New to forum...
08-03-2007, 09:53 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 08-03-2007
Location: Davenport,Florida
Posts: 67
New to forum...
Hello everybody!
I am new to the forum and just wanna say "Hello" to everyone.
I am going down to check out an HHR Premiere Edition (Cappuccino Frost) tomorrow.I have been e-mailing the dealer for the past week getting the price down a bit.If all goes well and the trade for my 2000 Mustang is fair,I will have my new HHR tomorrow afternoon.Very cool!
Pray!
This will be my 2nd new car ever.I have always owned used cars.The Mustang was my 1st new car and I love it but it's time to trade up.I am a musician and the Stang is not gear friendly (and don't even mention the back seat!).I was getting tired of not having the room for my instruments,amps,and other gear, plus passengers.The HHR will do the trick in a pinch.
Well,pray for me/ wish me luck!
Juan
I am new to the forum and just wanna say "Hello" to everyone.
I am going down to check out an HHR Premiere Edition (Cappuccino Frost) tomorrow.I have been e-mailing the dealer for the past week getting the price down a bit.If all goes well and the trade for my 2000 Mustang is fair,I will have my new HHR tomorrow afternoon.Very cool!
Pray!This will be my 2nd new car ever.I have always owned used cars.The Mustang was my 1st new car and I love it but it's time to trade up.I am a musician and the Stang is not gear friendly (and don't even mention the back seat!).I was getting tired of not having the room for my instruments,amps,and other gear, plus passengers.The HHR will do the trick in a pinch.
Well,pray for me/ wish me luck!
Juan
to the site!!! Tomorrow you will officially be an HHR owner 
So what instruments do you play?!?
...WELCOME!!, From Wheelie and I!!!! 
to the family. Premiere edition is a very nice choice. Good luck and I hope to see ya in your new HHR soon
08-03-2007, 10:10 PM
#5
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 08-03-2007
Location: Davenport,Florida
Posts: 67
Thanx for the welcome!
Thanx folks!
I play an instrument called the Chapman Stick®,fretless and 8 stringed bass,and the Native American Flute (which I also make).
This is what the Stick® looks like...
And here's the official Stick Enterprises site.
I will let you all know how it goes tomorrow!
Juan
I play an instrument called the Chapman Stick®,fretless and 8 stringed bass,and the Native American Flute (which I also make).
This is what the Stick® looks like...
And here's the official Stick Enterprises site.
I will let you all know how it goes tomorrow!
Juan
Last edited by Meshica7; 08-03-2007 at 10:14 PM. Reason: Modify pic
08-03-2007, 10:23 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: 05-26-2007
Location: ...
Posts: 1,554
Let's hope. Our idea of fair and the dealer's idea of fair are often two different things.
From the dealer's viewpoint he wants to give you wholesale (trade in value) for your Mustang while you pay him as close to MSRP for his HHR as he can get you.
From your viewpoint you want to pay wholesale (invoice) for the HHR and be given retail value for your Mustang.
Niether one of the above scenarios is likely to actually happen. The goal is to reach a compromise in between these two extremes.
Do this: Look up the retail value of your Mustang on NADA's website (National Auto Dealer's Association). It will show low, middle and high retail figures, which are figures adjusted to the condition and mileage of your car. There is probably more money difference between trade value (wholesale value) and retail value of your Mustang than there is between invoice and retail on the HHR. Keeping in mind that the dealer still makes money selling at invoice because of the holdback allowance which is 3% of MSRP (not a whole lot, but every little bit counts). So what you want to offer is that you'll pay MSRP for their HHR as long as they give you NADA retail for your Mustang. Then work from there. DO NOT cave to their "final offer" that day and buy the car that same day. If they want to sell the car, they'll add some more money to your side of the deal the next or following day and call you back. You need to try and play hard to get and bide your time. Only then will you get their best offer. They are relying on the customer being impulsive and wanting the new car so bad they cave and sign on the dotted line the first day. There are a lot of 2007 HHR's in dealer inventory right now. It's a buyer's market on them not a sellers market. Bide your time and make them sweeten the deal.
Also, on the driver door panel with the door open look at the build sticker and observe the build date printed on it. That will give you an idea of how long they have had the HHR on their lot, which will directly correlate to how hard they will work to sell it to you. If they've had it a long time, you have the advantage.
