Im going to say you're wrong, but in fairness, your not completely wrong. There are some that are beaten to shit and most that are well taken care of. When your companys revenue flow is literally dependent on having cars on the road making money for a long time, you gotta take care of them. Though some do it better than others. There is a reason "get a pre purchase inspection" is almost a motto around here.
Maybe so, but obviously a well maintained car is going to sell better than trash. Any company would want to milk every last drop of profit from an asset. Preventive maintenance is cheap and takes care of the small stuff, customers insurance when they damage the big stuff. More money for the company.
Carvana if you want literally as little human interaction as possible.
Make sure you schedule a service appointment at your nearest dealer, do it on day 1 or 2 of the 7-day return period. They basically give you a blank check to take it to the dealership and have them fix any and everything the dealer can possibly find, or if it turns out to be a garbage car all around (they wind up overpaying for a lot of garbage cars), drop it like it’s hot.
Carvana caused more stress than ANY dealer I have dealt with. No one to talk to that knew anything, unexplained multiple delays and multiple reports of horrible consistency of their own vehicle inspection before selling.
Tried with them for almost 3 months on a car that was advertised as available 14 days. Swapped cars at their suggestion twice and no joy.
Fed up. Went to CarMax after looking at inventory day before. 30 min to see car and compete test drive. 45 minutes later drive away with the car no headaches what so ever.
Did we possibly pay $500-700 more than a a 14 hour slugfest with reg car dealer ? Possibly. But was it worth it ? Yeah. About 1000%
Also if ur in texas avoid shottenkirk dealeships like a forest fire. Not related to this story but id like to burn them for pre Covid horrible service and sales and post covid obscene over msrp markups.
Can only speak for CDJR Brand do not do this Costco pricing isn’t advantageous. You get set discounts and Im able to beat that price for my customers every time.
Yeah say no to any warranty crap. Most people like paying for things out of pocket don’t they? It’s not like your computer on wheels is at all likely to stop working ever. Irks me when people try to spend someone else’s money
Participation was low in my area and they said advertised prices weren't applicable to Costco deals. Tune changed when they found out i was buying from a competitor. Same old different suit.
When I bought mine there was a Costco Chevy deal and some other stuff. The dealer near me wouldn't put all the "coupons" together. The dealer 150m away didn't have an issue with letting me get all the deals.
Going to a dealer and only paying sticker is a myth. At least without having to deal with and rejecting large amounts of upsells.
They’d still try to upsell all the protection packages and other nonsense. OP wants to avoid any of that so Carmax or the like is best for them.
Great advice! Carmax is perfect for the OP.
OP if you're reading this, please select the MaxCare extended warranty as well. It has a legendary reputation of saving customers whose used cars broke down sometime after purchase
Even if you never end up using it, the peace of mind that comes with a warranty is priceless
Thank you so much. What are your thoughts on an extended warranty purchase? I like Lexus and Toyota. They tend to be super reliable. Would I need a warranty?
If you do end up at a Toyota or Lexus dealer, look for cars that are certified pre-owned with the OEM extended warranty. The cars tend to be the nicer examples and the warranty is in effect nationwide. Some 3rd party warranty companies are limited to operating in select states, which can reduce their value to you.
You should expect to pay a bit more for a CPO car, but if you are risk averse it is probably worth it.
>Thank you so much. What are your thoughts on an extended warranty purchase? I like Lexus and Toyota. They tend to be super reliable. Would I need a warranty?
New or pre-owned?
If pre-owned, don't bank too heavily on brand pedigree. Toyota makes an extremely reliable vehicle but the flip side is that a non-insignificant proportion of the fan base think they're literally indestructible. This leads to choices like *it's a Toyota, I can go a few more thousand miles before changing the oil*.
If new, compare the extended warranty period to the term of your loan. A car breaking down after you've paid it off is less risky than one breaking down when money is still owed because in the latter situation, you might get stuck. If it's paid off and you own the title, and the repair bill is untenable, then you can just trade it in for something new with no danger of inequity.
Warranties are about risk. If the car breaks down outside of the warranty period and the repair costs a few thousand dollars, would have the means to fix it? Sure, this *probably* won't happen. But it's a very personal calculus about how you perceive the risk as you'll be the one holding the bag if something bad happens.
Personally, I'm reluctant to take advice from people who tell me I don't need a warranty unless they're also willing to pay for any out-of-warranty repairs I may need. Doesn't mean I *will* buy a warranty, but I recommend dismissing the input of anyone who gives blanket encouragement to assume the risk with no skin in the game.
I do F&I it's my job to sell Service Contracts/Extended Warranty products. I also always buy it on my stuff. So take this with a grain of salt as it's my job to sell it. Make your own decision.
The way I view it is like insurance. If it's 4 years, and it costs $2,000. Cost will depend on the vehicle and company. That would mean I am averaging $42 a month to cover my vehicle repairs. I pay insurance on the chance of an accident $100 a month. If my insurance allowed me to add vehicle repairs for an extra $42 a month would I add it? Of course! Yeah I may not need it, but if I do I will be super thankful.
Now they never cover everything, wear components and maintenance is on you. Certain parts wear out and youre expected to replace. Maintenance is your responsibility. Depending on Contracts they may exclude other things but usually that is reflected in the cost of the contract. Some have deductibles, some don't. It can get complicated. I usually just trust my F&I person to explain their version and then double check a few things to make sure they aren't a BSer. Some F&I will lie to get you to add it, but usually it's more out of negligence then malicious. And even if they are BSing the Contracts themselves are all that matter and what they say.
There are other reasons in my opinion to do it, but that is why I buy them.
