iTTalian

Appreciate everyone's advice on my last post. I'm getting close to a buy and I am posting a new thread as I need to grab some quick advice today before I head back to the dealer.

Here's the scoop: I found an '02 TT 225 coupe with Premium and Audio packages online and went out to the dealer to check it out. I wasn't able to test drive the 02, because I showed up 15 min before they closed...but I spent about an hour going over the car in their garage. I put a hold order on it till next week (when I'll be back to test drive it). I'm going to keep looking around to see if I can find a better deal this week.

Hopefully, you guys can help guide me in my decision with some more commentary. Here are all the details:

Only issues I found were:

- A stone chip on the very bottom of the front lip of the bumper, which they said they will touch up.

- Scratches on the floor pedals.

- The black has worn off of the radio buttons and now shows the white plastic through.

Other than that, the exterior looks like it went from one garage to the next...and the interior looks new.

The car has 39K miles and is under original factory warranty until June 1 06. The nice thing about this is that they will be covering the 40K mile major service. After June, CPO warranty kicks in for 2 years. The carfax says - very clean, one-owner from the burbs, and lists only 3 service checkups (every 10K miles and state inspections) This looked good to me vs the 03 TT I looked where the carfx listed 2 additional service visits for "service to the electrical system" (which seemed like it COULD be a bad indicator)

Anyhow, here's what the dealer is doing in terms of price:

- On the audiusa's website, it's listed for $25,900

- On autotrader, it's listed as "on sale" at $23.700.

The sales guy is trying to tell me what a deal 23.7K is considering what they paid for it. Slap tax ontop of that, and we're talking another $1660 bringing me to $25,360. I don't feel like this is a deal considering the 03 that was on the market last week.

Bottom line, given the great condition, and all the other details about the car...and the fact that I have 2 more months before I need to be in possession:

#1 - Where should I start the offer

#2 - Should I lowball and then work upward, or just give them my REAL final number first, and not budge

#3 - What's your opinion on my chances of waiting it out and finding a better deal.

Thanks again...I think I'm closing in here.
Michael

Lowcountry

I was in negotiations for about 3 weeks before I got mine, and was able to save a couple thousand bucks. I told them several times that I didn't want it, and they kept calling me about twice a week until we reached an agreement.

TTschwing

$2000 in real terms (essentially you are buying a warranty), putting the true price of the car at $21,700. Ignore taxes when figuring the value of the car...though that may enter into what you can afford..

Shoot em a price that you feel comfortable with...$22,500 (with CPO)would seem to be a fair price for a nice CPO'd car...YOu can probably do better if you continue to search, but if the car is right and you like it, buy it. If it's not worth it to you at that price don't. On the '03, there's always the one that got away.....Happens all the tme!

Youdaman

I was looking to buy a Passat W8 and thank gooness it didn't work out because I ended up with the TT (I know, just slightly different cars!)... Anyway, I thought I had made a good offer and decided to walk away when they didn't accept it. I checked later (about a couple months) and the dealer had lowered the price $4k (to where I would have bought it in the first place!)...

Edmunds TMV is a good place to start as far as fair price I believe and then try to get as close (or less than that).

As lowcountryTT said though - don't look too interested - they can smell blood! For you, it's your dream car, for them it's just another transaction so they have the advantage... Whatever deal you make they'll make a pretty penny if it was a trade in. Dealers make more on used cars than new (as a %).

Good luck!

TwisTTer

I came across the Black book trade-in tool from this dealership's site: <A HREF="http://www.maroone.com/dealers/maroone/default.asp?Page=tradein">Black Book On-line</A>

I asked everyone and searched everywhere for that tool. It was either a big secret or no one knows about it.

This tool will give you an idea of what they paid for it.

When I used the valuation tool, I added $2500 to the price and this was my bottom line.

I would add another $1250 for CPO but given it is the end of the month stick to the $2500.

I used the same technique at a dealership which worked. I bought a 02' Silver TT Roadster Quattro w/24k on the clock w/ a year of manufacturer's warranty left for $22,000.

Of course, this is a guideline, you have to consider the market conditions, area you live, availability of cars, configuration, condition of vehicle, history etc...

Hope this helps!

Cruzad3r

country... see my case i live in CT but i purchased the TT all the way in NY and was able to get the car in a pretty good price. all the warranty including the new car warranty still exist similiar to your case right now.

the market availability like Twistter said is very important because price Fluctuate and you always i mean always have to think of the Out The Door deal if you chose to buy car out of state. That includes the tax and registration on both states. Also make sure they do all the paper works so you don't have to worry about anything but to drive the car home.

Hope this help and good luck. :-)

TwisTTer

be sure to hunt down all the service records for the car. Try to get a complete history.

The car I bought had a cluster replaced.
Common thing that goes bad on the TT. No biggie.

It does seem a lot of worse on carfax. This is where the independent mechanic is crucial. Your negotiation should be based on his/her report on whether car is clean or not and if there are major repairs are needed.

jtntsfr

2001 225 Coupe.
All options minus Nav.
Some mods. : ) 8k worth.
43K miles.
All service records.
I'm thinking around 19K.

iTTalian

Audi extended warranty on that?