[smokiebbear]

Price is the main thing we are looking at. We don't need a new car for her as her current one is fine but we thought with all the good deals around at the moment then maybe we should get one. I have been to at least 10 dealers over the last 2 days and none of them were prepared to budge on price. We have decided on a runout fiesta and a new mazda 2. There is an 08 stock runout for mazda 2 for the Mazda 2 Maxx (middle of the range version) for a 3 door they are rrp 19,800 driveaway of thereabouts. The sales rep asked how much I was looking at spending and I said max 18k.

He asked if it was a finance issue, i advised no my finance is approved all i need to do is apply but that I currently have 2 loans at my bank and am paying one out in cash to do this and they have advised they see no issue why it will not be approved straight away as I have never missed a payment in 3 years of having loans with them and my credit card with them is hardly ever in the red. Being a joint loan with the missus she has 5k in a savings account also but we are looking to loan the full amount as the money she has saved is for a house in the next 2 years.

The bank has basically given me the green light to go out and find a car between 15 and 20k and then to drop in and see them and they will have it approved that day as they have done a quick test and found that it falls well under their limit and that the payment would be no more than i'm currently paying off my bike loan which is to be paid in full prior to the new loan.

Unfortunatly it just seems they do not want to do business because they asked if i needed finance, which i said no it is all good i have the green light i just need to put forth the application for what i require, then i was asked can i get more than the 18 i was looking at spending i replied yes but i don't want to, then they have all tried to get me to do in house finance with them.

I have advised all of them that i spoke with that i am definalty going to buy car but i just need a good deal and that i am only looking at spending 18k. They do not try and haggle with me about the price they just go "oh ok, well no worries if you want to buy this it's rrp and heres my card, bye". I mean seriously rrp is just that and i know they can go lower and its starting to peeve me off that not one of them has said something like "if we can work out a cheaper price would you be prepared to go ahead today?" or "i understand your only looking at spending a certain amount, what would we need to do to get you behind the wheel of one of these today?" or even "The price is rrp however we are prepared to negotiate if you'd like to come and take a seat inside and run through the finer points of it. If we can come down in price a little would you be prepared to sign the forms today?"

Seriously the sales reps I have spoken with are just wasting my time and theirs, only idiots pay rrp and i have advised them that i'm a serious buyer and been upfront with how much i'm prepared to spend yet they have not tried to negotiate once. There was even one who wanted 17k for a second hand swift and I told him if he was prepared to take 15k we'd have a deal. He said nope sorry its 17k but if you can only get 15k from the bank you must have a credit card you can put the rest on :O" I thought they were struggling to make sales but it appears they are not in need of my money anyhow.

I have found this process extremely frustrating as being in sales myself i would never treat a customer that way or walk away from them just because they aren't prepared to pay rrp. The problems i have encountered seem to be sales reps that are only interested in me paying top dollar and anything less they just brush me off, i haven't even found one prepared to negotiate which is why on monday or tuesday i'll be walking in and speaking directly with the sales managers at ford and mazda for a no bullshyte bottom line price and signing the paperwork. I have been honest with them about how much i am wanting to spend, my finances etc etc and even advised no i do not have the loan "approved" but that my bank have said that it will be and we just have to go through the formalities such as a credit check to whick nothing has changed since the last time we got a joint loan through them except that the missus makes more money now.

From their point of view they should consider me a cash buyer that has the money ready to sign the deal monday afternoon at the latest once a price is agreed upon and the bank has been informed how much money they need to write a cheque out for.

I know they have well over a 10% margin and all i'm asking for is 10% off the rrp. I would have thought making $1000 profit on a sale only is still better than not makning any money and having the car sit there another 3 months.