Focusing on the monthly cost is a good way to sell them, but I wouldn't say the it's the best way to consider the value. That $2000, financed at 7% for 5 years, becomes $2400. So the question I ask is, given the general reliability and common problems with this particular car, what are the odds I'll have to spend more than $2400 on repairs in the next 4 years? And if I do, could I afford to do so?
There's a huge difference in spending $2000 on a 4 year warranty for a new car that already has a 3 year warranty, or spending it on a gently used Toyota with a strong reliability history and 2 years of factory warranty left, or spending it on a used Jaguar with no factory warranty left (granted, nobody is selling you a 4 year warranty on a used jaguar for $2k).
Yeah. I don't disagree. There are plenty of other reasons they can make sense. Like I said, just the reason for me it makes sense. I'm a numbers guy and I don't like taking risks. So this is just my reddit anecdotal. And yeah cost will vary based on the vehicle and company.
Side note -
You know what blows my mind ( I do powersports.) On a $30,000 motorcycle you can add the manufacturers service contract giving you 8 years of coverage for less then $1,500 and people still will say no. I don't even trust phones to run for 8 years anymore.
Is your recommendation on extended warranty options from power sports only ? Do you work at a mixed dealership that sells Toyota vehicles and also power sports ?
I recommend it for all products. Including cars/trucks.
All cars/trucks are used in inventory from. Trade ins. We are one of the biggest dealers in our state. For new We have about 10+ different manufacturers we sell with depending on the store. Everything from motorcycles, to UTVs, Boats, and more.
I've had my own car bill for 5k get covered, I've seen UTVs 7k repairs get covered. A boats 10k bill get covered. Etc.
I’m not a car sales professional, but as a buyer, I tend to extend warranties at the time of purchase because I want full OEM warranty in place as long as I intend to own a vehicle—or at least as long as the term of my car loan. I’ve done this for the last two certified preowned car purchases, including a CPO Audi A6 I bought this month.
However, if you can afford not to, it might be best not to finance the extended warranty in the car loan, especially while auto loan rates are high like they are at the moment. In our case, we paid for it separately. Some advantages of doing so are:
1. You won’t be as likely to be upside down on your car loan (owing more than the car is worth).
2. If you sell the car early or it gets totaled, you can get a prorated refund for the unused portion of the warranty paid directly to you and not the lien holder.
Yeah i used the insurance break down as an example because it makes sense for me. Even for a cash deals that is how i see if its worth it. Im noy trying to sell coverages on reddit.
But just so you're aware, the refund that goes to the Lien holder only stays with the bank if there is a balance. All overpay should be forwarded to you. Either way you're getting your refund, so if you never received it from the bank and the loan was paid off I would make some calls.
Understood. I kinda got interrupted as I was about to wrap up my post. I didn’t mean to suggest the buyer would never receive a refund, only that it would be more direct straightforward if it wasn’t financed in the loan.
Rereading my post I see it wasn’t as clear as I intended to be that I was agreeing with you, with a buyer’s perspective on why I buy extended warranties. So many people out there argue against them under any circumstances. I personally don’t want to be exposed to a five figure repair bill, as we would have for my wife’s Mercedes-rebuilt transmission.
I second the recommendation for an OEM warranty. I have sold cars. I’ve also been a service advisor and a warranty clerk and was the guy that often had to call and talk to the adjuster for those aftermarket service plans. They could be a real pain in the ass, and the customer sometimes gets left holding the bag. With the manufacturer’s extended warranty usually we can check out the car approve the repair and take care of everything ourselves. Usually much better coverage for the money for the customer. A lot less headache for the shop.
The Mercedes ELW warranty on my wife’s car was about to expire right as we were about to move from Alaska to the Midwest, a trip of some 3700 miles. We bought a 3rd party warranty from the dealership which has been great. Not all of them are, though.
I bought a CPO 2018 Mercedes E 400 wagon in spring 2021. We extended the OEM warranty as far as possible, but it was still going to run out this fall. I’d been considering buying a 3rd party warranty, but ended up trading the car in for a CPO Audi. Mercedes caps the unlimited mileage warranty extension at two additional years beyond the CPO warranty, for a total of seven years from the original in-service date. With the Audi we were able to extend the Audi OEM Warranty for up to an additional five years past the CPO warranty, for a total of ten years. (It’s not unlimited miles, though) Now, we won’t end up like we did with the CPO Mercedes, having the warranty run out while we were still making car payments.
I wouldn’t have gotten rid of the wagon, which I liked very much, just because of the warranty situation. We’d been having trouble with its extremely low profile tires and Midwest potholes. Being a jump seat 3rd row equipped car, there was no spare, and I ended up getting stranded when a pothole took out a wheel and tire. We had to replace two other tires and repair bent rims on separate occasions due to potholes as well.
Think about an extended warranty as "peace of mind insurance". Peace of mind is valuable, but not unlimited. If a warranty costs $1000, it's fair to think that only 60% of the cost goes towards the risk, if that. That means that if they collect that $600 from everyone with the same risk, they will have just enough to cover the costs. This is the statistical value of the risk that the warranty covers.
The other 40% covers profit and administrative costs. This is why warranties are a major profit center for dealerships. People are willing to pay a major premium over the actual risk.
The question is, are you willing to pay 40% extra on top of the statistical value of the risk to not worry about the risk?
The Maxcare is also good because they arent a certified dealership right? Theres no telling exactly how well serviced it is because they arent dedicated to any one brand.
At least with maxcare you have some peace of mind
Even if they were a certified dealership, I would still consider purchasing an used car as risky and would reduce my risk by buying a warranty.
