Cars Ship Without Radios In Recession - Twice
29.01.09
Cars Ship Without Radios In Recession By Amy Gilroy -- TWICE, 1/29/2009 9:45:00 AM
New York — After years of adding sexier, more sonically pleasing radios to cars, car makers, faced with recession, are reversing the trend and removing radios in select vehicles, creating a small window of opportunity for the retail aftermarket.
At least eight car models in 2009 are available either without a radio or without a CD player according to car dealerships polled by TWICE, InstallerNet and Automobile magazine.
Among these are the Nissan Versa 1.6 Base and the Nissan Altima 2.5, both of which did not offer the radio-free option last year. Also included is the Honda Civic DX sedan.
Many of these models are pre-wired so the consumer may add a radio that could be purchased at a consumer electronics store, said car dealers, creating an opportunity for plus business at 12-volt stores.
In addition, some car companies are refraining from offering premium sound systems where they might have in the past, in order to keep vehicle prices as low as possible, said suppliers.
Source: Twice, NY
Nissan Versa Sedan SL 2008 getting rid of CVT?
Mar 02, 2008 by noaster | Posted in Nissan
Hi,
I wanted to buy a Nissan Versa. I was looking at all the models and then looked again at them. I realised that the sedan, which used to be able to come with the CVT (continuosly variable trasmission) now only can come in 4 speed automatic. Does anyone know why they did this? Is the CVT bad? thanks
If you have ever driven something with a CVT you will know why they got rid of it.
I rented a Murano once and the 1st poster is correct. Its horrible and even though it only had about 1500 miles it was already making funny noises in addition to being awkward feeling.
emiller1998 | Mar 02, 2008
How much does your nissan versa sedan..?
Nov 05, 2007 by High_Sun | Posted in Nissan
How much does your nissan versa sedan SL take on gas?
Get's pretty good gas mileage.
GottaHitThatBtchOhGo | Nov 08, 2007
How much does a 2007 Nissan Versa Sedan really cost the dealer (read carefully)?
Apr 28, 2007 by gbeuchel | Posted in Buying & Selling
A 2007 Nissan Versa Sedan (totally loaded) supposedly is invoiced to the dealer at $18,310.00. In other words, they claim that is how much THEY paid for the car. Then why was I able to negotiate a price of $17,389? Are they losing money? I dont think so! The invoice is fabricated. They have dealer incentives (i.e., kickbacks) etc. How much does that vehicle really cost the dealer when it is all said and done. Anybody know???
No, nobody knows exactly, not even the factory and the dealer. The cost of each of his cars will be calculated at the end of the model year taking into advantage the time of year the car was sold, whether it turned out to be popular or unpopular compared to cars of a similar class, how many cars total a dealer sold and how many cars of each model. You are right in one way about the invoice, but it is not totally fabricated. It is the amount the dealer is debited on paper for each car. Notice the "on paper" quibble in that last sentence. The dealer makes a "deposit" when he gets his cars from the factory the factory looks a previous years sales to determine the deposit. Larger outlets usually have to place a smaller "deposit". In theory, the car dealer "owes" the factory the difference between the "deposit" and the "invoice". But all the factors I mentioned before add up at the end of the year to determine what additional paymemt will add to the "deposit" to equal the "invoice". That's where the incentives and bonuses and inducements and anything else they can find to call their "slush fund", come in. In reality, few dealers ever make a payment over their "deposit", and that usually only happens when the earth opens up and swallows the dealership. Even then they usually make a profit!
The dealership takes their "deposit". figures how much they need to pay everyone, salaries, utilities, advertising, etc. adds all this together and divides by the car (adjusting for the car model and cost, applies a little "safety factor" and boom, they can guess what they have to get to break even. Then they add about 50%-150% profit and turn their salesman loose with this figure, usually known as the floor. They get their commission based on how high they get the price over the floor. On a trade in they give you a thousand more than its worth, and add two thousand to the floor. Basically, it is a con game at worst and horse trading at best. The reason the profit margins are high is that they have to cover the cost of the dealership under the worst circumstances. (Remember the earth opening up? The mortgage still had to be paid, a temporary office had to be rented just to handle insurance claims, staff had to be kept to run it, and you probably had to keep hour two best salesmen and your service manager around just to keep them from getting snapped up by the competition. "Watch the shells closely, my friends! The hand is quicker than the eye! Spot the pea and earn a hundred dollars!"
Insurance companies aren't fools, no matter how good a deal you think you got, the minute that car leaves the lot it is automatically wort 20-40% less than you paid for it.
The best way I know for you to buy a car is to look for one that is relatively unchanged over the last few years, figure how much value it loses per year, and add that number to the previous year's value. It won't be totally accurate as to what the car is actually worth, but it will be closer than anything else.
Three last things. If you can avoid it don't, repeat don't, buy a car because of a flashy radio. Get it with the old funky AM/FM 2 speaker piece of ***** that comes stock. Any car with a flashy radio had it put in by the local car radio shop, and then the dealer tripled (at least) the cost to you. If you special order the car, order it with "NO RADIO" so you won't have to throw away the junk radio they put in there standard.
Resist with all your might the attempt to put a special order charge on a vehicle not on the lot. It doesn't cost one cent more to have one vehicle added to the next load from the factory, the only cost is to fax your specifications to the factory. Maybe $1.00. They will fight you tooth and nail, but bargain, bargain, Bargain!
Lastly, after you agree with the salesman on the lot about the car and the price. they will bring you in to a man at the desk. His job is to take the deal you just made and jack it up as far as h thinks he can take it. His excuses will be "He's new ..." or "He missed something ..." or "He forgot the two color/ spare tire/ custom steering wheel surcharge". He's lying. He just wants more money. When you are on the lot, jot down the date, the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and the price you agreed on. Sign it and get the salesman to sign it. If he won't sign it, say "get me someone who will. Terrified he will lose his commission, he will. When the man at the desk tries to jack you up, say nope, this is the deal. DO NOT LET THAT PAPER OUT OF YOUR HAND! If you do you will never see it again.
If they say anything about not honoring the contract (because that is what you have in your hot little hand "date - item - price - both signatures" = CONTRACT), say "I will have to complain to the factory.
Factories hate complaints, they spend millions for advertising. and each complaint costs them 1000 sales on the average because for everyone you tell, they will tell more, and it will snowball. In a small town, you will hear the story distorted completely, but "someone was gypped by that dealership" will have survived. So dealerships hate complaints just as much, because one of the factors that determine how much his cars cost him and ultimately what everybody makes. So they usually listen. If they don't, go ahead and call the factory. Usually a very nice woman or man listens to your problem. He might need a fax of the handwritten contract. Then he will make sure you get what you bargained for (and sometimes a little more) for your price. If you have to go out of town, he may pay your mileage, he may throw in $10.00 for lunch. Anything to stop you from starting the gossip line.
rational.anarchist | Apr 28, 2007
NextAutos.com But while it’s pleasant and maneuverable, no one would mistake the Versa for a sports sedan. Some small cars like the Honda Fit can feel almost sporty, Rendering: Could This Be The 2011 Nissan Versa?
