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Path: utzoo!decvax!ittatc!dcdwest!sdcsvax!ncr-sd!steves
From: steves@ncr-sd.UUCP (Steve Schlesinger)
Newsgroups: net.auto
Subject: Re: Automobile Brokers
Message-ID: <249@ncr-sd.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 31-Jul-85 15:54:49 EDT
Article-I.D.: ncr-sd.249
Posted: Wed Jul 31 15:54:49 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 1-Aug-85 06:40:47 EDT
References: <392@kontron.UUCP>
Reply-To: steves@ncr-sd.UUCP (0000-Steve Schlesinger)
Distribution: na
Organization: NCR Corporation, Torrey Pines
Lines: 27
Summary: 


I just bought a Toyota Celica GT Automatic through a broker in San Diego.
It was the easiest experience of buying a car I have had or have heard
of anyone else having (short of getting a gift).

The markup over factory invoice to the dealer was higher than the $100 - $250
range.  Maybe for an American car in large supply that would be possible.
Typically, Toyotas and some other foreign cars in short supply have a 2nd
sticker on the car which is about 10-20% over the factory price.
The broker called a fleet salesman that he deals with who looked on the
computer that tells which dealer has which cars.  On that day there were
no Red Celica's with automatic transmission on a dealer's lot in all
California !  A couple of days later he found one up in LA just as it came
off the truck.  The price to me was about $1100 over dealer cost and
$850 under factory sticker.

I got a loan through my local credit union who knew all about the broker.
The broker went and bought the car from the dealer, and then sold the car
to me as a used car (the $1100 over cost includes the brokers markup).
An amazing thing about the deal was that it was done over the
phone from San Francisco, without meeting the broker, without signing
my name on paper or giving the broker any money.  When I got back to
San Diego, the car was waiting as promised, waiting to be paid for (ugh!).
Of course, all brokers may not be like this.

Steve Schlesinger
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