Apologies before I begin: this post isn’t about problems with a G35, modifications done by me, or any racing stories… don’t get me wrong I think all of those posts are appealing; in fact, this is my favorite forum hands down and yes that has something to do with my obsession of the G35 Sport Coupe, but the community formed on these boards is amazing. Have you guys realized this? Secondly, I’m sorry for the length of this post, don’t forget about your right to simply not read it.

I am a recent graduate from a military school in the south and quickly got a job working for a National Security Federal Contracting company in MD. I am very grateful for what I have at 22 with the economy the ways is… for those out there still in school I say keep hitting your books hard, you’ll need to bring a solid GPA to the table no matter where you interview.

The only car I have ever owned since I started driving is a late 80’s Maxima that has a manual transmission. Even in heavy traffic I have grown accustom to a stick and simply cannot drive anything else.

After I got my job I wanted to buy a new car. My Maxima had lasted me many years even after it was previously owned for eight. Nissan’s quality on my car made me first look at 350z, but after a test drive I was unimpressed. It had nothing to do with being cramped or the seats being uncomfortable; I’m 6’2’’ at 190 lbs. there was plenty of room, it was the fact that the car is simply impractical for daily use.

Thursday, October 2nd. This will be my 3rd G35 Coupe Test Drive.

I went to the Infiniti dealership in Timonium, MD and test drove an AT G35 Sport Coupe. I have a fairly long torso so it was a close call for head room with a sunroof, but other than that the car is amazing. We all know why so I won’t go into that.

The dealer that helped me at Timonium was Carl Holmes, let me just say that he is incredibly helpful on top of being a true gentlemen; I recommend him to anyone in the MD area. In the end, I wanted a 6MT (rare) without a sunroof (even rarer) plus some other options. Carl told me that Infiniti places orders the first Friday of every month and that we would have to order. Tomorrow was the first Friday in October.

I had been saving for a healthy down payment, when you’re 22 you don’t want to cough up big bucks every month when you are still paying off college debt. I told Carl that by the end of October I would have the right amount of money to put down on it. He told me that it takes 60-90 days to get the order in, all I had to put down at $2,000 to buy the car and when it came in I’d have the money I wanted to make the down payment. He was right.

This is where it gets tricky. Infiniti has a college graduate program where you can qualify for a tier one financing rate. Basically what this means is that I could get the best APR being offered at that time regardless of credit standing (and at 22 you have none). From now until the end of October Timonium was offering 2.9% APR. As you guys know, that’s a steal. I offered Carl the MSRP and he took it, I was seconds away from ordering my car when he told me that the APR I would get is the one being offered the time the car comes in (60-90 days). I asked him why he couldn’t lock in the 2.9% APR currently being offered when I put $2,000 down on the car to order it and he said that wasn’t policy. It could just be me, but that sounds so silly. I wasn’t prepared to order a car and then end up paying whatever percentage is being offered at the time it comes in, what if it were something outrageous? I kept my money and walked hoping he’d call me back later that day agreeing to lock it in. He never locked in the APR, but he did call back willing to sell me the coupe for $150 under MSRP. That just wasn’t enough for me though; the difference between 2.9% for such and such months and a bad APR with $150 off MSRP is no comparison. I told him I would take it only if he gave me 2.9%, he didn’t call back. And that is why I don’t have a G35 Sport Coupe. I’ll probably try again in the Spring when I have more money.

 

Good post, man. I hope everything works out for you in the long-run. Unfortunately, these dealerships looove making their money, which is in somewhat of a juxtaposed position to their salespersons' volition to get the "friend" vibe going. We lucked out with the 1.9% APR on our FX (Practically free money), but they told us the same thing about my G, so we just put down cash. Congrats on your accomplishments thus far, and good luck,

G

2003.5 Black w/ Willow G35
Premium / Sport / Aero / Winter / Navi / Tint

 

2.9 is a great rate and probably lower than most owners got.

