Has anyone purchased a new vehicle lately, the prices are off the wall.

motorcy90

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Can't really find anything that fits my sweet spot for my current needs. Something not hugely expensive with above average (80 CF) cargo space behind the front seats that also gets half-way decent mileage.

Current leaders are Toyota Sienna and, potentially, the redesigned Hyundai Santa Fe. Thinking I'll be pulling the trigger in the spring.

Currently still running the 2017 Flex I got in spring of 2018 with 17k miles ($22.5k). Still running great and reliable at 110k miles, but I really am used to getting something different every 5 years or so. So getting antsy - but yeah, the prices and availability are quite off-putting
Keep the Flex, those are one of the few Ford vehicles from that time with out issue, Explorer and Taurus both are on the same platform/running gear and are solid vehicles. At 110k you'll still easily get another 5+ years out of it.
 

dahliaclone

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I was lucky enough a few years ago that I had paid off my car but Mazda was REALLY looking for used cars so they offered me basically double what it was worth because they needed used/nice cars on their lot. So I got a CX5 pretty reasonable + my big trade in. Was a no brainer since I had already paid off my other car and they were offering so much for it. It would NOT be fun finding a car right now.
 
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MeanDean

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Yikes, but I can see it after our mini van search.


Don't want anything that high trim level. Basic cubic feet transportation with seats for two people up front. Really like the 36MPG city/36MPG highway. Don't like that the second row seats don't fold down or come out. But they do smoosh all the way forward. Just limits load/unload access from the sides. Which is not a huge issue, just an annoyance.
 

Selmak The Tok'Ra

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After we sold our handicapped van last month, I started looking for a new vehicle to purchase, we wanted an SUV, really like the Toyota brand, so we have been looking at the new Grand Highlander. We went into a couple Toyota dealerships figuring we could order a new one, and then pick it up when it arrived, we are not in a hurry. Toyota does not take orders for new vehicles; they are allocated so many a couple of times a month and the wait time for the vehicle we want is 6 months up to a year or more. So, I started calling dealerships seeing what they had and could I purchase from them. Most dealers have a minimum $3,000 to $10,000 mark up on the Grand Highlander, or they want to put you on a waiting list, and will do so with a $500 refundable deposit, and then there is no guarantee that they can get you what you want, it's all luck of the draw.

Luckily being retired, I have plenty of time on my hands, and have been scouring the allocation list and phoning the dealers that are going to get the vehicle that we want. It's crazy out there, some dealers refusing to sell me a vehicle because they only sell within a 300-mile radius, others jacking up the price. I never thought finding a vehicle and willing to pay cash was so difficult.
If you're interested in looking a bit further afield, Wilson Toyota in Ames isn't doing markups - at least not on new Corollas

Source - I was able to get a new Corolla from Wilson for slightly under MSRP after I turned down the paint/rust protection packages


Looked at the Civics since the new Civics are nicer than the new Corollas but the Ames Honda dealership had a base trim Civic marked up to $35k out the door with MaNDatORy AdDoNs and other BS they were trying to push. If I ever was at the point where I could afford a $35k car, let's just say a base trim Civic would defnitely not be on the list of cars I would buy with that money lmao
 
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BigBake

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To the OP, nope, between the stupid prices and interest rates I'm just going to hang on to what I have. Definitely the time to be thinking and understanding the difference between "want and need". I want a newer car but I don't need one.
 

SEIOWA CLONE

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If you're interested in looking a bit further afield, Wilson Toyota in Ames isn't doing markups - at least not on new Corollas

Source - I was able to get a new Corolla from Wilson for slightly under MSRP after I turned down the paint/rust protection packages


Looked at the Civics since the new Civics are nicer than the new Corollas but the Ames Honda dealership had a base trim Civic marked up to $35k out the door with MaNDatORy AdDoNs and other BS they were trying t push. If I ever was at the point where I could afford a $35k car, let's just say a base trim Civic would defnitely not be on the list of cars I would buy with that money lmao
I talked to a salesman from Wilson Toyota, I do not remember if they were charging a dealer incentive or not, but their current wait time for a Grand Highlander Hybrid was 6 months to a year. The more specific of a vehicle you want, the longer you wait. Toyota is making 1600 Highlanders a day, both regular and the Grand version, they are supposed to be ramping up the Hybrids at their plant in Indiana, but currently demand is just outpacing supply and will continue that way the rest of the year I would say.
 

Selmak The Tok'Ra

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I talked to a salesman from Wilson Toyota, I do not remember if they were charging a dealer incentive or not, but their current wait time for a Grand Highlander Hybrid was 6 months to a year. The more specific of a vehicle you want, the longer you wait. Toyota is making 1600 Highlanders a day, both regular and the Grand version, they are supposed to be ramping up the Hybrids at their plant in Indiana, but currently demand is just outpacing supply and will continue that way the rest of the year I would say.
That definitely tracks with my experience somewhat - I also looked at the idea of ordering the Corolla Hybrid and lead time for those late last year was 1 to 2 years so I submitted an order for a regular Corolla and ended up cancelling that order and switching it to one they had coming on allocation that was in the same trim.
 
