Big Mistake !

[Excessive Force]

Well, i had my '98 (v10 powered) ram in the shop yesterday to have one of the "rattling cats" replaced. They had an "02 HO-6spd quad cab there..... so i took it for a ride... now i think i'm hooked on this truck. The salesman went along :{ ,so i couldn't give it a "real" test,but still the truck drove great. What is a good price for a truck like this?The truck has a lot of options,but no leather. They are asking $35,270. 00 w/ $1500. 00 rebate. That's a lot of cash to spend. Any input would be appreciated. THANKS.

 

[KatDiesel]

Thats a bit high in my opinion. If possible look around for a left over 01. 5, they can be had for much much less if there are any left on the lots.



Ask about ordering a truck, and then see what price they will give you. Then I would call some of the bigger dealers that people talk about on here and see how much they will order one for you.



Thats if your truely wanting a new, new one.

 

[IdaH.O.Train]

Way Too Much

EF, you didn't list anything else the truck has as far as model, trim level, etc. If it's a 4X4, SLT you could probably find that truck for $31,500 - $32,000 at the right place. So if you are serious, throw the lower figure at them and let the games begin. :-{} Because of my upside down trade-in factor on my 2K V10, I wasn't in a position to haggle, which sucks, because that's half the fun of buying a vehicle.



Check out this place to give you an idea of what these things can/should go for: http://www.meltonsales.com/truck.html

 

[klenger]

You should be able to buy it for a couple hundred over invoice + dealer prep, and you keep the rebate. Some have been able to buy for below invoice. If you are worried about how the dealers make a profit selling at invoice, the manufacturer has a holdback of about 3% of the MSRP which the the dealer gets about once a quarter. There are also secret dealer incentives when the factory wants to move vehicles.







If they won't show you the invoice, go somewhere else. Edmunds.com has invoice pricing on-line. Never work from MSRP.



The invoice on my 2001. 5 (year end) was $34,074. If the truck is loaded, their price may not be too far off. Dealer holdback info from Edmunds.com

 

[Cobra]

KLENGER is 100% correct but, if you are trading your present truck and you pay them wholesale, they will only give you wholesale for yours. If you can sell yours then you can work the best deal from the invoilce. Oh yea, you didn't say if the new one had 4X4. If it does then that price sounds good to me. IMHO

 

[Excessive Force]

DEALER GAMES...

The truck is a 4x4. Well, i just talked to another dealer... they have a truck on the lot with the same options. List price: $37080. the salesman said he would sell for $28500. ,plus he told me of another incentive of $300. for small buisness' ! He said if i didn't like the color he could find another truck,or order one for the same price. What gives? I have done buisness with the first dealer before (bought 2 trucks from them). The 2nd dealer shot me those prices over the phone !!UNREAL. :--)

 

[LSMITH]

Sounds like the second dealer is willing to work with you. The first dealer is WAY high for this area. You should be able to buy an ETH/DEE combo with the SLT+ camper snow bla bla, basically everything including leather seats for $3K LESS than what you were quoted at the first dealer.



Cobra has a very good point that if you pay wholesale for the new one they will give you wholesale for your old one. The cash price is all that really matters though, it is the true cost for you unless you trade in the old one. If you trade price for either one is irrelevasnt really, the difference is your true cost.



I would get the second dealer to fax over a quote and I would take it to the first dealer, make them match it and then pick which one you want to spend your money with. If you are going to pound the dealer for every red cent you can get off the truck they WILL get it back somewhere, likely in the service bay.



Hope this helps.

 

[boonsur]

IMO

Best place to find (new or used) car pricing is the Kelly blue book website (KBB.com). You can compare option costs, etc. You may be able to "lose" a few options (vs the truck you were eyeing) and order a new one for less.



Oh yea, stock truck doesn't hold a candle to a BOMB'd truck!

 

[schu777]

I went through many different dealers and finally found one that actually went below invoice, but the price I was offering was $250 over invoice price and I got it... as you see in my Sig, it's quite loaded and with the current rebate of $1500 and Farm B $500 rebate... that adds $2k to the deal...



