hevnsnt

Yep, follow ArvX147's advice. You choose the color and options you want, don't care if the dealership has it or not. Tell them exactly what you want and how much you are willing to pay. It is super important that you know your numbers! Once you have decided on the options you want, you will know exactly the number, $68,975 (or whatever) minus 8% = your end number that you check all along the way. Here would be my email that I sent to all the dealerships:

This is what I did, and they found the car I wanted out of state, shipped it to their dealership (at their cost) and I walked out a super happy new owner.

The G Man

shaselai

I guess the price itself is fair but i dont count the add-ons..

But back to ArvX147 great recommendation - I pick the car i want, email them in the recommended format and just give the final price and wait and see.
What if the dealer calls me or requires me to "show up" to discuss? I guess i could show up since these places so close and just reiterate? Or i should ENSURE they promise in email to be at my ask price or something? I am kind of happy i am in the DC/MD/VA area since there are so many of these dealerships.

I *think* my best chance might be the "3rd largest audi volume dealer" in the area. the sales guy said all they care is marketshare... so we'll see about that

hevnsnt

Email them all. If one asks you to come in and discuss, then go in and discuss, be ready to sign the papers when they say "we can get you exactly what you want for the price you said". Also be ready to walk out if they don't. Remember, you are wanting to buy a car, they are wanting to sell one. Don't make it an adversarial thing, go have fun. Also, you are not committed to anything until you sign a contract -- there is no such thing as verbal contract!

shaselai

yeah agreed. But something in email better than nothing. Also,after my first car horror story fiasco no way in hell I am getting switcherooed.

for financing, if it is better for them to offer it. Should I just let them do it then I just pay off a week later?

also, is there a good time to email them? Maybe toward months end when they need quota? There's no way to know if the dealers talk right? It would be super awkward if they ask each other the same inventory lol....

hevnsnt

As far as financing goes, the way we do it is to get a rate from your credit union / bank, and know your credit score. When they ask if you will be financing ask them their best rate, and don't let them say "it depends". Tell them you know you have great credit and would qualify for their best rate, and that you already have x% from your credit union. Do not give them your social security number, or let them run your credit until they offer you a rate better than your bank. (pending credit check of course). If they do, go ahead, and if it is a better rate, go ahead.

As far as best time to buy, yeah end of the month for sure. But I would get started now nailing down exactly what you want, EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT, and emailing them now. They can all say no, now, but as it gets closer to Sept, you will start getting phone calls . Also, remember they are competing against each other in that same market. They are not going to talk about you. And who cares if they do?

markcincinnati

They say it best.

https://audiclubna.org/

The G Man

I don't see how you can not count the free Audi care and extended warranty as a discount to the car. They are actually cost to the dealer, that money has to come from somewhere. First thing you need to do is decide on a car and trim, it doesn't even seem like you have done that yet. then look for inventory with color and option you like, dealer will give deeper discount on cars on their lot. You can try financing and then pay it off early, but I would just offer cash to skip the hassle. Keep in mind that some auto loan has a early pay off penalty.

markcincinnati

I've been a member of he Audi club for decades. I've been to Germany and Austria with the club several times. I've been able to get discounts on cars that are supposed to be excluded from the "6%" club benefit. The magazine is informative. The club events are almost always fantastic.

This whole thread seems to be based on the experiences we Americans have had with American Car dealers. Although my wife and I have had 33 Audis, we've also had several BMWs (and been to the BMW driving school), an Acura TL, and an Infiniti. All premium brands.

Premium brands, with a sum total ownership experience of 38 premium brand cars, three VWs and a few Chryco products (starting in high school), are the types of vehicles many of us become loyal to for a lifetime. Moreover, many of us, tend to build RELATIONSHIPS with our dealers and buy again and again and again from the same dealer (often the same rep). My Audi dealership has a staff of sales, service, finance, and management people who have been with the dealership for a minimum of 10 years each. I know them by name. When one of them was hospitalized, the dealer management called me to say "XXXXX had a stroke, he's at XXXXXXXXX hospital, his doctor says he'll be back!"