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carvers4math

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That definitely tracks with my experience somewhat - I also looked at the idea of ordering the Corolla Hybrid and lead time for those late last year was 1 to 2 years so I submitted an order for a regular Corolla and ended up cancelling that order and switching it to one they had coming on allocation that was in the same trim.
Selmak, this is not related to cars but saw your username and wondered what you thought about (Doctor) Daniel Jackson’s performance yesterday? Husband makes some joke about him getting kicked off the ascended plane every time stadium announcer says his name.
 
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CloneLawman

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Wherever I go, there I am.
Selmak, this is not related to cars but saw your username and wondered what you thought about (Doctor) Daniel Jackson’s performance yesterday? Husband makes some joke about him getting kicked off the ascended plane every time stadium announcer says his name.
And he has been returned naked the two times he was returned!!

II just want him to score a TD so I can say...

 

Selmak The Tok'Ra

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Selmak, this is not related to cars but saw your username and wondered what you thought about (Doctor) Daniel Jackson’s performance yesterday? Husband makes some joke about him getting kicked off the ascended plane every time stadium announcer says his name.
Hopefully he has it in him what it takes to help both him and the offense ascend
 
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SEIOWA CLONE

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To the OP, nope, between the stupid prices and interest rates I'm just going to hang on to what I have. Definitely the time to be thinking and understanding the difference between "want and need". I want a newer car but I don't need one.
Generally, I would agree with you 100%, but like I said in my OP, we recently sold our van, which will cover 75% of the purchase price of the new highlander I purchased. Since my mom passed away last month, we got a fair chunk of cash from her estate and will get the other half when my brother and I sell her house. So, we can afford to use that money to pay off all our debts and finance the difference between what we received from the sale of the van and the price of new vehicle, plus have more when we sell her house.
 
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VTXCyRyD

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Ford dealership did that 2 years ago to me. Advertised price was $17k on a used Ford Fusion and when I got there 1 hour later they wanted $18k. That car ended up getting sold at auction 2 weeks later and I will never step on Stivers lot again.
They must have been down right proud of that car
 

drmwevr08

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I went to buy a Tundra TRD pro 2 weeks ago. Advertised for 75k on their website. I walked in found a sales person sat at the desk and told him I was ready to buy the Pro for the listed online price, no negotiation needed, just start the paperwork. He proceeded to write up the paperwork for 100k, and told me they would not sell it for less than that. It had a 25k "market adjustment". I pulled up the advertised price online, and there is a small disclaimer way at the bottom away from the price that says call dealer for actual price. He knew exactly where to go to show me that, which tells me that this is a common occurrence for them. To me that is some dishonest bait and switch nonsense. He tried to get me to buy a different truck. I told him to F off and walked out. Went to a different dealer and bought a Tundra 1794 edition that night instead. It's been 2 weeks and that TRDpro still hasn't sold.
Car dealers are dishonest? When did this happen?






:D:p:D
 

Big_Sill

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Bought a used (2022) car about 3 weeks ago from Karl. Good experience, price was in-line with national search data from cars.com. They came down a little on the price, and came up a little on my two trades. They subsequently listed one of my trades for 7k higher (22k up to 29k) than what they gave me… doesn’t seem unreasonable.

One thing I found interesting… it was really hard to get a 2022 with certain electronics (entertainment system). The 2021’s have them, but production of 2022’s must have occurred in the peak of electronics shortage. This is what Karl said, and matched up to my national search. There were only 5 2022’s out of about 3,000 across the country that had the package.

Used 2022’s we’re about 7 to 10% less than new 2023’s in this model. Not as big of a gap as I’d like, but still worth it for me with the 2022 being CPO.
 

Die4Cy

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Two whole years of not being able to complete new car transactions is still being felt. And an extended uaw strike will just add to it. But used car pricing is collapsing on the wholesale end, so something will have to give on new cars soon.

Personally feel like people are running out of money for durable goods purchases which is a bad sign for the economy overall, but, it has a way of washing away all of the seedy practices dealers have been using since supply got tight.

Just my .02.

We need to make a new car purchase in the next 10 to 12 months, as we will be passing a vehicle on to a kid going to college and unloading their beater. It's hard to decide when to start the process when things are so janked up and a custom order can take 8 months or more.
 
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BillBrasky4Cy

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Put a bunch of money in my little car last week because there’s no way I’m gonna make payments on new car right now.

The pickle I'm in is that my vehicle is close to hitting 90k and by the time the market or interest rates start correcting my car will be basically be worthless as far as trade value goes.
 
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mramseyISU

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I also would like to pile on Toyota and their shady ass dealers. Dan Deery in Cedar Falls has a "market adjustment" of $12,000 on any truck or SUV on the lot right now. Cedar Rapids Toyota does not but you're also not paying anything but MSRP. I bet you all can guess where we bought our Rav4 Hybrid last summer at can't you. I'm on their list for a '24 TRD pro Tacoma right now, optimistically I'll get it in like May.
 
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zarnold56

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Wife has a 2008 Honda Accord with over 200k miles. The car is a tank, and hoping we can ride it out another year or so. Hopefully used cars drop more by then by the time we need a new car for her.

I got in on a new Ford Maverick at MSRP Nov '21 at 1% interest which feels like a steal now as I get emails from Carvana and others the value of my Maverick is more than I paid for 2 years 24k miles later.