We just got a Civic Hybrid and did almost the entire thing over the
Internet.

I got quotes from Internet managers via several services (autobytel and
Edmunds, I think). Let them negotiate via email, then called the Internet
manager only when I'd agreed on the price. Went in, gave them a check, got
the car. According to the net sites, we got the car for $300 below invoice
(so with dealer holdback, they were still able to make a bit of money).

My big piece of advice if you use the internet is not to put your correct
phone number in when you register at autobytel, etc. Otherwise, even if you
clearly say you don't want phone calls, everyone calls you immediately.

Alex

"John Smith" <someone@microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8jfJb.14294$R_4.5353@nwrddc03.gnilink.net...
> If you have done so, will you mind sharing your experience? Thanks in
> advance.
>
>

 

We just got a Civic Hybrid and did almost the entire thing over the
Internet.

I got quotes from Internet managers via several services (autobytel and
Edmunds, I think). Let them negotiate via email, then called the Internet
manager only when I'd agreed on the price. Went in, gave them a check, got
the car. According to the net sites, we got the car for $300 below invoice
(so with dealer holdback, they were still able to make a bit of money).

My big piece of advice if you use the internet is not to put your correct
phone number in when you register at autobytel, etc. Otherwise, even if you
clearly say you don't want phone calls, everyone calls you immediately.

Alex

"John Smith" <someone@microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8jfJb.14294$R_4.5353@nwrddc03.gnilink.net...
> If you have done so, will you mind sharing your experience? Thanks in
> advance.
>
>

 

"Alex M. Stein" <alexmstein@eartnospamhlink.net> wrote in message
news:ATqJb.32034$Pg1.19208@newsread1.news.pas.eart hlink.net...
> We just got a Civic Hybrid and did almost the entire thing over the
> Internet.
>
> I got quotes from Internet managers via several services (autobytel and
> Edmunds, I think). Let them negotiate via email, then called the Internet
> manager only when I'd agreed on the price. Went in, gave them a check,
got
> the car. According to the net sites, we got the car for $300 below
invoice
> (so with dealer holdback, they were still able to make a bit of money).
>
> My big piece of advice if you use the internet is not to put your correct
> phone number in when you register at autobytel, etc. Otherwise, even if
you
> clearly say you don't want phone calls, everyone calls you immediately.
>

I'm still getting phone calls from last week's car stuff. You need to give
right number though if you are honest about trying to get them to do
business with you. I'm sure the internet people at dealerships get a lotta
junk and people just toying with them. I mean, I dealt with about 20
dealerships via/email phone and only 2-3 got my patronage.

 

"Alex M. Stein" <alexmstein@eartnospamhlink.net> wrote in message
news:ATqJb.32034$Pg1.19208@newsread1.news.pas.eart hlink.net...
> We just got a Civic Hybrid and did almost the entire thing over the
> Internet.
>
> I got quotes from Internet managers via several services (autobytel and
> Edmunds, I think). Let them negotiate via email, then called the Internet
> manager only when I'd agreed on the price. Went in, gave them a check,
got
> the car. According to the net sites, we got the car for $300 below
invoice
> (so with dealer holdback, they were still able to make a bit of money).
>
> My big piece of advice if you use the internet is not to put your correct
> phone number in when you register at autobytel, etc. Otherwise, even if
you
> clearly say you don't want phone calls, everyone calls you immediately.
>

I'm still getting phone calls from last week's car stuff. You need to give
right number though if you are honest about trying to get them to do
business with you. I'm sure the internet people at dealerships get a lotta
junk and people just toying with them. I mean, I dealt with about 20
dealerships via/email phone and only 2-3 got my patronage.

 

"Alex M. Stein" <alexmstein@eartnospamhlink.net> wrote in message
news:ATqJb.32034$Pg1.19208@newsread1.news.pas.eart hlink.net...
> We just got a Civic Hybrid and did almost the entire thing over the
> Internet.
>
> I got quotes from Internet managers via several services (autobytel and
> Edmunds, I think). Let them negotiate via email, then called the Internet
> manager only when I'd agreed on the price. Went in, gave them a check,
got
> the car. According to the net sites, we got the car for $300 below
invoice
> (so with dealer holdback, they were still able to make a bit of money).
>
> My big piece of advice if you use the internet is not to put your correct
> phone number in when you register at autobytel, etc. Otherwise, even if
you
> clearly say you don't want phone calls, everyone calls you immediately.
>

I'm still getting phone calls from last week's car stuff. You need to give
right number though if you are honest about trying to get them to do
business with you. I'm sure the internet people at dealerships get a lotta
junk and people just toying with them. I mean, I dealt with about 20
dealerships via/email phone and only 2-3 got my patronage.

