Over the course of the past year economic conditions have forced many people to become more price conscious about a lot of purchases, and none more so than with buying cars.  The industry as a whole has felt the shift toward a price driven buyer, and we quite regularly get requests for our “best price” over email.  The bottom line is that you have to come here to negotiate. While that may seem a little out of line given the trend, our reasons follow below.

The first, and most important reason, is that our cars are competitively priced as it is.  Price is based on a variety of factors - colour, options, mileage, condition and history. All of these are considered when we set the price.  We usually stock top of line models with many luxury features - and a lot of times each additional package can add $1000 - $3000 to the price of the car.  Colour combinations can also be more valuable -  a black on black is typically worth about $1000 more than the exact same car in blue on tan.  So when comparing the same model, make sure you account for all the factors involved in valuation - as there is almost always several good reasons whey our car is a couple thousand more than one that seems similar.

The next reason is due to the nature of business.  If people are within a reasonable distance it’s always best to see the vehicle first before deciding what to offer.  No matter what we agree on beforehand, your offer is based on what you think the vehicle will be like - and that impression may or may not match up to reality.  So we could go back and forth for a bit on numbers, only to have you show up and decide you’d like to change your offer, resting the whole process.  When seen in that light, it is actually more direct to see the vehicle, then talk numbers. While the internet has changed parts of the interaction, in many respects we are still old fashioned.

Besides, there is much more to consider when buying a car than just the bottom price.  Would you like a warranty? How about new brakes?

You’ll notice I said “within a reasonable distance” above and that is because we do sell to people right across the country and overseas.  That would not be possible if our prices were not already aggressive, as they have to pay shipping as well.

The bottom line is that while we will work with you on price, you have to come here first.  How willing are we?  Take a look at the pictures below to see the kind of volume we do.  That’s because we work with you.

(can’t upload pics at the moment…will update when I can).

Don’t forget to check back often for other quality used cars.

Everyone remembers the cash for clunkers programs, Obama’s initiative to get people working and revive the economy and the domestic auto industry in one fell swoop.  A year later we have had time to look back over the effects of the program to gauge it’s effectiveness, And the results are not encouraging.

First, there has been and increase in used car prices.  According to Edmunds.com, used cars in general have incresed in price by just over 10% in the last year.  If you’ve been shopping for one lately, you already know that. It can be really tough to find older, running autos, as many were senselessly destroyed in an effort to kickstart the automakers.  The administration gave $4500 for old used cars to go towards the purchase of a new one.  And while many people got more than their car may have been worth, they also got a new monthly bill at a time when few scarcely can afford it. To put it another way, they traded in a vehicle they owned that cost them nothing for a new one they had to finance.  Not a great move for the bottom line, even if your car wasn’t worth $4500.

Of course, this has resulted in a squeeze for new used cars, and with prices creeping up, it makes new cars mroe attractive. This may have been planned for at the outset, as the US government was essentially subsidizing new car buying while artificially restricting used car supply.  But there comes another angle on the from the website WallStreetGrand.  In the video title “Meltup” there is a little segment near the end where it talks about how this program came into effect.  While many people are aware of the destructive effects of the cash for clunkers program, not many are aware of the origins.

China is the single largest holder of US debt, holding over $1 trillion USD. However, they are starting to get anxious about the USA’s ability to pay it off, and have recently begun to decrease their position in the dollar.  According to the documentary, in early 2009 the US wanted to get more credit from the Chinese, but they refused.  Instead of credit, they offered to supply steel, and get paid when that steel had been used and the goods sold.  And to use that steel they turned to the auto industry, and the program was born.

Some people might question this chain of events…to them, I would say look at the results of this chain of events. Demand for new cars is assured due to short supply and high prices for used cars.

Is that the way things really happened?  It will be impossible to ever know for sure, but if the shoe fits…

Resources:

Link to article on Used Car Prices
Link to Edmunds.com
Link to video
Link to a document on US-China steel trade

Don’t forget to check out the rest of our used cars.

Also, please remember the soldiers who have sacrificed for us today.

I was recently driving through town with a friend and happened to get stuck behind a car that was following the letter of the law on every single intersection. Stopping fully well before a stop sign, creeping forward slowly, and if there was another car in sight waiting until it passed. Needless to say, I found this to be extremely frustrating. Have you ever been behind a driver like this?

