I’m currently looking at CX-5 Touring AWD (base) and am just starting to get offers out to a couple dealers. Based on another thread, it sounds like getting a 10%+ off (pre-incentive) deal is unlikely? In one of my initial conversations, the dealership offered a 3.2% pre-incentive discount (~$950).
Without getting too into the weeds on a specific deal, what kind of negotiation tactics should I be using when it feels like the cars are being shuffled through the lot very quickly - and nothing really distinguishes any vehicles of the model/trim I’m looking at, at any local dealerships?
In my first conversation, I came out and said “here’s my offer for this vehicle - I’d like to get this if we can get to 10% off pre-incentive,” (with actual numbers of course)." The guy basically shut me down right there and offered the aforementioned 3.2% discount (+Mazda incentives). I requested further details/quote (the salesperson said they’d email me later that night), and within a couple hours he called back, saying that that stock # had been purchased by someone else already.
Any suggestions? It is just a tough market right now? Is it realistic to go after 10% pre-incentive?
Your 3.2% pre-incentive counter tells you the story of today’s market. Dealers are sitting on their “constrained” inventory until someone comes along that will pay up some. Better yet - they will call you after they sell one with a subliminal message “Pay up I won’t have your color soon.” My hunch - it will not get better in the next month or two or three. With that as a backdrop, let’s talk tactics.
Do your homework and figure out what a good deal looks like on a CX-5. Armed with this knowledge contact dealers until your energy runs out (prioritize dealers with more inventory than others). Then, pound 3 espressos and contact 3 more dealers. Your only leverage is a cool confidence to say no to weak counters and a salesperson’s innate dread of losing a sale to a dealer down the road. Expect to be disappointed (repeatedly) in the dealer’s counter if you are gunning for a great-to-good deal. Be prepared for dealers to let you walk away from the deal after a counter/re-counter round. Politely thank the salesperson for their time and tell them you will keep looking for a better deal. Collect a few solid offers and pit one salesman against the next. Some salespeople will ghost you - they want a lessee to pay up. Someone will come down closer to what it will take for you to agree to a deal. Pick your best deal and enjoy your new car knowing you were cursed with “bad timing”.
All this should sound demoralizing. After a few dealer emails/calls, consider reaching out to a broker on here. I think today’s market is made for the services a broker provides: who has a trim/color combo I like, how low will the dealer go, and can you make all the calls.
By the way, here is your dream calculator. I do not understand IL taxes and typical dealer fees so I will leave that up to you. Grab RV, MF, lease cash from edmunds - the numbers I used are solid placeholders for the real deal. Look at that $295/mth pre-tax and don’t spend to much time thinking about what could have been. Get as close as you can.
@max_g just has a way to get to the heart of a problem. Just dangle a $273/mth pre-tax + $1,500 DAS CR-V EX offer in front of your Mazda dealer and see what happens to that 3.2% pre-incentive (SoCal Broker Deal, find a broker deal in your area).
