6 Car Salesman Secrets To Know Before You Buy A Car

[GwinnettNole]

https://www.urbo.com/content/car-salesman-secrets-to-know-before-you-buy-a-car/

Just wondering what the LR take on this is. I'm reading the comments on the FB page of this story and its shredding car salesman.

 

[LesClaypool]

 

[OrlandNole]

None of these are "secrets" and are pretty much common knowledge. The verdict: Clickbait.

 

[Random_John]

I sense the consumer hates the length of time of a sale than the sale itself.
They'd prefer things to be like Wal-Mart and have self check out. However, that isn't how financing works and like being stuck in a digital queue waiting on someone at Comcast people just want to talk to a person.

 

[mcgrawfsu]

When we bought my wife's Honda we went in, found the car we wanted in 5 minutes, handed the salesman my card and told him to call me to work a deal. 2 emails back and forth and we were in and out with the keys in less than 30 minutes. He took everything he needed and had it prepped so all we had to do was go in and sign.

When I bought my Cadillac, I had to go back twice to get the deal done on the car. Not because of negotiating, but their lack of follow up. Then, I was there for 4 hours (paperwork only took 45 minutes) while they "prepped" the vehicle.

 

[QuaZ2002]

When we bought my wife's Honda we went in, found the car we wanted in 5 minutes, handed the salesman my card and told him to call me to work a deal. 2 emails back and forth and we were in and out with the keys in less than 30 minutes. He took everything he needed and had it prepped so all we had to do was go in and sign.

When I bought my Cadillac, I had to go back twice to get the deal done on the car. Not because of negotiating, but their lack of follow up. Then, I was there for 4 hours (paperwork only took 45 minutes) while they "prepped" the vehicle.

This was my most recent experience. I knew what I wanted, and the price I wanted it for. They had to ship it in from another dealer and then it was a matter of a couple texts/emails on price and a couple upgrades and I was done. I think I spent a total of a hour in the actual dealership.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Pretty sure the dealers always make money. You guys probably left money on the table doing the speedy approach but as long as you're happy that's what counts. Time can be more valuable than spending hours haggling over the last $1,500. That's what the whole no-haggle pricing model is based on, after all.

 

[mcgrawfsu]

Pretty sure the dealers always make money. You guys probably left money on the table doing the speedy approach but as long as you're happy that's what counts. Time can be more valuable than spending hours haggling over the last $1,500. That's what the whole no-haggle pricing model is based on, after all.

Dealerships are there to make money. In both of my recent purchases their first offer (well I guess second after I asked them to do better) were lower than what I was looking for. And the trade ins were both at or above what we were hoping to get.

Car dealers know they need to improve the car buying experience. There is too much competition with the Internet and it really isn't a secret anymore on the profit margins. They are making their money on the financing and the service departments.

 

[kc78]

I don't mind a bit of haggle and I don't mind having to work through a bit of salesmanship, trying to upsell you, etc... What I can't stand is outright dishonesty.

There was a car a few years back I had seen online with a price I was willing to be near. The salesman kept saying the price I wanted wasn't even possible. I knew that the car was listed online at only 1000 more than what I was offering and so at most I'd have to come up to the 1000 except they wouldn't take that either. I told the guy that it was online at a different price than they were saying so he said let's go back to his desk and look. As I walked over, I pulled it up on my phone. He walks back to talk to his manager while we sit at his desk and I start telling my wife how I've got the car pulled up on the phone with the price I'm willing to pay.

He comes back and pulls up the site on his computer which shows a different price than my phone, so I turn my phone to show him that this is what they've advertised and the most I'm willing to pay. He says "I have some bad eyesight" and asks to hold my phone where he (accidentally) closes the browser. When I open it back up, lo and behold the price has changed from what it just was. I cursed the salesman out and walked out saying I'd never shop at an unethical dealership again.

Sure enough I get back to my office an hour or so later and pull the car up and it's once again listed at the lower price. I open my phone which still has the higher price listed, click refresh, and it changes back to the lower price. I'm absolutely certain that they went back to their office and changed the price online while I was there and then changed it back later.

 

[nynole1]

I bought my last three vehicles via email. Put together a list of about 15 dealers I was willing to drive to, composed an email detailing exactly what I wanted in the vehicle(as well as the terms), and let the bidding begin. I never spoke to anyone at the dealer until I walked into sign the paperwork.

 

[GwinnettNole]

I don't mind a bit of haggle and I don't mind having to work through a bit of salesmanship, trying to upsell you, etc... What I can't stand is outright dishonesty.

