missinmahseven

A local dealer, who I've used once to service my car (no, not where I bought it) has sent me a very strange letter.

This letter offers to buy back my 8, and then sell me a new car at 'employee discount' rates.

I find this rather odd, and am at a loss as to why would any dealer do this.

1. It cant be out of the goodness of their hearts, there *has* to be a benefit for them to do this. I just can't see it right now. This dealer took it in the butt during the 'cane (they have no sales floor, just a sales tent, so they could be drummin' up new business..... dunno.)

2. They're demented and wish to lose money (doubt it.)

3. There's something up with my car, and they know something I don't. Which I find unlikely and disturbing.

So which is it? If I could drop monthly payments by 20%, then great.. but something just doesn't smell right with this offer.

Anyone else gotten a strange letter like this lately? 1 and 2 I can deal with.. #3 scares me.

BlueSky

Just call them up, talk to the GM or SM or whoever sent you the letter and present your questions to them.

And remember, if its too good to be true, it probably is.

missinmahseven

I may talk to them.. frankly, I'm not interested, because it does sound too good.

What concerns me, and I doubt if I can get a straight answer outta them, is that there's some other purpose behind this, I mean, other than lightening my wallet. Like a covert buyback program or something.

Y'know, since we're mulligans n' all, dragging down their service scores.

Raptor2k

I know I saw a poster post something just like this, and there was a whole thread about it. Not sure what he decided to do though.

Aseras

it's typical marketing BS. your car is a couple years old and you have ate the depeciation. they want you to take another helping on a new car...

alfy28

yep i remember seeing that also, i think he had a white 8 but i cant remember. think its been about 2months since i seen that thread

willsrx

It most likely is just an advertisement to get your business. You serviced there so they have you in there custoer database. Unless it is directly from mnao or you are interested in trading in I would disregard.

yellowRX

I remember reading a post like this, and if I remember I think it has to do with studying your car, intside and out. See how the car is doing after being driven for sometime. Then again I could be wrong and it's just all BS and they want to make money off you again.

labutler

I, quite frankly, wouldn't worry about #3. There would be no benefit to them "knowing" something bad about your car and offering to buy it back from you. Especially, if you haven't been a regular there - they'd let another dealer take a hit on buying back a faulty car.

It's bullshit, head games, dealer tricks, garbage .... whatever you want to call it.

I'd go in on a day when I had nothing to do, waste about half a day with them, tell them you've decided you like your car and LEAVE.

PS Be sure to tell them you dislike their "marketing" ideas and won't be back.

Raptor2k

Yup @ yellowRX about studying the car.

And the thread came up more than 2 months ago...I'd say around 4-5 months ago.

alfy28

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...=mazda+buy+rx8

here is post from mazda buying back a 8. but for some reason i thought there is another thread about this topic, but im to sleepy to find it

Trekk

All dealers do stuff every so often like that. It might be true, BUT what are the catches?
Car dealers do get cars for free. Most times if you can sell a good amount the factory will give them a car that is just 100% profit to the dealer. Also they get discounts for selling lots of cars.

They might be willing to buy back your car IF you use mazda credit or something along the line so they get money out of you. Also the mark up on a used car is wayyyy higher then a new car. So if they get money out of you, then sell your car they make more money and it makes the sales numbers look better, then they have a chance of getting discounts from the factory or maybe even a free car!

Even with 'employee discount' they will still make money off you.

Raptor2k

I guess that's a different one, the one I remember was a guy who was offered a new rx8 for his.

missinmahseven

I've heared about the (very, very few) MNAO buy-backs.. this letter was from a dealer, not MNAO.

At this point I'm thinking it belongs in File 13, along with the wrappers from this morning's McBurros.

I'll probably call 'em, just to double-triple clarify that this came from them, and not mnao.

The wording of the letter is such that it automagically caused all sorts of alarm bells to go off in my head -- the language is similar to the hi-pressure sales pitches you see on tv or papers.

"I've been authorised to..." "...we've received permission from..." and so forth.

Trekk

My friend sold his 2004 WRX (wrecked)back to the dealer for 17K $ (he owed 12k) and got a 2006STI. He got the same type of letter in the mail.

