Negotiations??

[smark]

Originally Posted by epbrown

Just as a data point, the dealer where I got mine says they sell 40-50 Smarts a month. Forty cars a month is 480 cars a year minimum, but let's call it 500. Times $300 profit ($150,000). Times $84 for rubber floormats ($42,000). Times $157 for cargo cover ($78,500) Times $200 for annual oil change ($100,000). Times $100 they get if you finance the car ($50,000). Times the $150 "doc fee" for watching you complete all the paperwork ($75,000).

Convincing customers "I'm not making a dime on this deal"? Priceless.

Now we talking$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[jwight]

Way back when, there was a smartUSA document floating around showing a 7% margin on each car, plus 2% to the dealer for selling in their area. Total of 9% on a car that could sell for roughly $12K to $18K.

[Smart Enuf]

Is that a net margin, or would the dealers operating costs (staffing, rent, etc.) need to be subtracted? Even at 9% margin and 500 vehicles sold per year, you're still looking at only $810,000 per year (assuming the vehicles were $18,000 each). By itself, it doesn't seem like a huge amount. If this figure needs to be reduced by the dealer's operating costs, it's even less impressive.

[SmartDigger]

Originally Posted by epbrown

Just as a data point, the dealer where I got mine says they sell 40-50 Smarts a month. Forty cars a month is 480 cars a year minimum, but let's call it 500. Times $300 profit ($150,000). Times $84 for rubber floormats ($42,000). Times $157 for cargo cover ($78,500) Times $200 for annual oil change ($100,000). Times $100 they get if you finance the car ($50,000). Times the $150 "doc fee" for watching you complete all the paperwork ($75,000).

Convincing customers "I'm not making a dime on this deal"? Priceless.

yes but, all those things cost the dealer money also. And, they have overhead to pay for also. If they did not make money they would not be there

[bking]

The only thing I could negotiate on my orphan purchase in November, was what equipment I wanted equal to $2,500.00 add on.

---Bob

[Turbo42]

believe me they make way more than 300 per car.

[Turbo42]

Originally Posted by Beagledoc

Well visited dealership and they have loads of orphans. Will sell to people now off the street - you don't have to be on the Orphan list right now with the extra Smarts they have until they are all gone. Still no deals at all though. I said yes to the beautiful black Cabrio. We tooled around the parking lot thru the ice and snow and could not skid or slide to save my life. It did great! (I am still ordering Blizzaks tonite) Going to pick her up Friday afternoon after I print out pick up checklist on the forum here - thank you to everyone who got theirs before me!!)

How could you not slide or skid in the snow im in Florida and I can do that with out rain just takes practice ;)