungry, deal hard. Ironically, being a hard market, apparently dealers have turned up the wick on the hard selling and tricks - sounds that way from what you're saying about them treating MSRP as the price, rather than an inflated number to work from.

[Morison]

When it comes to margins, it is all relative.
'Foreign' cars have a fraction of the margin in the price that 'domestics' do. Additionally, the lower down the scale the car starts off, the lower the percentage the margin is. The entry point cars usually have nearly zero margin.

Greg is absolutely right that the absolute best bargaining tactic is getting up and walking out ... I'd suggest that you write an offer at what you think is fair and what you are prepared to pay and when they come back to bump you (they will ALWAYS try and bump you) politely walk on the deal.

As an interesting side note: When I sold cars for a living the customers that got the 'best deal' on the purchase of their cars were usually the least happy with their cars. My guess is that it has something to do with always looking for something better  - a better deal, a better car, etc.

[gamman]

2 options:

1
I know a few guys. Two are at toyota. One is on this board. Maybe they can help.

1
Carcost canada I have used, and eliminates (or did for me) the BS in getting the price down 1-2k at a subaru dealer. Did a deal in 2 hours. If you don't have time, its the fastest way to an ok deal.

2
Sadly, the best is still slow, methodical, going back 5-10 times until they either tell you to leave, or finally give you the car for the price. If its something that doesn't need help selling IE: civics or 2010 forresters, forget the above. Not sure about the other 2.

Yes, the above walking out method is the absolute best. Not many can stomach the act, so very few do it. My boss got the best deals I have ever seen (he got to pay less for a lease buyout - try to find anyone else that has ever got that).

Good luck, it isn't fun, how much is your time worth?

Morrison's comments are pretty much 100%, but I think there is more profit in a foreign, but they are all too smart, and don't drop their pants, so there is perceived less margin. We will never know.

PM me if you want a contact at a toyota dealer.

Gerry

[Morison]

The other thing I forgot to mention is that buying inventory that has been in stock for a while generally gets you a better deal. The last car I helped my brother buy we essentially got free air conditioning because he was willing to take a car out of stock that had air even though he didn't really want air. (The salesman showed me his stock list that listed the days in inventory... My guess is that it wouldn't normally be easy to find that info)

If you want a specific colour and set of options - it'll cost you. (Base cars with no options at all are often hard to find.)

[Talonman]

Maybe have a look at the new Lancer as well, quite a nice looking car anyway.

[boris]

I just bought a 2010 Mazda 3 Sport GS; it's a 6 speed 2.5l and I'm pretty happy with the car. Ordered it back in October and had to wait until January until they got that one in red. It did pay off waiting thou since we got 0% for 60 months financing and 90 no payment.

I did go in with the carcost canada report and did the deal in about 2 hours. I got $400 under msrp, one year of oil changes and $500 grad rebate 'cause my wife graduated last year. This was all at Kramer Mazda.

I would suggest two things thou... go in with carcost canada report but don't tell them about it until little later in the negotiation and as someone suggested maybe walk out the first time to get a better deal since all of the salesman are pretty tough bunch.

Good luck and test drive all the cars to make sure you're happy with the one you buy.

[Morison]

Maybe have a look at the new Lancer as well, quite a nice looking car anyway.

Do they have a new design for 2010?

[piston_honda]

carcostcanada.com all the way.  $40 investment can net you a significant advantage in negotiations.  I used it when I purchased my RSX.  On their site, they recommend showing the report to the salesperson up front, so they know you do not want to be jerked.

[JTC]

Here's a link to a used Mazda3 on the Edmonton board. Looks like a fair deal.
http://www.mrheavyfoot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=1913