Thursday, March 10, 2011

The polarizing Nissan Juke:

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There are many little tricks car dealers will pull when you sit down to negotiate price. The purpose of all of these is the same: to push you towards agreeing to a deal that works great for them and not so great for you.

The truth is unfortunately more complicated than the numbers on the invoice. What's not shown is the dealers holdback (usually 2-3% of the MSRP of the car) and any incentives that are currently available on the vehicle. While you will likely get any buyers incentives that are available, often the dealer is getting an incentive from the manufacturer for that model that you probably won't know about unless you do a significant amount of research on your own.

Love it or hate it, the Juke definitely follows in this tradition. Its styling is somewhat cartoon like but although playful, the swooping lines suggest an aggressive, masculine stance. This is a good thing as the Juke is meant to appeal primarily to younger male buyers.

Inside, the bright red center console and large gauges are suggestive of a motorcycle. The similarity to a motorcycle isn't limited to the center console. Given its competent suspension, small size and compact wheelbase, the Juke actually handles a bit like a sport-bike. It's great for zipping around town and in and out of traffic. Due to its short length it's a breeze to park in small spaces as well. In addition, all the modern amenities are present, Bluetooth, available navigation system, pushbutton start to name just a few. For a car in this price range (around 19-25k) it's surprisingly well equipped.

None of these are really direct negotiating tools, you can't really negotiate against incentives you're not aware of or unknown performance and survey bonuses. Just don't be fooled into thinking the dealer couldn't possibly sell you the car for less because the difference between the invoice and what your paying is all they're making on the sale.

If you skip negotiating in person and get quotes online, you're far more likely to see what the dealer can really sell you the car for and still make money .

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