The Best Price, Isn't Always the Best Deal

What is generally, the first question your friends and family ask you when you buy a new car? What kind of deal did you get? Now it's your time to shine, and tell them that you bought the second cheapest one you could find doing your research and price comparing with other dealers. The dealer wanted One Hundred Billion Fazzilion...Yen. But you negotiated your way down to it being the cheapest car out there! Your friends and family are stunned at the price you worked out!
But WAIT! Was it the best deal??
And how and when did the Car salesmen become Dr. Evil in this situation?

How...WAR. When...World War 2.
You see when Canada and the United States joined in the war, all of the factories and man power stopped making civilian automobiles, so they could help the the war effort. Civilian vehicles were not produced from 1941-1946. So when vehicles were finally being produced, there was a huge demand for them.

This was a time when dealers were getting very few cars and the salesmen that sold them realized they could sell them for more and more money. They had an unlimited supply of customers with a limited supply of vehicles. It really is simple economics.

 Also this was at a time there was no such thing as a window sticker, and no one cared about customer satisfaction, or the long term quality. Most customers didn't even get to pick and choose the color or style they wanted. They just felt fortunate enough to get one! You also have to keep in mind that most roads were worse than dirt and the over all quality of your vehicle was fall less then the Nissan's you see today. If you were lucky enough to buy a car before the war, chances were it was on it's last leg and out the door.

With this formula at hand some very dubious and sneaky business practices were born. And have created a stigma in car sales that has lasted over 65 years. 

Fast forward to today. We have window stickers that let the consumer know what the suggested retail price is of a car. Consumers have the power of the internet. To help them research and decide what colors and trim levels they would like. With sites like canadianblackbook.com it is easy for you to find vehicle values and information. With the amount of accessible information out there a lot of times, the consumer knows more about the car then some of the salesmen out there.

Generally sales people are just like you, they are just trying to make an honest living and have no intention of being dishonest or deceitful. A good sales person can save you a lot of time and money. They can answer any questions you have. You may think you want a big bad Titan pickup-truck. But with talking to the sales person you realize you don't need a truck for your lifestyle and choose an Altima instead. Saving you thousands in the long run. Buying a car from someone you can trust brings an intangible aspect to your buying decision. A good sales person will be there after the sale to answer all your questions, or give you advice about servicing. So the next time you hear about someone bragging they got the best price on a car from Joe's Auto and Repair Shop, remember, the best price isn't always the best deal.

To Trade-In or Sell Privately, That Is The Question

The time has finally arrived,  you are ready to get out of that old, dusty, troublesome car. It just doesn't work for you anymore. You need more space, better fuel consumption, more towing capability, or you want to treat yourself to something really fancy and luxurious. What ever your reason is, you have started looking for what you want. You have done your research, and visited us here at Guelph Nissan Infiniti asking questions. It's an exciting time for you! You have found the exact vehicle you want! Now...what do you do with your old car?

There are many different ways to go about this. Many people want to sell their cars privately. Then use the money to put down on the new car. Or you can trade in your old car to the dealership and not have to worry about selling arrangements. Just as an example - you bring your car to Guelph Infiniti Nissan and you have fallen in love with the new 2013 Nissan Altima, we offer you a trade-in value of $8,000 on your vehicle. But you could get $10,000 if you sell it privately, giving you the option to put a $10,000 Down Payment. There are a few things to consider here. And I am going to clear the air for you!

When selling your vehicle privately there is a list of things you have to make sure get done.
Lets look at it this way:
When selling your vehicle privately

• Cleaning your car inside and out, making it look it's best for the potential consumer.
• Take photos of your vehicle and display in newspaper ad sections, online advertising like autotrader.ca or kijiji.ca
• Wait for potential consumer to contact you - this could take days, weeks, or even months.
•  Arrange meeting and test drive times for potential consumer.
• Price Negotiations. This means you could not get the money you really want for your vehicle
• Unless you are selling your vehicle "as is" and asking for less money you need to have the vehicle emission tested and safetied.
• Then you need to go to the MTO and purchase a used vehicle package that contains owner history, accident report and bill of sale.
• Fill out all legal paperwork and transfer ownership or vehicle.

So lets say you want $10,000 for your vehicle.
$10,000 minus $500 price negotiation = $9,500
$9,500 minus $20 MTO package, minus $35 E-test, Minus $300 for safety = $9145
You now have $9145 to put towards your down payment!

Now that you have your down payment in hand, let's compare the two situations

Selling Your Vehicle Private	Trading Your Vehicle
Example Cash Transaction: MSRP= $30,000 Trade In= $0 Selling Price before taxes= $30,000 Selling prices after taxes at 13%=$33,900 Total Taxes Paid= $3,900 Down Payment =$9,145 Effective Price =$24,755 *Savings of $105 Compared to Trade-In*	Example Cash Transaction: MSRP: $30,000 Trade In= $8,000 Selling Price before taxes= $22,000 Selling Price after taxes at 13%=$24,860 Total Taxes Paid= $2,860 Down Payment=$0  Effective Price-$24,860

Now these numbers can be confusing at times. Especially with all of the hustle and bustle surrounding the purchase of your new vehicle. But because the Down Payment is deducted after taxes you end up paying a lot more in taxes even if your down payment is larger than the appraised trade-in value.

