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Defination of a "new" jeep at a dealer

3K views 31 replies 21 participants last post by  Chip 7857 
#1 ·
I've been talking to this dealer about an 07 Sahara. The vehicle was made in November and has 550 miles on it. Right now they consider it a Dealer demo.

When I asked about buying it they told me it was a new vehicle and the only discount would be $.10 a mile.. Or roughly $50. I didn't think that was acceptable, so I left.

To be fair I do have a discount through Chrysler, so we are right at the invoice point.

The vehicle has every option I was minus the Sirius raido. I countered with them paying an extended MX plan, but they declined.

Am I making to much out of this?

Deal is the Sahara at, or just below invoice with the power group, hardtop, 18" wheels, locking fuel cap, floor mats made in Nov 06, with 550 miles on it. A saleman has been driving it, for $23,570

I can order a new one with the same options (minus 18" wheels) plus Sirius for $23,800.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Ken
 
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#2 ·
It has been beat for that 500 miles. That thing is used. I would order one not take a used on off of the lot. Thy let people drive it, that makes it used. By the definition on the law it is new since it was never titled, but I would pass for sure.
 
#3 ·
It is not "new" with that many miles on the odometer. If there were just under 100 miles of "test drives" .. I might say new - but barely.

I would offer them $1,000 to $1,500 under their asking because of the extra miles, or tell them that you will pay full price for one with 0 miles on it. It is your money that you are spending - you decide how much you want to spend it.

:cheers2:
 
#5 ·
Just remember these things aren't that rare, not nearly as they'd have you believe. Some guy told me that if I could come in and order mine on last Sunday that it could guarantee a 8 week delivery, but if I waited til the Monday (next day) it would take the full 12 weeks. I asked him how that would make a difference and he stumbled all over himself. Clown.

I'm honestly thinking about waiting until the end of the year when they get marked down, or to see what comes out new for the '08.
 
#10 · (Edited)
I think you're making too much of it. It has everything you want and is otherwise the perfect Jeep for you, and the price is excellent. 500 miles is nothing. I'd buy it for sure. Hell, I've had my Jeep for only 10 weeks or so and it has over 7200 miles on it. Starting off with 500 miles wouldn't make much difference.
 
#11 ·
Swagginman is correct.

Suggestion: Have no further sales dealings with that stealer/dealership.

Use the net and shop around. Driving 100 miles and having an extra $1,000 or 2 left in our pockets(considering trade and all) and/or getting exactly what we want is time well spent. At least it has been for us.

I have read of so many people in a frenzy to have one, be the first on their block, etc.

They take what they can get, not what they want...OR they place an order and agonize for months over it. They spend twenty thousand dollars or more on a vehicle sight unseen, no test drive, then are surprised and complain on forums when something doesn't work or was put together wrong, and the dealer/manufacturer won't/can't make it function to their satisfaction. They end up wasting weeks or months trying to get problems that existed at delivery resolved.

Patience can save you money, get you exactly what you want and give you a chance to thoroughly examine the actual vehicle you are considering buying before you commit any of your money.

We've bought more than 40 vehicles and never ordered one or bought a vehicle without test driving the actual vehicle we were considering purchasing. 'Try before you buy' has worked for us. All the whining on various auto forums tells me a lot of people didn't. Sure things can go wrong down the road, but why start out with problems that need to be resolved. Chrysler is not exactly known for quality control. With research and thorough test drives, one is a lot more likely to drive off happy and stay that way.

But, bottom line, it is your money. Just my $800,000.00+ worth.
 
#12 ·
I wouldn't buy that unless it was substantially discounted - even more than a typical used car w/500 miles. 500 miles from one owner that has a vested interest in taking care of his vehicle is very different from 500 test drive miles from many drivers that have a vested interest in pushing the vehicle a bit to see whether it will work for them.
 