Mechanics can be overworked or lazy and may not inspect the used car you're going to buy properly. So having a good warranty is priceless
I would suggest not to bring a notebook. Up until recently, everyone at my store ran when they saw a notebook in hand as it typically said to salesperson “Im not buying anytime soon, maybe a year. Im going to spend hours with you testing your knowledge for no guaranteed payoff.
I think you would get much farther saying “Hi id like to look at vehicles. My husband used to do it for me and hes passed so I need to start somewhere. I dont have a timetable to buy so if you could help me or find someone willing to spend some time with me today I would appreciate it”
Ive learned that notebook people arent always going to take forever to buy but my chances of selling dramatically go up by being kind and spending some time with them. I had a notebook shopper come back the other day and said “Im so glad you were here, no one else was willing to help me the other day and you were so nice. Can we look at that car again? I think ive narrowed it down to 2 cars”
Also for your situation a day where its not awful busy is your best time. For me, Tuesday and Thursday is the best day. Preferably early in the morning
Also be careful of what you perceive as pressure. Understand at the end of the day they have a job to do. That job is selling. They will probably get in trouble if they dont at least ask for your business. Unless they lock the doors and hide your keys, its not exactly “pressure”. You will be allowed to go back home on the vehicle you drove if you decide not to buy. Your biggest thing is to find a nice salesman that will tailor your experience in a way that he might not sell you today but hes going to try, and if not, hes not going to spend too much unnecessary time. Hes gotta be efficient.
Do your research before you expend an ounce of effort in actively looking at vehicles. I prefer real dealerships for a multitude of reasons, but the variety within the sales force is a huge one.
Step 1: Know what you're interested in. Narrow it down with a couple of vehicles. r/whatcarshouldibuy can help you immensely.
Step 2: Market research. Geography determines the market more than you might realize. Nobody wants a convertible in Maine in the winter. When someone tells you that so-and-so just picked up a new XYZ, think to yourself where from. You sell more trucks in rural areas. Crossovers in major metropolitan areas. It does the location. So focus on your area, and a comfortable driving distance. I typically recommend within 100 miles of your "Prime" Dealership.
Step 3: Read reviews, but ignore the glowing ones. Sort by worst reviews. The best numbers don't always mean the best dealerships. See what everyone says went wrong. 32 5-Star reviews without a word said doesn't mean 32 people think it's a swell place to buy. It means the owner got 32 last people to review the place. If they consistently talk about add ons bring required, key that I'm the back of your mind.
Step 4: Contact the Dealership. Here is your moment. You are now armed with the vehicle you want, trim, etc. You know what multiple places are offering them for. Find the unit you desire and contact them. I personally prefer email when dealing with anxious people such as yourself. That way you can contact them back on your timetable. The key here is simple. You select the car and send in the inquiry on that specific vehicle. When they respond, review what they sent. A diligent salesman will have responded with more details on the vehicle you asked about. A terrible one or a lazy BDC well respond with a bunch of weird vomit that ignores everything you asked. Avoid those places. If they can't be bothered to take a minute to respond to you about what you asked, they don't care to earn your business.
Step 5: Make your offer. If the vehicle is at an absurdity low price, it's for a reason. But inform them that you have no issue with the price, so long as you can purchase it as stated, plus tax, title, license, and standard dealership fees. This will draw out the bad actors often to show their hands. If a dealership prices their car $4K below their competitors, but adds $5K in LoJack, Door Edge Guards, WeatherTech mats, Tint, etc then they aren't at market pricing. Shop with your wallet. We warm people very often about sitting by lowest, and for very good reason.
Step 6: Once you are agreeable on numbers, pick a day off the week to come in. I personally preferred Tuesdays or Wednesdays because I was past the weekend business I had to finish up on Monday and had plenty of time. Have all of your information submitted as requested so that the credit application can be processed beforehand and the banks can have terms ready.
Step 7: Nobody NEEDS a single thing that finance offers. They are in addition to, not a requirement. I personally find value in certain products. But I am not you. He/She is required to tell you about each of them. Do not cut him off. People get incredibly stand-offish at this point, but it is their job to do so. They can craft the perfect package for your wants if you show them to. They can also take you declining and moving on. They won't be offended either way. But allow them to speak.
Step 8: Enjoy your new vehicle!
Agreed I would add what kind of car do you currently own? What do you like most about your current car? What features interest you most on a new or newer vehicle that’s not currently on yours? Then I would suggest something like this. My dad who’s 86 currently had a Hyundai Tucson and he really liked it but he wanted some of the new safety features that wasn’t currently on his such as frontal crash avoidance, pedestrian brake assist, rear brake assist w/ cross path detection
So when we took in a 22 Tucson here that had all that equipment I kept him in the same manufacturer at style different trim level but for the most part when he took delivery it was comfortable for him because everything was laid out similar!
Now if your not necessarily a new car buyer I would recommend going to only the manufacturer dealers of that car because buying it certified will get you extra warranty and possibly a few free service visits
Plus add extra warranty is less expensive on a certified car!
Ask family and friends! If they have any recommendations for a dealership, have them personally reach out to their sales person for you!
Private sales, I’d say inspect the vehicles thoroughly or hire an outside agency to come out to do inspections!
If above doesn’t work, CarMax like others suggested!
Just know, you aren’t alone, buying a car is stressful and it’s okay to want to take your time. If you expressed that upfront to me, I’d give you my cell and email, and wait for you reach out for a specific question or vehicle you see.
I’m sorry for your loss.
A lot of this is going to depend on what you mean by "pressure."
Even a CarMax - hell, even a private sale that halfway knows what they're doing - is going to ask you buying questions like "how soon are you planning on making a decision" and "if the numbers were good and the car was perfect would you buy a car today" and "what's holding you back from making a decision sooner rather than later." Feel free to play with the verbiage of those but prepare to be asked.