 

"Alex M. Stein" <alexmstein@eartnospamhlink.net> wrote in message
news:ATqJb.32034$Pg1.19208@newsread1.news.pas.eart hlink.net...
> We just got a Civic Hybrid and did almost the entire thing over the
> Internet.
>
> I got quotes from Internet managers via several services (autobytel and
> Edmunds, I think). Let them negotiate via email, then called the Internet
> manager only when I'd agreed on the price. Went in, gave them a check,
got
> the car. According to the net sites, we got the car for $300 below
invoice
> (so with dealer holdback, they were still able to make a bit of money).
>
> My big piece of advice if you use the internet is not to put your correct
> phone number in when you register at autobytel, etc. Otherwise, even if
you
> clearly say you don't want phone calls, everyone calls you immediately.
>

I'm still getting phone calls from last week's car stuff. You need to give
right number though if you are honest about trying to get them to do
business with you. I'm sure the internet people at dealerships get a lotta
junk and people just toying with them. I mean, I dealt with about 20
dealerships via/email phone and only 2-3 got my patronage.

 

You don't have to do anything.

For too long, dealers and salesmen have been dishonest with buyers. I'm not
worried that they won't want to do business with me, especially when I've
got the money and give them the correct contact information -- when I say
"no phone calls accepted" and give them the correct email address, anyone
who tries calling is disregarding my instructions anyway!

I made the mistake six months ago of putting in my real phone number and
requesting only email responses and got no email responses and only phone
calls. And one told me that they don't even get the email addresses
forwarded and only get them by request if they try a phone number and it
doesn't work!

When you're ready to buy, you call them to set up a time to come in.
Otherwise, there's no reason to have salesmen bugging you over the phone.

For far too long, dealers and salesmen have had the power in car-buying
transactions. With the Internet, we can make them earn our business. And
if someone can't take a minute or two to respond to an email at their
convenience, they aren't trying hard enough.

Alex


"tomamaron" <ed@aol.net> wrote in message
news:iXqJb.21137$yA6.16818@bignews1.bellsouth.net. ..
>
> "Alex M. Stein" <alexmstein@eartnospamhlink.net> wrote in message
> news:ATqJb.32034$Pg1.19208@newsread1.news.pas.eart hlink.net...
> > We just got a Civic Hybrid and did almost the entire thing over the
> > Internet.
> >
> > I got quotes from Internet managers via several services (autobytel and
> > Edmunds, I think). Let them negotiate via email, then called the
Internet
> > manager only when I'd agreed on the price. Went in, gave them a check,
> got
> > the car. According to the net sites, we got the car for $300 below
> invoice
> > (so with dealer holdback, they were still able to make a bit of money).
> >
> > My big piece of advice if you use the internet is not to put your
correct
> > phone number in when you register at autobytel, etc. Otherwise, even if
> you
> > clearly say you don't want phone calls, everyone calls you immediately.
> >
>
> I'm still getting phone calls from last week's car stuff. You need to give
> right number though if you are honest about trying to get them to do
> business with you. I'm sure the internet people at dealerships get a lotta
> junk and people just toying with them. I mean, I dealt with about 20
> dealerships via/email phone and only 2-3 got my patronage.
>
>

 

You don't have to do anything.

For too long, dealers and salesmen have been dishonest with buyers. I'm not
worried that they won't want to do business with me, especially when I've
got the money and give them the correct contact information -- when I say
"no phone calls accepted" and give them the correct email address, anyone
who tries calling is disregarding my instructions anyway!

I made the mistake six months ago of putting in my real phone number and
requesting only email responses and got no email responses and only phone
calls. And one told me that they don't even get the email addresses
forwarded and only get them by request if they try a phone number and it
doesn't work!

When you're ready to buy, you call them to set up a time to come in.
Otherwise, there's no reason to have salesmen bugging you over the phone.

For far too long, dealers and salesmen have had the power in car-buying
transactions. With the Internet, we can make them earn our business. And
if someone can't take a minute or two to respond to an email at their
convenience, they aren't trying hard enough.

Alex


"tomamaron" <ed@aol.net> wrote in message
news:iXqJb.21137$yA6.16818@bignews1.bellsouth.net. ..
>
> "Alex M. Stein" <alexmstein@eartnospamhlink.net> wrote in message
> news:ATqJb.32034$Pg1.19208@newsread1.news.pas.eart hlink.net...
> > We just got a Civic Hybrid and did almost the entire thing over the
> > Internet.
> >
> > I got quotes from Internet managers via several services (autobytel and
> > Edmunds, I think). Let them negotiate via email, then called the
Internet
> > manager only when I'd agreed on the price. Went in, gave them a check,
> got
> > the car. According to the net sites, we got the car for $300 below
> invoice
> > (so with dealer holdback, they were still able to make a bit of money).
> >
> > My big piece of advice if you use the internet is not to put your
correct
> > phone number in when you register at autobytel, etc. Otherwise, even if
> you
> > clearly say you don't want phone calls, everyone calls you immediately.
> >
>
> I'm still getting phone calls from last week's car stuff. You need to give
> right number though if you are honest about trying to get them to do
> business with you. I'm sure the internet people at dealerships get a lotta
> junk and people just toying with them. I mean, I dealt with about 20
> dealerships via/email phone and only 2-3 got my patronage.
>
>

 

You don't have to do anything.

