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HELP! Don't know how to buy a Jeep! :*(

3K views 45 replies 24 participants last post by  redneck ron 
#1 ·
Well, I have waited my whole life for a Jeep, and here I finally am, middle-aged, good credit record, no kids at home, all the seniors in my care have passed on to better places.

Everyone tells me I'm having a crisis, that a woman of my age should be looking into comfortable sedans, but every time I think of someone suggesting that I haul their kids around, my heart leaps when I think about telling them that I removed my back seats. :)

I spent MY WHOLE LIFE being responsible and dependable for everyone else. I have waited so long for this car. My 15+ year old Toyota Rav4 just finally kicked the bucket for the last time.

I configured the Jeep of my dreams on Jeep.com. I have taken it to 3 Jeep dealers in my area, only to be told-

- they can't sell it to me-

They don't even want to order it for me. I can tell. Apparently, I'm in the Wrangler dead zone, four months before production on the new models cranks up, and two or so months after the production on the outgoing models has petered off. The sales manager at the last dealership said he only had one 2-door left on the lot, and it would sit there unsold until somebody came in desperate enough to buy it.

I am SO disappointed!

Is this what happens every year?

What should I do? Should I continue to call around looking for the Jeep I want with my options? Or should I just go ahead and put in an order for a new Jeep and wait for the factory to build it and send it out?

I'm so confused. My husband is not happy with me at all. He is not enjoying being a one car household and the salesman really seemed to warn him off of placing an order. They told him it might take FOUR MONTHS for us to get a car.

ANY ADVICE? I don't know how this works. :(

Thanks!
<3
 
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#2 ·
I bought used, but I've read numerous posts here of people getting the "Wranglers sell so well, we don't do deals" attitude, but there are several places people are suggesting around here, that do want to sell you a Jeep, but you may have to travel. Koons in VA is one that comes up often for aggressive pricing.
 
#3 ·
I agree with fungun. Depends upon where you live. I live in central Wyoming and Jeep dealerships are not lose together. I shopped the internet and found several that were within 750 miles. I was going to travel but ran onto a used one I bought from a local dealer at a price way below low book because it was not tuned correctly for the tires it had on it. Big city dealers may be a place to look. Maybe a NADA search will help. Hope you find what you want, and enjoy the ride. ( my wife doesn't like mine much, but she does enjoy riding with me at Christmas time since I have handicap plates and parking is easier.)
 
#5 ·
If they are telling you 4 months find a different dealership

17's have been hitting showroom floors for weeks now thus no reason you can't order a new 17

I ordered my 16 August of 15 and 3 weeks later it arrived however I am close to the factory. Depending in where you live it could be as short as 2-3 weeks or two months.

Order what you want
 
#7 ·
Dealers make more if you buy off the lot. They will always try and push for the sale right NOW..They want that commission NOW. If you special order then they wont see it for 1-2 months and they wont be able to mark up more on options you don't want.

IF they don't want to order what you want then find a new dealership. The first 2 I went to didn't even want to admit a jeep could be special ordered.

2017s are being built today.
People are getting their orders.
http://www.wranglerforum.com/f274/2017-jk-waiting-room-1808177-42.html

There is no reason you cant special order one.

Also you don't need to "call around" looking for jeeps. The JEEP website lets you search inventory on your own on everything in stock across the USA.
 
#8 ·
The only Jeep dealership near me didn't have any manuals, so I got a little looser on what I wanted as far as trims and options. They actually offered to search other dealer inventories until they found what I wanted. So I gave them the exact specs on what I originally wanted, and they came back with two hits. One perfect, and one "comparable" one that had options that they were afraid I'd regret not picking up, just in case (like power windows, creature comforts, creature comforts, etc.). The perfect one was more than 5 hours away in Missoula and they offered to bring it in, free, next day. Heck, they even beat my credit union's loan offer (which my credit union matched). No hassles or gimmicks, and they even let me talk the price down. And I kept them hours past closing.