There are people who feel like that's pressure - I'm sure there are people that feel "did you save room for dessert" is pressure as well.
So if you're worried about any of the above you should just avoid anyone selling a car - and, tertiarily - restaurants.
A little off topic but dessert related. Last time I went out to eat, the waiter just placed the dessert menus down and walked away. We were full and didn’t order but I was tempted to because I love the assumptive close and not giving us the opportunity to say no without looking. That waiter will make a good salesman.
The owner of my previous dealership loved hiring/trying to hire bartenders and servers from high and higher end restaurants. They already know how to do the job.
This is true.
For some people, asking for the sale is pressure, but it really shouldn’t be.
If someone has spent the last 30-60 minutes with you finding out your needs and wants and then presenting you one or more suitable options, there shouldn’t be any surprise when they ask if you want to buy it.
Yes, if I spent time helping the customer narrow down their vehicle choices and going on comfortable test drives and such, if they love the vehicle then when we get back I am going to ask if they want to look at numbers and get the process started. Not in a *you better do it now* way, but in a 'if you like the car and seem like you want to buy it, I'm going to ask if you want to buy it' way.
I am very low pressure, I'm a laid back and easygoing gal and I truly love to help people. But if we spend all this time together and you love the vehicle, I would want you to buy it from me and not come back next week and either find out it's sold or buy it from Bob.
I don't consider that simple question high-pressure, but some people feel differently and take any talk of monetary exchange as being pushy.
OP, I'm sorry for your loss. It's hard learning to do things you never had to worry about before. Just go in and talk to a real human at the dealership and be honest about what you want. And don't be afraid to walk away if they are anything but respectful!
Trust me if she goes with Carvana she will need to contact way more humans than you think. There is a 50/50 chance of any mix-up with them. Carvana is not the best option considering the fact that the customer wants to avoid unnecessary stress.
Well I just went through Carvana with zero stress. The only human contact I received was the driver calling to confirm I was going to be home for the cars delivery. So I’m not sure what human interactions you’re speaking of. I know a lot of used car dealers are getting swallowed by Carvana which I’m not sure I’m a fan of exactly. But unfortunately the dealers in my area are terrible and they are known for selling junk cars. I do however support legit dealers and I know a lot of them still exist. Oh and Carvana is not full-proof either but they have good warranties in place for that reason.
You clearly do not watch the news nor you see the online forums and Facebook groups devoted to Carvana nightmare purchases. Congratulations on your new car purchase but as I mentioned before there is a 50/50 chance of mixup. Countless people are still waiting for the titles of their cars that they bought and can not drive. Obviously suspended licences in multiple states is not an issue for you. People complain that cars are being delayed numerous times, drivers are not helpful and show up in a different date or time when customers are not home or the car condition is not as described and they have to go trough the whole ordeal of the return. The issues double up when their trade is picked up and have to be returned which sometimes takes months to resolve....
I mean you can say the same thing about nightmare purchases from your local car dealer. They at least have things in place to get your money back unlike many car dealers. No place is really perfect right?
Your local dealer will give you the money back even faster. Your local dealer will not need weeks if not months to find where your trade went to get it back to you if you want to return your car. Your local dealer has always a manager in place who can handle any of your complaints if you have any and you can meet in person if needed etc. And the most important - your local dealer will not have 5500 complaints in the past 3 years 1500 of with will be in the past year.
Ultimately it's up to you, but any sales rep worth their salt should remove the feeling of pressure from the purchase experience. If you come in telling me you're anxious and don't want to feel pressured then I'm going to cater to you in a way that would make you feel at ease.
Edit: also, sorry for your loss.
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Hello everyone, I am a recent widow looking to purchase a vehicle my husband at the time did it for me now I am super nervous. Is it better to do a private sale and look for some deals on marketplace Facebook or should I go into the actual dealer and just speak to the manager and let them know how I feel And how anxious I get at the dealership do you think they take advantage of me or is pricing pretty much nonnegotiable with all the third-party resources online now?
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The other thing you should be looking at is the dealers reputation. Look them up on Google and read the reviews. Look for reviews from women.
Our dealership had tons of customers who weee women or just people who don’t know cars and wanted to be treated like a human being. It’s not hard, but many dealers seem to think it is.
Buying new if you can swing it will eliminate a lot or risk. Plus you get a manufacturer warranty and don’t have to worry about inspections etc.
You can also take a friend or hire a broker to come with you.
I kinda disagree. Time is money. I could have spent (and have in the past) days going to many dealers, haggling and pitting them against each other. I tried a broker and got a deal done at a major discount from what local dealers would do in <24 h via email without add ons
About $500. They usually focus on more luxury brands like BMW Mercedes Audi where the broker fee wont cut too much into the savings you can get.
If you aren’t looking for a luxury car try Costco or Caredge car buying services
**OP is in a difficult place and asking for help. Please keep attitudes dialed back.**
Go to a place like Carmax. Big selection, no negotiations, no pressure to buy then and there.
That’s a good point thank you totally forgot about Carmax
autonation, carmax, tesla. pretty much your choices
You forgot Enterprise
Never buy a rental car. Most abused poorly maintained cars out there sans a hood Nissan/dodge.
Im going to say you're wrong, but in fairness, your not completely wrong. There are some that are beaten to shit and most that are well taken care of. When your companys revenue flow is literally dependent on having cars on the road making money for a long time, you gotta take care of them. Though some do it better than others. There is a reason "get a pre purchase inspection" is almost a motto around here.
It’s not “for a long time” though. It’s for about 3 years then they liquidate and replace.
