What’s your opinion on this car, and a question about dealers…?

[trader220]

I went to see this car http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10156&item=2493059647&rd=1

yesterday. It’s at a Ford dealership of all places. The sales manager said it’s the owner’s personal car. The thing that cracks me up about these guys is the BS they pile on. I’ve owned a heck of a lot of 911’s, a fact the sales manager did not know. He piled on the BS about these cars and how great they are yadda yadda yadda. Then he sat at the big desk with the other sales people and they said just slightly under their breath, but plenty loud enough that I could hear ..” oh yea that car is getting a lot of interest” After a few more moments of making me stand there and wait the manager said that car is special and its housed in their warehouse around the corner, I would have to ride over to see it. We took the 2/10th s of a mile ride to the warehouse and it was filled with extremely dusty cars with cob webs all over them. In the very back was parked the 993, totally covered with a thick coat of dust and cobwebs. This is the car the sales people mumbled was “getting a lot of interest” gimmie a break. He didn’t bother bringing the keys so I could even open the door or bonnet. The car was so filthy I wouldn’t touch the thing. We left the warehouse right away, I told the salesmen I learned more about the car from the photos on Ebay. Then after returning to the showroom I had to sit around for close to 15 minutes at the managers desk before he even took my info and told me he’d have it cleaned up so I could actually give it a proper inspection. My inquiry about having a PPI done was met immediately with a resounding “only if your mechanic comes here.” Holbert’s Porsche is not 5 miles down the road and that was still unacceptable. Then I asked for a ball park price and the manager, used the “well what you want to pay for this car?” line.

I could go on about the BS but this thread is getting long. Do these car sales people believe this BS works? Gimmie a break. My wife wants to buy the new Ford hybrid SUV coming out but I could not even consider going back to that particular dealership to sit through that mess again.

What does the board think of the value of this 993 just off the cuff? I had a number in mind, and that number is 31k. Also, I know there are car sales people on this board, please reaffirm my belief that this is not the way the business still works…

Thanks for all the input ….

[Jim Richards]

This car isn't worth wasting your time on until the seller (dealership) gets serious. $31k is reasonable from a private party, but most dealers won't deal to that point. This car isn't anything special from what I can see. 8-way seat on only one side for example. The twist wheels are an option. Does this car have limited slip?

Unlikely that the car received a 60kmile major service. I'd tell the clowns to pack sand and move on. Better cars will pop up from time to time. Probably with some nice options or mods that you'd end up paying for later with this car.

[Thack]

If it is on ebay they are probably trying to sell it there. They don't want you to buy it. If they did it would of been clean and in the showroom or front and center on a show skid.


Mike

[trader220]

They've tried it on Ebay a few times with no sale.

[Jim Richards]

They're just trying to land that big fish. On top of that, they're trying to do it while taking a nap on the dock.

[gerry100]

Low Ball them at the end of the month ($20K?) and walk away.

They've already turned down what Holbert down the road would give them.

On the other hand, they are no more liklely to sell a Porsche than an Airplane out of their showroom.

If you know anybody at Holbert you might learn what they offered.( you know they've talked)

[MotoSook]

28K max...Who ever traded that 993 in for a Ford probably got raped on the trade-in value and the Ford dealer is trying to milk it for as much as they can knowing damn well any price over 22K is a profit. Write 28K on the back on your business card and hand it to the sales manager. Tell him "THAT!" is your offer...call me when you want to get serious...walk out.

[trader220]

Souk, thanks they're saying its the owners personal car not a trade in.

[mmm]

Originally posted by trader220
Souk, thanks they're saying its the owners personal car not a trade in.

Translation: We took it in on trade.

[MotoSook]

And you believe that? Maybe true, but I'd rather approach it with the more plausible story of a trade-in. You've already established that those jokers are playing games. If it's the owner's car, talk to the owner and see just how much of the car he knows. The owner would never let his baby sit in a warehouse collecting dust. The owner would have porters wax that car every day and put it in the most visible spot on the floor.

I would bet a dollar, that the sales goons won't let you anywhere near the owner. And there should be no excuses as to why you shouldn't be allowed to talk to the owner when you are serious about buying a car.

