I need a "YES MAN"

[fig911]

My buddy Dave calls me his "YES MAN". Everytime he is thinking about buying something cool (boat, motorcycle, car, etc...) he talks it over with me and I tell him why he should buy it.

Now I need one. I have been looking for a 3.2 Carrera and I think I have found one. I didn't want to spend more than $18K, which I thought would get me a good example. I have found one out of town and they are asking $22K. I had a fellow pelican head check it out for me and he said it was one of the good ones (thanks JR INDY). With a satisfactory PPI as a condition, I have talked the dealer down to $19,250. It is an 1986 w/80K miles. No leeks, rebuilt tranny (just done w/receipts) and looks to be in great shape. Should I do it?

I told the wife I would only spend $18k so I need some really good reasons why i had to spend more.

The other option is to try and see if I can get the dealer down more??? of course he says there is someone else also looking at it.

[widebody911]

Yes!

[Woody]

YES YES YES<
hows that

[slammed1000]

call the dealer ...make him a offer and say look, here is what i will pay for it. i will come and get it with the money tomorrow and can wire transfer a deposit now. take it or leave it...do not call me back after today and take it as you will. there are to many cars out there for what you are willing to spend and the market has gone south. winter months are the best time to purchase one because no one wants a sports car in the winter. how long has it been on the lot...if its been there a while then i would stick to your game plan and only offer what you are willing to spend. take it or leave it. i may sound harsh but thats what it takes to get one at a good price. the dealer knows that you are too far away to come right over so of coarse there is someone looking at it. i have seen 88's sell for around that price. you may have to drive a littler further though to find one. even if the car is 500 miles away, take a plane ride for $180 and drive it home.just my 2 cents , hope you get a new car

[johnnyo200]

I agree with slammed. BUT- I'm a great maybe man (not really a great trait). I like to hem and haw then decide, usually too late and so I don't get what I want and I get bummed.
Go with your gut. You'd already be spending 18, is nineteen that much in the grand scheme of things.

As Mr. Mom would say 220, 221 whatever it takes.

[nostatic]

I suppose you could use the PPI to try and grind the price, but what exactly does "talked him down to $19.5K" mean? With a dealership, I never negotiate until I have cash in hand. Then I make and offer, if they say no, I leave (drives them nuts...they don't like to work that way).

Offer them $18K. If they say no, say "thanks, you have my number" and leave. $18K for an '86 w/80 is a bit on the high side (SoCal figures), and it is a buyer's market. If he says no, another one will come along...

[Hetmann]

I agree. Its a buyer's market this time of year. Offer 18 and be willing to walk, unless it is the exact car, color, interior etc. you've always wanted. You will find another. I like to buy cars from individuals so I can talk to them about how they used and cared for the car. I also like to see how they live (usually a very good indicator). You never know when you buy from a dealer.

[Superman]

I would agree that this is perhaps on the high side, price-wise. I mean, if you love the car then fine, but I would not consider this to be one of those deals you can't pass up, or that you need to act quickly. A friend of mine is looking at a Carrera, I think it is an '84, for an asking price of $8900. I'm told the car has issues (of course it does for that price) but it's a Carrera that is complete and runs and drives. Take the wife to sunny Californica for a bit of fun, and drive one back. That seems to be the best buyers' market in the country, and the cars tend to be rust free. They're dime-a-dozen out there.

Service records? Dealers have a nasty habit of destroying service records. I believe an $18K price includes service records, which I consider to be worth something like $3k.

[econopa]

Nostatic has it right. Those guys like nothing more than a "fish on"!! Stick with your number.

[john70t]

And don't forget the free PPI #'s, the limited waranty, the car cover and the great financing rate while your at it.
If you decide to buy it.

[masraum]

20K is fine if the car is 9 out of 10 with excellent mechanicals, but if it needs a little work here and there then that is a little high. That might be ok for 18. If you really love the car then get it. No one ever said love was reasonable.

[fig911]

Thanks for the replys guys...I think I am going to get the PPI and see how that comes out. If it is good, than I will work something out. If not, then I will walk.

