As an update to my post regarding the 2016 that we looked at...the sales guy stated (emphatically) "we will not move on the price"
Today they lowered the price 5K and it sold. Of course the salesman didn't bother to return my call this morning. I called as soon as I saw the new price listed.
Unfortunately this is becoming way too normalized with a lot of dealerships. When we were looking, we had a similar experience. Originally priced at 47,xxx when I originally looked at it and after test driving and looking at everything, I offered them 45,000. They said the price is set in stone, two days later it dropped to 46,xxx and I called and they said they were keeping the price in the market value to stay competitive. Then asked if I was ready to buy at new price, so I again offered 45,000, they declined. I went back a third time after selling my 5th Gen 4Runner to make a deal, but the haze had worn off from my eyes and I saw a lot of things that turned me off from making a deal, walked away. I went back to look at the newer and higher priced one after the wife said she would help me pay for a newer year. I noticed the price on the older one dropped to 44,xxx and a salesman told another member on here that if it didn’t sell it was off to auction.
I feel like as a buyer we need to have a list of what we want/need/ etc. and have a basic understanding of vehicle service history, to be able to not make a mistake. Also, have a reasonable budget for what you want. I personally went to my max, but understood I was paying premium for closeness to my house (less than 5 miles), color combination, one owner, locally owned/ serviced, and pretty clean. I feel better afterwards seeing the prices on vehicles I feel are not as clean/ nice as mine, but sometimes it is a gamble and sometimes it saves to wait for the right deal.
Unfortunately, dealers will keep doing this, because people allow it to happen, by continuing to buy vehicles this way…
Sorry for the rant!