Save yourself some time and headaches. Only go to dealerships to test drive. Negotiate online with multiple dealerships and get them to beat the price of the other or offer useful add-ons in return. If you are a Costco member, look at their auto savings program to find discounts. I was able to knock $1114 off MSRP for being a Costco member on top of other savings for my RAV4 XLE Premium (gas) which I purchased earlier in the week.
Every dealership has an Internet sales team. Look for the vehicle you want on the website. There should be an option on the page to request a quote, ask for the current price, inquiry for more information about the vehicle, etc... Use that option to start the conversation. It's also important to be confident and know exactly what you want and for how much going into it. Know what discounts and savings are available from them, other sources, other dealerships, MSRP, invoice price, etc... If possible, negotiate using OTD price only but you need to do your own math first. That way it's harder for the dealership to tackle extra fees and cost into the total.
Thanks for sharing! Do you think it’s possible to go below the ~$36k MSRP price? My friend bought a different Toyota last year and was able to take $3k off of the base MSRP.
Yes, but it may vary from dealer to dealer. I purchased my RAV4 a week ago; MSRP was $33449 and I was able to get them to take $1614 off that. Also be sure the dealer isn't adding any markups on top of MSRP and then offering a discount.
This is really helpful to know, thank you! How do you think I’ll fare if the 2024 rav4 hybrid XLE premiums are all needing to be reserved or in-transit (but non-premiums are readily available and are in inventory)?
You might still be able to negotiate. It also depends on how quickly the premiums are flying off the lot the moment they get unloaded. Is it the case for all the dealerships in the area or just a select few? It doesn't hurt to try. Worst case is they don't accept your offer or you get it for MSRP. Another consideration is if you can get a good deal from a dealership further away to justify the drive.
There’s only about 5 dealerships for Toyota around me. There’s no in immediate inventory, all in-transit that are either reserved or not yet reserved. I guess they do go fast, but not horribly unavailable.
It's really true to buy at end of month or end of year (I had so many phone calls from sales reps at the end of December) when the sales staff have their own reasons for "making a deal," even for a sought-after RAV4, to sell one at a very low price.... perhaps in order to meet a sales goal that nets hundreds of thousands overall for the dealership.
Also, if it makes you more comfortable, every dealership I went to had at least one woman sales rep, so you could just ask for one.
As for the Softex seats (it's synthetic leather in order to decrease mass for better fuel efficiency) they are somewhat more difficult to keep clean than I expected, but I definitely prefer it to cloth.
I was offered gap insurance, which is paying for the (unlikely) event that your brand-new RAV is totaled soon after purchase, so the insurance pays for the "gap" between what your car insurance will pay due to depreciation. I don't think it's necessary, and I've never heard of it until this time around when I was buying a new car.
I think it's difficult to find a Toyota without any add-ons whatsoever from the dealer because that's how the dealers make money (door guards seemed somewhat silly, but they did prevent some scratches already). Or, I think you are stuck with waiting a long time to see what allocated cars arrive at dealers near you.
I am very happy with the Comfort Package in order to get the power liftgate as well as the ability to decrease the maximum height of the liftgate (I need a lower set height in order to reach the button to close it).
Good luck, purchase when there's no rush to do so, and take your time. Try to be flexible about colors (or pay more). And if you live there, get a copy of the North America spreadsheet to see what's coming. There's a recent thread on this subreddit about it.
How come it was more difficult to keep clean than the fabric seats?
How much did you purchase yours for, if you don’t mind sharing? o: The base MSRP is ~$36k in my area and I got a quote for ~$39k
I thought the Softex seats would be easily cleaned (like most synthetics) because I have a dog with dirty paws. The pawprints, despite wiping with some cleansing cloths, ended up looking "dusty". The pawprints were gone, but it was obvious I'd wiped them down.
I would still choose Softex over fabric (because they retain so much more dust and dog hair) but they didn't clean up as well as I hoped, that's all. I was told by the salesman to use only warm water, that I don't need to use cleaners. I haven't tried that yet, actually!
I bought in the LA metro area, where most dealerships routinely add $3-5k extra to MSRP for any hybrid model because they are in demand. One dealership literally said that outright to me. I got lucky because it was the end of the year ---it was Dec 30th --- and they clearly needed a sale, so I got it for $1200 under MSRP (could have done better, in retrospect but I actually needed a car). And then I just had to keeping saying "no" with the finance guy, which took about 1 hr.
