Anyone who is in sales for a living is most likely working off of commission. That means the more they sell, the more they make. This concept is on strong display at a car dealership. The salespeople working the car showroom floor will seem like a friendly lot and for the most part, they are. They are also up against making sales quotas that will land them bonuses. The process of buying a car has shifted in the last few years. Now, prospective buyers are coming into dealerships armed with their research. That’s a good thing for the buyer and might hamstring the dealer but they always have a few more tricks up their sleeve.
When Buying A Car, These Are The Tricks That You’ll Want To Look Out For:
Getting You To Switch To An Expensive Car
If you go into a dealership without any idea of the car that you want to buy, then you’re just asking for trouble. Doing online research can help you narrow down the make and model of the car that you’re looking for but be sure it meets your needs. Is your focus on carpooling kids? Long commutes? Fuel economy? Trunk space? That should help you lock into the car that meets your wants and needs. There is no need to waver from that if the model meets those expectations.
If the dealer tries to steer you towards a more expensive model, then your payments are going to go up. Remember, any car you buy is going to be more expensive than car payments. You still have insurance, gas, maintenance, and repairs to budget for. Stick to your plan. And if that car that you want is suddenly “not available,” then go to another dealer or tell them to call when it comes in. You walking away gives you all the power.
Distracting You From The Total Price
As you start to negotiate on your car, the salesperson will probably be doing all they can to get you a terrific monthly payment that fits your budget. That’s nice of them but they have an ulterior motive. A lower monthly payment often means that you’re extending the length of the loan that happens to be financing on your behalf. Instead of taking five years to pay off, you’re going to take seven years. The result is that a car you were “buying” for $25,000 could actually end up costing you $35,000 when you add in seven years of finance charges. Is that what you really want?
Getting You To Buy Add-Ons You Don’t Need
Once you seem firm on the car that you want, the salesperson will still try to boost the price by getting you to buy add-ons that you don’t need. That could mean steering you towards the more expensive model of car but with a different package. That package can have features that look cool but you may never use like a luggage rack or “sport trim.” Those extra “goodies” probably aren’t worth the extra $100 you’ll be paying each month.
