Settle In To the Proper Mind-set

Like in all businesses, there are some dealers that are out to make a quick buck. But keep in mind that a reputable auto dealer wants to earn your long-term business — and that of your workmates, friends, relatives and anyone else with which you happen to discuss your purchasing experience. Getting off the warpath is the first step to becoming objective.

Of course, none of us want to be taken advantage of. But we cannot afford to become paranoid either. No matter how well-skilled you may be at negotiating or generally keeping the upper hand, your domination will not make a crooked salesperson into an open and honest one. Besides, buying a vehicle is complicated enough without trying to force a dealer to conform to what you hope them to be. So if you really feel that a dealership won’t treat you fairly or isn’t the kind of atmosphere that makes you comfortable, you should probably try to locate a different dealer – one more closely aligned with your expectations.

Make a List

You can locate a comprehensive list of automotive retailers in your area via the YellowPages.ca . This directory will provide you with an objective list of everyone in business for miles around – not just the dealers who happen to advertise in your local newspaper or who have paid to be included in association listings. Don’t forget to consider dealers that may be a little further away, in outlying areas or small towns. If you have already decided on a specific brand, all the authorized dealers with their contact information can be found by visiting the manufacturer’s Canadian Web site .

7 Ways to Get the Real Story

Ignore the advertising. When you think of buying a vehicle, the names or radio jingles of some local dealers usually come to mind. But remember that a primary goal of advertising is to turn familiarity into trust. Prolific advertising or a familiar name does not necessarily mean that the dealership offers a higher level of customer satisfaction or even that it is more successful than others. It simply means that they have to or want to spend more promoting themselves. So don’t rely just on your memory when thinking of who to visit or whom to trust.

Ask others about their experiences. Talking to a dealer’s customers is (in my opinion) your best means of getting an accurate assessment. If you notice a vehicle with a dealer’s nameplate on it, ask its owner if he would buy there again. Each person’s impression may vary, so try to ask a variety of people and try to determine an overall consistent response. Since some people gauge the success of a purchase by the price alone, make sure you ask them how well they were treated; how knowledgeable, respectful and upfront the sales representative was; and what their post-purchase experiences have been, such as when obtaining service from that dealer.

Find out who operates the dealership. Some dealerships are owned and operated by families who live in your community. With their name on the line, these individuals have a reputation to maintain locally and are likely to care about your feelings toward them and your experience in their dealership. Others are owned by out-of-town auto groups or investors who may have little direct supervision of or connection to the persons hired locally to operate the dealership. Some dealerships have a vigorous turnover of sales staff. So find out how long the dealer has been in business and who owns and operates the store, and get a general feeling about the long-term stability of that company.

Read Better Business Bureau Reports. The BBB can tell you how long a dealer has been in business, what complaints they may have received and how effectively these were resolved. Considering the amount of customers the average dealer has, it will not be uncommon to see some complaints listed. But if there is a significant list of complaints or these are left unresolved, beware!

Check out the dealer’s reputation online. Entering a dealership’s name in a search engine will return results on blogs, forums, and other user-generated sites where the dealer may be mentioned. (But since many dealers have the same or similar names, be careful to ensure that any search occurrences online actually pertain to the dealer you are looking for.)

Visit the dealer’s individual Web site. Make sure you visit the individual dealer’s Web site too. If you don’t know their Web address, you can usually find it in their advertising, in the YellowPages or using an Internet search engine. While you cannot entirely judge a dealership by its Web site, if you can ignore the glitz and stay objective you will definitely get an idea of what’s happening before you ever set foot on the lot. Through their Web site, you should get a sense of their personality and outlook and their level of customer service. Often you can see photos of their store and staff, check out their inventory and see what Service or Collision facilities they offer.

Compare apples to apples. Remember that unless it’s a specific used vehicle, you can get the same vehicle from a wide variety of dealers. Each dealer offers something different from the next – bargain pricing, hometown values, bring the kids, have a latte, and so on. Each flavour should naturally attract a different kind of customer. So try to find the individual dealership that most closely aligns with your purchasing values and aspirations.

Make Your Visit Effective

Hopefully you will have narrowed the list of dealers down to just a few before visiting the actual stores. So when you arrive, be observant about the dealership itself, not just the vehicles.

• Are the grounds tidy and the building clean, showing a pride in ownership and a respect for the customers?
• Are the vehicles on the lot organized?
• Does someone greet you promptly, without being pushy?
• How respectfully are you treated?
• How are other customers in the dealership being treated? Is anyone disgruntled? If you are able, feel free to sit in the showroom or the service waiting area for a little while and observe what’s going on.
• How knowledgeable is the sales representative about the vehicle? the current programs and incentives? the services the dealership offers?
• How well does he or she listen to your needs and requirements before making a recommendation?
• What happens at the conclusion of your visit? Does anyone try to pressure you to make a decision on the spot?
• How does it compare to other dealerships selling the same brand?

In my opinion, good car dealers are honest, friendly, open, knowledgeable and not pushy and they put forth the effort to hire similarly-minded sales staff to represent them. They remember that the impression made on a customer will endure long after they’ve moved on to another vehicle.

What’s your opinion? What makes a car dealer a good one? What do you think is the best criteria for finding a reliable dealer? Whether you are a customer or a dealer, leave a comment and share your thoughts!