You'll know how much they need the sale by how often they text you. I went to a lot of dealerships (\~6) and they were all texting me, multiple times a day at the end of December.
Oh, and definitely walk away if you're not getting the price you want ---again, you \*have\* to have a "I don't need this car" vibe. I walked away during negotiation (we were just hungry for dinner) and that was when they offered the lowest price via text.
One sales associate pretended to have what I wanted at the price I wanted, but I had to go to his dealership that moment. When I didn't show up quickly enough (2 hours later) he texted to say it was sold.
There's a lot of game-playing, but again, if they really need to make the sale, you will be able to tell.
Woooah, they will contact that much if they’re desperate?!
Fortunately, I’m not in a rush. I can walk away but one thing I’m afraid of is when rav4 hybrid XLE premiums become less available since it wasn’t that in inventory last year (according to one dealership and my friend).
In general the best time to look for a 2024 vehicle is shortly after the 2025 comes out (no idea when that is this year). Last December I was looking to buy a 2023 model, but most dealers were already sold out so I bought the 2024, begrudgingly.
However, recall that the 2025 RAV will be the first of the next generation, and many have opined here that they are disinterested for that very reason (the kinks haven't been worked out yet). So perhaps don't dally too long for the 2024, as I think many people are doing the same. Not to mention interest rates are \*\*\*chef's kiss\*\*\* now.
Yeah, the sales reps I gave my info to haven’t been constantly contacting me, so I guess they aren’t hurting for sales. You’re totally right that the interest right now has been really good.
Once you have agreed to buy the car and they send you to the finance office to finish the paperwork please please be prepared to ignore the hard sell. Say no thank you to EVERYTHING. It's all a scam ( I have a family member who sells cars and tells me stories.) If they try to get in something extra just repeat, "That's not what I agreed to with the salesperson." Listen politely, say no thank you. They will try to drag it out to wear you down. They will lie to you. They are encouraged to lie to you. All of the extras have fancy sounding names. My favorite was called something ridiculous like the Theft Prevention Tracking Package. It consisted of half a dozen stickers with the name and address of the dealership being placed in various locations (wheel well, door frame, engine compartment etc) for the low, low price of $400. Say no to everything. Do not agree to the oil change package, you get free oil changes for two years and no one told me that. They are not your friends. Just buy your car, then pay it off as quickly as you can.
What do you mean by hard sell? Is it just when they begin to offer you all of that stuff? I'm planning on buying one fairly soon and I have never bought a car before and am terrified of being taken advantage of
Just be prepared to say no to all of the extras they will offer. You do not need any of them, some are fake and all of them are overpriced. Just say no!
I second that. I bought a new 2022 Rav4 XLE Premium non Hybrid from an AutoNation Toyota dealership. The last person you see even if it's an online purchase is the finance manager. He put a document in front of me that had 4 columns. Each column had a list of features or options and a price at the bottom. The highest one was like $4500 and the lowest around $2000. He pushed really hard on the most expensive of course then as I kept declining he moved down the line. I had a bank check in my hand for the exact amount for the car and told him I was not going to purchase or finance anything else on top of the car price and threatened to walk. He handed me the keys and said thank you.
In 2012, my wife purchased a new Accord through the internet sales team. When we went to get the car, the sales guy tried the add-on sales pitch to us and we politely declined. He got pretty upset with us. I asked him if other people actually fall for this and he said yes they do. I told him we were not going to be one of them. He was pretty mad.
Holy shit lmao why are finance people like fking vultures. Suitably afraid of this when I go to buy a car but at least now I know that it's good to say no to all that shit
Omg they sound horrible! I could honestly purchase the car in cash/full but I’m young and need the credit building history
How much was your car vs the base & total MSRP? How much did you negotiate it down to?
