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Visiting the Car
Dealership |
| Walking onto a dealership lot can be an overwhelming
experience. But before you go to the frontline, read about what you
need to do at the dealership to ensure a sound car buying experience. |
Whether it's the big inflated gorilla on the roof, the overly-passionate
dealer bombarding you with facts and figures as you're getting out
of your car, or the visions of the cheesy sales guy with the dated
polyester suit and cheap gold chains, visiting a car dealership can
be an intimidating and unpleasant experience. But it doesn't have
to be that way. It's natural to be on the defensive, but that is simply
a result of the buyer being uneducated to the car buying process.
But there are things you can do to help ease the pressure and pain
of the process. By preparing yourself for the influx of numbers, options,
offers and incentives that'll be slid to you across the dealer's desk,
you can make buying a car a less stressful and sometimes enjoyable
experience.
But always remember that you are in control. You have the last word.
Too often, potential car buyers fear they will be pressured into buying
a car they really don't want, or that a shifty dealer will rip them
off. This doesn't have to be the case. If you don't like what the
dealer is offering, or if the dealer and/or sales manager flatly deny
your counter-offer, or if at any time you feel uncomfortable or pressured,
you can walk. Unless you've signed the deal, you can always walk out
of a dealer's office. There are, however specific things you'll want
to remember to make the experience as painless as possible:
Look
like a buyer
This is a two-parter. First of all, when you go to visit the dealership,
you'll want to convey an image of a potential buyer, not a browser.
To do this, you'll want to leave the paperwork at home, for now. It's
all right to carry a small pad and pen to take notes, but if you carry
a folder filled with reviews, worksheets and facts, you'll be labeled
a shopper and treated as such. Furthermore, don't be completely lost
without your research material. You want to put across a familiarity
and understanding of the car or cars in question. If you take a test
drive, don't talk about money. Leave the negotiations for another
day.
Also, you'll want to dress like a car buyer. This sounds silly, but
your attire is important. Years ago when I worked at a dealership,
a man walked onto the lot in a t-shirt and flip-flops, his face unshaven
and hidden behind sunglasses. He wasn't approached by a dealer. He
ended up going directly to the sales manager and bought a new car
that day, writing a check for the full price. This was a rare instance.
Dealers judge how you look to determine how much money you may have
and how serious a buyer you are. So dressing like you're headed for
the beach might lead to you not being looked at as a serious buyer.
Conversely, if you dress up in your best suit and look like John or
Jane Q. Moneybags, your dealer will likely assume you don't need a
bargain and won't dicker much. Dress like it's dress-down Friday at
work, or like you're going to a semi-casual job interview. In other
words, don't overdress and don't underdress.
Have
the time to browse
Make sure you allot yourself enough time to spend at the dealership,
a good two to three hours per dealer. The reason for this is that
you have to give yourself time to look at the particular car or cars.
Ask questions, ask for demonstrations, ask for a test drive. You'll
want to see everything inside and outside of the car, so it's best
to go during the daytime. It's also a good idea to leave the kids
behind. I know that when I was a kid, three hours at a dealership
was torture. When kids are bored they get into mischief, which can
distract you from the task at hand. Dealers know this and may take
advantage of this.
Take
the time to ask questions
Since you're giving yourself time to spend at the dealership, use
it to get as much information as you can about the car. Find out about
features like engine size, transmission speeds and fuel economy. Ask
about the engines performance features like horsepower and torque.
Ask what comes standard and what is optional. Ask the dealer to compare
a particular vehicle to a different model by the same manufacturer,
or a model in the same class manufactured by a different maker. Ask
about the safety features. Just be the curious car buyer.
Don't
sign for a credit check
Don't think you're the only one who is going to ask questions. Be
ready for the salesperson to ask you a question or two about your
financial situation. It's all right for you to disclose a bit of your
financial information with the dealer, but don't give out too much
just yet. It may be at this point that the dealer will ask you to
sign a release form that allows them to run a credit check. Do not
sign the release until you have decided on a specific car and a specific
dealer. In other words, don't let the dealer check your credit until
you are ready to buy. If you allow other dealers to check your credit,
these credit checks will appear on your credit report, which looks
bad. Too many credit checks on your credit history makes you look
like a risk. So wait until you're ready to negotiate.
Make
sure the dealer demonstrates everything on the car
Get demonstrations on the interior features, everything from the power
seats, mirrors and windows to the fuel door release lever and hood
release. Take a look under the hood. Have the dealer point out where
to check the oil, fill the window washer and check the coolant. Also,
take a look at the paint job. Look at it from different angles to
see if there are swirls in the paint, indicating a poor paint job.
Check the bumpers and trim. Make sure nothing is loose or improperly
fastened to the car. By asking to see the features, you'll find out
not only which come standard and which are optional, but also which
are important to you and which aren't.
Test Drive
You may love the body style. You may love the color. You may even
love the name. But the only way you'll be able to tell you like the
car is if you take it for a test drive.
First you'll want to look at the mileage on the vehicle. The average
test drive lasts around 10 miles. The average car arrived at the lot
with anywhere between 2 to 18 miles on it. Therefore if the car has
over 400 miles, that means it's probably been on 40 test drives, and
has been on the lot for a long time. You'll want to find a "younger"
car.
Next check out how the car drives. Take it to the highway and examine
how the car accelerates, shifts and decelerates. Check the car's ability
to brake at higher speeds, test it's steering capabilities and how
it handles. You need to get an idea of how the car performs and feels
to really gauge that it's the right car for you.
Also take into consideration the comforts and amenities. Is the seat
comfortable, or is it stiff and bothersome? Is it quiet, or does the
engine make a loud noise at high speeds and the wind cause whistling
or other air-deflection noises? How is the vision, from both the mirrors
and the driver's seat? Are the instruments easy to see and readable?
Does the air conditioning satisfy, and are the controls easy to access?
Is there a cup holder readily available? Some of these things may
seem trivial to you, but some may be important. Take everything into
account.
The trip to the dealership can be a trying experience, especially
for the uninformed and inexperienced. Just remember that you are in
control. No one can make you buy something you don't want. They may
try to sell you before you're ready, but the bottom line is you have
the final say. Be confident, patient, calm and direct, and you'll
better your chances of getting the deal and the car of your dreams. |
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