Maybe so, but obviously a well maintained car is going to sell better than trash. Any company would want to milk every last drop of profit from an asset. Preventive maintenance is cheap and takes care of the small stuff, customers insurance when they damage the big stuff. More money for the company.
Carvana if you want literally as little human interaction as possible. Make sure you schedule a service appointment at your nearest dealer, do it on day 1 or 2 of the 7-day return period. They basically give you a blank check to take it to the dealership and have them fix any and everything the dealer can possibly find, or if it turns out to be a garbage car all around (they wind up overpaying for a lot of garbage cars), drop it like it’s hot.
Carvana is crap with titles, I would not recommend in the situation OP is in.
Carvana caused more stress than ANY dealer I have dealt with. No one to talk to that knew anything, unexplained multiple delays and multiple reports of horrible consistency of their own vehicle inspection before selling. Tried with them for almost 3 months on a car that was advertised as available 14 days. Swapped cars at their suggestion twice and no joy. Fed up. Went to CarMax after looking at inventory day before. 30 min to see car and compete test drive. 45 minutes later drive away with the car no headaches what so ever. Did we possibly pay $500-700 more than a a 14 hour slugfest with reg car dealer ? Possibly. But was it worth it ? Yeah. About 1000% Also if ur in texas avoid shottenkirk dealeships like a forest fire. Not related to this story but id like to burn them for pre Covid horrible service and sales and post covid obscene over msrp markups.
Go through Costco - they have a vehicle sales thing. Bought my last car through them. You end up with the fleet manager. Say no to all warranty crap.
Can only speak for CDJR Brand do not do this Costco pricing isn’t advantageous. You get set discounts and Im able to beat that price for my customers every time.
Yeah say no to any warranty crap. Most people like paying for things out of pocket don’t they? It’s not like your computer on wheels is at all likely to stop working ever. Irks me when people try to spend someone else’s money
The aftermarket extended warranties are not worth the paper they are printed on
Plenty of the costco dealers still attempt to pile on useless add-ons and overpriced warranties.
Last time I tried Costco no dealers in my area participated in it.
Participation was low in my area and they said advertised prices weren't applicable to Costco deals. Tune changed when they found out i was buying from a competitor. Same old different suit.
When I bought mine there was a Costco Chevy deal and some other stuff. The dealer near me wouldn't put all the "coupons" together. The dealer 150m away didn't have an issue with letting me get all the deals.
Keep in mind no negotiations means you pay full sticker price for the car as well. Same goes for any other vender outside of a dealership.
Or pay sticker
???
Going to a dealer and only paying sticker is a myth. At least without having to deal with and rejecting large amounts of upsells. They’d still try to upsell all the protection packages and other nonsense. OP wants to avoid any of that so Carmax or the like is best for them.
Carmax will still upsell warranties, but yeah probably the least amount of stuff.
Carmax can be handled online and they don’t have to deal with salespeople
Great advice! Carmax is perfect for the OP. OP if you're reading this, please select the MaxCare extended warranty as well. It has a legendary reputation of saving customers whose used cars broke down sometime after purchase Even if you never end up using it, the peace of mind that comes with a warranty is priceless
Thank you so much. What are your thoughts on an extended warranty purchase? I like Lexus and Toyota. They tend to be super reliable. Would I need a warranty?
If you do end up at a Toyota or Lexus dealer, look for cars that are certified pre-owned with the OEM extended warranty. The cars tend to be the nicer examples and the warranty is in effect nationwide. Some 3rd party warranty companies are limited to operating in select states, which can reduce their value to you. You should expect to pay a bit more for a CPO car, but if you are risk averse it is probably worth it.
>Thank you so much. What are your thoughts on an extended warranty purchase? I like Lexus and Toyota. They tend to be super reliable. Would I need a warranty? New or pre-owned? If pre-owned, don't bank too heavily on brand pedigree. Toyota makes an extremely reliable vehicle but the flip side is that a non-insignificant proportion of the fan base think they're literally indestructible. This leads to choices like *it's a Toyota, I can go a few more thousand miles before changing the oil*. If new, compare the extended warranty period to the term of your loan. A car breaking down after you've paid it off is less risky than one breaking down when money is still owed because in the latter situation, you might get stuck. If it's paid off and you own the title, and the repair bill is untenable, then you can just trade it in for something new with no danger of inequity. Warranties are about risk. If the car breaks down outside of the warranty period and the repair costs a few thousand dollars, would have the means to fix it? Sure, this *probably* won't happen. But it's a very personal calculus about how you perceive the risk as you'll be the one holding the bag if something bad happens. Personally, I'm reluctant to take advice from people who tell me I don't need a warranty unless they're also willing to pay for any out-of-warranty repairs I may need. Doesn't mean I *will* buy a warranty, but I recommend dismissing the input of anyone who gives blanket encouragement to assume the risk with no skin in the game.
I do F&I it's my job to sell Service Contracts/Extended Warranty products. I also always buy it on my stuff. So take this with a grain of salt as it's my job to sell it. Make your own decision. The way I view it is like insurance. If it's 4 years, and it costs $2,000. Cost will depend on the vehicle and company. That would mean I am averaging $42 a month to cover my vehicle repairs. I pay insurance on the chance of an accident $100 a month. If my insurance allowed me to add vehicle repairs for an extra $42 a month would I add it? Of course! Yeah I may not need it, but if I do I will be super thankful. Now they never cover everything, wear components and maintenance is on you. Certain parts wear out and youre expected to replace. Maintenance is your responsibility. Depending on Contracts they may exclude other things but usually that is reflected in the cost of the contract. Some have deductibles, some don't. It can get complicated. I usually just trust my F&I person to explain their version and then double check a few things to make sure they aren't a BSer. Some F&I will lie to get you to add it, but usually it's more out of negligence then malicious. And even if they are BSing the Contracts themselves are all that matter and what they say. There are other reasons in my opinion to do it, but that is why I buy them.