#14 ·
jeepers3 said:
I think you're making too much of it. It has everything you want and is otherwise the perfect Jeep for you, and the price is excellent. 500 miles is nothing. I'd buy it for sure. Hell, I've had my Jeep for only 10 weeks or so and it has over 7200 miles on it. Starting off with 500 miles wouldn't make much difference.
the only one telling you to buy it on this thread flew from Alaska to Virgina to get one and drove 1000s of miles back to Alaska to get what he wants NOW:nuts:

Hes never heard the saying "Patience is a virtue" Consider the source

i got my Sahara in a few days short of 8 weeks and got all of what i wanted on it.
hold out for what you want :2thumbsup:
 
#15 ·
Chip 7857 said:
That's the trouble with all that mileage, is that you don't know who drove it and what they did to it. Did some salesman pop the clutch and red line it when it got off the truck? You never know. Mine had 50 on it.
And what, it takes 50 miles to drive it off the truck? Even with 50 miles, someone can give it bad treatment. I don't think 10 times the miles results in 10 times the bad treatment. The dealer isn't interested in seeing the vehicles it tries to sell trashed any more than the people who want to buy them.
 
#16 ·
A Dealer Demo vehicle is driven by a salesperson, or a sales manager. For Demo drives, we show the customer the vehicle that he or she intends to purchase. A demonstrator is a new vehicle, and it is not titled, and as such, is a new vehicle.

If the dealership purchases the vehicle and enters it into fleet use, then it is considered a used vehicle, as it is titled to the dealership.

When I have a demo (not presently in one), I treat it better than I do my personal vehicle (do not keep any personal belongings in it other than my sunglasses and a snow brush in the winter), and it is used to drive to work in the morning, and home in the evening.

If you want a new Jeep with no miles, then order one. Don't go thinking we are going to go losing thousands of dollars on a brand new vehicle with 500 miles on it. Believe it or not, we work for a living, and do enjoy the prospect of bringing a paycheck home at the end of a month (our family's do enjoy eating, and having a roof over their head).
 
#17 ·
Any new vehicle needs to be broken in. What if it was a demo and the guy tried to do the Actual Rubicon in it? All dealers are not saints and some say just about anything to make a sale. I just wouldn't buy one with that many miles on it, I want to be the one who breaks in my $35,000 investment.

I was lucky I found one that had most everything that I wanted. I had to call every dealer in this state and it took awhile. If you bought one down here and drove it back to Alaska, all I got to say that would a hell of a nice trip in a new Jeep.
 
#18 ·
Agent 000 said:
A Dealer Demo vehicle is driven by a salesperson, or a sales manager. For Demo drives, we show the customer the vehicle that he or she intends to purchase. A demonstrator is a new vehicle, and it is not titled, and as such, is a new vehicle.

If the dealership purchases the vehicle and enters it into fleet use, then it is considered a used vehicle, as it is titled to the dealership.

When I have a demo (not presently in one), I treat it better than I do my personal vehicle (do not keep any personal belongings in it other than my sunglasses and a snow brush in the winter), and it is used to drive to work in the morning, and home in the evening.

If you want a new Jeep with no miles, then order one. Don't go thinking we are going to go losing thousands of dollars on a brand new vehicle with 500 miles on it. Believe it or not, we work for a living, and do enjoy the prospect of bringing a paycheck home at the end of a month (our family's do enjoy eating, and having a roof over their head).
And you may be an honest dealer. But I am going to protect myself. Plus I would expect a discount with that many miles on it. A New car is a new Car and a demo is not a new car. If someone bought a car from you and brought it back a the next week with 500 miles on it, you wouldn't give a full refund, would you?
 
#20 ·
Chip 7857 said:
Any new vehicle needs to be broken in. What if it was a demo and the guy tried to do the Actual Rubicon in it? All dealers are not saints and some say just about anything to make a sale. I just wouldn't buy one with that many miles on it, I want to be the one who breaks in my $35,000 investment.

I was lucky I found one that had most everything that I wanted. I had to call every dealer in this state and it took awhile. If you bought one down here and drove it back to Alaska, all I got to say that would a hell of a nice trip in a new Jeep.
i agree, the first 500 miles are the most important to the long and healthy life of your engine and drivetrain. you never know what kind of tool took it for a test drive.
 