Thanks,

[kristian85]

This car was just listed in the Oregon PCA. It almost sounds too good to be true:
1985 Carrera Targa: Excellent shape. 55,000 miles. Quartz gray metallic with burgundy interior. Heated leather seats, power windows, cruise control, intermittent wipers, 16” Fuchs alloy wheels, new BF Goodrich KDWS tires and Eclipse CD Receiver. $16,750. For information, call Mark 503.439.8399, or mark_zinsli@yahoo.com. 12.02

Check it out! If it's good, it's truly a steal.

[Eric Mckenna]

If you don't get it .. now everyone else knows there is a great Carerra in your area so . IF YOU DON"T SOMEONE ELSE WILL! and they'll post it up here and you'll be kicking yourself for letting it get a way!!!!!!!

Eric Mckenna

[JR Indy]

Fig,

First, the car needs a PPI. Other than that, no obvious problems, interior and exterior were 9 out of 10. Only problems were the usual, non issues.....i.e. deck lid struts needed replaced.

Tranny was freshly redone by one of the best mechanics in the area. All receipts from date of purchase.

Probably won't find a better one in the area if you are after a Carrera coupe. Besides what's a grand in the big scheme of things?

But, who knows...the market can be fickle, perhaps you can find one out in So Cal at half the price.

[nostatic]

given JR's data, if you like the car the extra grand probably isn't a big deal and you might as well say "yes". Remember though that odds are you'll end up spending another grand or two sooner rather than later to sort things out. Factor that into your marital negotiations.

[pwd72s]

Nostatic? Possibly more than a "couple of grand". I recently listened while a shop owner, a guy who has been wrenching on P cars since the late 60's, tell me that buyers of "late 80's" cars are about to discover some unpleasant things, financially...

[autobonrun]

Try this script.

"If WE buy the 18k car, it won't be in as good shape and WE'll spend on average an additonal 300$ per year in maintenance. WE'll get pissed off and sell the car after only 5 years and buy another. By then the prices will have gone up by $10k, so WE'll have to pay $28k and will only get $12k for the old one."

"So the way I figure it,... "

"If WE spend an additional $4k now. WE'll save the family

$28k - $12k =$16k
plus $1500 in additional maintenance over that 5 years."

= $17,500


"It just makes good financial sense."

(and keep a straight face through this entire explaination)
(I almost forgot, you've got to use your best Jack Nicholson impression for this to work.)

[Zeke]

No one mentioned anything about the rebuilt tranny. What would be indicated by a car that had to have a tranny rebuild at only 80,000 mi.?

And the point about the interest rate is a good one. A little more on the purchase price can be more than offset by cheap interest. Always look at the bottom line, x number of payments at x rate = total contract price. Dealers make more money on financing than net profit in many cases. If you plan on paying cash or financing at your bank or CU, don't tell the dealer that until the purchase price has been negotiated. In most cases, they want to know your financing plans first off. IF you want to really piss them off, agree to finance with them, but don't sign anything, and then write them a check at the last minute. They might not even sell you the car which wil prove how much they needed the commision for writing the loan (not to mention any reserve they might keep by selling the loan for less than the contract shows). I know this because I sold cars at a dealership.

[nostatic]

Well Paul, that's my *starting* figure. My ex-'87 is at about 65K now and is burning a good bit of oil...valve guides will need to be done soon. Wayne comments about 3.6 engines don't really make for a warm fuzzy feeling. I'm thinking that head studs on a 3.0 might end up as a pretty cheap "major" engine expense.

This data does figure into the transplant vs. rebuild dilemma for mods. I'm still in the "built out what you got" camp. I have to admit I peeked at collectorcartraderonline today to see what was around in '67-73 land. After owning the SC I have to admit that it is as modern as I would want, and think I could live with an earlier daily driver. A couple of cool cars (the white '67S posted here before looks pretty nice), but after looking I couldn't rationalize switching to an early car...the SC is too nice. Obviously I just need to pick up a second 911 (someone else's RS clone would be nice). Or I could backdate my SC. Hmmm....

Out of curiousity, what is the wrench referring to? Valve guides? Rob bolts? A combination?