Several years ago, in the process of purchasing a 2-year old, brand-new Porsche Panamera S e-hybrid from a dealer 200 miles away, i stumbled across the nicest sales trick I had ever heard of. I had a 3-year old BMW i3 to trade (read: throw away) that they would only give me $14k for. Through Craigslist, I found a buyer local-to-THERE who was willing to pay me $18k. I went back to the Porsche dealer and not only got approval for this distant (to me) deal, but he offered to consumate a "courtesy trade".
Being the grandson/son of a 1928 Chrysler Coproation charter dealer, I thought i had seen most tricks, but this one seemed too good to be true.
I and my buyer show up at the Porsche shop. We both tender checks made out to the dealer for our separate negotiated prices. Dealer writes it all up on a sales contract deducting the full $18k from my negotiated price (and home state sales tax due), and gives my buyer the house treatment of registration, sales taxes etc. and we all drive away happy....me especially on the sales tax savings (almost equal to half my Federal rebate).
I still don't know how that $4k difference rode through his books, but it's all water over the dam now. Plus, I must add that it was the most respectful sale I have ever experienced.
In private discussion with the sales manager he volunteered that he had about $90k in my car, though I was effectively buying it for $75k. In response, I suggested there was "trunk money" but he denied Porsche does that. Then I noted in astonishment, that on the paperwork he had sent me to take to my bank, it was noted that his bank was still to be paid off, to the tune of $90k after TWO YEARS of floor-planning. He denied this, saying the car had long been paid off, but I know what I saw on HIS paperwork. That sort of closed out our shop-talk as my buyer arrived and we all did our courtesy trades and I drove home, paper-plated happy.
Anybody else experience this three-way?
