Urgg I hate going to dealerships...

[CaneCharger]

Thinking about trading my mustang for a 4-door Jeep...I wish this process was easier. Just garbage that spews out of these guys mouths...

[embolism]

isn't it less than a year old?

[CaneCharger]

Nah, it is a 2010

[Jeff120]

I found the best way to deal with them is to educate myself to the best of my ability about the vehicle Im buying. Ask only required questions and then tell that what I am paying for the vehicle. Makes it easy!

[tw33k2514]

I found the best way to deal with them is to educate myself to the best of my ability about the vehicle Im buying. Ask only required questions and then tell that what I am paying for the vehicle. Makes it easy!

Agreed.

I take zero BS when dealing with the scum that are salesman. I keep my questions and answers very short and never get chummy.

[CAMAROZL1]

Agree, educate yourself on the jeep you want. Know everything you want on/in it and know the price you want. Edmunds is great start. Don't tell them what you want to pay a month, tell them what you plan to play OUT THE DOOR. Its good idea as well to go with outside bank other than dealership so you hold all the cards. I bought a 2012 Chevy Cruze for 7k under msrp I worked 5 months to get it to that price and made a lot of dealers mad by doing this. Look at the weekend ads and see whats on sale that weekend as well. Don't be afraid to walk away, they will call you. Your there income. Also IMO don't trade in your car, I have seen more luck selling it yourself. Hope this helps.

[glen e]

I was a general manager of a two dealerships and just retired from a car mfr after 22 years. I still train salesmen all over the US. Just do this:

1. go to edmunds.com or any of the sites that show you the invoice. It's probably not the true invoice as they have discounts but it's pretty close.
2. get your financing done by yourself. If they are using mfr financing for a deal - show them your credit score. Let them know you're not a fake.
3. walk in and tell them you want a certain car - tell them you want to speak to a working floor sales manager. Go sometime when you can find the car on their lot. If the sales mgr wants to "turn you over" to a salesman, ask for one with over 5-8 years experience at that dealership.
4. Offer them 3 -5 % above what you find for invoice on the web. But remember if it's a hot car or new release, they probably won't budge much.
5. don't buy any extras - if they screw around, walk...
7. tell them if it goes smooth you will give them good CSI.
9. Try to negotiate your deal in the last 5 days of the month. They all are trying to hit month end #'s. Discounts go up substantially in the last 5 days. I've done cars at true invoice when the month is bad in the last few days.

be prepared to walk at any time. But I can tell you, a person that does the above, I'd put him in a car with no hassle any time I met one that did this. From the sales side point of view, we appreciate the guys who have their act together. WE APPRECIATE DIRECTNESS. Customers do their share to make the sales process messy.

[tw33k2514]

Great advise!

CSI though? what is that?

[glen e]

Consumer satisfaction index - every customer gets a call after the sale from the mfr ABOUT THE SALESMAN - depending on how he is rated, the dealerships gets monies back from the mfr. Like 6 figures/yr for a big dealer. It is not insignificant money and it's a pass fail thing, a bad score can really screw up a dealer or a salesman. By you putting them on notice that you know about the call if you buy, you will get better treatment. No scam here, they want to know you'll do them right, too.I have not sold a guy if I thought he was gonna screw up my dealer score. I just shot him high and let him walk. Yes, it''s more important to have a good score than sell a car. A ass backward way of doing business but that's what JD power has done to the business....It goes both ways, you in turn have got be straight up with them too...

[tw33k2514]

Very interesting...

I feel like an ass for ignoring that call now. Did not know the impact it had though.

[glen e]

Very interesting...

I feel like an ass for ignoring that call now. Did not know the impact it had though.

a sign of a bad salesman that he did not explain this to you at the beginning of the sale...

I teach sales guys, after they see you're serious, , to say something like:

Here are xxx Chevrolet, we are rated from right now thru when you drive out of here. If as we go forward they is anything oyu are uncomfortable with, or don't understand, stop and tell me. It is vital that I meet all your needs. And after the sale you'll get a call - I need that call to be perfect, so tell me if we have a problem so we can fix it...Are we on the same wavelength?

or something like that....

[FUNX650]

Thinking about trading my mustang for a 4-door Jeep...I wish this process was easier.