#22 ·
Chip 7857 said:
If you bought one down here and drove it back to Alaska, all I got to say that would a hell of a nice trip in a new Jeep.
Well, you would think, but considering it was January and the middle of winter, it didn't really qualify as a "hell of a nice trip". Covering an average of 700 miles a day on those roads, in that weather, alone, was really a lot of work more than anything else. :)

Besides, by the time I got it home, "my brand new Jeep" had over 5000 miles on it. If I could have got one locally with only 500 miles on it at the same price, esp. if it were exactly what I wanted, rather than what I could manage to get, I wouldn't complain AT ALL :)
Jeepers said:
 
#24 ·
jeepers3 said:
Well, you would think, but considering it was January and the middle of winter, it didn't really qualify as a "hell of a nice trip". Covering an average of 700 miles a day on those roads, in that weather, alone, was really a lot of work more than anything else. :)

Besides, by the time I got it home, "my brand new Jeep" had over 5000 miles on it. If I could have got one locally with only 500 miles on it at the same price, esp. if it were exactly what I wanted, rather than what I could manage to get, I wouldn't complain AT ALL :)
That's pretty cool, Both the Jeep and the mountain. I didn't know they even offered heated seats. I like those gas carriers, I'm afraid I'd back into someone and really do some damage.
 
#25 ·
Chip 7857 said:
That's pretty cool, Both the Jeep and the mountain. I didn't know they even offered heated seats. I like those gas carriers, I'm afraid I'd back into someone and really do some damage.
Thanks :)

The heated seats are after-market. I had them installed the day after I got the Jeep. There is a thread on it if you want to read more. As for the cargo carrier - yeah - it would be nice if I could have wired up an "ignite and dump" switch to deter tailgaiters, but it still works well for carrying gas, water, SCUBA tanks, or whatever other gear someone might need to carry. :)
 
#26 ·
Agent 000 said:
A Dealer Demo vehicle is driven by a salesperson, or a sales manager. For Demo drives, we show the customer the vehicle that he or she intends to purchase. A demonstrator is a new vehicle, and it is not titled, and as such, is a new vehicle.

If the dealership purchases the vehicle and enters it into fleet use, then it is considered a used vehicle, as it is titled to the dealership.

When I have a demo (not presently in one), I treat it better than I do my personal vehicle (do not keep any personal belongings in it other than my sunglasses and a snow brush in the winter), and it is used to drive to work in the morning, and home in the evening.

If you want a new Jeep with no miles, then order one. Don't go thinking we are going to go losing thousands of dollars on a brand new vehicle with 500 miles on it. Believe it or not, we work for a living, and do enjoy the prospect of bringing a paycheck home at the end of a month (our family's do enjoy eating, and having a roof over their head).
As has been said, you may be an honest guy that treats his demo with the utmost respect and doesn't allow customers to mistreat it, but I would bet that your sitituation is not typical and I certainly wouldn't take the risk on purchasing a demo with that many miles, especially at only a $50 discount! In my experience test driving cars from a customer's perspective, dealers tend to encourage the customer to beat on a demo - they know that they will have it for a while and it will rack up the miles, so they already know they won't be able to sell it for maximum value - thus, they encourage you to "floor it" and "give it a go", etc. Also from a customer's perspective, I don't feel quite so bad giving the demo a tough test drive, because I view it as the dealer's test mule for that purpose, so the customers don't tear up the rest of the fleet with hard test drives. The way I've seen it done before is to give the demo a hard test drive, full acceleration runs, hard in the corners, full panic stops, etc. to make sure that the vehicle drives how I would expect in extreme conditions. Then, if I'm satisfied and they have one on the lot equipped to my specs, I give it a soft drive around to block to make sure nothing is obviously askew and then go in and purchase that vehicle. The assumption is that the vehicle I've purchased will perform like the demo in extreme conditions - thus, there's no need to treat my new vehicle that way on a test drive. I actually think this is a good system for larger dealers that can afford to have a demo on the lot that they know will sell for less after it's done its duty.

You mention that it is a "brand new vehicle ... with 500 miles on it." Your definition of a "brand new vehicle" certainly differs from mine. I would define a new vehicle as one that was recently built by the factory, has little to no miles on it, and has not been titled. Apparantly your definition is limited to - has not been titled. What if the demo has 1,000 miles but hasn't been titled? How about 5,000? Where do you draw the line?
 
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