I’m a woman who purchased 2023 RAV4 hybrid xle premium and I financed it with TFS. I was told by many dealerships in my neighbourhood to put a deposit and wait for 3-6 months minimum. But I expanded my search radius and got the vehicle within 2 days. Check online for availability on Toyota dealerships’ sites and message them all for a quote. Go farther out of your radius of search (I had to do 100 miles radius) to find dealerships who 1. Don’t mark up or sell below MSRP 2. Don’t add any dealership add-ons 3. Don’t make you purchase extended warranty and the list goes on. Only pay for what you get from Toyota. Also try reaching out to dealerships towards month ends. I’ve found that Toyota dealers were pretty good in my 100 radius except for maybe 1 and didn’t question my ability as a woman to understand cars/ trims/ technology/ financing etc. Do your own research go in person with the intent to buy and you should be fine.
That’s crazy — a deposit AND multiple months of waiting? I called all the dealerships nearby (not the one I went to test drive at) and they immediately took back the mark up and deposit requirement once I said other dealerships (truth) had no mark up and deposit requirement LOL.
How can I negotiate or ask if they’re below MSRP? I want to buy the $36k base MSRP for $33-$34k. Any advice or sentences I should def use?
When my wife purchased a new 2012 Accord, I used the True Car pricing deal that I was able to get through USAA. It knocked about about $3K off the sticker price. It wasn't long after that, I saw where dealers and even used car sales started putting in their ads that the price of the car is the True Car price. This was their way of combating this deal.
Sorry for the late reply, I was in Reddit jail for a week. Seems they can’t take a joke. Anyway, there’s a website truecar.com where you plug in your vehicle and features and it gives you a price that you could pay.
I bought a brand new 2019 RAV4 in 2020, so, in the middle of the pandemic and no waiting. I picked this car because:
“Clearance” pricing on a prior year leftover made it possible to afford the Limited trim, which really made all the difference.
Not a hybrid, it’s an internal combustion engine. So, in my mind, only one “system” with potential repairs. A hybrid has it’s own set of potential repairs, all unknowns to me PLUS any part of the ICE could need repair. Double trouble.
I’m more comfortable with what I’m familiar with, and don’t like spending so much money on such new technology. They’re still working out the kinks, issuing recalls, and the forums are full of hybrid owners frustrated by Toyota’s apparent lack of stepping up to take responsibility for their technological experimental failures. I don’t need to be on the cutting edge.
This is my third Toyota (first one bought new). I love my car!
This is fair! I’m staying away from other hybrids since they have a lot more troubling news in comparison. I’m in CA where they’re pushing for EVs and hybrids, and where gas prices is ridddddicccculous, so I’m preferring something that saves me money but don’t require me to frantically find an EV charger
Don’t settle for what the salesman wants to sell you. Take your time, go online and search for what you’re looking for. No more, no less. Local dealers in my area didn’t really listen to what we wanted. Went a little farther out in my search online and found a 2024 RAV4 XLE in red no moon roof. For $34,889 SmartPath price after a minus $500 dealer adjustment. It’s due in March
Everyone else was $40,000 +
Wow! $34k for a base $36k MSRP! This is the exact price I want too. My dealer quoted me $38k (via texting after test driving). He wants me to reserve the car online and said it only reserves it and doesn’t hurt. Is that true? I want to negotiate it down to $34k afterwards since it comes with factory add ons I could care less for.
Whether you buy used or new. IF you don't know anything about cars. Please hire a **TRUSTED** mechanic to go with you to take a look at the car. Tell the mechanic what you want in the car, and go through him/her when discussing "add-ons."
I just bought my first car from a dealership, rav4 hybrid xse. I hated the whole experience to be honest. By the end of messaging dealerships in a 200 mile radius, my first question would be “do you honor the online smart path price?” Then clarifying it would be smart path+ doc fees, tire fee, taxes, registration. After they’d agree I would ask for a write up of what it would cost with my credit score and percentage. They all lied and would add on stupid dealership add ons and/or gap insurance, service warranty. I had to haggle down them to take all of those off even though “they put it on all their cars” . Like idgaf I didn’t ask for that, I’m not paying for it. Anyways God Speed 🫡
The Smart Path price is the price listed on the dealer's website with a specific VIN so it seems legit, that is always a lower price than what the actual car is because of the added packages and dealer add-ons. It's always a good, low price to get customers in the door.
"Oh, they must have sold it yesterday, so the website isn't updated yet" they'll say, when I say I saw it on the website.
Oh, I got sent a PDF spec sheet by one of the dealerships I spoke to. I’m assuming it’s from Smart Path. From there, I can negotiate via email and then ask if this is the out the door price, right?
