Mike, your posts are funny to read. Anyway, the OP was just curious about dealer profit and what's necessary to cover operating costs.

 

I know, but really I don't care if I pay them enough to cover their operating costs. That's their problem.

If we are talking about my favorite local family vegetable farm, then that's a different matter. I care if they stay in business, because I want their vegetables and I can't get them anywhere else. But I don't care if some Honda dealer stays in business. I'm never going to buy this car again, and when I go to buy some other car, some other dealer will be around if this first one was too stupid to survive.

My job as a buyer is to get the price that works for me, not to make sure the dealer gets a fair profit.

That being said, knowing how much profit they make is information I can use to make the best deal for me -- but only if I really know that accurately.

 

The dealer is going to do what they can to rape you on price hence the 34k price tag. tell them 29k out the door thats what I did and I got it! I also got a hardtop at cost too.

 

Someone is always going to get a better price than you'll probably get. But maybe you'll get the exact color or an easier buying experience if your offer is at least reasonable.
I drove an extra hundred miles and paid a little over $100 extra dollers to get the interior color I wanted. Had I not beeen so choosey, I might have even been able to do even a little better locally the then the $100+ I could have saved.
In the end I got the color I wanted at a price I was willing to pay.