How does one usually go about buying or leasing a hot new car that is in limited supply? Usually, you go to one or more car dealerships and get your name on their "list". Sometimes they ask for a deposit. Discounts are never possible. In fact, you're usually lucky if they'll allow you to buy the car at MSRP. Instead, dealers usually mark up the price by several thousand dollars. When the car arrives, they may or may not call you according to their list if they can get a better price from someone who walks in the door with more money. When you finally get the car, you are usually angry, stressed and you'll probably regret paying higher than MSRP after a year, when the car is being widely discounted.
In fact, that is the way it works in almost every case. And that is what some prospective buyers of the Chevy Volt are experiencing today.
Nissan decided on an innovative online system to help to make the buyers' experience more predictable and less stressful. Prospective buyers registered on Nissan's Leaf web site before the middle of April, 2010. On April 20, people on the interest list were sent emails telling them that they could register their interest in buying the car. They each put down a $99 deposit to hold their reservation. The process can be tracked on the web site. Then, beginning on August 31, reservees were notified that they could place their orders. The orders were placed through Nissan dealers who were pre-selected by the customers.
This system made the buying process transparent, and the power was in the hands of the customers. They could negotiate the selling price in advance, and the dealers knew that the buyer could take his reservation to another dealer if he/she didn't like the price. The result was that dealers began to DEAL. Through online forums such as http://www.mynissanleaf.com/ , prospective buyers could find out which dealers were discounting the Leaf. This led to more discounting by other dealers. Discounts of $1,000 became common and a few dealers offered discounts of 5% off the $34,000 MSRP, equal to a $1,700 discount, or more if the optional equipment was discounted.
So as of this writing, the same system is in place. You can buy a Leaf by registering on the Leaf web site: http://www.nissanusa.com/leaf-electric-car . Since the car is in limited supply and the production and sales are being carefully managed by Nissan, you may not be able to place your order for a Leaf until early 2011, with delivery of the car by summer or fall.
Alternatively, if you really want or need the car sooner and you haven't registered with Nissan yet, you could try talking to dealers to see if they have a list of prospective buyers who are interested in buying a car if a registered buyer cancels their order. It is possible that these cars may become "orphans" and that dealers will be able to sell them as they become available. I don't know this for sure, and it is also possible that these "orphan" Leafs will be offered to the next registered buyers in line. If dealers do have orphan cars for sale, be prepared for them to charge additional fees.
My next blog topic: My experience with Nissan's ordering system.
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