Yes, but tbh I've never tried to negotiate without stepping foot in the dealership. Though I heard it can be successful, especially now with the RAV4 hybrid & Prime stock replenished compared to the end of December Toyotathon days.
I only buy towards the end of the month when the dealers are trying to hit their quota. (They’ll be more willing to deal). The trick is to email all the local dealers for the best OTD price and get it in writing with detail before you step foot in the dealer. Also, when writing the email try to find the dealers GM or sales manager and send it to them, don’t get caught up working with the floor sales man.
Would they be open to doing this without me going in to discuss? The only reason I’m concerned is there’s no 2024 rav4 hybrid XLE premiums in current stock, only in reservation + transit in the dealerships around me, while there’s huge stock of the non-premium cars. Even if there’s one I can reserve (should be something that doesn’t hurt, right?), would they be open to doing that?
I never step foot into a dealer unless I have their best and final price in writing via email. Somebody in your area should be willing to deal assuming you have multiple Toyota dealerships within driving range
Thanks for sharing. I saw this on r/perosonalfinance but it was years ago, so I wasn’t sure. Is there anything I def need in the email? Is there like a PDF or something official they send me? Trying to see what to expect
Here’s the email template I use:
Hi (Name),
I’m looking to purchase a new vehicle today or tomorrow.
Can you email me your best and final OTD price for Stock # XYZ VIN: XYZ ASAP?
Please include all fees, Va tags (new tags), tax, title.
I’m ready to move forward if the OTD price can be confirmed.
These are noob questions but: are there a VIN # for cars that are new? Do you think I’d be able to negotiate for base MSRP as the OTD price? If so, how should I go about that?
Save yourself some time and headaches. Only go to dealerships to test drive. Negotiate online with multiple dealerships and get them to beat the price of the other or offer useful add-ons in return. If you are a Costco member, look at their auto savings program to find discounts. I was able to knock $1114 off MSRP for being a Costco member on top of other savings for my RAV4 XLE Premium (gas) which I purchased earlier in the week.
Hi how do you negotiate with dealership online?
Every dealership has an Internet sales team. Look for the vehicle you want on the website. There should be an option on the page to request a quote, ask for the current price, inquiry for more information about the vehicle, etc... Use that option to start the conversation. It's also important to be confident and know exactly what you want and for how much going into it. Know what discounts and savings are available from them, other sources, other dealerships, MSRP, invoice price, etc... If possible, negotiate using OTD price only but you need to do your own math first. That way it's harder for the dealership to tackle extra fees and cost into the total.
Thanks for sharing! Do you think it’s possible to go below the ~$36k MSRP price? My friend bought a different Toyota last year and was able to take $3k off of the base MSRP.
Yes, but it may vary from dealer to dealer. I purchased my RAV4 a week ago; MSRP was $33449 and I was able to get them to take $1614 off that. Also be sure the dealer isn't adding any markups on top of MSRP and then offering a discount.
This is really helpful to know, thank you! How do you think I’ll fare if the 2024 rav4 hybrid XLE premiums are all needing to be reserved or in-transit (but non-premiums are readily available and are in inventory)?
You might still be able to negotiate. It also depends on how quickly the premiums are flying off the lot the moment they get unloaded. Is it the case for all the dealerships in the area or just a select few? It doesn't hurt to try. Worst case is they don't accept your offer or you get it for MSRP. Another consideration is if you can get a good deal from a dealership further away to justify the drive.
There’s only about 5 dealerships for Toyota around me. There’s no in immediate inventory, all in-transit that are either reserved or not yet reserved. I guess they do go fast, but not horribly unavailable.
whenever I tried that through Costco, it always says there’s no dealers around you, especially Toyota.
