All the information you could possibly need can be found online.
If you see a deal you like on the forums and if they’ve posted the numbers on the thread, check if the numbers match (or at least how closely) using the calculator.
If they’ve not posted a breakdown, head over to the Edmunds forum for whatever you’re interested in and ask for the mf, residual, and incentives based on zip code.
Use the calculator and see if you can replicate the numbers based on your region.
Find a car you like, plug the numbers into the calculator, figure what pct discount you need to be at for it to be a “good deal”.
Call/email about 25 dealers until you find someone willing to discount the car to your desired number.
Is it time consuming? Yes. Will you find your deal? Also, yes.
For those who offered constructive advice, thank you. Maybe a bit more leg work would have paid off.
I negotiate contracts for a living, much bigger than a car lease, and I enjoy negotiating win-win agreements. I’m always friendly and diplomatic, and almost all of the Cadillac dealerships responded, and we dialogued about terms and discounts. I’m upfront about my interest in a one-pay lease (no financing needed), the price I’m looking to pay for a loaner, and for which vehicle specs. Although the dealers couldn’t make it work–and I eventually offered $9-11K for a one-pay 24/12, depending on the specs–I left the door open, and many came back with counteroffers. So, no hard feelings from me or them.
The discounts from GM are nationwide. Sales tax depends on your state residency, TX in my case. I read the forums, contracts and deals, and used the LeaseHackr calculator extensively.
To any hecklers, well, you might want to see a therapist to understand the root cause of your insecurities and lack of impulse control–we can disagree, but mockery reflects poorly on the source of it. I do like Weird Al, though–I deejayed at the same college radio station a few years after he deejayed there. Peace.
Signing a too good to be true deal on a Lyriq later today. Here’s the thing about unicorn deals, they always sound too good to be true. That’s why they call them unicorns. You gotta be in the right place at the right time and they are usually not replicable.
