Well, time is slowly ticking by, and my wife and I are on track for me to come home (from asscrackistan) and get the Z, even though I still havent decided whether or not to get an enthusiast. Anyway we are hoping to have somewhere around 12-15k for the downpayment, with no trade in. Im not terribly experienced with buying new cars, but I know the more money you show em, the more willing they are to work with you on price. Does that amount sound reasonable? How much did everyone else put down?

On a side note: I've been dealing with a Sales Manager at a dealership up in Iowa, and hes been very cool about the whole thing. He quoted me an 06 for around high 23k, but that was baseline. Im thinking that is because we'll be shopping for one around the year end closeout sale. Im also wondering if I should wait another month and put more down, but Im worried I wont make it back in the states in time to get the closeout pricing if I do. So what do you guys think?

Thanks.

 

I am planning on putting around 5k down on mine

 

Saved up for 2 years, and sold my civic! PAID IT CASH!!! woot woot, and i'm only 20. Talk about good saving habits.

 

I put 4K down, that was back in 2004 for a Touring too.

 

$10,000

 

~7-8 + got a good deal

 

I made them work with me on the price thinking I was going to use Nissans in house financing. I got my 06 Ent at invoice. It has all the options you can get side airbgs etc. Then when it came time to actually pay I just wrote a check for the whole amount. They were a little stunned to say the least. I was out the door tax, tags, lisc. for under $30,000. Good luck with your purchase.

 

$15k...financed $13k @ 4%

 

8k

 

What I put down doesn't matter.

It seems like you are under the impression that cars are less expensive if you pay cash. Not true. Negotiate the price first. Then discuss how you are going to pay for it.

 

10K for mine.

 

i agree.

i decided to put down 8k after the final OTD price was decided.

 

Absolutely. Worrying about payments and down payments before you agree on a price really is just asking for trouble. Granted, it's important as far as being able to afford something, but it should not be the focal point of negotiations.

As a rough estimate, on a 5 year loan it's $20 less a month for every $1,000 you put down. The lower the rate, the less difference it makes (0% is $16.67 less per 1K).

 

not smart to pay it all in cash

 

I put down 5K.

 

Welp, there are a few variables I have to work with. Ive noticed that if you tell a dealer you have cash, they seem to want to work with you, since they want that moolah. I have a pretty good idea on how much Im going to pay for it, as the sales manager Im going through has some sympathy with my being overseas. He has told me between 23-24k for a base. Once he found out Id be willing to put down 12k or so, he was even more eager to get to his dealership.
I have crappy credit, so more money down will definately help there.
Oh, and the lower my car payment, the less I have to worry about payments when I come home from this s*ithole for good. Im actually hoping to pay it off completely.
Right now, Im so burned out over here, I dont think im going to want to even see the middle east on a map when i get home.

I guess I just have the mentality that more money down equals a more negotiable salesperson, or in my case, sales manager. /shrug

 

I paid mine cash... 2 years of saving in the military, and I sole my tricked out civic. I bought a used 2004.5 350 but now I wish I would have held out because it's not the color I want now. I have that chrome silver, and I HATE IT! I cna't find anything that flows with the color. I wnat a car that looks good in the day as at night! Anyone wanna trade?

 

8k

 

10k