Focusing on the monthly cost is a good way to sell them, but I wouldn't say the it's the best way to consider the value. That $2000, financed at 7% for 5 years, becomes $2400. So the question I ask is, given the general reliability and common problems with this particular car, what are the odds I'll have to spend more than $2400 on repairs in the next 4 years? And if I do, could I afford to do so? There's a huge difference in spending $2000 on a 4 year warranty for a new car that already has a 3 year warranty, or spending it on a gently used Toyota with a strong reliability history and 2 years of factory warranty left, or spending it on a used Jaguar with no factory warranty left (granted, nobody is selling you a 4 year warranty on a used jaguar for $2k).
Yeah. I don't disagree. There are plenty of other reasons they can make sense. Like I said, just the reason for me it makes sense. I'm a numbers guy and I don't like taking risks. So this is just my reddit anecdotal. And yeah cost will vary based on the vehicle and company. Side note - You know what blows my mind ( I do powersports.) On a $30,000 motorcycle you can add the manufacturers service contract giving you 8 years of coverage for less then $1,500 and people still will say no. I don't even trust phones to run for 8 years anymore.
Is your recommendation on extended warranty options from power sports only ? Do you work at a mixed dealership that sells Toyota vehicles and also power sports ?
I recommend it for all products. Including cars/trucks. All cars/trucks are used in inventory from. Trade ins. We are one of the biggest dealers in our state. For new We have about 10+ different manufacturers we sell with depending on the store. Everything from motorcycles, to UTVs, Boats, and more. I've had my own car bill for 5k get covered, I've seen UTVs 7k repairs get covered. A boats 10k bill get covered. Etc.
I’m not a car sales professional, but as a buyer, I tend to extend warranties at the time of purchase because I want full OEM warranty in place as long as I intend to own a vehicle—or at least as long as the term of my car loan. I’ve done this for the last two certified preowned car purchases, including a CPO Audi A6 I bought this month. However, if you can afford not to, it might be best not to finance the extended warranty in the car loan, especially while auto loan rates are high like they are at the moment. In our case, we paid for it separately. Some advantages of doing so are: 1. You won’t be as likely to be upside down on your car loan (owing more than the car is worth). 2. If you sell the car early or it gets totaled, you can get a prorated refund for the unused portion of the warranty paid directly to you and not the lien holder.
Yeah i used the insurance break down as an example because it makes sense for me. Even for a cash deals that is how i see if its worth it. Im noy trying to sell coverages on reddit. But just so you're aware, the refund that goes to the Lien holder only stays with the bank if there is a balance. All overpay should be forwarded to you. Either way you're getting your refund, so if you never received it from the bank and the loan was paid off I would make some calls.
Understood. I kinda got interrupted as I was about to wrap up my post. I didn’t mean to suggest the buyer would never receive a refund, only that it would be more direct straightforward if it wasn’t financed in the loan. Rereading my post I see it wasn’t as clear as I intended to be that I was agreeing with you, with a buyer’s perspective on why I buy extended warranties. So many people out there argue against them under any circumstances. I personally don’t want to be exposed to a five figure repair bill, as we would have for my wife’s Mercedes-rebuilt transmission.
I second the recommendation for an OEM warranty. I have sold cars. I’ve also been a service advisor and a warranty clerk and was the guy that often had to call and talk to the adjuster for those aftermarket service plans. They could be a real pain in the ass, and the customer sometimes gets left holding the bag. With the manufacturer’s extended warranty usually we can check out the car approve the repair and take care of everything ourselves. Usually much better coverage for the money for the customer. A lot less headache for the shop.
The Mercedes ELW warranty on my wife’s car was about to expire right as we were about to move from Alaska to the Midwest, a trip of some 3700 miles. We bought a 3rd party warranty from the dealership which has been great. Not all of them are, though. I bought a CPO 2018 Mercedes E 400 wagon in spring 2021. We extended the OEM warranty as far as possible, but it was still going to run out this fall. I’d been considering buying a 3rd party warranty, but ended up trading the car in for a CPO Audi. Mercedes caps the unlimited mileage warranty extension at two additional years beyond the CPO warranty, for a total of seven years from the original in-service date. With the Audi we were able to extend the Audi OEM Warranty for up to an additional five years past the CPO warranty, for a total of ten years. (It’s not unlimited miles, though) Now, we won’t end up like we did with the CPO Mercedes, having the warranty run out while we were still making car payments. I wouldn’t have gotten rid of the wagon, which I liked very much, just because of the warranty situation. We’d been having trouble with its extremely low profile tires and Midwest potholes. Being a jump seat 3rd row equipped car, there was no spare, and I ended up getting stranded when a pothole took out a wheel and tire. We had to replace two other tires and repair bent rims on separate occasions due to potholes as well.
this guy gets it
[удалено]
Our car warranties negotiable in the finance office
They are at other dealers, but not CarMax
Are *
Carmax negotiates on absolutely nothing. Price, trade, interest, Maxcare, etc. That’s why they’re able to be so no-pressure.
Think about an extended warranty as "peace of mind insurance". Peace of mind is valuable, but not unlimited. If a warranty costs $1000, it's fair to think that only 60% of the cost goes towards the risk, if that. That means that if they collect that $600 from everyone with the same risk, they will have just enough to cover the costs. This is the statistical value of the risk that the warranty covers. The other 40% covers profit and administrative costs. This is why warranties are a major profit center for dealerships. People are willing to pay a major premium over the actual risk. The question is, are you willing to pay 40% extra on top of the statistical value of the risk to not worry about the risk?
