The market for new cars in 2022 is unlike anything that has come before; with lingering chip shortages, supply chain issues, and skyrocketing demand, dealers are selling vehicles for thousands (or more!) over sticker price, and many buyers don't know what to do. Since Consumer Reports purchases every car we test, we have felt the pain as well. In this episode, we recall our recent experiences buying cars for our test program, invite members of our audience to share their car buying stories, and give tips on what you can do to save yourself money if you're in the market for a new car right now.
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SHOW NOTES
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00:00 – Introduction
00:21 – Our Car Buying Experiences
07:49 – Our Colleague’s Car Purchasing Stories
15:42 – Audience Stories of Car Shopping Experiences
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Best New Car Deals
Get the Car You Need Now
Why Your New Car May Not Have Everything You Want
Guide to Car Safety
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Not everyone can afford to spend the money nor have the time CR has to buy cars for their tests, especially when CR testers buy cars as part of their full time job… Also, almost 400$ for nitrofill? You could go to Costco (jn Canada anyway) get your tires filled with nitrogen for double digits.
With all due respect, CR is encouraging and contributing to the problem.
When these dirtbags markup cars and get it, they will keep scamming customers!
CR should be telling customers NO do not pay scammers. WE at CR will not pay scammers.
I don’t know why CR laughs about it because this is a lot of money, most likely the second largest purchase a person makes. They should not be scammed, gouged or exploited. CR should flat out practice what they preach.
All these scams have made shopping easy. Don’t buy from scammers. Pay msrp. This proves why dealerships will die. I hope more manufacturers move direct to consumer.
This is a dumb take. If you want to call a dealer a “scammer” for selling over MSRP, then you’d also have to call a buyer who buys below MSRP a “scammer” too. MSRP is a suggested price. Nobody has an obligation to buy or sell at that price. And thank goodness because for the past two decades almost everyone was paying below MSRP for vehicles. It sucks that a severe supply shortage has changed that, but it is what it is. This is how our world works. Get used to it.
lol air is about 78% nitrogen. so yeah, 400$ for nitrogen fill is a rip off.
If you own a business start doing to dealers what they do to all of us. Charge them over and above for being a customer. Tell them they have to discuss the purchase with your F and I manager so he/she can show you all the over-priced, low-value products they want to add to your purchase. If dealers had to buy clothes, food and housing the way they sell us cars they would all be naked, starving and living in the streets.
Never pay over MSRP
I feel so bad for the average buyer spending $120k for a car having to pay another $30k. So sad.
Meanwhile people that really need a car with a $4k budget or less have to look for a 20 year old unreliable vehicle that is going to probably force them deeper in their economic collapse
People need to start calling corporate and complain about any mark ups or non requested add-ons and basically tell them that they lost a customer. We, as customers are enabling all of this madness.
The biggest obstacle to purchasing the car is the dealer (and dealership).
This just tells me if you can help it, don’t buy a car. Keep the old car running. It is why I pick cars which may not be CR loves, they are reliable. My 2013 Subaru Legacy is still running with 122,000 miles. Sure, I had to replace the front struts, rear wheel bearings, and the master brake cylinder for $2500 the last 5000 miles, but before that, absolutely nothing but maintenance. Now it seems to be okay again and I plan to keep it to about 200,000 miles (another 5 years) before looking for another car. By then the chip shortage should be over and I won’t have to worry about this mess. If not, I know how to buy a good used car and I have helped friends do it successfully.
There are still good cars out there for regular people. You guys are buying hot cars in hot categories like crossovers, luxury EVs, etc. People don’t really need any of the stuff. Everyone has gotten themselves and their families around fine for decades with a spacious sedan and those are still cheap and plentiful, and blow away the cars of the past, probably for LESS money after inflation. EXAMPLE: 2006 Camry was $19,000 which is $26,700 in inflation-adjusted dollars according to Google. A new Camry LE is $25,395 and blows away the 2006 in every possible way. It’s not like the Civic, Sentra, Corolla, Camry, Accord, etc suddenly disappeared. All those cars sell for low to mid 20,000’s, have plenty of room for a family, are great on gas, very spacious, reliable, and will last you a decade if you do the bare minimum maintenance. You won’t see big markups if any at all and it’s still an affordable price for the average American. We’re just drowning in marketing hype and forget how much car we really need. Get off my lawn!
I’m buying a Tesla next time, not bs there, no mark up, no middle man, this is crazy
Will CR consider petitioning to Congress to regulate sale price of vehicles sold by dealers? I believe there are laws in some countries to make it a crime to charge over MSRP for cars. I cannot charge more to clients selling insurance, why can’t dealers do the same?
Would be good to know if the Subaru dealer sticks to the MSRP price. SOA has told their dealers to not sell over MSRP as part of their “Subaru Love” philosophy. Interesting if the dealer has a long range view or wants to make a quick buck.
“Quick Buck” is every dealership’s middle name.
No wonder the auto industry hates Tesla’s “One Price For All” internet ordering. The Tesla way eliminates all of the dealer gouging.
After listening to this I think I got lucky when I received my new s class. The dealer didn’t do any mark up but forced me to buy a prepaid maintenance which I was gonna buy it anyway 😂
23:28 Ryan is 1000% correct
I did the same I put money order a BMW 230I 2022 and never saw one on the road, I made the right choice because its perfect, I dont have any issues with it. I guess I got lucky. Edit: The dealer didnt try to pull anything on me I paid MSRP 42k, Seattle BMW.
As a Mazda6 owner, I’m glad to see that Mazda isn’t overcharging.
Everyone hates going into a legacy car or truck dealer. You always walk out feeling cheated.
New vehicle or for repairs it is the same. A very painful experience.
Buying online is a much better experience. No let me go talk to my manager BS.
This dealer greed is shameful! I would hope that consumers will remember those dealers who’ve been ripping people off when things return to normal… and it will, then refuse to purchase from them.