If you've got a Lithia chain near you, you might wanna hit one up.
 
#9 ·
Thank you SO MUCH for your replies! <3

I have tried a few dealerships. They can find NOTHING new even close to my preferences.

I decided to try used. The only car even nearly similar, was only $4000 less expensive, but had almost NONE of the options of the new 2017 I configured! In fact, when I came home, and took off all of the options that it didn't have from the car I had configured online, my new car was only a few hundred dollars more expensive than the used car they were going to sell me!

There seem to be NO 2-door, automatic, Black, or Dark Green, Saharas, in the southeast of Georgia, or South Carolina or Northern Florida! I really find that hard to believe!

So, I think I am going to take the good advice of this forum, and order the car I really want and wait for it. <3

I see that I am in good company! and... it will be an AMAZING XMAS PRESENT to myself! :)

(But i do find this whole process ridiculous, and cannot wait for the day when cars can be ordered off of Amazon.com, with 1-day delivery with PRIME!)
 
#11 ·
Where are you?
There are plenty of dealers across the country that can place an order right now for a 2017, for exactly what you want, for well below invoice, and have it in 6-8 weeks. Even if you have to spend a couple hundred bucks on a plane ticket and a few more bucks on gas to drive it back it's worth it. There's Koons in Virginia, I can hook you up with a place in Houston, TX and I'm sure others have recommendations in other states.
 
#12 ·
Give Koons a call, you can't be that far from them.

Craig Benner
Internet Sales Manager
cbenner1988@gmail.com
Office - 703-790-0900 EXT 17638
Cell - 570-556-0451 (Please text)
***PROUD WRANGLER OWNER***
 
#15 ·
What state do you reside in? And if you are dead serious just give Koons a call and place your order via email. They will sell you most any Wrangler you want for 7% under invoice. Exception being the Hard Rock model which is 5% under invoice.
Even if you don't order through Koons you can use the email from them to bargin locally.
 
#17 ·
Savannah, ga. What is koons???

What is Koons?

I am in Savannah, Ga.

I have NO problem driving 200 miles there and back tomorrow.

I can arrange for a day off during weekdays with a few days notice.

I will travel. I have been trying to do this for myself for years. I have been putting this off for years to take care of family, be practical, save money, plan for the future, etc etc etc.

I am doing this for myself before i die.

I am going mudding, and towing kayaks, and only having room for my rescue mutt. (and maybe my hubby, if he can keep up....:D)

Please advise.
<3.
 
#20 ·
What is Koons?

I am in Savannah, Ga.

I have NO problem driving 200 miles there and back tomorrow.

I can arrange for a day off during weekdays with a few days notice.

I will travel. I have been trying to do this for myself for years. I have been putting this off for years to take care of family, be practical, save money, plan for the future, etc etc etc.

I am doing this for myself before i die.

I am going mudding, and towing kayaks, and only having room for my rescue mutt. (and maybe my hubby, if he can keep up....:D)

Please advise.
<3.
Here's a suggestion for you if you want to order a Jeep -

I live in Columbia, SC and got pretty fed up with most Jeep dealers - the sales tactics, attitude and lack of knowledge of the sales people, dealer add-ons like document fees and admin fees. I found a dealer that operates with the highest integrity and is very easy to do business with when I ordered my 2017 JK. I could not have been more pleased with the whole buying experience.

Try calling Wilson Jeep in Winnsboro, SC - small town, small dealer, but with an owner and salesman who both own and drive Jeeps. The salesman I worked with is Justin Whitesel. Tell him Frank sent you. I think you might be pleasantly surprised with how well you're treated and how easy it is to buy what you want.
 
#19 ·
looks like Koons is about 500 miles away. I have done a few fly and drive auto deals. Always makes for a great mini vacation.
 
