I am not sure if this is the best subforum to post this, but I am in a tricky situation that has me probably buying (getting screwed on) a 2021 Ram tomorrow. I had a 2001 Ram 1500 then a 2014 Ram 1500 with the '14 ram having the dreaded lifter/cam issue at $78K miles. It is at the dealer now and they found metal in the oil so a rebuilt or new engine is the solution but I don't want to put $10K+ into a seven year old truck. Well, that left me trying to negotiate a broken trade for a new 2021 Ram. Here is where things get difficult. Since my engine is partially torn apart, I have almost no negotiating power. I tried other dealers within an hour of where I live, but most are horrible with communication or the one that has responded said they are not interested in my trade because it is not in running condition for them to assess the other mechanical components. I understand that, but I am back to trying to work a deal with the dealership my truck is at. They have a limited number of Rams on the lot.
So now we introduce this microchip shortage issue that I know is real but I think the dealer is overplaying it. They wanted full MSRP minus factory discounts without any dealer discounts my first try last weekend. The were offering me $5K for my truck which is probably about as much as I would get but I think there should be more wiggle room on their end? Is this microchip shortage as much of an issue as they are making it out to be? The truck I want is "in transit" but they cannot give me a firm date of when it will get here. They do have a 2021 Rebel on their lot which is now my back-up plan.
Any thoughts? I usually research things and do a ton of shopping prior to purchasing a vehicle, but I am pretty much stuck in a crappy spot. My truck is my third vehicle so I don't drive it a ton, but I still need it for towing and hauling stuff. Plus, I cannot just leave my broken truck sitting there for months. I know I am going to get screwed but I want to avoid getting totally screwed!
So now we introduce this microchip shortage issue that I know is real but I think the dealer is overplaying it. They wanted full MSRP minus factory discounts without any dealer discounts my first try last weekend. The were offering me $5K for my truck which is probably about as much as I would get but I think there should be more wiggle room on their end? Is this microchip shortage as much of an issue as they are making it out to be? The truck I want is "in transit" but they cannot give me a firm date of when it will get here. They do have a 2021 Rebel on their lot which is now my back-up plan.
Any thoughts? I usually research things and do a ton of shopping prior to purchasing a vehicle, but I am pretty much stuck in a crappy spot. My truck is my third vehicle so I don't drive it a ton, but I still need it for towing and hauling stuff. Plus, I cannot just leave my broken truck sitting there for months. I know I am going to get screwed but I want to avoid getting totally screwed!