Cordoba Valley

Like other retail businesses, new car dealerships buy cars at wholesale prices, then they sell to the public at higher prices (retail) to make a profit. So they buy at the new car invoice price, then try to sell at the sticker price for maximum profits. But smart shoppers know how this works, so before they negotiate with dealers, they make sure they have the new car invoice prices. It is safe to say that most people will attest to the fact that this number is quite secretive. Only a select few know what the real dealer’s cost is on a new vehicle. We all know that most dealerships quote different prices for the same vehicle but most of us do not know why. The wholesale cost the dealer pays to the manufacturer is the same across the board, meaning that Dealer A pays the same price as Dealer B for the same vehicle. However, there are further costs added to the new car invoice price that the dealer must pay, such as the transportation and delivery fee. No matter where the dealership is located with regards to distance from the manufacturer, each one pays the same amount for delivery. These fees are simply added on at the retail level. An interesting fact is that most dealers will order vehicles from the manufacturer with borrowed funds whereby they are responsible to pay interest on those loans.
It is quite easy to do the math, meaning if a car sells quickly then there are minimal interest charges. However, if the car sits on the lot for an extended time, its costs add up. These loans are known as floorplans and in addition to these, there are also other fees known as holdback. After the vehicle is sold, the holdback fees are rebated back to the dealer by the manufacturer. Dealer advertising is another charge that is tacked onto the invoice, whether these are direct advertising campaigns from the dealer or from a regional organization of dealers. Now that all that is said and done, you have to figure out how to buy a new car below the invoice price. To be a smart consumer means to take advantage of situations that arise, such as slow car sales. Manufacturers do not appreciate a huge inventory sitting idle on a lot because it means a reduction of orders. Therefore, in order to be profitable and move their inventory along, the manufacturers provide incentives to both dealers and consumers. We have all heard of the various incentives they offer, like zero percent financing, low lease rates, rebates, etc. The smart consumer will jump at the opportunity when it arises, but they must be prepared to do so when these special programs are available because they may not last long. They are created and offered only to entice buyers when new car sales are slow, and when these programs are not available, buyers are usually unable to purchase below the invoice price.