How to Outwit A Dishonest Car Salesman!
by Peggy Butler
PSB COMMUNICATIONS
Of the millions who purchase automobiles each year, many report they have difficulty making the correct choice. This is based on the fact that the average consumer is not familiar with the nuts and bolts of car purchasing, or outwitting a corrupt salesman who wants to take them to the cleaners. Now all that is about to change. The following tips have proven effective in helping consumers make the right choices when it comes to buying an automobile. Enjoy!
1. There’s more to purchasing a car than price. Where you buy counts too. Take the time to evaluate the different dealerships. Visit a few and walk around. When a salesperson approaches you say, “I’m just looking around, and I’ll come to you when I’m ready."
2.. Don’t let the sales person intimidate you. Walk around the service area and sit down. Stay for 30 minutes. Observe A) Is it orderly and run efficiently? B) Is the manager on the premises and working? C) Are the customers treated with respect?
3. Proceed into the service lot and look at the license plate frames. In a reputable dealership you will see frames from competing dealerships too. Don’t choose a dealership that’s out of the way. The salespeople know that they have just one chance to make a sale, and they lean hard on you. Avoid multi-franchise dealerships. Too many people run different parts of the operation, causing confusion in service.
4. Choose your salespeople don’t let them choose you. Speak with several. Ask: A) How long have you worked at this dealership? (The longer the better) B) Where else have you worked? And for how long? C) May I get the name and number of a recent customer? (Follow up with a phone call). If there are a lot of turnovers, leave, there is a strong probability the dealership is unstable. Trap: Looking for a salesperson who’s a member of your ethnic group, because you think you will get special treatment. You won’t, and you will be letting your guard down.
5. Educate yourself. Get as much information as possible about a car before you sit down with the salesperson. Collect brochures (dealers don’t usually keep them on display, because they want you to approach the salespeople) and read consumer magazines that rate autos.
6. Don’t let salespeople woo you into trusting them with their “impressive" knowledge of cars. That’s how they try to establish authority and take control of the sale.
Know the competition. If you say that you are considering a competing brand, the salesperson will knock it, and be very convincing if you’re uninformed.
7. Be firm. If you are not firm about what you want, you could easily end up with what the salesperson wants to sell you, the most expensive model with the most extravagant option at the highest price.
Once you show serious intention of buying, the salesperson will offer you a test drive, during which he or she will talk glowingly about the car to get you to take mental ownership of it. He is seducing you. Resist. Trap: Negotiating to buy when you’re tired of shopping. Salespeople are attracted to this kind of customer like bees to honey. They know that if they promise you what you’ve been looking for, whether they have it or not, you will probably buy on the spot. Buy only when you’re in an energetic mood.
8 Avoid answering personal questions. Few salespeople ask idle questions. Seemingly relevant questions are actual attempts to find out about your lifestyle, income, driving habits, etc. Avoid answering these questions.
9. Read the sticker carefully. D.A.P. stands for Dealer Added Profit. Locator Cost means the dealer procured the car. All these charges are negotiable.
10. Take particular note of a common padding tactic: A prep fee of $100 or more. For those unfamiliar with auto buying, the cost of preparing your car for delivery is included in the manufacturer’s sticker price.
11. Don’t let yourself get “turned over." If a salesperson feels that he’s not in control of the sale, he’ll say that he’s going on a coffee break and will “turn you over" to another salesperson. In a high-pressure operation, this could happen three or four times, until they wear you down. How to resist: Go for a walk, have a cup of coffee at a nearby diner, say that you need to think about it. Get away from the salesperson so you can think clearly.
12. When the deed is done, inspect your car thoroughly before you leave the dealership. Make sure everything is working correctly. If you follow these suggestions, buying a automobile can be a joyful adventure, instead of a crazy mishap.
Exceptional article with information pertaining to both genders.Thanks for the encouraging remarks. How incredible is this? I received a response from an anonymous reader who alluded to the article as "crap." It just goes to show you how great it is to live in a country where we are free to express our opinions, without fear of apprehension. As for that anonymous reader, YOU MADE MY DAY. Moreover, I wish that I had one ounce of the analytical skills that you display so eloquently. BRAVO!
Said the lady to the dishonest car sales representative, Be Gone Thieves. Seriously, a good read coming from a chick. Just kidding.Hee Hawwww, thanks for the comments cowboy.
