I now want to stay with Nissan but I need help

[longrunQ]

I am blessed to be getting a car at the end of this month, and I want an altima.

I originally wanted a base model 2003 accord dx sedan manual trans, but the dealerships here in arkansas are asking $16,800. My limit is $14,500

I would buy an altima in a heartbeat ( I love the 2002-2003 that much) but the dealer I called wanted to sell me a 2002, used, for $17,800. Remember I only have $14,500

MY requirements are : 2002 or newer, $14,500 before tax or less, and still under warranty

My list right now looks like this .I'll go down till I find one in my price range

2002 Altima (This car is mad good looking)2002 honda accord (reliability at its best)2002 Volkswagen jetta gl (I looks good)

2003 mitsubishi galant2003 dodge intrepid2003 pontiac grand prix.

Does anyone have the hookup with a dealer who will sell me a 2002 altima for $14,500?

If not, can you recommend a car that meets my requirements? I cant drive a small car like a civic or corolla because I am 6-6 , 280 lbs.

thanks.

[Q451990]

I'd fax every dealership within a comfortable distance of your home. Address it to the sales manager and say you're ready to buy (include a loan pre-approval letter if you like) and specify exactly what car you want. Ask for their absolute best price and state that you'll buy from the dealership that sends you the best bottom line price. List all of the dealerships in the "To" field, and maybe they'll be so eager to undercut the other guy that you can get a good deal. This has always been my thought on getting a good deal on a new car - but I've never bought one.

Heath

[SOCAL91Q45a]

http://www.autobytel.com

worked for me on my 2000 excursion. Quick story .....

Went to the local dealer here in irvine in 2000 when these beasts first hit the street. GM had had a strike, no Suburbans on the lots, and it was a body style change year for chevy - so only old style burbs hangin around - so dealer offered NO incentives and in our area actually increased their sticker price, on the 2 or so they had on the lots.

So I went back to ford ..... sat in the RETAIL showroom for 2.5 hrs dealing with the so called MGR - he aint no Gen MGR - he's the CLOSER. Well, we were $2,500 apart in purchase price, $3000 diff in downpay and $180 diff in payment than I had set as my max limit. I walked out the door that night, came home got on the puter - saw an autobytel ad banner - clicked it. Then the education began ......

I entered my trade in and less than max desired down pay and lowballed my desired monthly payment by $100. Pushed the submit button at 12 am midnight approx.

Next am - ive got an email from the very same dealership I walked out of - advising me they had a car, and were willing to do the deal i sent them, and to come sign docs. Took 1 extra day for a credit thang, but ..... rolled my car in 48 hrs with the deal i wanted. The net/fleet/ sales guy in the other building i bought from said he couldnt beleive the CLOSER - let me walk out of their store without the car and the deal I wanted.

1. theres tons o room on new cars - especially NOW.

2. theres a retail side of their store and a internet/fleet/wholesale side.

3. I will NEVER buy a new car from a dealer showroom floor again. They are freakin liars and theives. The diff between fleet volume and retail floor pricing is sales dweeb and Gen MGR profits.

4. If the guy your talking with has to leave the room and go ask, or bring someone else back with him - your about to get tooled -walk. You can get the deal you want i your FIRM, Patient, and resourceful. You have what they want - $$$$ - not the other way around.

All the best ......

socal91Q45a

[SOCAL91Q45a]

Q451990 - thats essentially what http://www.autobytel.com does .....

but a lot less work, and the dealer has to PAY for those leads - so some mgr will account for all replies and status of a PAID for lead. When i did it - it didnt coast anything to use autoby tel.

[Jeff Williams]

When the Altima's new body style came out, the Maxima's started getting HUGE discounts. I was offered a better deal on a new Maxima, than the new Altima. Have you thought of that car? I know the body style is a little "dated", but it sure beats the Honda's.

[docsmile71]

Used cars are in such abundance right now it's a buyers market. You can haggle like crazy..and if they don't meet your price, go to the next dealer because someone will have the car that you want that's been sitting on their lot for 6 months depreciating.

Remember that these dealers have to sell these cars to keep the cash flow coming.

[greg_atlanta]

Used cars at dealers are way overpriced.

