bargaining with the dealer

aquitted · Apr 5, 2012

Cant seem to find the right used expediter truck that fits me either to old wrong tranny wrong rears or too many miles so i want to go to the dealer and buy a used semi that i like have it stretched and put a 24' box w/liftgate on it I never bought a semi from the dealer does anyone know how much you can talk down a dealer on a 08 KW or pete with auto trans APU and around 500,00 miles?

Monty · Apr 5, 2012

As a "general" rule, (there are always exceptions), the dealer has xx number of dollars invested in a trade in truck. They don't deal much.

On new units they have factory incentives, etc ...

And I like your idea .. had I wanted to remain in the realm of doing logs, 10 hour breaks, etc, I would have done the same to my Freightliner, but alas, I sold it and bought the van.

Oh, btw, FYDA Freightliner in Columbus does, (or did), a lot of that work, they took tractors and coverted them .. you might check their website to see if they still do.

Monty · Apr 5, 2012

Seems they are still doing it .. here is a link to their inventory.

Used Trucks For Sale At TruckPaper.com - Page 1

usaf6186 · Apr 5, 2012

Middle GA Freightliner used to have some some tractors that were converted to ST's. Don't know if they still do. Been a while sience I have been by there. Jerry Lee

mss1963 · Apr 5, 2012

Middle Ga has a 2007 that was streched has a 450-500 Detroit in it with 12 sp auto and a brand new 24ft? box on it...no lift gate or A.P.U. I think around 500,000 mile's on it.

xiggi · Apr 5, 2012

Notanewbie said:
As a "general" rule, (there are always exceptions), the dealer has xx number of dollars invested in a trade in truck. They don't deal much.

On new units they have factory incentives, etc ...

And I like your idea .. had I wanted to remain in the realm of doing logs, 10 hour breaks, etc, I would have done the same to my Freightliner, but alas, I sold it and bought the van.

Oh, btw, FYDA Freightliner in Columbus does, (or did), a lot of that work, they took tractors and coverted them .. you might check their website to see if they still do.

Don't know about trucks but on cars the dealer makes much more off a used one than a new one.

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the_hungaria · Apr 5, 2012

08 with anything around 500k should cost you no more than $28-32k. depending on condition, make/model, service records, warranties etc. My volvo 780 cost me 52k, with 389k miles. now with 542k it's probably worth about 45ish. these hold their value like a rock. kw, ok truck, but not best on milage.

good luck to ya!

zorry · Apr 5, 2012

True. On a new one the dealers all pay the same and it's easy to compare apples to apples while shopping. Buying at auction, or off desparate owners, the dealer can often buy below market. Then he can make a killing. The op would be money ahead buying a fleet truck off Werner or Maverick and shopping for the stretch and box separately. Three years ago I bought a mint condition 26' Morgan body with liftgate for $3500. It was 2 years old. It cost $1000 to shorten it.

Monty · Apr 5, 2012

=IF= ya gonna look for a 2008 model .. why not move back one more year, where the EPA had not tampered with the emissions so much?

Also, SelectTrucks, Arrow, etc are markerters of those fleet trucks .... I once made a deliver into Phoenix to a faciluty that brought them in and made a quick inspection to the fact they were road worthy for Freightliner .. they had THOUSANDS of used tractors sitting there waiting for a dealer call for more inventory.

Steady Eddie · Apr 5, 2012

You can deal with them. New has a markup of around 5%, then there is dealer pacs, hold back, dealer fees and so on. Used is marked up a lot. I made more money selling used then I did selling new. So, on a used one- they are not selling very well, and if the one you are looking at has been on the lot for a long time, THEY WILL DEAL.

zorry · Apr 5, 2012

If you have cash, or are financeable, you're in a position to deal.

aquitted · Apr 5, 2012

I can pay cash so do you think I can talk them down 7 grand on a $62,000.00 truck 07 freightliner stretched semi with inverter and 24' box no liftgate no e-track low miles

paullud · Apr 5, 2012

aquitted said:
I can pay cash so do you think I can talk them down 7 grand on a $62,000.00 truck 07 freightliner stretched semi with inverter and 24' box no liftgate no e-track low miles

Do NOT tell them you will pay in cash. You are a bad customer because they make a lot of money by selling the loan to a bank.