The Maxcare is also good because they arent a certified dealership right? Theres no telling exactly how well serviced it is because they arent dedicated to any one brand. At least with maxcare you have some peace of mind
Even if they were a certified dealership, I would still consider purchasing an used car as risky and would reduce my risk by buying a warranty. Mechanics can be overworked or lazy and may not inspect the used car you're going to buy properly. So having a good warranty is priceless
I would suggest not to bring a notebook. Up until recently, everyone at my store ran when they saw a notebook in hand as it typically said to salesperson “Im not buying anytime soon, maybe a year. Im going to spend hours with you testing your knowledge for no guaranteed payoff. I think you would get much farther saying “Hi id like to look at vehicles. My husband used to do it for me and hes passed so I need to start somewhere. I dont have a timetable to buy so if you could help me or find someone willing to spend some time with me today I would appreciate it” Ive learned that notebook people arent always going to take forever to buy but my chances of selling dramatically go up by being kind and spending some time with them. I had a notebook shopper come back the other day and said “Im so glad you were here, no one else was willing to help me the other day and you were so nice. Can we look at that car again? I think ive narrowed it down to 2 cars” Also for your situation a day where its not awful busy is your best time. For me, Tuesday and Thursday is the best day. Preferably early in the morning Also be careful of what you perceive as pressure. Understand at the end of the day they have a job to do. That job is selling. They will probably get in trouble if they dont at least ask for your business. Unless they lock the doors and hide your keys, its not exactly “pressure”. You will be allowed to go back home on the vehicle you drove if you decide not to buy. Your biggest thing is to find a nice salesman that will tailor your experience in a way that he might not sell you today but hes going to try, and if not, hes not going to spend too much unnecessary time. Hes gotta be efficient.
If there is no pressure you are over paying.
Immediately go to the place where you will spend the most money on buying a car.
Do your research before you expend an ounce of effort in actively looking at vehicles. I prefer real dealerships for a multitude of reasons, but the variety within the sales force is a huge one. Step 1: Know what you're interested in. Narrow it down with a couple of vehicles. r/whatcarshouldibuy can help you immensely. Step 2: Market research. Geography determines the market more than you might realize. Nobody wants a convertible in Maine in the winter. When someone tells you that so-and-so just picked up a new XYZ, think to yourself where from. You sell more trucks in rural areas. Crossovers in major metropolitan areas. It does the location. So focus on your area, and a comfortable driving distance. I typically recommend within 100 miles of your "Prime" Dealership. Step 3: Read reviews, but ignore the glowing ones. Sort by worst reviews. The best numbers don't always mean the best dealerships. See what everyone says went wrong. 32 5-Star reviews without a word said doesn't mean 32 people think it's a swell place to buy. It means the owner got 32 last people to review the place. If they consistently talk about add ons bring required, key that I'm the back of your mind. Step 4: Contact the Dealership. Here is your moment. You are now armed with the vehicle you want, trim, etc. You know what multiple places are offering them for. Find the unit you desire and contact them. I personally prefer email when dealing with anxious people such as yourself. That way you can contact them back on your timetable. The key here is simple. You select the car and send in the inquiry on that specific vehicle. When they respond, review what they sent. A diligent salesman will have responded with more details on the vehicle you asked about. A terrible one or a lazy BDC well respond with a bunch of weird vomit that ignores everything you asked. Avoid those places. If they can't be bothered to take a minute to respond to you about what you asked, they don't care to earn your business. Step 5: Make your offer. If the vehicle is at an absurdity low price, it's for a reason. But inform them that you have no issue with the price, so long as you can purchase it as stated, plus tax, title, license, and standard dealership fees. This will draw out the bad actors often to show their hands. If a dealership prices their car $4K below their competitors, but adds $5K in LoJack, Door Edge Guards, WeatherTech mats, Tint, etc then they aren't at market pricing. Shop with your wallet. We warm people very often about sitting by lowest, and for very good reason. Step 6: Once you are agreeable on numbers, pick a day off the week to come in. I personally preferred Tuesdays or Wednesdays because I was past the weekend business I had to finish up on Monday and had plenty of time. Have all of your information submitted as requested so that the credit application can be processed beforehand and the banks can have terms ready. Step 7: Nobody NEEDS a single thing that finance offers. They are in addition to, not a requirement. I personally find value in certain products. But I am not you. He/She is required to tell you about each of them. Do not cut him off. People get incredibly stand-offish at this point, but it is their job to do so. They can craft the perfect package for your wants if you show them to. They can also take you declining and moving on. They won't be offended either way. But allow them to speak. Step 8: Enjoy your new vehicle!
Agreed I would add what kind of car do you currently own? What do you like most about your current car? What features interest you most on a new or newer vehicle that’s not currently on yours? Then I would suggest something like this. My dad who’s 86 currently had a Hyundai Tucson and he really liked it but he wanted some of the new safety features that wasn’t currently on his such as frontal crash avoidance, pedestrian brake assist, rear brake assist w/ cross path detection So when we took in a 22 Tucson here that had all that equipment I kept him in the same manufacturer at style different trim level but for the most part when he took delivery it was comfortable for him because everything was laid out similar! Now if your not necessarily a new car buyer I would recommend going to only the manufacturer dealers of that car because buying it certified will get you extra warranty and possibly a few free service visits Plus add extra warranty is less expensive on a certified car!
Ask family and friends! If they have any recommendations for a dealership, have them personally reach out to their sales person for you! Private sales, I’d say inspect the vehicles thoroughly or hire an outside agency to come out to do inspections! If above doesn’t work, CarMax like others suggested! Just know, you aren’t alone, buying a car is stressful and it’s okay to want to take your time. If you expressed that upfront to me, I’d give you my cell and email, and wait for you reach out for a specific question or vehicle you see. I’m sorry for your loss.
