Why is buying a car so hard/insulting?

[mfer]

All the games are ridiculous. I really want to tell the salesman, "You know I'm not as dumb as you think I am." The "dealer add's" are ludicrous. The fake trade in values with inflated prices. Dealer saying "Oh that stuff you read on the internet isn't true."

Ok, I understand there is some BS out there, but edmunds, truecar, etc.

At the end of the day, he is agreeing with my price, but it just ticks me off. I don't think I'll buy from him, just b/c it is insulting.

Ok, I feel a little better now.

[swils8610]

I've been running car dealerships for 20+ years. Not all dealerships are like that. If your not comfortable with salesman or figures take your business elsewhere.

[daunwaun]

Originally Posted by swils8610

I've been running car dealerships for 20+ years. Not all dealerships are like that. If your not comfortable with salesman or figures take your business elsewhere.

[Wesley Crusher]

Buying a car doesn't have to be difficult. Your first mistake is walking into the dealership and negotiating with a salesman.

Do your research and know how much you should pay for the car you want. Email the online sales manager of a few dealerships and let them know the car that you want and how much you're willing to pay. If they can meet your price, you will go in and buy it that day.

I told my dad to do that with his last car purchase and it worked. No hassle. I recently gave the same advice to a coworker and it worked great for him, too.

[swils8610]

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

Buying a car doesn't have to be difficult. Your first mistake is walking into the dealership and negotiating with a salesman.

Do your research and know how much you should pay for the car you want. Email the online sales manager of a few dealerships and let them know the car that you want and how much you're willing to pay. If they can meet your price, you will go in and buy it that day.

I told my dad to do that with his last car purchase and it worked. No hassle. I recently gave the same advice to a coworker and it worked great for him, too.

Good advice.

[mfer]

Originally Posted by swils8610

I've been running car dealerships for 20+ years. Not all dealerships are like that. If your not comfortable with salesman or figures take your business elsewhere.

I know you aren't all bad, but this guy was. They said they'd give me "X" for trade in. I was shocked and even said, that is high. Then I said, forget the trade in, I'll just keep it for a third car. His new price was like 1/3 of "X" price. I understand he needs to make money, just be upfront with me. It is insulting to think someone can't do basic math.

[swils8610]

There are some bad dealers out there too. Shop around a bit.

[mfer]

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

Buying a car doesn't have to be difficult. Your first mistake is walking into the dealership and negotiating with a salesman.

Do your research and know how much you should pay for the car you want. Email the online sales manager of a few dealerships and let them know the car that you want and how much you're willing to pay. If they can meet your price, you will go in and buy it that day.

I told my dad to do that with his last car purchase and it worked. No hassle. I recently gave the same advice to a coworker and it worked great for him, too.

Yeah, I'm doing that now. I know what I was willing to pay going in.

[mfer]

I just changed the title of the thread to hard/insulting. I guess I'm more insulted than anything.

[UNLVino]

I have an awesome auto broker - she charges small flat fee, but saves you at least 3x that in time / money savings. PM me I'll give you her contact info if you want.

[swils8610]

You could make it easy and pay sticker and take the low offer on your trade!!! Lol. Kidding of course. Do research on the Internet. Truthfully the Internet has changed the car biz big time in recent years. Invoice cost and dealer kick backs are easy tot look up as is trade value. It's really become a customer service industry. Price being the same its about who will treat you the best. Cheers.

[123Blueface]

Originally Posted by swils8610

You could make it easy and pay sticker and take the low offer on your trade!!! Lol. Kidding of course. Do research on the Internet. Truthfully the Internet has changed the car biz big time in recent years. Invoice cost and dealer kick backs are easy tot look up as is trade value. It's really become a customer service industry. Price being the same its about who will treat you the best. Cheers.

[Brenngun]

Originally Posted by swils8610

I've been running car dealerships for 20+ years. Not all dealerships are like that. If your not comfortable with salesman or figures take your business elsewhere.

Shannon, no offence meant by this but I've been walking into dealerships for 40 years and have yet to find one that make this process easy. I'm convinced that almost all are like this. I understand the process of negotiation and that dealers rely on it to improve their margins as best they can but it would have been nice to have at least one over the years just come back with their best deal on the first attempt.

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

Buying a car doesn't have to be difficult. Your first mistake is walking into the dealership and negotiating with a salesman.

Do your research and know how much you should pay for the car you want. Email the online sales manager of a few dealerships and let them know the car that you want and how much you're willing to pay. If they can meet your price, you will go in and buy it that day.

I told my dad to do that with his last car purchase and it worked. No hassle. I recently gave the same advice to a coworker and it worked great for him, too.

Originally Posted by UNLVino

I have an awesome auto broker - she charges small flat fee, but saves you at least 3x that in time / money savings. PM me I'll give you her contact info if you want.

Both of these 2 suggestions are the way I now do it and they are so much better.

[Dashimmy]

Customer:"What do you think I am, stupid!"

Salesman:"Well, we got to test you first!"

[GB-man]

Have to agree with Wes. Once you walk in the door you open yourself for a world of pain. Bought my last car from a dealership 5 hours away because they were upfront and happily ordered my car at 500 over invoice before incentives.

I once had a salesman tell me, "nobody wants to sell an s5" I said really I thought this was a car dealership and you sold cars for a living

[Headshrinker]

Just be an educated consumer and be willing to walk if you feel you are being mistreated. It is just that simple.

[Knappo 1307]

Remember, they are in business to make money. Ultimately, you have to decide what you are comfortable paying and go with that. That said, all my deals are done over the phone and at my terms or I move on.

[Rock]

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

Do your research and know how much you should pay for the car you want. Email the online sales manager of a few dealerships and let them know the car that you want and how much you're willing to pay.

