Getting a new car…..SUCKS!
I used to think that getting a car was a great experience simply because you get a new car and have something new to drive around. I recently leased a new Honda Accord Coupe and the entire experience really turned me off and I think it’s more because my time is so much more valuable now that I have a family.
When I was a young lad, I really didn’t care to much about spending a few hours beating down a car salesman who knew nothing about the car I was interested in purchasing and even less about the car sales business. A car salesman is basically a stopping point so customer’s don’t rush the Sales Manager or the Finance Manager. These peon’s are basically pawns in the car sales game. Anyway I digress.
The process this time around was so much more agrivating because I only had a little amount of time to go through this process. My wife and I had plans with the kids that evening so I was in somewhat of a rush, I mean I had about a 3 hour window of time.
Needless to say 3 hours was not enough and by hour 2, I was getting pissed. It’s one thing that the salesperson tries to bullshit you and thinks he’s your best friend, it’s another when he keeps failing miserably to get you the “deal of the day”. I found it laughable that the salesman actually got up 6 times to go speak to his sales manager about the deal I was offering. What’s worse is that I actually stayed and waited for the outcome. It’s kind of like the accident on the highway you want to drive by, but the forces of evil slow you down and you become the rubbernecking person you have grown to hate….anyway, that’s neither here nor there.
So after the 6the visit to the Sales Manager we managed to get the car payment down a whopping $100 per month lower from what he originally told me was the “deal of the day”. Now, we were still off by another $30 per month from what my budget would allow. So now the sales manager comes out to talk to me about the deal. He begins the very predictable “I’m not making any money on this deal”, “I’m going below invoice for you”, oh and the best one, “If I go any lower, I may get fired”…I really liked that one.
Now being the enormous geek of Potsie like proportions that I am when it comes to automobile research and car leasing. I began to break down the numbers with this sales manager. I began asking him the following questions:
- What is the price that you are working your numbers on?
- What is the residual value of the car?
- What is the interest rate for the lease or Money Factor?
So the sales manager is hesitating on giving me any of these numbers, saying that he has to go back to his desk to look at the paper work. I told him to stop. I then began to say, look, stop wasting both of our time, here’s my offer tell me within the next 5 minutes if you can match it. I don’t want a counter offer, I don’t want any other options. Just tell me yes or no……
Being that there were about 30 other people in the dealership, they said no in 30 seconds. Now I will never be able to get those 3 hours back and I truly will never go back to that dealership again (Huntington Honda). I felt like I was treated poorly and lied to. They could have gotten rid of me in less than 20 minutes but no, the common practice of these car dealers is t get you in the door and beat you down until you are so frustrated, tired and hungry that you give in to what they want. That really sucks for the consumer.
So in closing, please do yourself a favor and come prepared before you go to get a new car. Research the car you want and what options you want. Look up prices and compare. Look up rates for leasing and financing. Agree on a price first than work the numbers. Above all else be ready to walk out, don’t let them waste you valuable time, there are truly good dealerships out there (Babylon Honda)
