Comparison shopping: Colorado, Gladiator, Tacoma

[spectre6000]

I just made my first call to try to see about pricing. My schedule is, has been, and will continue to be crazy for the foreseeable future, so even my local dealers are having to work by phone. Since I'm in the Denver area, I'm not likely to get much in the way of discounts locally (though I'll try). Any recommendations for dealers that are especially good for fly-and-buy deals? Someone (I think in this thread) recommended Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine, TX (I actually drove by it the other night, but won't be able to drop in while I'm here this trip...).

 

[Todd n Natalie]

I just made my first call to try to see about pricing. My schedule is, has been, and will continue to be crazy for the foreseeable future, so even my local dealers are having to work by phone. Since I'm in the Denver area, I'm not likely to get much in the way of discounts locally (though I'll try). Any recommendations for dealers that are especially good for fly-and-buy deals? Someone (I think in this thread) recommended Classic Chevrolet in Grapevine, TX (I actually drove by it the other night, but won't be able to drop in while I'm here this trip...).

I've heard Dennis Dillon. No personal experience with them. Not sure if they carry the Jeep brand either.

 

[jadmt]

I've heard Dennis Dillon. No personal experience with them. Not sure if they carry the Jeep brand either.

yes they carry Jeep. I bought my 2018 Recon there and they absolutely have best prices and do fly and drives. They also have a GMC dealership. Dave Smith has it all too and do fly and drives. Weird Idaho has number 1 and 4 Ram dealerships in the world. I have bought jeeps at both places and both are the real deal. No hidden costs or trying to upsell stuff you don't want.

 

[billiebob]

Motor Trend did a road test video of these 3 choices.
I agree with most of their conclusions.

Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro vs. Jeep Gladiator Rubicon vs. Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison Comparison Test - Motor Trend

Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro, Jeep Gladiator Rubicon, and Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 AEV Bison overland the Mojave Road. Who is the winner? Find out right here!

www.motortrend.com

The JT is the most capable but has the worst off road ride.
The Colorado has the best ride and erognomics.... at least if you are tall.
Tacoma has horrible erognomics but the best build quality and proven reliability.

 

[spectre6000]

Dennis Dillon apparently does GMC, but not Chevy... FCA group, Mazda, Nissan, GMC (only), Kia (only), and Isuzu. Odd mix.

I'll give Dave Smith a call when I find some air to breathe...

 

[calicamper]

Hey Spec any chance you have “Perks at work” via employer? I’m shopping too and just discovered wife has this truecar.com perks at work thing. As far as I can tell only “participating” dealers play ball on it. So far there is some sort of “Dealer Special MSRP Discount” they list in their pricing looks like it bumps to 2% below invoice I think. Its so hard to really know the pricing game they play with the applied discounts online.

Anyone fool with this Truecar.com perks thing?

I’m close to buying but I need to figure out why this Truecar perks has me in a Platinum at a price the dealer is trying to sell me a Limited? LOL

 

[1pieceatatime]

I flew out from Midwest to buy from Dennis Dillon 3 times in last 3 years. They are real deal, as posted by others.

However:
1) They will hook you for ~$300 for a "mandatory" security system install and say they do it to all vehicles that hit their lot
2) They will really pour on the pressure to use their financing
3) Customer service and communication is also not all that great depending on your timing and who your salesman is - they seem to have a lot of turnover of sales staff (bought 3 in 3 years and each time different sales person due to turnover) and each salesperson has a gazillion customers

If you go in knowing those things you can get a helluva deal at DD.

 

[jadmt]

I flew out from Midwest to buy from Dennis Dillon 3 times in last 3 years. They are real deal, as posted by others.

However:
1) They will hook you for ~$300 for a "mandatory" security system install and say they do it to all vehicles that hit their lot
2) They will really pour on the pressure to use their financing
3) Customer service and communication is also not all that great depending on your timing and who your salesman is - they seem to have a lot of turnover of sales staff (bought 3 in 3 years and each time different sales person due to turnover) and each salesperson has a gazillion customers

If you go in knowing those things you can get a helluva deal at DD.

I purchased my 2018 recon there and never had any pressure for financing altho ultimately they matched my local credit union which was 2.49% I simply told them I would not pay for the security stick ons and they had absolutely zero problem with that. They just said they would not remove the stickers. The system is nothing other than a data bank if your vehicle is stolen and parted out it is worthless. I know 3 others who also bought and declined the service. I suppose it depends on who the finance guy at the time is with regards to pressure. I had already did the deal via phone and new I was not paying for the anti theft service and had my own financing if they could not match it.

 

[LimaMikeMike]

so today I looked at a Gladiator Rubicon launch edition and a basic Rubicon edition and a ZR2 Bison edition back to back. The launch edition had every option and was $62K+, the standard gladiator rubicon was actually under $50K and the ZR2 Bison was diesel and $54K. The launch edition was freaking awesome and if I win the lotto would have one in a minute. The ZR2 was nice but not any where worth close to $54K and the Gladiator rubicon seemed a much better value than either.

That’s a really good price for a gladiator, and a really bad price for a Bison. The Bison is 58-60 up here before incentives, I’d start at least 20% off that MSRP, with all the bad press GM has been getting with the strike and all they’ll deal. A 2019 ZR2 in Canada is 9k off cash deal plus 1250 incentive off sticker right now.

I purchased my 2018 recon there and never had any pressure for financing altho ultimately they matched my local credit union which was 2.49% I simply told them I would not pay for the security stick ons and they had absolutely zero problem with that. They just said they would not remove the stickers. The system is nothing other than a data bank if your vehicle is stolen and parted out it is worthless. I know 3 others who also bought and declined the service. I suppose it depends on who the finance guy at the time is with regards to pressure. I had already did the deal via phone and new I was not paying for the anti theft service and had my own financing if they could not match it.

It’s a known scam, just like you said slap the stickers on all you want, I’m not paying for it. They won’t kill a 50k deal over 300$.

If my truck is stolen, I don’t want it back. I pay insurance for that.

 

[jadmt]

But how to get these buttheads to drop the absolutely ridiculous “doc” fees? They’re up to $500-800 now!
Having to pay extra for that total BS fee just purely steams my broccoli!

Dennis Dillon has $299 doc fee but that s included in their bottom OTD cost up front nothing that is added when you sitting there signing the papers.

 

[docwatson]

Anyone fool with this Truecar.com perks thing?

We used TrueCar to buy my wife’s car a few years ago. The price they offered was decent off MSRP but I sent the certificate to two other dealers in the area not on TrueCar and they beat it. So it worked to get the dealers competing.

 

[calicamper]

We used TrueCar to buy my wife’s car a few years ago. The price they offered was decent off MSRP but I sent the certificate to two other dealers in the area not on TrueCar and they beat it. So it worked to get the dealers competing.

Just used Truecar via perks at work to negotiate below invoice on a Expedition. It helped?

 

[Todd n Natalie]

Just used Truecar via perks at work to negotiate below invoice on a Expedition. It helped?

Congrats! Will you be posting pics of it?

 

[calicamper]

Congrats! Will you be posting pics of it?

View attachment 540146

 

[spectre6000]

I'm self employed, and you could almost say "between companies" to boot (selling one, starting the next). My wife works at a startup that's too small for such perks... I'm on my own...

Dennis Dillon sounds great save for not selling Chevy... If the Gladiator were the goal, I'd be calling when I get back in town next week.