[gerry100]

$22K could be close what to the nearby Porsche dealer offered them.

If the owner story is true ( more likely than a 993 for F250 trade) he may have an off the books cash deal with his salesmen. ie I'll give you X% of anything over $22K. ( if they can't find an Ebay buyer).

Souk's approach could work, although $28K is high as a start.

[MotoSook]

Gerry is right, I would not pay more than 25K for a '95 993. But 3K more in the the Phili market may be acceptable.

I've been haggling on cars since my dad took me in to buy his first car when I was no more than 10 yrs old....yeah...it's fun when your dad doesn't speak English and you are the mouth that has to tell the used car dealer he's full of crap.

I've walked away from a number deals to find better ones...

I've nothing against people making a living selling cars, but some of them are slimey as hell, and if I don't haggle with them, I would never shed the felling of having been screwed.

[trader220]

I knew I could count on you guys. I too have bought a lot of cars and working on the trading floors did not exactly hurt my haggling skills. Silly me biting like a big fish on the “owners car” story. Funny thing is this dealership is right across the street from the Naval Air Station so there are a ton of planes not 100 yards from their showroom, so they may actually be as likely to sell one, just kidding. Thanks I will be sure to keep you posted, the number I have in mind just got the legs knocked out from under it.

[Grady Clay]

Trader,

Read this thread:
“Purchase agreement”
the buying process

Make yourself a contract with PPI and other.

Call their bluff, ask Holbert’s guys what they would charge you to go up to the Ford Dealer and do a through inspection. Of course Ford should provide a free bay, lift and replacement fluids/parts.

Get your bank to issue you a Cashier’s Check for $18K made out to you and an open Site Draft “Not to exceed $100K.”. The power is when you say “No” and slide your money back into your folder. Most sales managers will leave a saliva trail to try and get your real money. You have the power.

Best,
Grady

BTW, I am not an attorney and this is not legal advice.

[trader220]

Grady, that’s a great thread thanks.... by the way if I get screwed on your advice John Edwards said he'd take the case and sue you for me! Just kidding...

I really appreciate all the advice... from everyone. I am learning a lot about what I thought I was pretty good at already. One of the beauties of this board is the quality of people here and the good advice they offer. I am not naive enough to think that I can’t learn anything about buying these cars even after a dozen or more purchases.

Thanks again to everyone … I suspect they’ll be calling me today, I’ll be sure to keep everyone posted.

[fryardds]

Be sure to check the service history through the Porsche dealership. Big question, has the engine wiring harness been redone?

[indigowhale]

95 996 RED/BLACK 67 K MILES under 30K from another PCAer:

http://www.pcapotomac.org/cgi-bin/classifieds.cgi?search_and_display_db_button=on&db_id=2154&exact_match=on&photo_size=full

Best way to deal with them dealer type is to low ball.

[trader220]

Okay here is the deal; I offered the sales manager 28k… then the “owner” of the Ford dealership called me and said he’d only had the car for 1000 miles, the wire harness had been done but no 60k service. Claims he has over 30k into the car and Holbert’s Porsche offered him over 30k for it already. I thanked him for his time but I said if I was going to take a risk on a 10-year-old car with no documentation or service history I could have a dealer take me to Manhiem and get on cheaper then the 32500 he wanted. I told him these cars are not rare by any stretch and I was looking at a major service and maybe pads and rotors too, so I had to factor that into the value of the car. He got really pissed accused me of being a dealer and trying to steal the car from him. I explained that I run a hedge fund and he should come to my office around the corner from his lot and see if he did not believe me. The stories are piling up on this one so I thanked him but he got pissed off and just hung up on me, very professional.

[Jay Auskin]

If you think about what goes on at a dealer...these guys have alot of time on their hand to come up with this crap. I certain you and the dealer could have come up with a good price that made money for them, and was good for you. I don't understand why they're being so stubborn on this one. Shouldn't they just continue to focus on sticking it to people who trade in their cars???

[Hetmann]

Thanks for sharing the details on this one. Fascinating to say the least.