Maxima won't work for most tall people unless it doesn't have a sunroof, and most come with a sunroof.

[longrunQ]

I just came from autotrader.com and I ran a search for 2002 altimas and found one in cali for $11,000 with 20,000 miles and still under factory warranty.

It looked like a genuine dealership but isnt this price too low to be real?

I mean, they could have rolled back the odometer, or covered damage or something. Is $11k or 12k too low to pay for a 2002 altima?

If I can get an Altima for, say $12,000, I can get a plane ticket to wherever it is and it will still be cheaper than what the guys here are trying it get. I called some dealerships in Dallas and the cheapest quote I got for a 2002 was 15,500

Anyhow, thanks for all the suggestions . I will definitely search on auto-by-tel to see what turns up.

I have a feeling I'll be driving a 2002 nissan altima within the next few weeks.

[tinted]

super dude :thumbup:

You could also check out a 02 G20, but is that too small for you?

I just read that you are 6-6 >too small.

[tinted]

I would go for a well taken care of "loaded" 98-02 car though. I think you would enjoy it better than a base model car.

[longrunQ]

I just searched autobytel and they did not even have a single 2002 altima for under $15k

I think it may work better for new cars.

[longrunQ]

I would go for a well taken care of "loaded" 98-02 car though. I think you would enjoy it better than a base model car.

dude, I hear you. That would be my plan but the person buying the car for me will not have it.

I looked at the 02 g20 and it is a VERY sharp car. its slightly too small though... and I prefer the altima.

[DAEDALUS]

I don't always agree that used cars at dealers are always overpriced. But unlike private party, you usually have to pay sales tax, which will usually break a deal for me. Dealerships are often good at what they do, and part of that includes getting used cars at rock-bottom wholesale prices. A smart dealer usually won't pay more for a used car than what he thinks he can get for it at an auction. Cost aside, one benefit of buying from a dealer is that in many states you're protected by lemon laws in case you have severe problems after the sale.

If you're buying from out of state, make sure you tell the seller that and verify that they won't be charging you sales tax. Otherwise, depending on your DMV laws, you might get taxed twice for one purchase.

[longrunQ]

thanks daedalus, I'll remember that. It never occured to me that I could get taxed twice.

I also didnot know that one did not have to pay tax if buying from a private party. I think I should be looking at more newspaper classifieds.

[tinted]

hmm thats tough for 14,500 The only thing I think you could get would be a base model altima or accord

[PalmerWMD]

Longrun:

Email our member Jayson right away he is a parts man at the LRGEST Nissan Dealer in the country.

They have ACRES of cars and tons of 2k2 Altima's.

He can hook u up with his sales manager and get you a NICO discount I would think.We are kinda working on an offical arrangement like that anyway, just isnt ready to post to teh board yet, but you <should> chekc it out:1-800-876-7496

Fred...

[Metroyed]

Why don't you just buy two neons? ZING! another neon joke!!

[longrunQ]

hey palmerwmd,

Thanks a lot for the heads up. I am going to call him right now and see what kind of deal he can get me.

Thanks.

[BadQ45t]

To be clear you DO need to pay tax on a used car bough from a private party. I think what Deaulus is saying is that you can "negotiate" with them seller as to the price that they indicated that you paid. I've done this before, you write two checks, one for say 1/2 the amount and the other for the rest (be careful to not go too low) and save youself 1/2 the taxes you'd have to pay.

[SOCAL91Q45a]

"To be clear you DO need to pay tax on a used car bough from a private party."

..... AND you should be paying taxes on "stuff" you buy at yard sales, but ..... :-)

[greg_atlanta]

To be clear you DO need to pay tax on a used car bought from a private party.

Not in Georgia!

(But new cars are taxed at 7% in my county).

Every state is different.

[Rex]

Not in Georgia!

(But new cars are taxed at 7% in my county).

Every state is different.

But don't you have to send that fella "Ad Valorem" a chunk every year?

And in KY aren't you supposed to pay taxes based on the value of the car every year?

Yes, every state is different and some have a set "lowest price" that you can claim when applying for tags. Of all the states I've had to deal with OH was the best. I have a long story about when I went to get tags for my last car when I moved from MD. In short they let me tag it with no lien even though the loan company said it would take them a month to send the paperwork.