From the dealer's viewpoint he wants to give you wholesale (trade in value) for your Mustang while you pay him as close to MSRP for his HHR as he can get you.
From your viewpoint you want to pay wholesale (invoice) for the HHR and be given retail value for your Mustang.
Niether one of the above scenarios is likely to actually happen. The goal is to reach a compromise in between these two extremes.
Do this: Look up the retail value of your Mustang on NADA's website (National Auto Dealer's Association). It will show low, middle and high retail figures, which are figures adjusted to the condition and mileage of your car. There is probably more money difference between trade value (wholesale value) and retail value of your Mustang than there is between invoice and retail on the HHR. Keeping in mind that the dealer still makes money selling at invoice because of the holdback allowance which is 3% of MSRP (not a whole lot, but every little bit counts). So what you want to offer is that you'll pay MSRP for their HHR as long as they give you NADA retail for your Mustang. Then work from there. DO NOT cave to their "final offer" that day and buy the car that same day. If they want to sell the car, they'll add some more money to your side of the deal the next or following day and call you back. You need to try and play hard to get and bide your time. Only then will you get their best offer. They are relying on the customer being impulsive and wanting the new car so bad they cave and sign on the dotted line the first day. There are a lot of 2007 HHR's in dealer inventory right now. It's a buyer's market on them not a sellers market. Bide your time and make them sweeten the deal.
Also, on the driver door panel with the door open look at the build sticker and observe the build date printed on it. That will give you an idea of how long they have had the HHR on their lot, which will directly correlate to how hard they will work to sell it to you. If they've had it a long time, you have the advantage.
08-03-2007, 10:30 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: 05-26-2007
Location: ...
Posts: 1,554
http://www.nadaguides.com/usedcars.a...-1&y=2000&da-1
This will get you started. DO NOT let them start quoting Kelly Blue Book trade-in value. KBB shoots low on trade-in and plays to the dealer's hand.
They will have a harder time refuting NADA figures because, well, they're a dealer and its the National Auto DEALERS Association...
This will get you started. DO NOT let them start quoting Kelly Blue Book trade-in value. KBB shoots low on trade-in and plays to the dealer's hand.
They will have a harder time refuting NADA figures because, well, they're a dealer and its the National Auto DEALERS Association...
08-03-2007, 10:41 PM
#8
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 08-03-2007
Location: Davenport,Florida
Posts: 67
Lone Ranger,
Thanx for that valuable info!
The HHR is sticker listed at $23,525.00 and so far we have it down to to $21,136.83. This does not include my trade.
I went to the NADA site and here is the relusts for my Stang:
Excellent @ $3,700
Good @ $3,260
Fair @ $2,510
It is a high mileage vehicle (at about 170K) but the condition is good.Normal wear stuff.Man,I remember paying $2500 for a used 1976 Firebird with 40 K on it back in '85!That was my 1st car.
I will look at the door panel for sure.That's a great tip!
Thanx again.
Juan
Thanx for that valuable info!
The HHR is sticker listed at $23,525.00 and so far we have it down to to $21,136.83. This does not include my trade.
I went to the NADA site and here is the relusts for my Stang:
Excellent @ $3,700
Good @ $3,260
Fair @ $2,510
It is a high mileage vehicle (at about 170K) but the condition is good.Normal wear stuff.Man,I remember paying $2500 for a used 1976 Firebird with 40 K on it back in '85!That was my 1st car.
I will look at the door panel for sure.That's a great tip!
Thanx again.
Juan
08-03-2007, 10:56 PM
#10
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 08-03-2007
Location: Davenport,Florida
Posts: 67
Lone Ranger
I did not know that about the KBB! That is what I based my figures on (I have not discussed that with the dealer,though).So I checked out the NADA site,punched in the numbers,and here are the results:
Clean Trade-In $3,525
Clean Retail Value $5,150
So,with this in mind (and I will check the "lot date") I should have some good "ammo" in my guns,so to speak.
What do ya think?
Thanx again!
Juan
I did not know that about the KBB! That is what I based my figures on (I have not discussed that with the dealer,though).So I checked out the NADA site,punched in the numbers,and here are the results:
Clean Trade-In $3,525
Clean Retail Value $5,150
So,with this in mind (and I will check the "lot date") I should have some good "ammo" in my guns,so to speak.
What do ya think?
Thanx again!
Juan