When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Let's just say it's within 120mi of San Francisco. There is so much money in the San Francisco Bay Area that I deliberately search out all dealers within 120 miles when purchasing a car, and lock onto the ones with the best pricing -- in essence we are searching for lower demand dealers. This strategy got us onto the reservation list ahead of the general public for the eTron. Same strategy got us a BMW i3 at 10K off MSRP not including tax incentives. Vehicles are a commodity, and it doesn't matter where you service it, so you can purchase where the dealer is more wiling to negotiate. For electric cars most if not all dealers get vehicles, and the ones in more rural areas often have more of a challenge selling their vehicles than urban locations -- if that gives you any tips.
Let's just say it's within 120mi of San Francisco. There is so much money in the San Francisco Bay Area that I deliberately search out all dealers within 120 miles when purchasing a car, and lock onto the ones with the best pricing -- in essence we are searching for lower demand dealers. This strategy got us onto the reservation list ahead of the general public for the eTron. Same strategy got us a BMW i3 at 10K off MSRP not including tax incentives. Vehicles are a commodity, and it doesn't matter where you service it, so you can purchase where the dealer is more wiling to negotiate. For electric cars most if not all dealers get vehicles, and the ones in more rural areas often have more of a challenge selling their vehicles than urban locations -- if that gives you any tips.
Just curious if we are gonna get our cars out of port on same truck, no need to hide your dealer info, not like it’s personal info.
Let's just say it's within 120mi of San Francisco. There is so much money in the San Francisco Bay Area that I deliberately search out all dealers within 120 miles when purchasing a car, and lock onto the ones with the best pricing -- in essence we are searching for lower demand dealers. This strategy got us onto the reservation list ahead of the general public for the eTron. Same strategy got us a BMW i3 at 10K off MSRP not including tax incentives. Vehicles are a commodity, and it doesn't matter where you service it, so you can purchase where the dealer is more wiling to negotiate. For electric cars most if not all dealers get vehicles, and the ones in more rural areas often have more of a challenge selling their vehicles than urban locations -- if that gives you any tips.
It generally has been my experience that the best deal is made at a high volume dealer as they are willing to make less on each deal choosing instead to make up for it on higher volume. Also, the more vehicles the dealerships puts on the street, the more there is available to return for service.
Last edited by 1st Audi Owner; 04-28-2019 at 06:10 PM.
Reason: adding a thought
It generally has been my experience that the best deal is made at a high volume dealer as they are willing to make less on each deal choosing instead to make up for it on higher volume. Also, the more vehicles the dealerships puts on the street, the more there is available to return for service.
Yep, and bringing more business to the dealer through networking helps build the relationship. Also, for non e-tron cars the dealer needs business to get allocations, like to get an extra R8 they gotta be a good selling dealer. Also, it's a silly idea, what, you get a new car every 3-4 years so you gotta keep business away from them for the next time you want a car? I get that people all think they gotta game the system but C'mon.
Yep, and bringing more business to the dealer through networking helps build the relationship. Also, for non e-tron cars the dealer needs business to get allocations, like to get an extra R8 they gotta be a good selling dealer. Also, it's a silly idea, what, you get a new car every 3-4 years so you gotta keep business away from them for the next time you want a car? I get that people all think they gotta game the system but C'mon.
I agree, and it depends.
Originally Posted by 1st Audi Owner
It generally has been my experience that the best deal is made at a high volume dealer as they are willing to make less on each deal choosing instead to make up for it on higher volume.
I have had this experience, with high volume models. Our BMW 3-series came from the highest volume dealer in Northern California for this reason, as the OEM's provide large kickbacks to the highest volume dealers.
On the other hand, I have had a different experience by buying a vehicle from a dealership in distress. The dealership was mismanaged, and had new owners. A leader from the new owner was dispatched to the dealership to turn it around, and was prioritizing teaching the sales team, and building a good reputation over revenue, and cut a very strong deal on a high demand mass volume truck; they did not have the exact truck, and had to trade for it.
Originally Posted by madcanadian
There is so much money in the San Francisco Bay Area that I deliberately search out all dealers within 120 miles when purchasing a car, and lock onto the ones with the best pricing
This is consistent with buying from the same OEM over the years, having a relationship with the sales team, and negotiating to get the best prices; this is what my father did. If it works for you that's great. However you may be doing yourself a disservice if you don't comparison shop, to know for sure it's the best deal.
For some of us, we do not buy consistently from the same OEM. Hence each purchase is transactional. In that case there is often no history with the sales team.
In the case of the eTron, we didn't get an offer from a SF bay area dealership to order a vehicle before it was opened to the general public on Sept 17th. It was another dealer in a less urban area far away who gave us one of their early access slots to order a car on Sept 15th.
Hence it all depends.
Ultimately this is a big aside in this thread. I'm anxious to see and test drive this vehicle in person so we can decide if we will make the 90K purchase, or not.
Got a call from my dealer that my e-tron has been released from the Port of San Diego and should be in Phoenix by the end of the week! A couple of hours later the status on My Audi changed to U.S. Arrival. I expect I'll be behind the wheel this weekend!
Saw these 2 bad boys (blue and gray are Etrons) on route 28 in Northern Virginia this morning. Looks like a Prestige and maybe a Premium Plus. Likely dealer demos heading for Audi Chantiily.
Quick update. Dealer just called. The Edition One I ordered on Sept 15th just unloaded from the trailer at the dealership in Northern CA. That's one week after the car arrived at the local port, and 4 days after it was cleared US customs. Audi online continues to report status as "En Route".
Need to call them back to work out a delivery time.
Last edited by madcanadian; 05-02-2019 at 08:56 AM.
Quick update. Dealer just called. The Edition One I ordered on Sept 15th just unloaded from the trailer at the dealership in Northern CA. That's one week after the car arrived at the local port, and 4 days after it was cleared US customs. Audi online continues to report status as "En Route".
Need to call them back to work out a delivery time.
Well I'm jealous, from what I can tell mine is still at Benecia. Doesn't make sense to me.
Picking up tomorrow. Dealer needs until 5p to prep, and I can't get there tonight with the 100mi commute to the dealer. Will report in tomorrow on the test drive, and decision to purchase based on that, and possibly my own range test on the 100mi commute back.
04-28-2019, 04:18 PM