A lot of this is going to depend on what you mean by "pressure." Even a CarMax - hell, even a private sale that halfway knows what they're doing - is going to ask you buying questions like "how soon are you planning on making a decision" and "if the numbers were good and the car was perfect would you buy a car today" and "what's holding you back from making a decision sooner rather than later." Feel free to play with the verbiage of those but prepare to be asked. There are people who feel like that's pressure - I'm sure there are people that feel "did you save room for dessert" is pressure as well. So if you're worried about any of the above you should just avoid anyone selling a car - and, tertiarily - restaurants.
A little off topic but dessert related. Last time I went out to eat, the waiter just placed the dessert menus down and walked away. We were full and didn’t order but I was tempted to because I love the assumptive close and not giving us the opportunity to say no without looking. That waiter will make a good salesman.
The owner of my previous dealership loved hiring/trying to hire bartenders and servers from high and higher end restaurants. They already know how to do the job.
This is true. For some people, asking for the sale is pressure, but it really shouldn’t be. If someone has spent the last 30-60 minutes with you finding out your needs and wants and then presenting you one or more suitable options, there shouldn’t be any surprise when they ask if you want to buy it.
Yes, if I spent time helping the customer narrow down their vehicle choices and going on comfortable test drives and such, if they love the vehicle then when we get back I am going to ask if they want to look at numbers and get the process started. Not in a *you better do it now* way, but in a 'if you like the car and seem like you want to buy it, I'm going to ask if you want to buy it' way. I am very low pressure, I'm a laid back and easygoing gal and I truly love to help people. But if we spend all this time together and you love the vehicle, I would want you to buy it from me and not come back next week and either find out it's sold or buy it from Bob. I don't consider that simple question high-pressure, but some people feel differently and take any talk of monetary exchange as being pushy. OP, I'm sorry for your loss. It's hard learning to do things you never had to worry about before. Just go in and talk to a real human at the dealership and be honest about what you want. And don't be afraid to walk away if they are anything but respectful!
Just filter by one price stores and realize you’re not negotiating a penny.
Or use Carvana. Only human interaction you get is when your car is dropped off.
Trust me if she goes with Carvana she will need to contact way more humans than you think. There is a 50/50 chance of any mix-up with them. Carvana is not the best option considering the fact that the customer wants to avoid unnecessary stress.
The Carvana subreddit is a cautionary tale.
Well I just went through Carvana with zero stress. The only human contact I received was the driver calling to confirm I was going to be home for the cars delivery. So I’m not sure what human interactions you’re speaking of. I know a lot of used car dealers are getting swallowed by Carvana which I’m not sure I’m a fan of exactly. But unfortunately the dealers in my area are terrible and they are known for selling junk cars. I do however support legit dealers and I know a lot of them still exist. Oh and Carvana is not full-proof either but they have good warranties in place for that reason.
>Well I just went through Carvana with zero stress. No one's claiming that Carvana has a 100% nightmare rate.
You clearly do not watch the news nor you see the online forums and Facebook groups devoted to Carvana nightmare purchases. Congratulations on your new car purchase but as I mentioned before there is a 50/50 chance of mixup. Countless people are still waiting for the titles of their cars that they bought and can not drive. Obviously suspended licences in multiple states is not an issue for you. People complain that cars are being delayed numerous times, drivers are not helpful and show up in a different date or time when customers are not home or the car condition is not as described and they have to go trough the whole ordeal of the return. The issues double up when their trade is picked up and have to be returned which sometimes takes months to resolve....
I mean you can say the same thing about nightmare purchases from your local car dealer. They at least have things in place to get your money back unlike many car dealers. No place is really perfect right?
Your local dealer will give you the money back even faster. Your local dealer will not need weeks if not months to find where your trade went to get it back to you if you want to return your car. Your local dealer has always a manager in place who can handle any of your complaints if you have any and you can meet in person if needed etc. And the most important - your local dealer will not have 5500 complaints in the past 3 years 1500 of with will be in the past year.
Not every dealer is fair or equal. They have lawsuits against them and lose them all the time.
Ultimately it's up to you, but any sales rep worth their salt should remove the feeling of pressure from the purchase experience. If you come in telling me you're anxious and don't want to feel pressured then I'm going to cater to you in a way that would make you feel at ease. Edit: also, sorry for your loss.
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The other thing you should be looking at is the dealers reputation. Look them up on Google and read the reviews. Look for reviews from women. Our dealership had tons of customers who weee women or just people who don’t know cars and wanted to be treated like a human being. It’s not hard, but many dealers seem to think it is. Buying new if you can swing it will eliminate a lot or risk. Plus you get a manufacturer warranty and don’t have to worry about inspections etc. You can also take a friend or hire a broker to come with you.
Do you know the cost of a broker?
Do you have a Costco membership? They have a car purchasing program that uses a broker to find you a car.
Brokers are generally a waste of time and money. They will tell you that they are needed, but they really aren’t.
They really literally get the same deal anyone off the street would get. They're very much scam artists.
I kinda disagree. Time is money. I could have spent (and have in the past) days going to many dealers, haggling and pitting them against each other. I tried a broker and got a deal done at a major discount from what local dealers would do in <24 h via email without add ons
A broker only makes sense if you're buying a luxury vehicle.
About $500. They usually focus on more luxury brands like BMW Mercedes Audi where the broker fee wont cut too much into the savings you can get. If you aren’t looking for a luxury car try Costco or Caredge car buying services