#24 ·
Maegn, you have waited this long, order and get exactly what you want. Do not pay any more than 1% below invoice. My buddy ordered a 2017 and picked it up last week. Maybe try a dealer in Atlanta. Be strong and don't put up with any crap. You tell them what you want, and what you will pay. You can build your Jeep on Cars.com. It will give you the MSRP and the Invoice price. Again, really easy to get 1% below invoice. Good luck!
 
#25 ·
Find the EXACT Jeep you want, then go to the dealer who has it and start there.

That day prepare your life to be at the dealership until they lock the doors, and eat just before you go... Oh yeah, bring a snack too. They will try to make you wait in order to get you to be anxious to end the ordeal. But, remember what I say next...

The 2 greatest weapons in your kit are saying "No, that's not what I want...", or simply standing up and walking out. Walking out is their greatest fear because they can fix a "No", but they absolutely can't sell a vehicle without a warm body in front of them to sign papers. So, when you're tired of waiting just start slowly making your way to your car. They always seem to run out with an answer just before you get within 10 feet of your car... ALWAYS.

If you're going to finance the vehicle get it financed through your credit union and walk in with your money straight. Then ONLY talk about the "out of the door" price never talk about what you want your payments to be. Just keep saying, "When I sign the papers I want the price to be $XX,XXX". You know you're on the right track when you no longer talk to the salesman but instead are talking to the finance guy about the bottom line.
 
#26 ·
She already said they don't have what she wants and she wants to order.
And there's no reason to step foot in a dealership, let alone waste your entire day there putting up with their nonsense. I don't know about you, but I don't have time for that B.S.
Especially with anyone that is obviously feeding me lies.

The Tread Lightly discount ($100 to sign up) automatically gets you 1% below invoice at ANY dealer through the FCA Affiliate Program.
Then she's close enough to Koon's to fly there and drive it back, so with a single phone call or email she can get 6-7% below invoice.
Easy peasy, and 6-8 weeks later she's driving a brand new Jeep home, spec'd out exactly the way she wants.
 
#28 ·
Go to Jeep.Com and configure your jeep as you want it to be. Save that page as a PFD document. You can send that to the sales manager of any Jeep dealer and request a quote and delivery date. You can see who gives you the best deal and go with it. I live in Ohio and I could not find a dealer anywhere that would sell me what I wanted at a price less than the full sticker price. I ordered my Jeep from a dealership in Arizona for well below the invoice price and they had it shipped to a local dealer near me where I picked it up. The $995.00 transportation fee is a fixed cost and for that price, your jeep can be delivered to any Jeep dealer in the USA. If you are interested in details, I would be happy to get you the sales manager's name phone number and email and tell you all the steps to getting a great deal without stepping one foot into a showroom.
 
#30 ·
I don't get CarMax. Their prices are terrible and non-negotiable. Example: I looked at a 2012 Wrangler a few months ago. I decided against it because of price. When I ordered mine, it had $2k more options than the Carmax wrangler and I paid less than $1k more for a '17 with 0 miles. How does that make any sense?
 
#31 ·
If you go to the Jeep site and search inventory you can configure one exactly like you want and search inventory all across the country to see if any dealers have what you want in stock. You may be able to find a 2016 configured exactly like you want and get an even better deal.

And since you are in Georgia, Koons in VA might not be a bad option. They will pay to fly you in and pick you up from the airport. Would make for a nice bonding ride home.

Don't buy into the BS your dealers are giving you. There are dealers that will get you what you want and give you a fair deal.

Don't give up on the dream.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#32 ·
#35 ·
I had my TL discount control number within a couple weeks. The letter says "active after 30 days" which is more than enough time if ordering.
I don't know what she wants, but I knew no one was going to have EXACTLY what I wanted.
Personally, I don't like to compromise at all. Others are more flexible. Or less patient.
But if you don't mind waiting 6-8 weeks, it's just soooooooo much easier.
Some like to play the game, I personally think it's a waste of my valuable time. And the OP seems frustrated as well.
 
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