New purchase experience and a bit on my soapbox...
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New purchase experience and a bit on my soapbox...
I took delivery of my 2008 Caliber SXT yesterday with all options except for the smokers' group and a CD changer.
First of all, if you have good to excellent credit or paying case and know what you want, don't let a dealer bully you into taking what they have in the lot. I found this to be my experience with Vegas area dealers. You tell them what you want and they produce a sticker or quote for what they have on the lot that the salesperson believes is reasonably close. Stick to your guns and get exactly what you want. You have (access to)the gold if you have good to excellent credit or cash so you make the rules. You're going to make payments on this vehicle, get what makes you happy. You can always be sold more than what you want but never less if you can cherry pick what you want. I ended up going through an auto broker whose office is five minutes from my residence. Yes I paid more for it when a local dealer finally "got it" that either you quote and order what I want or I'm taking my business elsewhere, but I'm happy with my purchase.
Second, financing. Chrysler Financial is horrible to deal with. I had a someone from them call me several times while I was out of State and left him a message prior to leaving you need to contact me directly this is the best time to do it before I leave. When I finally did talk to this idiot who is depriving some village I received a call from someone else 15 minutes later reconfirming the sameinformation. No wonder Daimler Chrysler is so screwed up. I got fed up and went to my credit union for an auto loan. I was approved while I waited at the loan officer's desk. They blew Chrysler Financial out of the water in terms of interest rates. They didn't even bother to make a counter offer when they were told by the auto broker they had to beat what my credit union has preapproved me for. What annoys me is they didn't even bother to quote anything. If I'm taking a ding on my credit reports for an inquiry, you better make me an offer for credit or flat out decline me.
The only way you're going to get what you want is to stand your ground and to let the dealers and Chrysler know what we as owners or buyers want. With the restructuring of Chrysler and its brand names on the horizon we all need to do this now. Let Dodge and Chrysler know what you want. Give them feedback so the suits don't make this decision for us. When making a purchase and you're patient and know what you want, be patient and find a dealer or broker that will work with you. You'll be happier in the long term.
First of all, if you have good to excellent credit or paying case and know what you want, don't let a dealer bully you into taking what they have in the lot. I found this to be my experience with Vegas area dealers. You tell them what you want and they produce a sticker or quote for what they have on the lot that the salesperson believes is reasonably close. Stick to your guns and get exactly what you want. You have (access to)the gold if you have good to excellent credit or cash so you make the rules. You're going to make payments on this vehicle, get what makes you happy. You can always be sold more than what you want but never less if you can cherry pick what you want. I ended up going through an auto broker whose office is five minutes from my residence. Yes I paid more for it when a local dealer finally "got it" that either you quote and order what I want or I'm taking my business elsewhere, but I'm happy with my purchase.
Second, financing. Chrysler Financial is horrible to deal with. I had a someone from them call me several times while I was out of State and left him a message prior to leaving you need to contact me directly this is the best time to do it before I leave. When I finally did talk to this idiot who is depriving some village I received a call from someone else 15 minutes later reconfirming the sameinformation. No wonder Daimler Chrysler is so screwed up. I got fed up and went to my credit union for an auto loan. I was approved while I waited at the loan officer's desk. They blew Chrysler Financial out of the water in terms of interest rates. They didn't even bother to make a counter offer when they were told by the auto broker they had to beat what my credit union has preapproved me for. What annoys me is they didn't even bother to quote anything. If I'm taking a ding on my credit reports for an inquiry, you better make me an offer for credit or flat out decline me.
The only way you're going to get what you want is to stand your ground and to let the dealers and Chrysler know what we as owners or buyers want. With the restructuring of Chrysler and its brand names on the horizon we all need to do this now. Let Dodge and Chrysler know what you want. Give them feedback so the suits don't make this decision for us. When making a purchase and you're patient and know what you want, be patient and find a dealer or broker that will work with you. You'll be happier in the long term.