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zorry · Apr 5, 2012

Agree with Paullud. Tell them you have 1/3 down,good credit. Take credit app. Make deal and then tell them you decided to pay cash. When I sold cars we made more money in the F&I office than on the vehicle quite often.DO NOT put your house on the line for a truck ! My class 8 N-14 ran a consistent 10+ mpg and I sold it at 975,000 miles. Before any engine,trans,or rear-end work.

aquitted · Apr 6, 2012

zorry said:
Agree with Paullud. Tell them you have 1/3 down,good credit. Take credit app. Make deal and then tell them you decided to pay cash. When I sold cars we made more money in the F&I office than on the vehicle quite often.DO NOT put your house on the line for a truck ! My class 8 N-14 ran a consistent 10+ mpg and I sold it at 975,000 miles. Before any engine,trans,or rear-end work.

Good info. I am not putting my house or anything on the line I got some good money from the sale of 2 semi daycabs also no one said how low to start bargaining.

Steady Eddie · Apr 6, 2012

aquitted said:
I can pay cash so do you think I can talk them down 7 grand on a $62,000.00 truck 07 freightliner stretched semi with inverter and 24' box no liftgate no e-track low miles

Cash plays no part in making a deal. All the sales are cash to them as who ever carry's the loan will send a check to the dealer. The salesman cares not about finance, if they do not get a cut in it.
DO NOT SAY-

I want my note to be around 1200 a month. Reason- Say you have good credit, the percentage with increase so they can get you at a higher % rate, but still keep you at what you ask for. Then you are happy because you got it at 1400 a month.lol

I want the best deal I can get. They will keep it high, hoping you will bite sooner or later.

If you want to pay cash, get a "Out the door" price. That includes everything, dealer fees, taxes, and what ever else may be tacked on.

Last trick- "well how much will you pay?". You tell him a number, "If I can get my manager to sell it at that will you buy?" He will go to the manager, they will ask each other how's the wife and kids, you going fishing this weekend?" Then he will come back, at a much higher number then you gave them. Again, hoping you will bite.

Cash is not a tool to use to get a good deal. All of their sales are cash. Remember that. Buyers think that cash carries them into an advanage. It does if you are buying a Gun.

scottm4211 · Apr 6, 2012

Cash helps though when the dealer knows you're not a flake and are wasting their time. My advice is to deal directly with the sales manager or anyone who can sign the deal.
There's nothing that will make a dealer work harder than knowing a deal can be written without having to worry about the F&I office throwing it against the wall and praying it sticks.
Like Steady, I was also in the business (I know, shocking).
When I was a sales manager, I worried about moving units, not how much or if anything the business office would make. They weren't my concern.

zorry · Apr 6, 2012

I'm with Scott. Cash will let them know you're good. Also, if they mess you around you can drive elsewhere and buy a truck. I've seen a car manager take a low offer thinking we'll get him in the business office. A sharp manager will ask you straight out "are you paying cash ?" Many people bargain hard on a vehicle and give everything they gain back to the finance guy.

Rocketman · Apr 6, 2012

scottm4211 said:
Cash helps though when the dealer knows you're not a flake and are wasting their time. My advice is to deal directly with the sales manager or anyone who can sign the deal.
There's nothing that will make a dealer work harder than knowing a deal can be written without having to worry about the F&I office throwing it against the wall and praying it sticks.
Like Steady, I was also in the business (I know, shocking).
When I was a sales manager, I worried about moving units, not how much or if anything the business office would make. They weren't my concern.

My thought exactly. Last big truck I purchased was an off-lease fleet truck. They were sitting at dealers all around the country for 33-36k. I talked to wholesale dealer, he made one phone call to a dealership where I had already been looking. He got off the phone, told me to go pick out my truck for 22k and he wanted $1,000 for his cut.

But he knows me and he knew that I would write the check and it would be good.

Even with inflated prices, you should be able to buy an 07 with low miles for 30k or less, 10k to stretch and double frame, 10k for a new box, would put you at 50k.

I would look that dealer truck over very close. If the frame has been stretched in front of the drives, I would want to have it inspected by someone who knows what to look for. It should at minimum be double plated at the seam or seam(s) where it was stretched. Double framed from the rear axle to at least the back of the sleeper is best.