Hello folks,

I wanted to purchase my wife a new Explorer for our 20th Anniversary. Cannot afford it without the XPlan Pin.... We had planned to get it through the same avenue as last time but that did not work out. Any thoughts on how to go about getting one now?

Thank you,

Dave

 

There's a x plan pin request thread in the buying advice forum, or you can you become a member of the EAA for $40 a year, you get access to 2 pins a year and some pretty cool magazines.

Congrats on the anniversary!

 

Congrats on the anniversary Dave!

Just out of curiosity, have you tried negotiating a price without the X-Plan? I have been able to beat X-Plan pricing consistently on the past four vehicles I've bought just by negotiating. It can be done easily.

 

Well, they were playing this card that XPLan is the lowest that they can go and I would have to have a pin....

Can you give me some advice on how to negotiate below that?

I am usually a pretty good negotiator on other things.

Thank you very much,

Dave

 

Thank you for that information!

I am actually a big aviation buff and worked the Oshkosh Airshow (EAA) in 1989 as a Cadet with the USAF Auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol.

How does one go about membership and securing a pin and how long does it take? I would imagine that I can join from their website but I am not sure about timing....?


Additionally, the gentleman above said that I should be able to negotiate below XPlan.... Have you had any luck with that?

Thank you,

Dave

 

I don't have the time or patience to play the dealers game "let me talk to the manager". It's a less stressful experience for me to just walk in knowing what I'm going to pay and hand them a check. I walked in with the pin information (which I received from the EAA pretty quick (week or 2?) from what I remember when I signed up) and they ordered my truck no problem.

I signed up online for the membership.

 

Thank you 2000silverbullet! Much appreciated!

Dave

 

Here are two very good resources Dave:

Chrome Carbook :: Auto Loans :: Loans :: USE Credit Union

Hassle-Free Car Buying Experience from Local Dealers - TrueCar

Check each one of them out. On the first link, click the link that says "Access the Chrome Carbook Website".

In each of those, you can get exact dealer cost as well as MSRP. Go on one of those and build out a vehicle exactly as you'd like it and you'll see both prices. Or, find a vehicle you like on the dealer's lot and snap a pic of the window sticker or look up the window sticker online. Build the vehicle according to the window sticker on the TrueCar site or the Chrome site and you'll be able to find the invoice price.

On the last four vehicles I've bought, I've paid $200 over invoice on two of them and on the other two I paid invoice. From that point the rebates were deducted. I used our local dealer for all of them. When you find a vehicle you like and have the invoice price in your hand when you start to negotiate with them, it eliminates a lot of the back and forth.

I told my dealer this was his invoice and gave him the sheet I'd printed out. No haggles at all and I bought it for my price. They got the holdback from the sale and I get all of my service done there so they know they're going to get some service work after the sale too.

Give it a try.

 

powerstroke72, you my friend, are a ROCK STAR!

Thank you....

I noticed that Chrome Book was missing some options, and I could not get the Option price to come out quite right which will not likely play in my favor, however this is a good start.

So if I walk in with this, and cheaper prices on Warranty and Maintence Plans, what is to say they will take it?

Thanks,

Dave

 

How does TrueCar put me 1000 lower than invoice with all options?

Is something missing perhaps?

Thanks,

Dave

 

They may or they may not. My opinion, which I gladly share with them, is that there are plenty of dealers out there and with the economy in the shape it's in, I'll drive a little to save a lot.

You might check but the last time I priced a vehicle on TrueCar, it automatically figured the rebate in with the price which took it well below invoice.