I really don't think the dealer's inability to offer you the 2.9 now is unreasonable.

Your asking them to give you a rate on a loan NOW, when your actually getting a loan MONTHS from now. They know that it could take up to 6 months, or more to get your car and who knows what the rates will be then. No financial institution i know of will guarantee you a rate on an auto loan that you will be getting several months from now.

Its the same when you buy a house.... the bank cannot lock in your rate until approx 30 days from closing.

Interest rates fluctuate and i'm sure as a college grad you understand the economic principles that cause them to.

Now i do understand that it is not your fault that the dealer dosen't have the exact car you want now. But a 6MT with no sunroof is really an odd combo. If for some reason they order it for you and you don't purchase it, the car is gonna be a dog for them to unload.

Ya gotta understand, getting a 6MT coupe isn't like buying a ford taurus. This car is in demand, plenty of people will walk in, cash in hand, and pay msrp just to get one without waiting. The dealers just don't have to jump through hoops for customers on a 6MT coupe to sell them like they do for other cars.

You should take their offer with the 150 off msrp if you really want a car. Perhaps they would agree to a cap on the rate, say not higher than 3.9% if the rates have increased when it comes time to actually get the loan. If not, you could always wait and check with other dealers. Good luck.

03 6MT coupe, red/willow, premium, aero, splash guards, alum pedals, clear corners, 15% tint

 

Is getting the low rate more important to you than buying a G35c without a sunroof?

If so, then just forget about not having the sunroof and buy the car at the end of October, as you originally planned.

Also, I'm not sure where you're buying, but $150 off MSRP is not so hot. In the NY metro area, people are gettting about $1200 off MSRP on average. Maybe you should shop around some more.

 

Redwillow,

This is dealer financed...which would be like builder financing... not like seeking out a bank or a mortgage company.

However, my logic tells me that the 2.9% is merely a different way of offering a discount on the car. In other words, rather than circulate the idea that they are taking a certain amount off of the price they are offering a discount on the money... 'cause money is, after all, money.

The dealer simply didn't want to discount a car that was not in their inventory - their option.

Lastly, the dealer had no problem taking my $2,000 and putting it in the bank to earn interest. As far as I was concerned the deposit secured the deal. What the dealer wanted was to be able to simply offer the highest money-making rate when the car came in.

 

"Infiniti has a college graduate program where you can qualify for a tier one financing rate. "

....so you are not financing through Infiniti Finance??
because thats the impression i got from your post.

Make no mistake, when you buy a car that is financed, there are 2 seperate and distinct transactions taking place.
1. the purchase of the car from the dealership
2. the finaning of the loan to purchase the car... in your case i believe it is Infiniti Finance.


"This is dealer financed.....not like seeking out a bank "

When you finance a car at a new car dealership thats exactly what you are doing, seeking out a bank. The bank is just called "GM Finance", or "Infiniti Finance Co" or "Ford Credit" or whatever. Its still a finance company/bank that your getting a loan through.
When you go to a dealership to finanace a car without a loan set up from another institution... the dealership is just a midde man for the loan/bank. They (the dealer) don't actually lend you ANY money... the bank does. At least i have never seen that happen. They are just a middle man between you and a finance co/bank... in this case Infiniti Finance... or some other bank.


"......which would be like builder financing"

With builder financing for a new home under construction you start making payments immediatly, BEFORE the home is complete and you close on it. Because the builder has to draw from your loan to construct your house. Different situation, since your not making payments while your waiting for your car to come in!


That said, your right about the 2.9 just being a different sort of discount. The dealer is gonna make their money. Period. If they get you a great rate through IFC (that they get less kickback on), they are probably not going to give you tons of $$ off msrp..especially on an odd car that is a risk for them....

Have you shopped at other dealers?? how does this dealer's offer stack up?? Because thats really whats pertinent here... the market for 6MT coupes in YOUR area.


