The dreaded time has come - to deal with car salesmen. Any suggestions on how to not get taken?

Question

I think my husband and I are relatively smart people. We did our homework, knew what we wanted, bargained and were happy. We bought a 25k used car from he**. We were told it had been through a 150 pt inspection - lie. And - we put about 3k into the first 6 weeks we had it. We also lacked knowledge in the final paperwork portion of the sale. There was so much extra crap they tried to sell us and we really were unsure of what was necessary and what was not. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I know not all salesman are like the joker we were hooked up with but he has ruined us to trusting again. Thank you in advance.

Answer 1

My advice is to go to a smaller dealership in your hometown if possible. Or if you're from a bigger city, ask around.

Generally, smaller dealerships want you to be happy because they need your return business. Large dealerships sell in quantity and don't much care if you ever come back.

Go to a place that is service built... you'll be glad you did.

Answer 2

I have been through the same nonsense. Car sales is a racket. Firstly, I suggest doing your shopping. Visit dealerships and check out the cars. I do this and when the sharks approach I just ask questions. I refuse to give any personal information. I am there to visually inspect the vehicle. No test drives, no sitting for endless minutes at some dirty shared desk. Do your homework on line. Check out reviews, owner comments, and pricing data. If your serious about a vehicle, buy a title history report. They are inexpensive and can reveal a lot about the vehicle your planning to buy. In some cases an extended warranty is wise. You do not have to purchase this through the dealership. Have the price you are willing to pay in mind before you enter the dealership. If possible, obtain financing through a bank and not the dealership. This avoids a lot of painful negotiation. As you have learned, the salesman is only the first negotiation. You must also haggle past the finance manager and his interest rate is negotiable. Dealers may attempt to add points to the contract so they can make a profit on the "back end". There are a few good article on the net related to purchasing a vehicle. If you know how they operate behind the sales managers desk you can make a more effective negotiation.

Now my personal favorites. My wife and I play the old good cop bad cop routine. We like a car and are haggling price but we pretend to argue over the vehicle. I like it and she doesn't or I am willing to pay and she isn't. Remember the salesman wants a commission more than you need the car (hes not the only guy on the block with cars to sell). Be willing to walk away from the deal at any time if you are not satisfied. I have walked out of the finance manager office for being pushy and not offering acceptable interest rates. They freak out when you walk away. Expect a phone call and a better offer every time. I love this one.

Answer 3

Sounds like you covered the basics pretty well except for a few things. Trust in a salesperson has to be earned...many are just looking for how much money they can make and take no interest after the sale. You may want to ask to only deal with the top salesman in the dealership as they are the ones that have built up a customer base from good, honest relationships...but not always. Car sales people and managers deal with issues all day long and in a variety of settings...you maybe do it once every few years so they have the advantage of experience....it's good to a have a firm idea of what you want and what price you are willing to spend. Any used vehicle should be well inspected by a mechanic you trust BEFORE buying it..if the dealer balks at this, go somewhere else. Try to find your own financing at your bank or credit union to eliminate any games the dealer may play with financing. Your own bank or CU will treat you as a customer more than a dealer who wants to make a profit off your financing deal as well. Never buy any add-ons like rustproofing, paint shield or fabric guard...they are just another way for a dealer to get additional profit at little expense...you are basically paying for the warranty. Check around for pricing on various add-ons like extended warranty and be prepared for what is reasonable. Bear in mind that you are the one with the money, you are in control of the final outcome.

Answer 4

It's unfortunate that you had such a bad experience that made you feel like this, it hurts the entire industry. Most of the time, the type of car determines the type of salesperson. For instance, if you go to a BMW or Benz dealer, you'll find the most laid back, professional sales people around. They won't pressure you, and help you rather than sell you. If you are shopping dodge, Chevy, Toyota, Nissan (especially), expect high pressure, buy now tactics. Best bet is to ask friends who had a good experience to not only recommend a dealer, but more importantly the sales person. The sales person has more to do with the deal than the dealer, he knows the ins and outs and can steer the deal in a good direction.

Someone mentioned buying from a non local dealer. Remember, the guy that made money off of you is more likely to help you if you have a problem. Salesman can do a lot more than just sell cars, pick the right one, locally, if at all possible.
if you have any specific questions, or need to be referred to a NY dealer, email me.

Answer 5

First of all I always check with a bank and find out what the loan value is on a car and then I try and get the price lowered to that amount.

Also see if the dealership will let you take it on a long test drive...then take it to another dealership or mechanic and have it inspected. Hopefully there is a mechanic you have used in the past that you trust that can look it over for you. It may cost you a couple hundred but well worth it in the long run.

Answer 6

It's good that you did your research last time, you need to every time. Have an idea of what you want, exactly what you want and what accessories you want with it. Check the bluebook value and know the price of the car. Don't get intimidated and be stern on your price. If it's a new car, it may be a little tougher to bargain down, but don't be afraid to offer him the lowest possible price. Dealers really screw you on the payment plan, most take the dealer reserve - extra percentage on your loan that will go into their pocket. Also, if you're spending 25k, perhaps you should buy a new car.

Answer 7

First off, before you make any hardcore decisions, shop sales people. Find one that you feel comfortable with. If you don't like one at one dealership, ask for someone different... you are the reason their business is still running, you get what you want. Find someone you don't mind them making some money off of you.

