The Car Buying Experience

The car buying experience can be enjoyable, or a complete nightmare. I have had both in my lifetime, and I'm sure many of you have also.

I am in the market once again for a new vehicle. I know what I want, and also what I do not. I have a budget, but because it isn't extravagant, it doesn't mean I want to settle for less. Most sales people, or customer care specialists as they are called, do understand this, some do not.

Let me start by saying that the sales people at the dealerships are hard working people trying to make a living like all of us. However, some do so in a more courteous and soft-sell manner, and listen to their customer. Others not so much. But I will get to that a bit later.

We all have the option to buy a new vehicle, a certified pre-owned vehicle or to lease. Considering I am looking at a vehicle I have not had in the past (a small SUV), I thought about leasing this time; that way if I decide at the end of the lease it's not for me I can just turn it in. Of course anyone who listens to the commercials on TV would think you can lease a car for next to nothing. But, if you are paying attention (as I do) you will see the low lease price is for a low mileage lease with a significant down-payment. If you drive over 10,000 miles per year then this is not for you. 

I did look into the lease option, but once it gets bumped to 15,000 miles per year with a lower down payment, the monthly payment jumps significantly. Not a surprise to me, but it was worth checking into. The only certified-pre-owned vehicle on the lot, in the model I wanted, I guess was not meant to be since another couple arrived shortly before I did and decided to purchase it.

This dealership I have dealt with for many years. My daughter has purchased 3 vehicles from them, I have purchased one, and my boyfriend has purchased one. They are fair, patient, and truly try to do what is best for the customer. None of us have ever felt pressured to purchase. I was disappointed that they did not have what I wanted.

So, my next step was to go to one of the dealers that not only sell vehicles, but will purchase your vehicle outright. I figured it was worth seeing if they would pay me more for it than I could get for a trade-in; unfortunately they could not. Since I was in another city with a dealership that sold the vehicle I was interested in, I figured I might as well stop to see what they had available.

And here is where I get into the sales people who say they want to "get you into the car you want", and will go to all lengths to try and do so. The reality is they want to make sure you don't leave without purchasing a vehicle from them. They will push, prod, entice and pull out all the stops to try and lure you into thinking you are getting the deal of a lifetime. They bring out the big guns trying to show you their numbers and how they have done all they can to get where you want to be financially. Much to their dismay, I am far too knowledgeable, and a whiz with numbers, to be fooled. After being there for over an hour, and telling them more than once I was not interested, I had to be firm. As politely as I could, I thanked them for their time and effort, but said obviously this was not going to work. My boyfriend told me after leaving that both of the sales people's faces looked stunned as I walked out without purchasing. Needless to say, I will not go back there again.

After that experience I called my trustworthy dealership and talked with the sales person. She was still working on looking for the vehicle I wanted, and I know when she calls me it will be what I want, and in my budget. She will hold the vehicle for me to test drive, and if it isn't right I won't be pressured to buy. That is how you keep a loyal customer.

When you decide to look at purchasing a new vehicle, make sure you go to a dealer you can trust. If you don't know who to go to, just ask your friends and family; believe me - they will tell you who is trustworthy, and who to stay away from. Buying a vehicle should not push your anxiety level off the charts.