[DAEDALUS]

To be clear you DO need to pay tax on a used car bough from a private party. I think what Deaulus is saying is that you can "negotiate" with them seller as to the price that they indicated that you paid. I've done this before, you write two checks, one for say 1/2 the amount and the other for the rest (be careful to not go too low) and save youself 1/2 the taxes you'd have to pay.

Is that enforced? I've only bought one car (the Q) in the 5 years I've been here, and I don't recall how it all worked out. The seller was a dealership owner but was selling his personal car, so I don't know how he worked it. I only cared about the total amount of cash leaving my pocket, and that's how I negotiated it. However you decide to work it, keep in mind that the amount you claim to have spent on the DMV forms is typically the max amount it's worth as far as your insurance company is concerned.

Not much info here: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/bro...0.htm

[longrunQ]

ok, I ended up not buying an altima. I decided to buy brand new and I could not afford the altima. I got a 2004 pt cruiser instead.

I'll still lurk on this forum though. You guys are too witty and smart for me to stay away from this board.

[PalmerWMD]

Thanks for the kind words longrun!Hope you enjoy your new car!

Fred..

[AZhitman]

We've missed you Olu!!!

Hope all is well. Enjoy the new Cruiser!

(by the way, BRM makes a killer aftermarket exhaust for the PT - Email me for prices!)

[Jeff Williams]

Have you seen the "Monster Garage" episode, where Jesse James converted a PT Cruiser, in to a wood chipper? The new grille, and the woody kit made that thing look cool.:ylsuper

My assistant has a 2001 PT Cruiser, and I have been begging her to get a flame job. She did get a little crazy, though, and put a 2" chrome tip on the exhaust. Oh well, she tried.

Great luck with the PT!

The wife and I rented the frist one Hertz had, back in 2000. We drove to Nashville, and it felt like we were Britney and Justin. We pulled up to valet parking at the "Grand Ole Opry", and they fought over it, while running past all the Porsche's, Ferrari's, and Jag's. Every where we went, people actually followed us, to where we stopped, and wanted to see it, talk about it, or sit in it. I had a "tuner" thinking I worked for Chrysler, and it was my custom design. :pface

[maxnix]

The wife and I rented the frist one Hertz had, back in 2000. We drove to Nashville, and it felt like we were Britney and Justin. We pulled up to valet parking at the "Grand Ole Opry", and they fought over it, while running past all the Porsche's, Ferrari's, and Jag's. Every where we went, people actually followed us, to where we stopped, and wanted to see it, talk about it, or sit in it. I had a "tuner" thinking I worked for Chrysler, and it was my custom design. :pface

Should be a real hit in the Ozarks, then. Do post again, longrunQ.

[BadQ45t]

In CA you pay that tax when you register the car into your name, that is why you want a transfer of ownership that shows the lower amount (cut one check for that amount) and than give them person a second check for the additional amount. No skin off their nose, just don't make it too crazy (a 2002 Q45 for $2,000 without a salvage title will raise an eyebrow).

[longrunQ]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

One thing about the pt cruiser (and maybe this is because of the low production numbers) is that it is very difficult to get help on the internet. I was telling them about you guys because I asked a question on wheels and not one reply in three days. I told them that there would have been a barrage of answers on the infiniti board, and thats the fact.

Anyhow, I'll be lurking. I enjoy reading the posts when I am at home or on the net. Oh, and I cant possibly leave because my next car is a new fx45 or a NIssan maxima (gosh those 2004 maximas are good to the last drop !) Anyway, wishful thinking but oh well.

Oh, another thing. Since all I could afford was a base model pt, it is quite a change from having an infiniti. Lets see:No power seatsNo auto door locksNo telescoping steering wheelNo cruise controlNo leather interiorNo HORSEPOWER (150 hp.. from what I read, 109 hp at the wheel)No memory seatsNo bose sound systemNot even a simple remote trunk release

It does have a rear window windshield wiper though, so I guess that counts for something sigh.. One more year and I'll be out of grad school then maybe that fx forty err 35 will not be so out of reach.