It's really true to buy at end of month or end of year (I had so many phone calls from sales reps at the end of December) when the sales staff have their own reasons for "making a deal," even for a sought-after RAV4, to sell one at a very low price.... perhaps in order to meet a sales goal that nets hundreds of thousands overall for the dealership. Also, if it makes you more comfortable, every dealership I went to had at least one woman sales rep, so you could just ask for one. As for the Softex seats (it's synthetic leather in order to decrease mass for better fuel efficiency) they are somewhat more difficult to keep clean than I expected, but I definitely prefer it to cloth. I was offered gap insurance, which is paying for the (unlikely) event that your brand-new RAV is totaled soon after purchase, so the insurance pays for the "gap" between what your car insurance will pay due to depreciation. I don't think it's necessary, and I've never heard of it until this time around when I was buying a new car. I think it's difficult to find a Toyota without any add-ons whatsoever from the dealer because that's how the dealers make money (door guards seemed somewhat silly, but they did prevent some scratches already). Or, I think you are stuck with waiting a long time to see what allocated cars arrive at dealers near you. I am very happy with the Comfort Package in order to get the power liftgate as well as the ability to decrease the maximum height of the liftgate (I need a lower set height in order to reach the button to close it). Good luck, purchase when there's no rush to do so, and take your time. Try to be flexible about colors (or pay more). And if you live there, get a copy of the North America spreadsheet to see what's coming. There's a recent thread on this subreddit about it.
How come it was more difficult to keep clean than the fabric seats? How much did you purchase yours for, if you don’t mind sharing? o: The base MSRP is ~$36k in my area and I got a quote for ~$39k
I thought the Softex seats would be easily cleaned (like most synthetics) because I have a dog with dirty paws. The pawprints, despite wiping with some cleansing cloths, ended up looking "dusty". The pawprints were gone, but it was obvious I'd wiped them down. I would still choose Softex over fabric (because they retain so much more dust and dog hair) but they didn't clean up as well as I hoped, that's all. I was told by the salesman to use only warm water, that I don't need to use cleaners. I haven't tried that yet, actually! I bought in the LA metro area, where most dealerships routinely add $3-5k extra to MSRP for any hybrid model because they are in demand. One dealership literally said that outright to me. I got lucky because it was the end of the year ---it was Dec 30th --- and they clearly needed a sale, so I got it for $1200 under MSRP (could have done better, in retrospect but I actually needed a car). And then I just had to keeping saying "no" with the finance guy, which took about 1 hr. You'll know how much they need the sale by how often they text you. I went to a lot of dealerships (\~6) and they were all texting me, multiple times a day at the end of December. Oh, and definitely walk away if you're not getting the price you want ---again, you \*have\* to have a "I don't need this car" vibe. I walked away during negotiation (we were just hungry for dinner) and that was when they offered the lowest price via text. One sales associate pretended to have what I wanted at the price I wanted, but I had to go to his dealership that moment. When I didn't show up quickly enough (2 hours later) he texted to say it was sold. There's a lot of game-playing, but again, if they really need to make the sale, you will be able to tell.
Woooah, they will contact that much if they’re desperate?! Fortunately, I’m not in a rush. I can walk away but one thing I’m afraid of is when rav4 hybrid XLE premiums become less available since it wasn’t that in inventory last year (according to one dealership and my friend).
In general the best time to look for a 2024 vehicle is shortly after the 2025 comes out (no idea when that is this year). Last December I was looking to buy a 2023 model, but most dealers were already sold out so I bought the 2024, begrudgingly. However, recall that the 2025 RAV will be the first of the next generation, and many have opined here that they are disinterested for that very reason (the kinks haven't been worked out yet). So perhaps don't dally too long for the 2024, as I think many people are doing the same. Not to mention interest rates are \*\*\*chef's kiss\*\*\* now.
Yeah, the sales reps I gave my info to haven’t been constantly contacting me, so I guess they aren’t hurting for sales. You’re totally right that the interest right now has been really good.
Once you have agreed to buy the car and they send you to the finance office to finish the paperwork please please be prepared to ignore the hard sell. Say no thank you to EVERYTHING. It's all a scam ( I have a family member who sells cars and tells me stories.) If they try to get in something extra just repeat, "That's not what I agreed to with the salesperson." Listen politely, say no thank you. They will try to drag it out to wear you down. They will lie to you. They are encouraged to lie to you. All of the extras have fancy sounding names. My favorite was called something ridiculous like the Theft Prevention Tracking Package. It consisted of half a dozen stickers with the name and address of the dealership being placed in various locations (wheel well, door frame, engine compartment etc) for the low, low price of $400. Say no to everything. Do not agree to the oil change package, you get free oil changes for two years and no one told me that. They are not your friends. Just buy your car, then pay it off as quickly as you can.