For too long, dealers and salesmen have been dishonest with buyers. I'm not
worried that they won't want to do business with me, especially when I've
got the money and give them the correct contact information -- when I say
"no phone calls accepted" and give them the correct email address, anyone
who tries calling is disregarding my instructions anyway!

I made the mistake six months ago of putting in my real phone number and
requesting only email responses and got no email responses and only phone
calls. And one told me that they don't even get the email addresses
forwarded and only get them by request if they try a phone number and it
doesn't work!

When you're ready to buy, you call them to set up a time to come in.
Otherwise, there's no reason to have salesmen bugging you over the phone.

For far too long, dealers and salesmen have had the power in car-buying
transactions. With the Internet, we can make them earn our business. And
if someone can't take a minute or two to respond to an email at their
convenience, they aren't trying hard enough.

Alex


"tomamaron" <ed@aol.net> wrote in message
news:iXqJb.21137$yA6.16818@bignews1.bellsouth.net. ..
>
> "Alex M. Stein" <alexmstein@eartnospamhlink.net> wrote in message
> news:ATqJb.32034$Pg1.19208@newsread1.news.pas.eart hlink.net...
> > We just got a Civic Hybrid and did almost the entire thing over the
> > Internet.
> >
> > I got quotes from Internet managers via several services (autobytel and
> > Edmunds, I think). Let them negotiate via email, then called the
Internet
> > manager only when I'd agreed on the price. Went in, gave them a check,
> got
> > the car. According to the net sites, we got the car for $300 below
> invoice
> > (so with dealer holdback, they were still able to make a bit of money).
> >
> > My big piece of advice if you use the internet is not to put your
correct
> > phone number in when you register at autobytel, etc. Otherwise, even if
> you
> > clearly say you don't want phone calls, everyone calls you immediately.
> >
>
> I'm still getting phone calls from last week's car stuff. You need to give
> right number though if you are honest about trying to get them to do
> business with you. I'm sure the internet people at dealerships get a lotta
> junk and people just toying with them. I mean, I dealt with about 20
> dealerships via/email phone and only 2-3 got my patronage.
>
>

 

On Fri, 02 Jan 2004 14:33:40 GMT, "John Smith" <someone@microsoft.com>
wrote:
>If you have done so, will you mind sharing your experience? Thanks in
>advance.

Clicked on everyone available at edmunds.com.

Got several emails within a day, and one or two phone calls.

Emailed one back asking for lease rates, he phoned me, quoted me good
numbers.

I had to go down there to negotiate on my trade-in.

But got only a fraction of the hassle a street walk-in would get, get
an OK deal, maybe a little better than OK.

I strongly recommend going this way.

OTOH, I can't really understand *why* they hassle you less simply
because you started via Internet, but that's the way it seems!

J.

 

On Fri, 02 Jan 2004 14:33:40 GMT, "John Smith" <someone@microsoft.com>
wrote:
>If you have done so, will you mind sharing your experience? Thanks in
>advance.

Clicked on everyone available at edmunds.com.

Got several emails within a day, and one or two phone calls.

Emailed one back asking for lease rates, he phoned me, quoted me good
numbers.

I had to go down there to negotiate on my trade-in.

But got only a fraction of the hassle a street walk-in would get, get
an OK deal, maybe a little better than OK.

I strongly recommend going this way.

OTOH, I can't really understand *why* they hassle you less simply
because you started via Internet, but that's the way it seems!

J.

 

On Fri, 02 Jan 2004 14:33:40 GMT, "John Smith" <someone@microsoft.com>
wrote:
>If you have done so, will you mind sharing your experience? Thanks in
>advance.

Clicked on everyone available at edmunds.com.

Got several emails within a day, and one or two phone calls.

Emailed one back asking for lease rates, he phoned me, quoted me good
numbers.

I had to go down there to negotiate on my trade-in.

But got only a fraction of the hassle a street walk-in would get, get
an OK deal, maybe a little better than OK.

I strongly recommend going this way.

OTOH, I can't really understand *why* they hassle you less simply
because you started via Internet, but that's the way it seems!

J.