Second, I will disagree with other posts that say you should go to a smaller dealership. That's not true... they are actually more likely not to check out the cars like they say they will, and more likely to jack up the price outrageously. A bigger dealership generally will perform the same inspection on each and every vehicle, as a requirement.

Third, be informed. Research the price range of vehicle you are looking for. Go to Google and search Used Car Guide, or go to Kelly Blue Book (www.kbb.com), or to NADA Used Car Guide (www.nada.com)..... Research everything.... know what you can spend, and then know what these cars are worth. I would also tell you, that if you want a better chance at getting a good reliable vehicle, stick with names like Toyota, Honda, Pontiac... These corporations have WAY better track records than GM and/or Ford and such things. Don't be sucked in by the crazy good warranties that they offer... cause an outrageously good warranty, like that offered by GM, usually means you'll just have to use it more.

(Oh, and if they offer you what is known as GAP insurance... thats a good thing to have.... in the event of a total loss of your vehicle, GAP covers money that you still owe on the vehicle.... but I don't remember all the particulars of that, so make sure to get specifics before buying.)

Lastly.... TEST DRIVE THE CAR!! IF you are able to take the car out alone or overnight or anything.... Take it to a mechanic you trust or someone who knows cars... let them drive it. Let them listen to it! I cannot stress this enough. If you know little about cars, there is no better way to see if you'll be getting what you are paying for. Get every little bit of information on that car that you can before you sign anything.

Don't give into their initial numbers. They can always go lower.

Answer 8

Actually, the best thing to do is to bring a male with you. Preferably a big deep-voiced aggressive looking mechanic. It may seem dumb but psychologically it works. A salesmans job is to sell the product any way possible. They will try to take advantage of a woman or a man that looks weak and looks like he lacks knowledge of the product. Be firm and confident. If you bring a big guy like I described, they will lie less fearing a beating, especially if the guy yells at him for doing something wrong. If its a mechanic you shall be fine. You said you did your homework so I wouldn't worry much. Just stick with your judgement and dont buy something if you really dont want to, and make that clear. ask to see ALL of the paperwork, and if they wont show you, dont buy from them. If they say they put it through a 150 pt inspection, ask to see some papers on the results (this is where the mechanic will come in handy) usually everyone knows a mechanic.. like a cousin or friend or whatever. Ask to see the warranty and so forth. Read ALL of the fine print. Do not get friendly with the salesman or he will think you let your guard down.. Speak to him as if hes your enemy. Be firm. If its a used car and he says that he can do this and that to it to fix it up more dont do it unless the mechanic says so. They will try to do stuff you dont even need at all. Like an oil change even though they just did one. And 60% of the fine will be for "labor". You say "I know not all salesman are like the joker we were hooked up with..." BUT THEY ARE! thats their job. To try to force you to buy the most expensive thing they can get you to. Thats how they get their money. They money they make depends on how many cars they sell and the prices. also, the FIRST thing you should do is ASK THE SALESMAN'S NAME. Dont say "oh, Hello, nice to meet you! have a nice day?". Say "Hello, Whats your name?" Bring a notebook and pen, write it down. Write the prices/models down, all of the big points he makes.They dont care about you. They probably wont see you again and if you are unhappy after you bought the car they dont have to deal with it. The company does. Thats why you write down his/her name. To show that you mean business. And if you are unhappy you can tell the company the name if the salesman. When he sees you write down his name he will think any major lie can cost him his job. Even though the company trains him to lie, they will fire him to make it seem like the company is honest. The companies aren't completely honest either. Im not saying if you buy a car from toyota and it goes wrong and they lie to you that "toyota" is lying and all of that. The business that sells the toyotas are lying. They make money selling cars, just like the salesmen. They just hire workers to sell it for them and give them some of the money.
good luck.

Answer 9

I think the key is having a good idea of what you want and how much you are willing to spend on it. Then I would either buy an extended warranty to cover needed repairs or have it checked out before I buy it because of course the salesman will tell you its in great shape. I personally think high priced used cars are ripoffs and I would either buy an inexpensive new car with good warranty and good gas mileage or buy a cheap old used car and be prepared to spend some money fixing it up. I hope my rambling is somehow helpful.

Answer 10

Just show her the car and ask her if she'd like to get in it to see if it is comfortable for her. She'll know when she sees it or tries to get in it if it will work for her. The worst that can happen is she would want to see a larger, more appropriate car. In the world of political correctness, don't bring up the subject of weight EVER to a customer. An obese person knows more than anyone that they are overweight and doesn't need it pointed out to them in any way.

Answer 11

Have your husband piss you off and vice versa before you go in to negotiate. It will put you in the right frame of mind.
Never become friendly with them even after the deal is done.
Treat them like they should be. They the enemy of your bank account.
Don't be intimidated by the suit and tie. They are bottom feeders.
Know your business before you go inside.
Don't be afraid to leave at any point. This is a business transaction.
Bring a calculator, paper and a pen. Write down your offer on your paper and give it to them.
Get what you want or walk.
When the manager shows up, which he will to lay an additonial layer of baloney on you, treat him the same way as the other guy.
Don't let them double talk the financials.
Buy the car and nothing else unless you negoitate it free of charge to you.
If you are buying used get a warranty for at least a month if it is not on the original manufacturers warranty still.