While we do work with a variety of automotive dealers that employ several salespeople there is no place for pushiness in sales. Your sales representative that is working with you should help you find the right vehicle at the price you can afford. There are so many vehicle on the market that there is certain to be a right vehicle for you. It might not be the first one you look at or the twentieth, but there is a right one. What there isn’t is room for the pushiness of a salesperson who appears to only be interested in making a sale to you with little to no regard for your needs and desires. Here are some responses you can have to help keep from being pushed into a deal that isn’t right for you.
Checking with the Manager – When a salesperson says they need to check with their manager regarding the price of a vehicle many times this can be a tactic used to make the price non-negotiable. If a dealership has a policy of standing firm on pricing this should be part of the information up front so you know the price you see is the price you pay. One way to respond to them checking with the manager is to tell them you are going to check with your partner and then act like the partner is holding up the deal, especially if the price is negotiable at the dealership you’re working with.
Losing Money – When a salesperson tells you they are losing money on the deal the question you should ask is why are you selling the vehicle in the first place then? This is a sympathy ploy to get you to agree to a higher price and you should simply let the salesperson know you are losing the most money on the deal because you have to pay for it. This will let them know you are not sympathetic to the “losing money” line and they need to move on.
Another Offer – This is a trick that many used car dealers seem to like to use. They tell you they have another offer on the vehicle and that it is in high demand. Unless you are shopping for one of the few ultra-exclusive super cars in the world (not likely) there are thousands of the same vehicle available for sale. You can simply come back by telling the salesperson you can go down the street and find the same vehicle. If you really want to twist the knife you can tell them you saw it for less down the road and then watch them sweat. Remember they started the psychological game with an asinine remark, don’t fall for it.
Free Stuff – Some dealers will try and tell you they are adding several features for free such as undercoating, pinstriping, fabric protection, paint protection or presale inspections. You can let the dealer know you don’t want these added things that aren’t free; they are included because the dealer chose to include them. Another approach is to let the dealer know, especially on new vehicles, you only want what is included from the factory, not the add-ons they put on.
Added Costs – There is always a destination charge on a new vehicle, but the sticker should show this price. There shouldn’t be any last minute additional fees added to your vehicle when you purchase it. If a dealer adds fees that seem out of the ordinary or come back with a higher price you can simply decrease your offer on the vehicle. There are many of the same vehicle out there for you to purchase and other dealers so don’t accept hidden fees or ridiculous price increases at the last minute.
Most Pre-owned dealers you work with will be up front with you regarding all these questions and won’t try any tricks on you. The more they can earn your trust and help you find the right vehicle that you can afford the easier the car sales process is on them and on you, which is the goal all around. When you do find a salesperson or entire dealership that tries to trick you in any way, it’s a good idea to take your business elsewhere, you don’t want to deal with dishonesty or mind games during your vehicle buying experience.
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