You Need To Use Dealers In
Order To Test Drive Vehicles - There's no
substitute for going to dealerships for a hands-on evaluation of the cars on
your list. Unfortunately many shoppers hesitate: a recent Yahoo poll found that
17% of new car buyers never took a test drive. If you bypass this important
step, you'll be making your decision without vital information about each
vehicle's comfort, handling, and safety.
Different Dealers Offer
Varied Experiences - Why do most of us
feel uncomfortable when we first visit a car dealer? Usually we are unprepared
and fearful of paying too much or being coerced into buying something we don't
want. To counter this common apprehension, automakers are trying harder to make
car-buying a pleasant experience. Manufacturers now issue consumer relations
guidelines that dealers are supposed to follow. Even so, you will be treated
differently at every place you visit. The selling style and buying experience at
different dealerships depends on the personality of the owner. Owners interested
in quick profits are most likely to employ a high-pressure sales staff.
Laid-back sales staff indicates an owner interested in good customer relations,
and the profitable referrals good relations bring. Talking with your
salesperson, you'll get a feeling for the dealership's personality and will
quickly find out if you need to go elsewhere. When you enter the dealership,
look like you're ready to do business. Be polite and feel confident in your
preparation and knowledge. Go to another dealer if you feel you're being
mistreated. Remember you are in charge of the process.
Choose a Good Dealer
- Choose a
dealership with as much attention as you choose your vehicle. Establishing a
firm relationship with the dealer can be important later on. Vehicles bought and
serviced at the same dealer are always given a service priority when problems
arise. Free loaners may be offered to good customers, while rental cars may be
the only option for not-so-good customers. You may regret a decision to purchase
a vehicle from a discount dealership 400 miles from home. Your hometown
dealer will figure it out the first time you try to service it with them. And
don't expect VIP warranty service from your foster dealership; that's reserved
for their customers.
JD
Power - JD Power
is a
California-based customer research firm specializing in customer satisfaction
surveys. Each year they send out questionnaires to thousands of new vehicle
buyers, asking about all aspects of their buying experience. The resulting
reports rank vehicles and dealerships (by manufacturer, not by individual
dealership) in satisfaction with the vehicle, dealership, sales experience,
financing, leasing, dealer's service department, and personnel. Even though they
may represent the same automaker, no two dealerships will treat you the same, as
each is independently owned and operated. Still, some generalizations emerge:
Lexus dealers consistently score at the top of JD Power customer satisfaction
surveys, while their parent company Toyota's dealerships are regularly at the
bottom.
Dealing with Salespeople
- To find a nice
salesperson, try entering the dealership through the service department. Nice
salespeople tend to be friendly with fellow employees, so walk up to the counter
and ask an employee who their favorite sales representative is. They'll be happy
to steer you in the right direction. Many salespeople are likable people who
enjoy helping auto buyers. Remember their job is to make a sale, so don't fault
them for persistence. But don't let yourself get roped into a purchase during
the beginning of your search.
Qualifying - The Goal Of a
Good Salesperson - As a smart car
shopper, you take your time. You look at many different makes and models to
arrive at a buying decision based on careful analysis and research. This
approach puts you at odds with the salespeople's goal of qualifying. A
salesperson aims to discern ("qualify"), and then spend time with, the potential
buyers who will make the fastest, most profitable sale. Salespeople are taught
to qualify customers within the time it takes to eat a donut. They are looking
for eager uneducated buyers, desperate to buy the first thing they set eyes on.
An eager buyer is a poor negotiator and usually ends up paying substantially
more than a smart analytical buyer. Since most salespeople are on commission,
they make more money if you pay more money. Their goal is to sell you any
vehicle in stock, at the highest possible price. Your goal is to get the best
vehicle you can find at the lowest possible price.
Buying Today - A successful salesperson concentrates on "buying today." Dealers are convinced that if you don't buy today, they'll never see you again. They stay up nights worrying that customers will go to another dealer and buy from someone more aggressive. You can count on a good salesperson to ask you, "What can I do to put you in this car today?" or the infamous "If I can put you in this car for $199 a month would you buy it today?" Short-sightedly, many salespeople are not terribly concerned about building a relationship with you. If they can sell you a vehicle today, you won't have the chance to buy it tomorrow from another dealer. This misplaced priority will show up in their CSI's. In the meantime, keep your own focus clearly on your own goals.