The Art of Mini-Van Negotiation
So we're in the market for a new mini-van.
Let the games begin.
Decided to take the kids with us today since it was my day off. Thought it might be educational. I wanted to train my padawans in the art of mini-van negotiation :) Sure enough, my kids learned something alright. After seeing the new vans my kids learned that they don't like their old van! Surprise. Surprise. It's no longer cool. Not that mini-vans are cool.
While we're on the topic, I'm going to go on record as saying that I have never based my identity on the vehicles I drive. I would be in a heap of trouble if I did :) I'm a card-carrying, life-long member of the junky car club. I seem to have an inverse relationship with the vehicles I drive. The worse they are the better I feel.
The salesman had to think he had us dead to rights. Our kids weren't exactly discreet about their feelings as we were test-driving the vans. We love this van! This is the best van ever! Can we get this van? Please. Please. Can we?
So much for the art of mini-van negotiation!
FYI--we looked at the Honda Oddysey and Toyota Sienna.
I'll take all the advice I can get :)
Let the games begin.
Decided to take the kids with us today since it was my day off. Thought it might be educational. I wanted to train my padawans in the art of mini-van negotiation :) Sure enough, my kids learned something alright. After seeing the new vans my kids learned that they don't like their old van! Surprise. Surprise. It's no longer cool. Not that mini-vans are cool.
While we're on the topic, I'm going to go on record as saying that I have never based my identity on the vehicles I drive. I would be in a heap of trouble if I did :) I'm a card-carrying, life-long member of the junky car club. I seem to have an inverse relationship with the vehicles I drive. The worse they are the better I feel.
The salesman had to think he had us dead to rights. Our kids weren't exactly discreet about their feelings as we were test-driving the vans. We love this van! This is the best van ever! Can we get this van? Please. Please. Can we?
So much for the art of mini-van negotiation!
FYI--we looked at the Honda Oddysey and Toyota Sienna.
I'll take all the advice I can get :)
17 Comments:
Both are great vehicles, though being a shameless Honda worshipper (and driver) myself, I have to recommend the Odyssey. If I described just exactly what I loved about that van...well...there would be no more data storage space left on your blog. :)
Check out the Saturn Relay. We got one for our kid-toting needs a little over a year ago. If you're looking at the Oddysey and the Sienna, it's in a similar price range, if not a little cheaper, depending on options.
Been there done that on the minivan negotiation. If you get the Toyota, make sure it has disk brakes,not drum brakes (the low end models have drum brakes). The Toyota has tons of packages, Honda basically has three. After questionable tactics by some dealers that will remain unnamed, I decided to go an different route. Once I decided what van I wanted (Honda) I made up a list with the options I wanted and what I was willing to pay, then faxed it to every Honda dealer within 100 miles of here to see who wanted my business. To make a long story short, I bought our van at Landmark Honda and they gave us a great deal, threw in some free extra headphones for the DVD player and a free tape deck (for the mom who still listens to pastors on tape when she can't get the podcast :). Also, do not pay full price for the extended 100K warranty. Tell them you want their actual cost which is around $1100 not the $1400-1600 they usually charge. Do NOT pay for paint sealant and fabric sealant. They can throw that in for free :).
One word of caution if you go wild and get the DVD player. Do NOT get a DVD player that requires you to load the DVD straight into the system in the ceiling (especially aftermarket players). The factory DVD from Honda loads the DVD as part of the radio system up front and does not require you to contort yourself driving down the highway at 65 miles and hour, kids screaming for a movie and trying to stretch into the backseat to change it.
Two more quick things: think 87 vs. 91 octane and where you would have to drive to have it serviced. I think some new models have connections for an iPod should you have one of those :).
I gave up my Texas Cadillac (Suburban)and ended up with the Honda w/DVD but not the Touring/navigation for my family (3 kids). You can seat more people than a Hummer and only take up one parking space :)
Good luck and be cool!!
It's tough to choose between the two greatest car manufacturers in the world. If it were me, I'd choose the Sienna.
