New car dealers buy their vehicles from the manufacturers, paying the new car invoice price, which is essentially the wholesale price on a new car. The dealers then sell their vehicles to the public at higher retail prices, usually close to the sticker price. So car buyers who want a great deal must first learn the new car invoice prices before they start negotiating. It is safe to say that most people will attest to the fact that this number is quite secretive. Only a select few know what the real dealer’s cost is on a new vehicle. We all know that most dealerships quote different prices for the same vehicle but most of us do not know why. The consumer should understand that the wholesale cost any dealer pays is the same, regardless of their size or location. Expenses are added to the new car invoice prices as the dealers factor in the delivery fees charged by the manufacturer. However, this number is the same regardless of the location of the dealer. This figure is just tacked on to the individual cost of the vehicle that is passed on to the consumer. Where things change from one dealer to the next is the financing that dealers take out directly from the manufacturer to pay for their vehicle purchases. They must pay interest on this financing.
The longer a car remains on the lot, the more money that car will cost the dealer. These loans are known as floorplans in the business. In addition to floorplans there are other charges known as holdback. But holdback is not a real expense, since the dealer receives the holdback amount as a rebate from the manufacturer after the sale. Advertising on a regional or individual basis could also be a factor in increasing the wholesale cost which will affect the consumer at the point of purchase. That being said, it is time to do some calculations and discover one or more ways to end up with a new car but at a discounted price below wholesale. One way to do that is through taking advantage of slow car sales where there is a buildup of inventory on a lot. It certainly is not the ideal situation, for both the dealers and the automobile manufacturing company. If there is an abundance of inventory on a lot, the dealer simply won’t order more vehicles. Therefore, in order to be profitable and move their inventory along, the manufacturers provide incentives to both dealers and consumers. We have all heard of the various incentives they offer, like zero percent financing, low lease rates, rebates, etc. The smart consumer will jump at the opportunity when it arises, but they must be prepared to do so when these special programs are available because they may not last long. They are created and offered only to entice buyers when new car sales are slow, and when these programs are not available, buyers are usually unable to purchase below the invoice price.