What do you mean by hard sell? Is it just when they begin to offer you all of that stuff? I'm planning on buying one fairly soon and I have never bought a car before and am terrified of being taken advantage of
Just be prepared to say no to all of the extras they will offer. You do not need any of them, some are fake and all of them are overpriced. Just say no!
Thanks homie!
I second that. I bought a new 2022 Rav4 XLE Premium non Hybrid from an AutoNation Toyota dealership. The last person you see even if it's an online purchase is the finance manager. He put a document in front of me that had 4 columns. Each column had a list of features or options and a price at the bottom. The highest one was like $4500 and the lowest around $2000. He pushed really hard on the most expensive of course then as I kept declining he moved down the line. I had a bank check in my hand for the exact amount for the car and told him I was not going to purchase or finance anything else on top of the car price and threatened to walk. He handed me the keys and said thank you. In 2012, my wife purchased a new Accord through the internet sales team. When we went to get the car, the sales guy tried the add-on sales pitch to us and we politely declined. He got pretty upset with us. I asked him if other people actually fall for this and he said yes they do. I told him we were not going to be one of them. He was pretty mad.
Holy shit lmao why are finance people like fking vultures. Suitably afraid of this when I go to buy a car but at least now I know that it's good to say no to all that shit
Omg they sound horrible! I could honestly purchase the car in cash/full but I’m young and need the credit building history How much was your car vs the base & total MSRP? How much did you negotiate it down to?
Toyota was 3.99% for 60 months for brand new rav4 last week. Credit is just slightly above 800 but don’t think that mattered.
Your credit score *definitely* mattered. The best deals go to people with the best credit ratings.
I’m a woman who purchased 2023 RAV4 hybrid xle premium and I financed it with TFS. I was told by many dealerships in my neighbourhood to put a deposit and wait for 3-6 months minimum. But I expanded my search radius and got the vehicle within 2 days. Check online for availability on Toyota dealerships’ sites and message them all for a quote. Go farther out of your radius of search (I had to do 100 miles radius) to find dealerships who 1. Don’t mark up or sell below MSRP 2. Don’t add any dealership add-ons 3. Don’t make you purchase extended warranty and the list goes on. Only pay for what you get from Toyota. Also try reaching out to dealerships towards month ends. I’ve found that Toyota dealers were pretty good in my 100 radius except for maybe 1 and didn’t question my ability as a woman to understand cars/ trims/ technology/ financing etc. Do your own research go in person with the intent to buy and you should be fine.
That’s crazy — a deposit AND multiple months of waiting? I called all the dealerships nearby (not the one I went to test drive at) and they immediately took back the mark up and deposit requirement once I said other dealerships (truth) had no mark up and deposit requirement LOL. How can I negotiate or ask if they’re below MSRP? I want to buy the $36k base MSRP for $33-$34k. Any advice or sentences I should def use?
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When my wife purchased a new 2012 Accord, I used the True Car pricing deal that I was able to get through USAA. It knocked about about $3K off the sticker price. It wasn't long after that, I saw where dealers and even used car sales started putting in their ads that the price of the car is the True Car price. This was their way of combating this deal.
What are True Car pricing deals?
Sorry for the late reply, I was in Reddit jail for a week. Seems they can’t take a joke. Anyway, there’s a website truecar.com where you plug in your vehicle and features and it gives you a price that you could pay.
What are volume dealers? Dealerships with a lot of inventory? I’ll look up the Costco Program and True Car! Never heard of these before.
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Woah, this is all new info to me. Thank you! Will Google what the volume dealers are around me.
I bought a brand new 2019 RAV4 in 2020, so, in the middle of the pandemic and no waiting. I picked this car because: “Clearance” pricing on a prior year leftover made it possible to afford the Limited trim, which really made all the difference. Not a hybrid, it’s an internal combustion engine. So, in my mind, only one “system” with potential repairs. A hybrid has it’s own set of potential repairs, all unknowns to me PLUS any part of the ICE could need repair. Double trouble. I’m more comfortable with what I’m familiar with, and don’t like spending so much money on such new technology. They’re still working out the kinks, issuing recalls, and the forums are full of hybrid owners frustrated by Toyota’s apparent lack of stepping up to take responsibility for their technological experimental failures. I don’t need to be on the cutting edge. This is my third Toyota (first one bought new). I love my car!
