I like this thought process from a sales perspective, but unfortunately, it's a seller's market right now for cars. That tide is going to change.

Bought a car out of state several months ago doing the entire deal through text message. Never once talked to the dealer on the phone. Only person I spoke to was the shop doing the PPI. Fairly smooth transaction and no games, no financing discussions, no hard sell for add-ons, etc.

To contrast that, I contacted a few dealers in TX/OK who wanted to play games. $3-5k in mandatory add ons. Calls/emails/texts at all hours of the day. One dealer wouldn't honor a Truecar price or the price on their website. They raised the car's price $4k after I contacted them. I told them I'm not a buyer who plays games and to screw off with their bait and switch. They came back a few days later blowing me up again saying the previous sales guy was fired, and they had a new guy, who was playing the same games. I ended up having to block multiple phone numbers from them.

Had another tell me they would love to get me into a cheaper car since my budget wasn't high enough after I questioned pricing that was several thousand over market, on a high mileage out of brand car that had sat on their lot for several months. Just insanity.

To be honest, I don't know why the process isnt streamlined more. I know the last trucks I bought were with 1Ags contact. I got what I considered to be a great deal, and there was no bull**** involved. That's what I like. I knew the terms and the price, we ordered the trucks, they came in, I paid what we all agreed on and it was painless. I am with you, Im just not interested in the old way. The last time I bought a car with my dad, it took HOURS. There was a lot of "I don't know, sir, that's a pretty great deal, let me check with my manager." I was a kid and it was the S U C K. It's sales. You aren't supposed to gouge people. Why gouge ONE person when you can make a fair deal that you make a few bucks on and make 15 people happy. I never understood that.

Ryan the Temp said:

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I forgot to include that sales people like to call at inappropriate hours of the day. I've received calls from dealerships as early as 6:30 AM and as late as 9:00 PM.

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Have you tried Tesla? I got a reply from a person who apply emailed twice and I talked to them on the phone once and in person for the test drive. He emailed a follow up and I replied I went with a different car he said thanks and never bothered me again.

Jason_InfinityRoofer said:

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To be honest, I don't know why the process isnt streamlined more. I know the last trucks I bought were with 1Ags contact. I got what I considered to be a great deal, and there was no bull**** involved. That's what I like. I knew the terms and the price, we ordered the trucks, they came in, I paid what we all agreed on and it was painless. I am with you, Im just not interested in the old way. The last time I bought a car with my dad, it took HOURS. There was a lot of "I don't know, sir, that's a pretty great deal, let me check with my manager." I was a kid and it was the S U C K. It's sales. You aren't supposed to gouge people. Why gouge ONE person when you can make a fair deal that you make a few bucks on and make 15 people happy. I never understood that.

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So far, reproag has made dealing with him super easy with no games or stress. I reached out, told him what I was after, he emailed me an offer and I agreed to it. I'll do the paperwork when it comes in, but if the rest of the process is like how things went today, it will be the best car purchase experience I've ever had, even better than Tommie Vaughn. The hardest part will be getting to Brenham to pick it up.

Try buying in Oklahoma. It will suck to drive up there and get it, and you'll have to pay the taxes when you register it in Texas, but I think a lot of people won't put in the effort to travel up there to get it.

There was a period of time where you could get info and negotiate via email like this, but from what I have heard from friends who have shopped in the last 2 years (and now you) I guess they have closed that loophole.

$30,000 Millionaire said:

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Try buying in Oklahoma. It will suck to drive up there and get it, and you'll have to pay the taxes when you register it in Texas, but I think a lot of people won't put in the effort to travel up there to get it.

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We went out of state for our travel trailer. Saved $4,000 by going to Huntsville, AL.

Go to TEXTNOW.com and in four minutes without using a credit card get a free phone number. Just register it under another name and it will be completely anonymous. When you're done with it you can delete it if you want. There's no obligation and it will be your confidential number.

FIDO*98* said:

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What's really funny is you are exactly the type of person that makes dealers not want to email quotes. Because people like you take the quote to another dealer and another dealer and another dealer so you're wasting everybody's time. I don't like customers that waste my time and energy either

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I guess you only get 1 bid from contractors then?

Ryan the Temp said:

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Perfect example of the reason for my rant here - In the last hour I was contacted by one of the dealerships I got the most bot messages from. The salesman told me he will not email a vehicle quote. He will only only provide a quote on a vehcle over the phone or in person.

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I'd ask for the quote and record the conversation. You like the quote, move forward with it. He tries to renege or say something like 'I never said that' play the recording for his boss and ask him if he'd like for KHOU to hear it too.

PatAg said:

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There was a period of time where you could get info and negotiate via email like this, but from what I have heard from friends who have shopped in the last 2 years (and now you) I guess they have closed that loophole.

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Not a loophole that was closed. Just no longer an option to the buyers. My buddy is Director of Finance for a GMC dealership in Houston and they don't need to respond to emails with quotes. It isn't a buyers market, so dealerships aren't competing for business against each other right now.

He did say that the COVID money drying up is finally starting to boil to the top and repo auctions are starting to get a bit of newer model inventory in them

Ryan the Temp said:

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I forgot to include that sales people like to call at inappropriate hours of the day. I've received calls from dealerships as early as 6:30 AM and as late as 9:00 PM.

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Do not disturb is amazing.

Dealerships suck.

Which Gunn dealership?

We shopped Gunn Nissan on 410 in SA and had an overall positive experience. John Jimenez was our salesman and he is a big Aggie fan as well.

It was Gunn Chevrolet (North San Antonio/Selma area).

MouthBQ98 said:

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Dealerships are a make work program that states keep alive for wealthy donors.

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Auto dealers
Insurance
Alcohol

Anticompetitive by any reasonable analysis, yet propped up by state level rivers of lobbying money. Billions, on all side of the aisle.

Car salesman's #1 job is to get you in the door. It's a cutthroat game on sales side. Fast easy deals for you are bad for their managers. They want to get you in the door and squeeze every possible $$ they can get, or their managers fire them and move on to new recruits.