03 6MT coupe, red/willow, premium, aero, splash guards, alum pedals, clear corners, 15% tint

 

Maybe we're splitting hairs here... I equate putting a 2K down-payment on a car same as putting, say, a chunk of change down on a house that is financed by a builder. I have never heard of closing twice on a house being built.

You put your money down... you still have a walk-thru and then you close and start your payments. I have never heard of getting a payment book and making payments on a house that doesn't exist. After a credit check, I would assume the builder uses your deposit to both bond you and float some of the cost; the liability is still on them to deliver a house that passes code.

As far as a dealer is concerned, you can walk in with your own financing, which could include taking out a second mortgage to get the interest deduction (if you also owned a house that is). Many times a dealer will simply match financing you already have just to get the interest on your note (again, money is money).

 

sorta on/off topic

why dont you want sunroof?

just wonderin?

 

Dally,

My original response to you didn't clarify things enough: The reason I'm not getting a sunroof is strictly height based. Even with the seat position as low as it can go my head is way too close to the roof WITH the sunroof. Without a sunroof you gain 2 inches of head room and I fit perfectly.

 

"Maybe we're splitting hairs here... "

speaking of splitting hairs...my point is: if your going to split hairs over a percent or fractions of a percent on financing a special ordered car, your purchase might be a long process.


Just fyi, i ran a couple numbers & a 1% increase in rate would equate to around $900 additional interest over the life of a 5 year loan.


I would be far more concerned with your impression of service, quality & honesty from the dealer than a few hundred bucks. Since your relying on them to order and acquire your car, and do you right both during and after the sale.

Like i said, a 6MT coupe is a fairly in demand commodity.

Most Dealers have people willling to walk in, drop a deposit, wait several months, come back and finish their finance deal for MSRP, all to get the specific car they want.

I understand thats not you and I admire your desire to get the best possible deal or the deal that you want....sounds like you should check out other dealers to see if their deal is better or worse. Hey, at least this dealer made SOME effort by offering you a discount to offset a potentially higher interest rate (that would probably still be relatively low)...most dealers wouldn't even do that, they would just give you a take it or leave it attitude.

I think most people here would agree that even at MSRP, the car is a great overall value, especially when compared with similiar cars (what few there are) in its class/price range.

Good luck.

03 6MT coupe, red/willow, premium, aero, splash guards, alum pedals, clear corners, 15% tint

 

Hum, i understand your love to the G35 coupe, but man, if you are that tall, and you almost gonna hit the roof (even without the moonroof it'd be close), i'd say find some other car that will give you more head room. FX35/45 should be a car that will fit tall guys.

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by neohh on 10/04/03 10:00 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

deposits are refundable, put it down, see if the APR will still be 2.9 when the car comes in, if it isnt agreeable with you, take back your deposit. not too big a deal, and the most i'd ever put down for a deposit is 1000, and thats pushing it.

 

I think the dealer may wants him to put non-refundable deposit since he is ordering a 6mt without sunroof, from what i know not a lot of people will take it (wel, not a lot of people are 6'2) So i don't think the dealer will risk having a coupe without sunroof in stock, and will make the deposit non-refundable in the contract.

Wel, i understand why they couldn't lock the APR due to interest rate changes over time. I'm pretty sure if you start paying on Oct. when the car is not even built, they might give you the 2.9% APR. if you start paying when the car arrived (that is the time that you actually owns the car and making payment on it), then that is the APR you get (what ever % it is by that time) But again, you should be able to talk 500-1500 off the msrp depending on where you live. Try some other dealers to see if they can give you better deal.

 

dude, just get the sedan. im 6'4", about 190 as well, and i fit perfectly in my sedan with a couple inches to spare. and i have a sunroof. also you can get sedans for at least $2500 off sticker, at least that's the case in So Cal. there you go, problem solved!

2003.5 sedan - 5AT, Silver/Graphite, Sport, Aero, Bose, Sunroof, & 1 defunct air freshener..