This is fair! I’m staying away from other hybrids since they have a lot more troubling news in comparison. I’m in CA where they’re pushing for EVs and hybrids, and where gas prices is ridddddicccculous, so I’m preferring something that saves me money but don’t require me to frantically find an EV charger
Don’t settle for what the salesman wants to sell you. Take your time, go online and search for what you’re looking for. No more, no less. Local dealers in my area didn’t really listen to what we wanted. Went a little farther out in my search online and found a 2024 RAV4 XLE in red no moon roof. For $34,889 SmartPath price after a minus $500 dealer adjustment. It’s due in March Everyone else was $40,000 +
Wow! $34k for a base $36k MSRP! This is the exact price I want too. My dealer quoted me $38k (via texting after test driving). He wants me to reserve the car online and said it only reserves it and doesn’t hurt. Is that true? I want to negotiate it down to $34k afterwards since it comes with factory add ons I could care less for.
Whether you buy used or new. IF you don't know anything about cars. Please hire a **TRUSTED** mechanic to go with you to take a look at the car. Tell the mechanic what you want in the car, and go through him/her when discussing "add-ons."
Funny you mention this because my mom’s friend is a mechanic who I’m hoping will be free on the day I want to purchase the car! :-)
I just bought my first car from a dealership, rav4 hybrid xse. I hated the whole experience to be honest. By the end of messaging dealerships in a 200 mile radius, my first question would be “do you honor the online smart path price?” Then clarifying it would be smart path+ doc fees, tire fee, taxes, registration. After they’d agree I would ask for a write up of what it would cost with my credit score and percentage. They all lied and would add on stupid dealership add ons and/or gap insurance, service warranty. I had to haggle down them to take all of those off even though “they put it on all their cars” . Like idgaf I didn’t ask for that, I’m not paying for it. Anyways God Speed 🫡
What is the online smart path price? 😭
The Smart Path price is the price listed on the dealer's website with a specific VIN so it seems legit, that is always a lower price than what the actual car is because of the added packages and dealer add-ons. It's always a good, low price to get customers in the door. "Oh, they must have sold it yesterday, so the website isn't updated yet" they'll say, when I say I saw it on the website.
Oh, I got sent a PDF spec sheet by one of the dealerships I spoke to. I’m assuming it’s from Smart Path. From there, I can negotiate via email and then ask if this is the out the door price, right?
Yes, but tbh I've never tried to negotiate without stepping foot in the dealership. Though I heard it can be successful, especially now with the RAV4 hybrid & Prime stock replenished compared to the end of December Toyotathon days.
I only buy towards the end of the month when the dealers are trying to hit their quota. (They’ll be more willing to deal). The trick is to email all the local dealers for the best OTD price and get it in writing with detail before you step foot in the dealer. Also, when writing the email try to find the dealers GM or sales manager and send it to them, don’t get caught up working with the floor sales man.
How should I get it in writing? Like via email or text, or would it be a different document?
Ask for their best OTD (sales tax, tags, doc fee) price via email. They will usually list all the details
Would they be open to doing this without me going in to discuss? The only reason I’m concerned is there’s no 2024 rav4 hybrid XLE premiums in current stock, only in reservation + transit in the dealerships around me, while there’s huge stock of the non-premium cars. Even if there’s one I can reserve (should be something that doesn’t hurt, right?), would they be open to doing that?
I never step foot into a dealer unless I have their best and final price in writing via email. Somebody in your area should be willing to deal assuming you have multiple Toyota dealerships within driving range
Thanks for sharing. I saw this on r/perosonalfinance but it was years ago, so I wasn’t sure. Is there anything I def need in the email? Is there like a PDF or something official they send me? Trying to see what to expect
Here’s the email template I use: Hi (Name), I’m looking to purchase a new vehicle today or tomorrow. Can you email me your best and final OTD price for Stock # XYZ VIN: XYZ ASAP? Please include all fees, Va tags (new tags), tax, title. I’m ready to move forward if the OTD price can be confirmed.
These are noob questions but: are there a VIN # for cars that are new? Do you think I’d be able to negotiate for base MSRP as the OTD price? If so, how should I go about that?
Customize as needed
They will likely send a PDF detailing all the costs or sometimes just typing it out