-The more expensive the Jeep is, the more the dealership will seem to offer for the Mustang on a trade-in.
-Better off selling it yourself, if you can wait a month or two.
-Either way you are going to under-estimate the devaluation of your Mustang.

-And...Unless those are OEM black wheels I'm seeing...Lose 'em...That's the first thing that will bring down the trade-in/re-sell value of any vehicle.

:)

Bob

[PA DETAILER]

:dblthumb2: ahhhhh.

thinking of moving over to the dark side? I LOVE THE NEW 3.6 PENASTAR! my new arctic is the best choice i have made in a long time.

there are decent dealers out there. you really have to do your homework.

2012 Wrangler Arctic Edition | Extreme Weather Adventurer | Jeep (http://www.jeep.com/en/2012/wrangler_arctic/#model=arctic&color=winter_chill)

and, what your looking at......


2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Test Drive & SUV Review - YouTube

[CaneCharger]

I was a general manager of a two dealerships and just retired from a car mfr after 22 years. I still train salesmen all over the US. Just do this:

1. go to edmunds.com or any of the sites that show you the invoice. It's probably not the true invoice as they have discounts but it's pretty close.
2. get your financing done by yourself. If they are using mfr financing for a deal - show them your credit score. Let them know you're not a fake.
3. walk in and tell them you want a certain car - tell them you want to speak to a working floor sales manager. Go sometime when you can find the car on their lot. If the sales mgr wants to "turn you over" to a salesman, ask for one with over 5-8 years experience at that dealership.
4. Offer them 3 -5 % above what you find for invoice on the web. But remember if it's a hot car or new release, they probably won't budge much.
5. don't buy any extras - if they screw around, walk...
7. tell them if it goes smooth you will give them good CSI.
9. Try to negotiate your deal in the last 5 days of the month. They all are trying to hit month end #'s. Discounts go up substantially in the last 5 days. I've done cars at true invoice when the month is bad in the last few days.

be prepared to walk at any time. But I can tell you, a person that does the above, I'd put him in a car with no hassle any time I met one that did this. From the sales side point of view, we appreciate the guys who have their act together. WE APPRECIATE DIRECTNESS. Customers do their share to make the sales process messy.

I wish I would have have known this a couple of days ago...


:dblthumb2: ahhhhh.

thinking of moving over to the dark side? I LOVE THE NEW 3.6 PENASTAR! my new arctic is the best choice i have made in a long time.

there are decent dealers out there. you really have to do your homework.

2012 Wrangler Arctic Edition | Extreme Weather Adventurer | Jeep (http://www.jeep.com/en/2012/wrangler_arctic/#model=arctic&color=winter_chill)

and, what your looking at......

2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Test Drive & SUV Review - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzcFqLToEnA&feature=related)

I really like the Arctic Edition - that is a pretty sweet ride. I was looking at Silver again, but the wife likes black - so it is a toss up. I am not fully sure I want to get rid of my Mustang, but if I change my job (Becoming an Athletic Director) I would need something bigger then my Mustang...

[PAR Detailing]

I agree with what many have said so far. I am in the car business and I have to sell used cars. It is a fun job when the customer is pleasant, but when they are nasty it gets to be unpleasant. I try to tell the potential customer all of the variables upfront to avoid any issues down the road or any surprises. Once you like the car find out all of the moving parts and do your homework on the vehicle. Go in knowing what you want to spend and be direct. I know buying a new car is different than a used one but being direct and educating your self the best you can still applies. If you ever buy a used car be direct with the sales person and don't nickel and dime that guy down, that is the worst kind of customer in my opinion. Do your homework, see what cars with equivalent year, make, miles, and features are going for. If you are looking at a vehicle that is already priced lower than all of the others like it in a large radius don't expect to wiggle them down much. I know if I am selling a vehicle and we are priced the lowest and/or I get several phone calls per day on the vehicle we hold very firm. This is not because I am being a jerk, trying to take someone, or trying to mislead anyone, it is because the market dictates the price and if they remove themself from the situation personally they will see that the vehicle is a value and they are paying a fair price.

Above all else treat everyone you deal with as though they are important. You will get much further then if you treat them like they are scum right off the bat. The golden rule, treat others as you want to be treated does not have an asteric and a foot note by it saying that car guys are excluded from this.

Just my .02 cents on the situation from my experiences.

Jon