There was a car a few years back I had seen online with a price I was willing to be near. The salesman kept saying the price I wanted wasn't even possible. I knew that the car was listed online at only 1000 more than what I was offering and so at most I'd have to come up to the 1000 except they wouldn't take that either. I told the guy that it was online at a different price than they were saying so he said let's go back to his desk and look. As I walked over, I pulled it up on my phone. He walks back to talk to his manager while we sit at his desk and I start telling my wife how I've got the car pulled up on the phone with the price I'm willing to pay.

He comes back and pulls up the site on his computer which shows a different price than my phone, so I turn my phone to show him that this is what they've advertised and the most I'm willing to pay. He says "I have some bad eyesight" and asks to hold my phone where he (accidentally) closes the browser. When I open it back up, lo and behold the price has changed from what it just was. I cursed the salesman out and walked out saying I'd never shop at an unethical dealership again.

Sure enough I get back to my office an hour or so later and pull the car up and it's once again listed at the lower price. I open my phone which still has the higher price listed, click refresh, and it changes back to the lower price. I'm absolutely certain that they went back to their office and changed the price online while I was there and then changed it back later.

Brutal....

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

I don't mind a bit of haggle and I don't mind having to work through a bit of salesmanship, trying to upsell you, etc... What I can't stand is outright dishonesty.

There was a car a few years back I had seen online with a price I was willing to be near. The salesman kept saying the price I wanted wasn't even possible. I knew that the car was listed online at only 1000 more than what I was offering and so at most I'd have to come up to the 1000 except they wouldn't take that either. I told the guy that it was online at a different price than they were saying so he said let's go back to his desk and look. As I walked over, I pulled it up on my phone. He walks back to talk to his manager while we sit at his desk and I start telling my wife how I've got the car pulled up on the phone with the price I'm willing to pay.

He comes back and pulls up the site on his computer which shows a different price than my phone, so I turn my phone to show him that this is what they've advertised and the most I'm willing to pay. He says "I have some bad eyesight" and asks to hold my phone where he (accidentally) closes the browser. When I open it back up, lo and behold the price has changed from what it just was. I cursed the salesman out and walked out saying I'd never shop at an unethical dealership again.

Sure enough I get back to my office an hour or so later and pull the car up and it's once again listed at the lower price. I open my phone which still has the higher price listed, click refresh, and it changes back to the lower price. I'm absolutely certain that they went back to their office and changed the price online while I was there and then changed it back later.

Yah, but that was for the TruCoat, see...

 

[cfbfan23]

When I bought my Cadillac, I had to go back twice to get the deal done on the car.

That's a humblebrag in The Villages.

 

[RunRonnieRun]

Generous use of "secrets"

 

[TexSkills]

I bought my last car with 2 emails and a 10 minute back and forth at the dealership. I had an email in hand from another dealership for a similar car that I used as leverage. Worked well for me.

 

[ericram]

I don't mind a bit of haggle and I don't mind having to work through a bit of salesmanship, trying to upsell you, etc... What I can't stand is outright dishonesty.

There was a car a few years back I had seen online with a price I was willing to be near. The salesman kept saying the price I wanted wasn't even possible. I knew that the car was listed online at only 1000 more than what I was offering and so at most I'd have to come up to the 1000 except they wouldn't take that either. I told the guy that it was online at a different price than they were saying so he said let's go back to his desk and look. As I walked over, I pulled it up on my phone. He walks back to talk to his manager while we sit at his desk and I start telling my wife how I've got the car pulled up on the phone with the price I'm willing to pay.

He comes back and pulls up the site on his computer which shows a different price than my phone, so I turn my phone to show him that this is what they've advertised and the most I'm willing to pay. He says "I have some bad eyesight" and asks to hold my phone where he (accidentally) closes the browser. When I open it back up, lo and behold the price has changed from what it just was. I cursed the salesman out and walked out saying I'd never shop at an unethical dealership again.

Sure enough I get back to my office an hour or so later and pull the car up and it's once again listed at the lower price. I open my phone which still has the higher price listed, click refresh, and it changes back to the lower price. I'm absolutely certain that they went back to their office and changed the price online while I was there and then changed it back later.

sounds like someone needs to expose these shenanigans on some social media platform.

 

[squiffynole]

I recently had the local Toyota dealer play me for a sucker.

I researched sales prices, I used their internet portal which promised a guaranteed price, after an hour I am offered a car at $4,000 over the prevailing price. I laughed and headed to Thomasville and got a much better deal.

 

[FSUdawg]

Costco Auto Program

Easiest and fastest experience I have ever had buying a new car.

 

[seminole97]

Costco Auto Program

Easiest and fastest experience I have ever had buying a new car.

Yeah, but what’d you do with the other five you had to purchase with it?

 

[LLOYD72]

I have used a leasing company for 25 years. I buy one of my cars and lease the other. - change cars every 3/4 years. I find what I want, do a little work on the internet, then meet or call. They get the car, at the best price, have any aftermarket options added and deliver it. It works for me