The second dealer sounds like he wants to move vehicles... in my research I found that Dodge has a holdback of 3% retail price... at the end of the year/quarter or whatever, the dealer will get that 3% back... so $250 over invoice isn't the only money the dealer makes!!



Check out http://www.fightingchance.com - that is where I got most of my information...



Good luck!!



I'd place my bet on the second dealer... sounds like it's right in the ball park for invoice pricing. .

 

[JWhitcomb]

About that $300 business deduction, make sure they are clear what documentation they need from you. After I had my truck for five months they came back crying that DC wanted more info or they would have to eat it. Well I had all the stuff they needed to prove to DC I am in fact business so all I had to do is fax it but just make sure they get what they need up front.

 

[Karl2500]

Be sure to look out for "dealer Fees" I just bought a caravan and I got taken For $538. In bs fees.

 

[Excessive Force]

THANKS GUYS.

Thanks for all of the input guys. The 2nd dealer is going to locate a truck for me, (patriot blue)sure wish they still had intense blue though. Then as they say... . LET THE GAMES BEGIN !! :-laf

 

[Fireman Dave]

Bert,



It's a fact that an ordered truck should be cheaper. When they order it for you, it never sits on their lot, so they don't pay interest on it. They can afford to give you a better deal that way. Also, don't talk to a salesperson. Only deal with the top dog - the sales manager or fleet manager. That dude is on salary, so no commission to worry about. I picked up all this stuff on the Edmund's site, and it worked great for me. The one thing about ordering is you have to wait, but it makes it sweeter!



I sent you an email about another angle that may interest you.



Dave

 

[Cobra]

Patriot Blue, what more could one ask for You'll have the finest looking truck in the area. But you gotta wah it alot.

 

[Sageair]

Figure out what you want on your new truck than check with Dave Smith Dodge in Kellogg Idaho. No body makes deals like him and get him to send you a written quote. If you don't feel like going to Idaho for a new truck at least you'll have a powerful bargaining tool to deal with. But if it was me I'd get it in Idaho and have a great long trip to fall in love with your new Cummins. Good luck

 

[JBoesl]

DAVE SMITH



They are going for about $28,000. last time I checked. I live 60 miles from them and no dealer around here can compete with them. They say they can But I have yet to see it.

 

[WTBurke]

Dave Smith?

No way... I shopped and found DS doesn't carry limited slip diff's!!!

I found that compleatly stupid and If they won't fax you a MONRONEY with the VIN# don't bother flying to Kellog. I learned all this in a painful way. Billings Dodge in Montana beat DS hands down in my opinion and shipping my rig up from Castle Rock CO was only $149. ON A FLAT BED TRUCK! (they do this stuff in the Rockies) BTW if DS doesn't have it but say they will get it... . they might but, they'll put 600 miles on it for you as the have it driven to them! NO THANKS I break-in my own Cummins THANK YOU.

DS is not Cool !!!!!!



William

 

[JBoesl]

WOW!!!



WTBurke I can't belive that they would put 600 miles on your truck before you got it. Thats crazy!!!! Without your permision!!!

I would have told them to ship me one instead. I have had very good luck with DAVE SMITH limited slip or not. When my front end went to crap at 98,000 miles they replaced the entire thing for me. As well as the fuel gauge that quite working. total bill $3000. 00. I had no warenty on that stuff I also bought the truck used. However DAVE SMITH paid the bill. Remember a dealer that will stand by there product is somtimes hard to find. This can be more importand than them not having a truck with a LSD in stock.

 

[BertM]

You can join the Farm Bureau ($35) and receive $500 off of any new Dodge. I have done it on two trucks. You must be a member for 30 days, and there are no other requirements. It is a $500 certificate that comes right off of the final bill.

 

[scliny65]

<b>They are asking $35,270. 00 w/ $1500. 00 rebate. That's a lot of cash to spend. </b>



That doesn't seem that bad to me!

I stopped by a local DC lot last week.

They had an '02 leftover... 4x4, SLT Laramie w/tow pkg, and AT.

The price was <b>$38,995</b> !!! :--)



Sometimes I really think I gotta get out of NY and move to the country.