I'm you can't go wrong with either, but once you decide, the best way to get a great deal is to go to a site like Edmunds.com, fill out all the features you want, and see what the total invoice cost is. Throw on about $300-500 on top of that and you've got the price you should pay.
Edmunds allows you to send inquiries to local dealers. Send out as many emails as you can telling them what you want to pay. The ones who are interested will reply to you soon. Then use each of the dealers against eachother to bargain down the price further.
Dealers make money even when they sell their car at invoice because that's never what they actually pay for it.
Here's a link that might help:
http://www.insidercarsecrets.com/buynew.html
Good luck PM!
the absolute best car is a paid-off car.
Trey,
What a kind offer :) You really didn't have to! Man, totally unexpected. Thanks so much for offering to pay off our vehicle :)
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Mark, in March of 05, we finally had to step up and get a minivan. We had 3 kids at that time, and 2 cars, a 92 Crown Vic that we could fit everyone into, and a little 98 Escort that I had just paid off with my tax refund. Traded that Escort in an 02 Chrysler Town and Country. Great van. I was sold the minute I saw the DVD player.
Chrysler makes a great van. I'd look into that, plus the Stow & Go seating (wasn't available for an 02 yet :(. )
I also am a card-carrying member of the junky-car club. However, my wife and I got a Honda Odyssey 2 years ago and it's great; I could enthusiastically recommend it.
As for identity issues...I refer to the van as my... "tour-bus" -it's all part of my rock & roll fantasy!
I agree, my family and I've only ever owned Chrysler vehicles...I loved our mini-van, and if I ever have to get a mini-van, then I would go with Chrysler again all the way...
As long as you don't get a magnetic soccer ball image and place it on your gas cap then you will be fine in whatever choice you make! I'm a Honda lover myself. We purchased an Oddysey a few years back and love it.
Mark,
great story! I'm in a similar club to you. My club is more like, "lover of fine cars but driver of junker." Our family reluctanctly entered the minivan society. Well, I was reluctant, my wife loves it. Started with a Mazda MPV. Loved it. Too small for her. Now have an Odyssey. She loves it. Too big for me. (both were/are used.)
You might try the MPV. I thought it was very well designed, and hey, with the "soul of a sports car" how could you go wrong?
best wishes to you
Steve
Put it to a vote and be done with the decision in 10 seconds. Or, if you want me to facilitate a group discussion exercise, we could take a few hours (or days) to try to build consensus :) I've been going thru weeks of training to facilitate strategic planning and decision making recently, and can use the practice :)
With three kids I have driven three different mini-vans. A Ford Winstar, a Toyota Sienna, and a Dodge Caravan. The Toyota Sienna is the winner hands down. There are a lot of bells and whistles (like a ton of cupholders) but you can feel the difference in the driving. It is a solid and superior minivan. You won't be sorry. Wow. I sound like a car saleman and I can't stand those guys.
Mark...
Make sure you visit http://www.fightingchance.com if you are buying new. Their system works amazingly well and, if followed, will find the model you want with the options you are looking for at the best possible price before ever stepping onto a dealer's lot. I got my car at WAY below invoice (not sticker) and have since recommended this to 4 others who have all used it with great success.
Lane
My only advice has nothing to do with the van but with buying the van. Basically, my dad advised me about this tactic and I've used it myself... The more you sit in the guys office on a Saturday afternoon, the more money you save. Since your kids made it quiet clear they LOVED the van, you might have to waste the sales entire month of saturdays to get a good price. My advice... start all over and go to a different dealer or you're toast. Good luck. Call me crazy but I actually enjoy making car salesmen get frustrated. It also helps to laugh a lot... not at the salesman but with the salesman.
Buy 1 or a couple years used. It can save you thousands of dollars. The second you drive a new car off the lot you loose about 6 to 7 thousand dollars off the top.
Used Cars don't necessarily have to be Junky Cars. Take good care of whatever God has given you and he will bless you with better. Stewardship =)
I've had some very old nasty cars, but I always took good care of them. They held their value as much as they could and they served me very well.
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