You have saved this page | See all saved pages
Article Comments - 10 Tips: How To Buy a New Car
42 messages, Last post on Sep 08, 2009 at 10:40 AM
You are in the Smart Shopper Forum.- Your Host is kirstie_h
What is this discussion about? Car Buying
10 Tips: How To Buy a New Car - Here are 10 time-tested new-car buying tips culled from Inside Line's collective experience, which includes buying hundreds of new cars both professionally and as individuals — not to mention some experience working inside dealerships.(more)
#40 of 42 Re: From The Writer [jwilliams2] by pearley
Sep 07, 2009 (4:00 pm)
Replying to: jwilliams2 (Sep 07, 2009 3:15 pm)
jwilliams2, Thanks for the thoughtful input. I didn't pick the lead photo, but it was an attention getter and that's what you want in a lead photo.
Back in the early Nineties I was more naive. We were out shopping for cars for my sister and the salesperson said he had to "hold on" to the license through the test drive for "security." He assured me that it would be with him and he'd be on the drive. When the Daytona proved to be (no surprise) awful, we were ready to scoot. And he somehow managed to disappear for an hour and a half with the license still on him. We weren't negotiating, we were stuck. And I still don't understand what he hoped to achieve with such an underhanded tactic. So I never let my license out of my sight now.
By the way I'm not one of those automotive journalists who only drives test cars. I own a 2000 Toyota Tundra (the beast), a 2004 Toyota Sienna and a 2008 Honda Civic Si sedan. All were bought new through regular new car dealers.
Basing your purchase on trade-in value is rarely, if ever, a good idea. I understand your point, but any buyer should have a good bead on what their used car is worth before driving onto a lot. And if you minimized the purchase price of the new car, you're already a winner. Confusing the two transactions is a big risk for the inexperienced. And giving the dealership control of the car you drove in with puts being able to escape at risk. Once you've decided to buy the new car at a dealer and are proceeding with the purchase there's a case to be made that that's an okay time to let the trade go in for evaluation. But I'm convinced that for most people it's better to spend the time waiting to get the appraisal done after the new car negotiations than trying to save some time.
I don't doubt that some F&I departments sell decent products. I just think that when you're closing a new car deal is the wrong time to be shopping for them. There are people who will spend the money for the peace of mind that comes with a service contract or extended warranty -- but you can't evaluate them well on the fly in an F&I office. The dealership will be there the day after you buy your car -- at least usually. And researching those products first is vital. It's hard to truthfully deny that most F&I products are extremely profitable for the dealership and alternatives outside the dealer are usually cheaper.
Edmunds is always trying to improve their buying tools. But even with the couple of hundred people at the company assigned to making sure everything is up to date, it's tough to capture every incentive, charge and holdback on every model out there. No company has a greater commitment to that task than Edmunds, and I don't believe anyone does a better job doing it. But of course it can and will get better.
I think renting the model anyone is considering purchasing is a great idea. But most dealers I find have very loose definitions of what a set test drive route is. I don't think expecting to take the car for a full afternoon 300 mile test drive is reasonable, but it's a good idea for the buyer to have an idea of where he wants to drive too. And railroad tracks, if they're nearby, are a great test of a car's behavior under stress. Both dealers and buyers should be reasonable in allowing a solid, well-thought out test drive.
Of course, good dealerships are run by good general managers. And often a good sales experience will indicate a good service experience. But what I've found is that the best dealers are usually ones with the best prices too. After all, any good dealer will at least match the price of any dealer on identical vehicles -- why lose any sale over a few bucks? Both my Hondas and Toyotas are serviced by the local dealers where I live and I bought the vehicles at those dealerships for good prices. And so far, they've been solid on the service side too.
We tend to think of the market as one big car market in the United States, and that's just not true. Subaru sells well in Vermont, not so well in, say, Nevada. BMW is popular on the coasts, not so much in Idaho or Iowa. We're really a country made up of thousands of little markets and while Edmunds strives to service all of them, it's a daunting task. There are more stories to done about individual markets and if someone will pay me to write them, I'm writing them.
Capitalism demands that every business be creative in bolstering its own bottom line or die trying. No one resents dealers for making money, but we all resent it when that creativity leaks over into dishonesty or trickery. I don't know what percentage of dealers indulge in such tactics, but I know that it's more than zero. And that's enough for the buyer to keep his or her guard up.
Good luck,
Pearley
#41 of 42 my 2 cents by jhs70
Sep 08, 2009 (6:16 am)
long time lurker here.i thought the article was good for someone who doesn't really "understand" the process. oh sure, a few items were left out, or played down here and there, but overall, a good "car buying 101" presentation. thanks!
i have always found that doing thorough research, talking to others, and treating people with respect goes a long, long way in easing through the car buying process. if you go in with a chip on your shoulder, or cock-sure you're going to get ripped off, well then, it won't be fun. as well, respect is a two way street, so if you think you're getting 'abused', then ask for a different salesperson, or walk, your most potent tool.
lastly, to avoid drivers license issues, i always make a copy or two and take them with me before i go car hunting -that way you can give one copy to the dealer for his/her purposes. No doubt they'll want to verify the copy against your real DL, but you can always keep the original firmly in your possession while they check - like getting proofed when you write a check. (My DL usually never comes out of my wallet.) end of issue.
#42 of 42 Re: From The Writer [pearley] by volvomax
Sep 08, 2009 (10:40 am)
Replying to: pearley (Sep 07, 2009 1:44 am)
This article was 100% SPAM. You admit less than rigorous effort went into the article. You dredge up a memory of something that happened almost 20 yrs ago as justification for a ridiculous piece of advice, you find a stereotypical photo an "attention grabber"
Frankly, you have done more to re-inforce negative sterotypes than any dealer could.
To POST a message, please
Sign In.
Advertisement
Most Popular in Forums
Search Forums
Enter Keyword(s):
Learn More, Do More
Edmunds Community
Advertisement