Car dealership horror stories

[grampahol]

(11-17-2019, 05:11 PM)George Cantstandya Wrote: Overall I don't think all car dealers are all scum bags.  They are just trying to use every trick in the book to sell their cars for as much as possible. It's just business and they know all the buttons to push to maximize profits.  It isn't like car dealers are alone in that.  They know a lot of people just want to get the buying process over with or are making impulse decisions and use that to their advantage.  Their worst enemy is the educated consumer who is in no hurry and is willing to walk away.    

My tips for buying a car:

1.  Wait until the last quarter of the year and or the last week of the month.  That is when dealers are trying to meet their sales goals.

2.  Do a ton of research on the value of the car you want and walk in to the dealership knowing the max you are willing to pay based on that research.  The Internet is such a valuable tool when car shopping.  Take that research with you, Blue Book value, Carfax info etc.  Dealers are banking on consumers coming in blind with no idea of the true value of the cars they are selling.  Their bread and butter is the consumer that shows up and just wants that car no matter what.  (That's also how they suck a lot of people into shitty financing with high interest rates.  So knowing your true credit availability and options is another important factor if you need financing).

3.  If given the time go to dealerships that have a car similar to the one you want or even not the same model car at all but in the same price range and get an offer.  If the offer is close to the car you want even though you have no real interest in buying that car, take that offer to the dealer that has the car you want.  Give them, "Here is what the other dealer offered on another car I'm looking at."  Yes many dealers are used to smart consumers but it is still surprisingly effective.

4.  This is the biggest one. Be ready to walk away no matter how interested you are in the car.  Car dealers make a ton of money based on impulse and emotion.  Sure, maybe you fell in love with the car and really, really, really want it.  But that is what they are counting on.  If they can't match your offer then be willing to walk away instead of getting into the haggling thing where they come back with "I talked it over with the manager and the best we can do is take another $500 off."  If the counter offer doesn't meet your educated expectations (see above) and you are still serious about the car tell them no thanks and to contact you if they change their mind and then leave.  Thank them for their time and just walk away.  In my experience this is very effective.

Last year my mom needed to buy a car and asked me to help her do the shopping.  We found the one she wanted, went through the whole "have to talk to the manager thing".  The dealer came back with a "final offer, best we can do," around $1,500 over what I thought she should pay.  I told him no thanks and we will look around.  No kidding, as we were driving out of the lot I saw him in the rear view mirror running after us waving his arms to get is to stop. At first I thought there was some kind of emergency and that was why he was flagging us down.  We stopped and suddenly our offer was fair and they decided to take it.

Cars are not high volume items when it comes to sales and cars of most every model are not rare or hard to find.  In most cases there are not going to be several people looking to buy the exact same car on the lot which gives the advantage to the consumer if they understand that. That car will most likely be sitting on the lot the next day.  If not, and someone else buys it, guess what there is probably another one just like it for sale in your area. So the consumer can get a better deal if they are willing to be patient, not give in to "I need/want this" emotion, and do their research.

Unless you JUST won the states biggest lottery drawing of the past 50 years be prepared to get screwed..  Lol