My family has been selling cars for over 30 years, I know alot of the little tricks and games.

alfy28

yep that one i was looking for, i could of sworn he owned a white 8 but oh well. wish it was friday already lol

Ericok

Doesn't every dealer offer to buy back your car and sell you a new one at "dealer's cost" or something like that? It happens every day. It's called trading in your car for a new one. Sounds just like the ordinary, everyday offer you're getting.

msrecant

This is a marketing ploy by the dealership. Another way to look at it is that they are simply asking you to come in today and trade your old car in on a brand new one, and if you do they will give you a discount on the new car.

I suspect the "buy back" offer is the NADA/Edmunds/KBB average "trade in" minus the cost of any repairs/reconditioning needed for your car.

I periodically get these letters from my wife's Saturn dealership.

Wankel_lover

This is an excerpt from confession of a car salesman. Here is what they are doing.

When I was hired at the no-haggle dealership, I was told I would be doing some phone work to build up leads. "Phone work" is a euphemism for calling people at dinnertime and harassing them. I realized I had become one of those people that I despise — a telemarketer. Still, to complete this experience, I attacked it with enthusiasm.

The leads we were given were names and numbers of people who had bought cars several years ago (and presumably would be ready for a new one) or people who had recently brought their cars in for service. We were given about 20 names a day, and those people who seemed like hot prospects were then called more frequently. Other people who had responded coolly were called again in six months. All our calls were logged into a computer database.

We were given a script to follow when making our calls. To me the dialogue sounded stilted and ridiculous. But I made a point of following it word for word. For example, after we had identified ourselves, we had to ask, "Am I interrupting anything important?" This seemed like a poor strategy to me. I felt they would tell us if we were interrupting anything. Or we could tell from their tone of voice if they were busy.

Assuming we hadn't interrupted something important, we then explained why we were calling: "We have a shortage of quality used cars on our lot right now and my manager would like to offer to buy your car at above market value. We would like to invite you to come down here for a free appraisal. Is the afternoon or the evening better for you?"

The beauty of this system, the BDC manager told me, was that "they're expecting you to sell them something. But you're not! You're offering to buy their car!"

missinmahseven

I had never been sent something like this.. that's why the curiosity.

Right from reading it I could tell there's no benefit to me. Was just curious if there was something else behind it.

Says a lot about a company, when one gets a Patented Sucker Letter, and instead of falling for the pitch, the reader instantly thinks "covert buyback." That was my first thought. Not that I'm being offered some fantabulous deal. My first thought was "Uh-oh.. what do *they* know that *I* don't about this car.."

Then again, on reflection, a real buyback letter would come from mazda themselves, not Joe Schmoe Car Store and Bait Shop.

toxin440

When i first read that it seems like a "pretty good deal" for your friend. But like others have said the whole point of the letters is to benefit THIER business/profit/sales.

So he got $17K for something he owed $12K on, right now he's sitting at +5K but has NO car whatsoever. Depending on how long he had the car, and how much he already paid in interest that would make things seem even a little worse.

So he went and picked up a spankin new 06 STI, thats at least $30K right there right? Even factoring in the 5K he got outta his "buy back" he's not in the hole $25K instead of $12K. Not such a good deal after all when these "buy back" letters can double your debt.

RevTo9K

Ever been in getting an oil change, wandering around the showroom, and have a salesman try to encourage you to let the used car manager "find out what your car's worth" if you show any interest in anything on the showroom floor? This is just the mail version of that trick.

msrecant

They have an even lower opinion of human nature than most people do .....

StewC625

The dealership equivalent of "phishing" - it's just designed to get you in and thinking about buying a new car. You get there, and it's the same old **** at the dealership - you shop, you negotiation, they lie like rugs, bullshit you around on the value of the trade in (the vehicle they are going to buy from you! - think about it - when you trade a car in, all you're doing is two transactions - you are selling them your car and they are selling you their car), etc.

If you want to get a new car, then sure take it in and see what they can do. But don't expect miracles. I got one of these, and on a lark, decided to see exactly what the dealer would do - and it was the same old ****.

Red Devil

I got one of these letters almost a year ago. Coincidentally, it was about a week before I was scheduled to get warranty work done. When I got there, they did ask if I'd received the letter regarding the "dealer buy-back program" to which I just politely responded "yes" but declined to look at anything. I thought about letting them hassle me just to see what they would say, but aired on the side of laziness and opted out.