Dealerships should be required to hand a copy of this article to each and every person that walks through their doors. Great advice!Hi John: Your comments made my day. And I agree, consumers need to be aware of the nuts and bolts of car-buying. Fortunately, this is a topic, that the media is rapidly placing more emphasis on. So, who knows, maybe one day these irrefutable con artists, will become a hybrid of the past. Until then, let the buyer beware. Best Wishes
In response to your "advice" 1. your just looking ? ... i'm just selling ;-) 2. does the always dissatisfied customer at kfc stop you from buying your fried chicken there ? 3.I wish plate frames sold cars... maybe in your town they do... 4. wait 45 min for the "right salesperson" or just take the chinese guy who barely speaks broken english. he will treat you much better ! 5.Make sure you read nation / international publications and pick out a car that is equiped differently than the cars are made in your region. you will go very far with this one. 6.what is with these sales people knowing about the cars ??? make sure your sales person has no idea what he or she is selling! you will get the best deal ! RIGHT ! 7. Negotiating as if you dont want the car makes sales people wonder why you even walked in the door. why would a sales person need any motivation? Motivated buyers result in motivated sellers!!! and remember PROFIT is not a bad word. would you pay me to buy something from you ? or would you sell me you home for what you paid for it 3 months ago ? Get real ! I hope you people dont whine at the supermarket like you do at dealerships. 8. why would you ever want to connect with a salesperson on a personal level ? they arrent even real people, they just pretend. all they want is your money!. they hope you take on a payment soo big you can't afford it! and if you car gets reposessed they even get a bonus ! 9. everything is negotiable... just try not to negotiate your way out of a deal ! you may be in no danger of buying a car... 10. Dont pay any fees !!! not even registration fees, tire tax , inspection fees or state tax !!! they are all out to get you ! thoes guys who clean your car work for free !!!!!! 11. if you cant focus on buying a car for more than 10 min maybe riding the bus or a bike is best. make sure to use a good excuse ie: my sugar is low, im a diabetic. or i have to go ... my wife/husband is going to kill me ... ect... How about this idea... be honest ! apologise for being a complete dimwit and excuse yourself back to the bathroom so you can cry, think,or just shut down long enuff to step back out and make a purchase. 12. your car should be perfect... just make sure you take out the rubber gloves and inspection glasses to inspect ever single square inch of the car... this should take 3 hours. ever thing about how your time is money ?Great advice. As for the KFC comment, I'm a vegetarian who doesn't eat chicken. Best Wishes and Continous Success
well i would just like to say i am a car salesman. the people who think they can buy a 40,000 $ car for 400 - 500 a month its becouse people like you who think everything is Negotiable not everything in life can be negotiated. so people beleave we can just make these fees go away my suggestion is you all go get a dealers license and go buy your car from the manufactuer they dont just show up at the car lot also they next time your at wal mart or sears tell them you onl want to pay a 1.00 for the milk or 20.00 dollars for those 100.00 pair of shoes see how r that gets you
My family has been ripped off plenty by a dealership that sold them a "branded" title vehicle and didn't disclose it to them. Since the brand came from another state and brands generally don't follow state to state they got screwed big time. They didn't find this out until they had paid nearly $30K and tried to trade it in and were told about the title problem. The vehicle was worthless to any dealership here in Washington. Banks won't finance them and they can't be insured. Yes, BUYER BEWARE. We have spent plenty of hours and money in legal fees and arbitration hearings only still to be no where in getting another vehicle or the money back from the scummy dealership that sold it to them and did not disclose this very important fact. To the car dealer that makes the comment about comparison buying milk or shoes is not even a close comparison since thes can't be registered or tracked. This must be the mentality of a used car salesman.
Thanks for the tips. My tips in addition-for what it's worth (I did this stuff and got good results): Go in TOTALLY prepared, rested, fed and near the end of THEIR business day! Pick a bright, sunny day. Rehearse and practice on dealerships that sell cars you're NOT interested in if you have to. Figure out a price YOU can afford (NEVER negotiate payments) and it's best to walk in the door with your OWN financing (from credit union, your bank, etc.). This takes the haggling and front-end tricks right out of the equation. Go with a figure that's low and negotiate UP, not down. Ignore the MSRP and keep in mind the dealer invoice price on the sticker is STILL too high. Negotiate on a price BEFORE you include any rebates and trade in! If they laugh at you or say they can't do anything with the amount of money you're willing to pay then tell them it's their sale to lose, you have all the time in the world and you will eventually find a dealership who DOES want your business and your money. Then start heading for the door (watch 'em come running for you!). That's your most powerful tool: getting up and leaving. And don't be afraid to use it more than once. Go in knowing exactly what you want and what you can spend then say you want to wrap it up in thirty minutes. Put them on the clock and stick to it. If they can't complete the sale in 30 minutes they won't be able to do it hours later. Take someone with you, an alter ego of sorts who will urge ultra caution and express doubts, raise red flags, etc. Research, research and research...get quotes and info on exactly what you want. Test drive your vehicle at another dealership BEFORE going in to the dealership you'll do business with. Take all of your research paperwork with you in a folder and make it painfully obvious to them (that you've done your homework)-that shows them you're an informed customer and their B.S. isn't going to wash. Know your credit score and your credit report. And yes, the HARD sell comes during the financing. JUST SAY NO. You can even say "no" to extended warranties (and you should) because you'll probably not need one anyway or you can get one for much cheaper online on your own. If you test drive a vehicle, turn the radio OFF and politely tell the salesman to be quiet during the drive. ANYTHING but DMV fees and sales taxes can be negotiated! Don't let them tell you otherwise! IF you have to leave the dealership even for fifteen minutes, make sure you get the VIN# (not the stock #; that can be changed) of the vehicle you want/are negotiating on. YES, they DO switch vehicles around on you! It happened to me a long time ago. REFUSE to play the "four square" game (a wizardry of figures on sheet of paper divided into four sections designed to get you in over your head). Oh yes...accessories...find out what you want ahead of time and get prices from independent shops (i.e., car alarm or stereo form a car alarm/stereo shop) and then compare with the value the dealership affixes to those things, which is often WAY more. If your salesman says "Gee, Jim, your offer is so low it's taking food away from my children's mouths!" you respond with : "I'm sorry to hear that but perhaps you should look into getting a job that pays you better." I'm telling you...the vast majority of car salesmen, new or used, amount to nothing much more than slick scam artists and bottom feeders who will stop at nothing to trick you into something you don't want to spend money on. Even the toughest customers get tricked, but not as badly. Car salesmen/women are part of a counterculture that -if you haven't figured it out by now- IS but one part of the reason why our economy is so bad.GOOD LUCK!