Why I’m Taking a Break from Car Shopping
The Car Shopping Process
So, I am taking a break from the car shopping experience. I am getting bold enough to say the quiet part out loud. The problem is not the cars, but the dealership experience. Dealerships are geared toward people who want transportation and not a driving experience. Car companies claim that their enthusiast cars have no demand. Well, is that really the case?
The Bad Dealership Experience
The best way to summarize the dealership experience is like your friend who has his cousin, Olga. Now you like your friend. Your friend is your long-time buddy, but it doesn’t mean you like his cousin. If he showed you a picture of his cousin from 10 years ago, let you take a quick glance, and then say, “Here, you should marry her!” You’re not going to say yes to a guy who has the picture paper-clipped to the marriage license. She might be an incredible person, but a quick glance at an old picture makes it tough to make a long-term commitment.
(Image credit: Chat GPT and my weird humor)
I realized that some dealerships treat you like your friend, setting you up with Olga. They think their word is gold. I understand dealers have to make a profit. However, when dealers tell me that I cannot take a car to a mechanic, and I cannot put a tool on the car because it increases their liability, then I get concerned. It sounds like you are hiding something. So, I mark that dealership and decide not to go with them. It is like saying I have to commit to Olga, and I cannot even meet her.
Another thing that annoys me is when dealerships drag their feet in the pre-purchase inspection. I have had dealers drag their feet on getting cars over to inspections. As soon as a dealer is like, “Well, I am not sure if we can do that. We really need two drivers.” My response, “It says that the inspection shop is at most 10 minutes away. You can’t take 40 minutes total out of your day to sell a car?” That just screams they are hiding something. I want a car that is engaging and not a car that causes additional stress.
The other problem is the five-minute test drive. Yes, of course I want the car. I already researched the car, but the test drive does not communicate whether the car provides an engaging driving experience. I still don’t know your cousin Olga’s personality. We haven’t even had a fight. How do I know we can live together in joy?
The dealerships that punish you for being an enthusiast. One dealership told me, “We don’t want people joyriding our cars, and so normally we run a credit check before the test drive. However, you seem legitimate.” I almost left the dealership at that point. Really? We start the conversation from a place of suspicion rather than an assurance that this car is special. If I cannot have dinner with Olga, then there is no deal.
Whatcha Learn in this Process?
I learned some things about vetting dealerships. One trick I use is calling the mechanic who serviced the car or is in the area to learn his history with the car. This is something I tweaked from one of the episodes in the Everyday Driver podcast. I cannot remember their episode, but they dedicated a portion of the episode to buying a car out of state. Their suggestion is to call the service manager or mechanic to get an idea about the owner and how the owner was treated. I also found out that it pays to ask an independent shop what they think about a particular dealership. Keep in mind that many times when dealers get overworked, they take the car to an independent mechanic. I would ask, “So, would you buy a car from this dealership? What has been your customer’s experience after buying a used car from them?” When you hear the awkward pause at the other end, you have your answer. Now, you have to sound credible because they don’t want you to go to the dealership and say, “Hey, this guy said you SUCK!” Please don’t do that. You won’t make Olga happy, and your friend won’t introduce you to any more cousins.
(Photo Credit: Chat GPT and my persistence)
The main thing is not to fall into a scarcity mindset. There are many good deals out there, so wait for the one that is right for you. You will figure out if Olga is right for you or not. Just be patient and don’t rush into something you will regret. There is an introduction waiting to be made. I know that I will find the right car.
A better Way
There are dealerships that do well. One dealership in my town drove a car over to my mechanic and left it with him overnight. This communicates that they are serious. This is not the 10-year-old picture of your friend’s cousin. This is an introduction to her in person. Now we can see she has a personality as well.
My suggestion: set cars aside as demo cars. Yes, a person might have to rent them a couple of times to be sure. This is another business opportunity to get people in the door. Make them take out insurance before leaving the lot. This way, when you ask someone to hand over their money, they don’t feel like some fast-talking snake salesman pushed them to buy snake oil. I loved it when motorcycle shops had demo bikes. You could really ride the bike and see if it would work for you. Car dealers need to figure this out. This is introducing a friend to Olga rather than showing an old photo.
(Chat GPT shines again…)
This will bring enthusiasts into your dealerships. This is where we will take out the new cars and tell people about them. Think of it as having salesmen who do not require a commission.
Conclusion
These are some of the tricks I have learned about car shopping. One thing I wish car dealers would do is have a demo fleet of enthusiast cars. Yes, you may get some joy riders, that is true. However, you might be selling a lot more cars to enthusiasts who want to come to your dealership. Enthusiasts sell cars for you, commission-free. Yes, we are that crazy, but we prefer the term “passionate.”
In the meantime, I am thinking I am going to be cautious of dealerships and focus on private party sales. The introduction is waiting. I just have to be patient enough to let it happen.
Have you dealt with a dealership that got it right or spectacularly wrong? Drop a comment below. I want to hear your Olga story.
Thanks for taking the time to read this!