It's a long time since I bought a new car. I just had a look at a leading dealership here but can't see any suggestion that it's possible to email the Sales Mgr. This option may not be possible here.

Wes, When you say "research", what in particular are you thinking about?
In other words, how do you find out what a reasonable price is.

[allprettythings]

I have bought 3 cars on my own and have never had a problem. With my first RR I did my due diligence went with a hard number and had no problem telling them I would walk if they made the process more difficult then it should be. My dealership is wonderful and they have me as a client for life.

[Gidget]

Last car I bought was at 2% under invoice and the dealership still made a $800 profit. I also do my car buying online if I don't have a relationship with a dealership.

[texex91]

I never show my face in a dealership--everything handled on the phone. Just like my watches. Ship them to your house and FedEx paperwork.

Call sales manger directly.

Tell him you want to get to the price and get it done today.

Get your price then tell him a trade if you have it. And get it done.

If not, hang up and call the next one.

NEVER waste your time with floor guys, they have zero stroke and you're on their turf.

Phone is your friend.

I buy $50k to $300k cars 3-5 times a year without ever stepping foot in dealership. No need to. Plenty of info on internet and plenty of dealers all across the US. Find one, have it shipped to your house and cut the crap and game playing.

Simple.

Go get'em.

[wantonebad]

Wesley is 1000% correct!! That is the play, and advice to the contrary is superfluous and counter productive. Shannon I think we've talked about this before, no matter how civil or polite a dealership maybe at first the whole process whether you are willing to admit it or not is setup to waste customers time, frustrate them, force a rash decision, period! That's the system, and it's really not defensible IMHO.

[sickened1]

Originally Posted by Wesley Crusher

Do your research and know how much you should pay for the car you want. Email the online sales manager of a few dealerships and let them know the car that you want and how much you're willing to pay. If they can meet your price, you will go in and buy it that day.

Yup, did that for the past 2 purchases. One in 2009 for my wife's car and then again, in 2013 for my car (both Honda). Never the same salesperson though. For some reason, their turnover rate is pretty high for salesperson at this particular dealership. We'll do the same thing again next time when it's time for an upgrade.

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by sickened1

Yup, did that for the past 2 purchases. One in 2009 for my wife's car and then again, in 2013 for my car (both Honda). Never the same salesperson though. For some reason, their turnover rate is pretty high for salesperson at this particular dealership. We'll do the same thing again next time when it's time for an upgrade.

Often around here sales-teams move from dealership to dealership depending on their effectiveness/worn-out-welcome. Plus sales is a zero-sum game you make your numbers or you move on.

[swils8610]

No offense taken!! Dealers aren't there to waste anyone's time...we would rather get it done quickly and move on the the client. It really is quite simple though. The car has an MSRP. We have a cost including any holdback or kickbacks if you will from the manufacturer. We want as close to sticker of course and the customer wants as close to cost if you will. Same goes for the trade. We want it as cheap as possible and the client wants the most for it as possible. It's all a negation. In the end it's a bunch of people going to work everyday to pay the bills and get ahead. Same as any other industry really. Cheers.

[swils8610]

Sales staff can be hard to retain. It's long hours with weekends and nights. Some do tend to bounce around a lot. We try to avoid hiring those guys. Contrary to what everyone believes most sales people don't make great money. We always say that 20% of the sales staff make 80% of the money and 80% of the sales staff make 20% percent of the money. Profit is also not a 4 letter word! Our Rolex Ad's make a profit, our trusted sellers here make a profit as do supermarkets, doctors, lawyers etc.

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by swils8610

No offense taken!! Dealers aren't there to waste anyone's time...we would rather get it done quickly and move on the the client. It really is quite simple though. The car has an MSRP. We have a cost including any holdback or kickbacks if you will from the manufacturer. We want as close to sticker of course and the customer wants as close to cost if you will. Same goes for the trade. We want it as cheap as possible and the client wants the most for it as possible. It's all a negation. In the end it's a bunch of people going to work everyday to pay the bills and get ahead. Same as any other industry really. Cheers.

Agreed, but you have the advantage over 95% of your customers, those that fight for a better price get stalled and played with or misdirected. Dealerships reach into customers pockets far more often then the other way around. Your even playing field speech about negotiations sounds good but is a bit disingenuous, Sorry I mean no disrespect I just HATE the system and process with a passion that burns a thousand suns!!!!

[swils8610]

No disrespect taken! We def have the advantage. We are trained in negotiating and do it hundreds of times a month and thousands of times a year. Not trying to disingenuous at all but it really can be a simple process. Research as much online as you can...we actually that do the same thing. In the end if your not comfortable walk away from the dealer.

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by swils8610

No disrespect taken! We def have the advantage. We are trained in negotiating and do it hundreds of times a month and thousands of times a year. Not trying to disingenuous at all but it really can be a simple process. Research as much online as you can...we actually that do the same thing. In the end if your not comfortable walk away from the dealer.

Again agreed! I appreciate the civil discourse, the truth is that anyone that doesn't do their homework, doesn't have the resolve to get to their price is going to pay too much! You WILL have to walk to get it, and often walk more than once. That's just what it takes, and it is time consuming, but if you get your price, time well spent.

Transparent car-buying, for some reason it will never be a reality and no one can answer me why?

[swils8610]

I actually agree on the transparency in car buying. It would make it easier and more friendly for the consumer and dealer. I'm not sure how to accomplish it though. Oldsmobile, Saturn and Scion have all tried that and failed. It was one price set by the manufacturer with no discounts allowed. We had a dealer group in our area that went to a one price concept. All the vehicles were discounted and they negotiate at all. In the end it didn't work for them but was great for us!