Now I’m not saying speed like hell. I understand the law is in place to prevent people from hurting themselves or other people, but there comes a point where you understand the rules of the road. You know your car, and what it can do. At this point, it seems to me that the rules of the road are more like guidelines.

Let me explain that.

The first examples concern momentum - I conserve it if I can. For example, there are certain stop signs that I never fully stop for. The street is almost always deserted, and there is never anyone walking along it. If I have to stop I will, but most of the time there is no need, as there is nothing there. Also, when appraoching an intersection, I carefully follow the car ahead of me. If they decide to go through the light, so will I, even if it could be technically termed running it. However, if there is no one ahead of me I will not run it. It’s those unexpected things that lead to accidents. Also, I’ve noticed there are unoffical speed limits where I live. Under 70km/hr and you will most likely not get a speeding ticket, unless passing through a school zone. On the highway, it’s 120km/hr.

The question is, do these habits make me a bad driver? I obey the spirit, if not the letter, of the law, and use common sense. Of course, I don’t break the hard rules - things like excessive speeding and drinking and driving. And I get annoyed by people who don’t play by the same set of rules. Which I assume they reciprocate.

So the question is…is that bad driving? From what I’ve seen, the answer is no. It seems to me most people have their own particular habits like this. In my opinion, if you’re paying attention, not ridiculously speeding and sober, you’re going a long way to keeping the road safe.

But I may be wrong. If anyone ever reads this, let me know what you think.

Via: The MotorcycleInsurance Blog

Click here to see these and other used cars.

The past couple of months have been hectic here.  Several times we’ve broken the weekly sales record, and as such we’ve had to go an get increasingly larger shipments of vehicles to sell. This of course has lead to spacing issues, as the lot hasn”t gotten any bigger.

Effective immediately we are having an inventory wide sale

Everything in stock is between $1000-$2000 off! Of course, due to the nature of the sale it may end at any time. Check out our used car selection to see if any models interest you.

Act fast, as we are selling a lot of cars every day.

Oftentimes, people go looking for a car without the slightest bit of preparation beforehand. While dealers are able to take care of consumers in this position, you can save a significant amount of money be simply planning your purchase for a few hours. I know this might sound like a broken record, but if you break it down then time you spend planning will be worht well over $100 an hour.

Know What You Can Afford to Spend

The first step is to determine how much you can afford to spend on your new car. You can either do it as a lump sum or monthly payments, and for most people it will be the latter. Once you know how much you can afford to spend per month you have to commit to it. That little extra $10-$20 per month when you’re ready to sign might not seem like much, but that will cover the cost of your sticker and license renewal. It’s important to remember that cars cost a lot more than just the payments for financing and insurance, so low ball here. Remember to factor in estimated gas costs as well.

Choose a Car

Gas costs are primarily a function of number of cylinders, so if this is a concern you’ll want a 4 cylinder model. It’s important to be picky here, but not too picky. Don’t worry too much if it has power windows or not, or what color it is, as waiting for the exact model may take a long time. You want to narrow it down to several similar models - say a Toyota Corolla, a Mazda 3, and a Honda Civic.

Now it’s time to get a brief rundown on insurance costs to make sure there are no big discrepancies between the chosen models. I recommend a phone call to your insurance agent, as many web forms are tedious and they try to sign you up for insurance in the process. You may have to refine you selections according to the feedback you get here.

Hot Tip: If you drive by several dealerships over the course of time, look for cars that have been sitting there for a while. The saying time=money has never been more true than in terms of autos, so any dealer will be just itching to get rid of older inventory. You can really save a lot on the asking price this way, provided you pay in a lump sum.

Arrange You Financing

You may have to shop around a bit, but your best bet is with the bank you already deal with. Banks generally give better rates than dealerships, and paying a lump sum for a car almost always means a better deal (meaning the price you pay is lower, as well as the rate on the loan) than dealership financing, so the savings add up.

You might not get the extra service by paying this way (think a stickered plate all ready to go), but the savings will be so great over the course of loan it won’t matter.

Conclusion

Like most things, extra effort results in benefits to the consumer. The system is set up so that you don’t have to lift a finger, but it will cost you thousands more than what you might have paid. The whole process might be an extra 8 hours on your part (probably not nearly that much) but will add up in savings. And trust me, you’ll never be more satisfied with a car than one you get like this.