Re: Need advice in negotiating with Jag Dealers (archive)

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I signed up for CarFax, which although it isn't a catch-all for all problems, it did tell me how long the car had been on the dealer's lot because of the records it tracked during the state safety and emissions testing. I was able to use that to say "you've had this car for 7 months, and can't sell it, but I'm willing to buy it on the spot if you come down to my price". I went to Autotrader.com and laboriously added up the asking pricese of all of the used XK8 Convertibles, separating them into a Dealer or Individual asking price. This gave me insight into the average asking price from a Dealer or Individual. When I went to look at cars, I went on a Friday and took one home that day on loan. I poured over it all weekend, and took it back Monday with a list of things that were wrong with it. This gave me bargaining power when it came time to negotiate the price. Some things I wanted fixed (like new tires, brakes, fixing all the "bug kills" on the hood), some things I wanted a price break on.

I went in to the whole thing pre-financed, so they knew they were dealing with a capable buyer, but I didn't disclose how much I was qualified for of course. Having never bought a Jag before, I don't know if I got a good deal or not, but they came down $8k from a $56k asking price, replaced the tires and brakes, did an alignment, added the Select warranty, repainted the front half of the car to eliminate old bug kills and rock chips, replaced the convertible top boot, and threw in a free 50,000 mile service.

We spent close to 3 hours in the negotiation stage. Since I already had 5 cars, which I made clear to them, I didn't "need" this XK8 - and I made that clear too. I used the "I don't need this car, but for the right price I'll add it to my collection, and you haven't been able to sell it for the last 7 months anyway."

After leaving the dealership that day, with a new car payment in hand and a car being repaired, I went to my dentist for some work. It's the first time I ever looked forward to going to my dentist, after spending all that time fighting with the dealer.

In the next 2 months I plan to look for a used XK8 in the Long Island, N.Y. area. I rarely see any advertised in the local paper, Newsday, so I will most likely be dealing with a Jag dealer. In all liklihood I will be looking at 98's, unless I can get a great deal on a 99 or 2000 model. Can anyone with experience buying a used Jag from a Jag dealer give me tips on how negotiable they are from their asking prices, and any extras I might be able to negotiate, or any other realted advice. Thanks!

Probably varies from dealer to dealer. If buying from a dealer try to get a Select Edition car to get the extended warranty. Also consider eBay or Texas Mustang Sales - http://www.texas-cars.com/. They are in Dallas and have very good prices - perhaps enough lower to cover the cost of shipping or flying down and driving back. If buying long distance you can usually find an independent appraiser who will evaluate the car for a reasonable fee. I got mine through eBay. Flew down to Houston (bought a round trip ticket and threw the return away - cheaper than a one way ticket) and drove it home. Great trip! Good luck!

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