Adventures at the Car Lot

My first job after graduating from college was, believe it or not, as a car salesman.  I was hired to sell Honda's at a dealership in Virginia Beach.  I've had more physically demanding jobs (cutting grass; working at a sheet metal factory) and jobs that were pure drudgery (measuring newspaper ads while standing all day), but I still rate my two months as a car salesman as my worst employment experience.  Distrusted by customers; berated by bosses...it was humiliating.  That was the one job I've ever been fired from.  I hated the job but still, being fired hurt like hell.

That was at about the same time that Mary and I were attempting to buy our first car.  We only wanted to test drive vehicles; buying one would come later.  At the first place, the sales guy insisted we meet his boss, the sales manager, before we left.  What I thought was going to be a ten minute meeting turned into an hour's worth of medium to high pressure sales pitches.  Perhaps we were too polite to just get up and leave, but nevertheless, it was very uncomfortable.

Another man at a Toyota dealership acted as if I was an idiot after I told him what I wanted to spend.  And the dumbest sales pitch I have ever seen came from another Toyota dealership.  The guy seemed to think my car shopping sister should only be interested in the car's radio and cranked up Tone-Loc's "Wild Thing" to volume 10.

All of that happened more than twenty years ago.  The point, though...pushy, arrogant sales pitch = unhappy customer.

I've bought only one car in the past 11 years, a used one at that, but I get the impression that automotive dealerships these days are beginning to catch on that it's better for business if the customers don't hate you.  Buying a car is time consuming, expensive, and can be nerve wracking.   It's a huge decision.  Wouldn't it be better to make the customer feel comfortable, not trapped?

My best car shopping experiences came from Avis, where they sold former rental vehicles, and at Carmax, where they handle certified used cars.  Both had no haggle pricing, but moreover, the sales reps listened, actually listened to what I was looking to buy, not to what they wanted to sell me.  And while both places tried to sell me their financing and extended warranty, I only had to say "no" once.

Be an Educated Car Shopper

While car shopping is a little less of a runaround these days, a good customer must still be prepared to handle it.  My advice...separate the test drive from the purchase.  Tell your sales rep you need to think about it first.  Come back another day when you're ready to buy.

When you do come back, look prepared.  Whether you're buying new or used, you can find details of what the car should cost online.  Bring a copy of the report with you.  I have been known to bring a large calculator into the sales office.  You'll get more respect if you appear to be an educated customer.

And always, always check your bank's financing rates first before heading to the dealership.  The bank's are usually lower.

To that end, I present a couple of reports on the modern car shopping experience.

• From Forbes Magazine, a report on the tricks car sellers still use to get more of your money.  It can't be said enough...you don't need the rust proofing and undercoating.  
• From Edmunds.com, Confessions of a Car Salesman, an inside account of a journalist who tried working on the lots.  It's ten years old but still a good read.