Every situation is different. Sometimes it may be worth selling your vehicle privately, but more often times it's not. Especially when considering the above example. Sure you saved $105! But you have to ask yourself these questions:

• Was it worth the hassle of finding a buyer for the vehicle?
• Was it worth the time out of my days to meet with interested buyers?
• Was it worth the time and money spent cleaning the vehicle, getting it e-tested, and safetied?
• Was it worth having to negotiate with strangers about the price?
• Was it worth standing in line at the MTO for the used vehicles package?
• Was it worth dealing with all of the legal paper work when selling and transferring the ownership of the vehicle?
• Was it worth waiting for the vehicle to sell so then I could go purchase my new vehicle?

These are all great questions to ask yourself when considering how you want to handle selling your vehicle. Everyone is always going to want more money for their vehicle, and who wouldn't? But after taking all the factors into consideration, it can sometimes be a nasty ordeal to sell your car privately.
Especially if your vehicle is a little less than desirable in the market place at the moment..

As always, I would recommend doing some homework before deciding to make your move. 

I hope I was able to help some of you out there. I know it can be confusing. but if you have any questions feel free to comment or give us a call directly at the dealership at 519-822-9200!

CVT Transmission Explained

For years, you have heard our ad's, watched our commercials, and wondered...what is the Nissan Xtronic CVT Transmission and why does everyone say it's so great!? Watch this video to find out just why it is so great!

Ready, Set, Service! Guelph Nissan Offers Express Service

Customer Service has always been on the top of the priority list for Guelph Infiniti Nissan. And because of our commitment to customer service, we are always looking for better ways to serve our customers.
We are proud to announce the opening of Guelph Nissan Express Service!
Designed to provide our customers with the ability to come to Guelph Nissan for an Oil and Filter change in under 30 minutes using only Quality OEM Nissan Parts.

How does it work?

1. You bring your vehicle in for Express Service, No appointment necessary. 
2. Pick which service you need from our Service Menu.
3. You then enjoy the comfort of our customer lounge or Internet cafe. Have a free beverage while you wait for your car to be finished in 30 minutes or less!  
4. Our team goes hard to work, providing your vehicle with the best of industry standard service and parts.
5. We provide you with a complementary multi-point inspection of your vehicle. 
6. Under 30 minutes we bring your vehicle back to you, fresh from it's Express Service and away you go!

     Our new Nissan Express Service offers you all the time savings as the other guys, PLUS all of the Nissan specific knowledge and equipment that can only come from a Certified Nissan Dealer. So come in and we'll have you back on your way in no time! 

The Service Menu consists of :

• Express Oil and Filter Change
• Complementary Multi-point Inspection
• Express Tire Rotation
• Express Air Filter Replacement
• Express Brake Inspection
• Express Wiper Blade Replacement
• Express Bulb Replacement

Coming This Summer!

5 Way to Prepare Your Car for Summer

THE HEAT IS ON!!

Ahhhh the summer time is full of fun and exciting memories. Beach trips, family barbeque's, camping excursions, weekend baseball games, and beautiful evening drives to nowhere! You want to go out and enjoy all the hot sun and gorgeous weather as much as you can.

With summer being the busiest time of the year, it can also be the costliest. The last thing you need is for your car to break down and ruin your weekend plans.

With summer only officially a week away, we have come up with 5 way to prepare your car for summer!

1. MAKE SURE YOUR AC SYSTEM IS IN PROPER WORKING CONDITION
Sometimes stepping into your car on a hot summer day can feel like you jumped into a pool of lava. Make sure your air conditioning system is in top working shape to keep you cool and comfortable. The best time to check your A/C is before the summer, that way you can make sure it';s ready on those unbearable days. You can schedule a test of you air conditioning system here.    

2. REPLACE YOUR WINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES 
The winter and spring are far behind, in your rear view mirror. But what about what's in front of you? Over the past few months you have been using your wiper blades almost every day. that is a lot of wear and tear! to make sure you have the best vision all the time, make sure you change your wiper blades twice a year. Once in the Summer and again in the winter. you can find your wiper blades from our parts department here. 

3. CHECK YOUR TIRE PRESSURES 
One of the most important points to keep your car rolling along is to check your tires pressure. Over time, your tires experience a lot. Fluctuating temperatures (Especially here in Canada), different road surfaces providing a great amount of wear and tear. The pressure in your tires is affected greatly by all of this and more. It is important to check you tire pressure regularly to maintain even wear on the tires, improve your fuel economy,  and decreases your chance of a flat tire ruining your trip.

4. WAX ON, WAX OFF
Grab a bucket, some soap, and a sponge. It's time to get dirty! Over the winter months gunk and junk and build up on your car. Give your car a good sponge bath and a coat of wax or two. Make that paint shine like the day you picked your car up from us here at Guelph Nissan! Make it a family event and maybe have a water fight?
Grab your vacuum and tackle the inside of you car, You'd be surprised how much spare change you will find hidden in your car!

5. LOAD UP YOUR MUSIC PLAYER WITH YOUR FAVORITE TUNES
Family road trip? Going to the beach for the day? Make sure your Infiniti Music Box or Ipod is full of all your favorite tunes to keep you smiling and carefree as you cruise to your destination!

There you have it! Follow these steps to make sure your summer adventures are worry free and livin' easy!