Date:         Wed, 29 Mar 2000 11:58:19 -0800
Reply-To:     Stuart MacMillan <stuart@COBALTGROUP.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stuart MacMillan <stuart@COBALTGROUP.COM>
Organization: The Cobalt Group
Subject:      Re: 91 Vanagon MV, good deal???
Comments: To: Jon Whetstone <get_whet@YAHOO.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Dealers typically mark up a used vehicle about 50%, more in the case of
rare specialty vehicles like Westies, so your dealer probably paid $8000
to $9500 for this one, and you can also get the wholesale price in your
area from Edmund's, Kelly Blue book, etc.  One negotiating strategy for
used cars is to call and ask for the used car sales manager, tell him
you have been working with salesperson X, and ask him "how much are you
in it" (those words exactly), and what profit he'll take.  Worth a try.

They had to run it through their shop and do a safety inspection at the
least, and fix anything safety related (brakes, steering, tires, lights,
etc.), this is required by law in most, if not all, states.  Ask to see
their inspection report.  You might also want to have it inspected and
use any repair estimates as negotiating tools.

Also ask them to toss in an extended warranty, up to 100,000 miles in
your case, if they won't come down much.  If the manager ploy doesn't
work, just start making offers, starting at $9500, and see if you can
meet somewhere acceptable to you.  Then ask for the warranty, to close
the deal.  This has worked for me, and is one of the few benefits of
buying from a dealer, only dealers can sell these warranties.

Good luck!
--
Stuart MacMillan
Manager, Case Program
800-909-8244 ext. 8208
Fax: 206-269-6360

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