When my wife and I go into the dealership, the service and sales manager (if they see us) always ask us how we're doing and how our cars are doing, etc. When my radiator fan was recalled -- after a failure a few days before Christmas (and the parts were on back order from Germany), the dealership called and told me I could have a new A8L for "as long as you need it." The part took three weeks to come in probably due to the holidays, but my family and I had the full use of a sofa on wheels -- we called it the limo. This was a $90K car -- and they just said "use it like it's yours, including any holiday trips you were planning to make."

It is difficult to put a dollar value on the relationship -- but my wife's 2014 SQ5 had the "fart sound" electronic bits that are in the tail pipes fail long after 50,000 miles. The service manager said, "I have a 'goodwill' fund, I can use for things like this." The parts (each) were over $375 (needed two of them) plus an equal amount of labor. OK, so I only got 6.5% off of the new 2018 car (an S4, the second one delivered in 2017). This essentially covered my sales tax on a car that was north of $61K. The discounts do get better as a car is no longer "brand new on the market" but ask me if I am a satisfied customer? Hell yes. The service department works with me. The sale department works with me. And, they did this when we were new customers, not just because we've had 33 Audis from them (although that sure doesn't hurt). My wife went ahead and ordered a 2018 SQ5 Prestige and traded in her 2014 SQ5 -- at 93,000 miles she got $27K trade in and 6% off of the new SQ5 (even though that car is excluded from the Audi Club discount).

The Audi club dues cover the subscription to the magazine as far as I'm concerned. I've been to the driving school in Germany/Austria four times with the Club -- got a great price on the training due to the club. My 6% discount certificate, too, was helpful to both the dealer and to me for the purchase of my 2014 S4 and my 2018 S4, to say nothing of numerous cars previously.

If you are thinking you're entering into an adversarial relationship with an Audi dealer, my advice: Go buy a Cadillac from a dealer group that sells Chevy, GMC, Buick and Caddy. You'll likely get the treatment you're expecting.

My experience -- which is extensive -- is that buying a Premium European brand is like a marriage. The metaphor for buying an American car is that it is more like a one night stand or a casual date when you need a +1 for a wedding.

It seems there is, based on a cursory review of this thread thus far, too much weight and energy being spent on the transaction price and making sure you're the screwer, not the "screwee." If that is all you're looking for, that is fine and I'm sure some dealer will take your money and you will be another "may I help you" type customer meaning your return visits to the dealership will require you remind them of your name.

My first Audi, in 1977 was an Audi 5000 purchased from the same dealership we picked up Audi #33 from in 2017. We are treated like "Norm" on Cheers -- this kind of treatment was also afforded us at the BMW store, and we only purchased three cars from them.

The treatment at Acura was "better" than the treatment at the Chrysler Jeep dealer, but part of the reason for the difference in treatment seems to be that at the Chryco dealer, turnover is very high, so "nobody knows your name" because they've only been employed at the dealership since Tuesday. By the time the next oil change is due, that guy won't be there anymore.

At the Audi and BMW dealerships, the sales reps (not all of them, but several of them) are sent to Germany for product training -- and the people that work at the dealerships actually drive Audis (and ditto at the BMW store).

The overall message is, to repeat myself: please chill, "don't forget to breathe." The entire transaction is the first step in what they're hoping will be a long-term relationship. They're looking for both new and annuity customers. This seems to be almost unique in car sales and service to the Premium brands (even Cadillac is trying to do this). At the Chryco dealership the reps can't spend any time with prospects, they need NUMBERS and building a relationship with you is something they may want but can't invest in (that's the model, unfortunately, that has changed little since the 1970's or earlier).

I tend to look for the "horizontal" salesreps -- if they're up and all over you like a cheap suit, avoid them. Thankfully, the reps at Premium Car dealerships have been inculcated with the "I'm a consultant and you're the client" type behavior.

With all due respect, it is time to become a client, perhaps.

Nikon1

@markcincinnati -- Excellent post and it mirrors my experience with my Acura dealership! It is about a relationship and longevity in our case and many of the examples you cited where the dealership personnel go "above and beyond" have happened to my wife and I. This is the exact reason that my Acura Salesman is also my Audi salesman - though the Audi dealership seems to be going through quite a few changes of late. I want that dealership to be in business and have a healthy business, consequently I did not "beat the dealership" on my deal -- instead I worked with my salesman to structure a deal that we were both happy with.