Car salesmen have lots of clever ways under their sleeves to make the most of every sale. If you’re not cautious, you could end up succumbing to different tactics and paying more in buying a car than you need to. Of course, let’s salute those car salespeople who remain honest in their jobs and try to help erase the negative notion about their profession. Nevertheless, it’s best to come prepared as you’ll never be sure who you’ll be running into. With that, here are the top car salesman tricks you should know about and avoid when purchasing your new vehicle.
1. Bait and Switch
Bait and Switch is an old trick, but still, many people fall for it. It happens when a dealership advertises an excellent price for a car. For instance, you see your dream SUV offered at $17,000. You pulled in and entered the showroom that the price stated on the ad is only for a lower model, something that any other person won’t even buy. Instead, he or she shows you around and convinces you to purchase newer models, which require you to pay $5,000 more. So, don’t be fooled by the ads. Do your homework instead by searching car dealer inventories that will provide you with more realistic prices.
2.“Now or Never” Pressure
Sometimes, car salespeople will say that the car is maybe gone by tomorrow as another potential buyer has already expressed his or her interest to purchase the vehicle. Others may say that a specific deal is only good for today and you might not be able to enjoy the discount should you decide to take time and come back. Don’t fall for these. Often, these are not true and are not meant to force you to make an immediate decision by letting you think that you can be missing your favorite car or a good promo.
3.Selling expensive and unnecessary add-ons
Car salesmen will do their best to get more profits, even outside the actual purchase. Don’t be surprised if they offer you different kinds of accessories and upgrades. It can range from high-tech sound systems, car alarms, roof racks, paint protection, tire upgrades to extended warranty plans. If you do like some of them, try to negotiate to lower the fees. Yet, it is advisable to check the costs outside, as you’ll most likely get these add-ons at lower amounts or even half the price.
4.Focusing on monthly payments
You see a car you prefer at a showroom, but with a staggering price of $33,000. Seems unaffordable? Wait for the salesman to say you only need about $495 a month to get the car. Now, that seems inviting! Yet, it’s another tactic made by car salesmen, making the total cost seem affordable and within your budget. The truth is, it may just cost you more due to interest rates in the long run. Keep in mind that dealerships will try to drag out loans the longest time possible, bringing in more money for them.
5.Hard selling
It’s one of the most annoying, common techniques linked to car salesmen. Hard selling is the practice where they will follow you around, ask every possible question and talk all the time, as an attempt to directly and forcefully make a sale. Car salespeople have gained the confidence to do this, as some buyers are too polite or aren’t sure how to turn them away. If a car salesperson does this to you and makes you feel uncomfortable, try to ask politely to let you go around alone and mention that you’ll just get back to them for any queries. If he or she still insists, leave and look for other better car dealerships in the area.
6.Low-balling
If you’re doing a trade-in, beware of car salesmen who would try to lowball you on your vehicle’s trade-in price. To get the most money, they will inspect every area in your car, trying to look for “flaws” that would justify a meager trade-in price. In the end, they will let you think you’re even fortunate enough to receive such an amount when your trade-in actually costs much more than that.
7.Hiding the car’s history
Devious car salesmen will do everything they can to sell cars, even resorting to title washing. Title washing happens when the car dealer tries to hide the vehicle’s history and conceal that it was salvaged or considered a “total loss” by insurance companies. With title washing, the salvage branding is erased. It allows car dealers to push the vehicles’ market value way up, compared to if it clearly shows it was previously damaged or flooded.
8.Hidden fees and additional charges
Be wary of a bunch of hidden fees and additional charges that may come up once you see the computation. If you see any unclear fees, don’t hesitate to ask what they are for and if they are really necessary. One common scam is the so-called “dealer prep fee,” which car salespeople often say is intended for the cost used in changing the car’s fluid, cleaning its interior, and getting it ready for a test drive. Remember, it’s the dealer’s responsibility to keep the vehicle in its optimum condition to make it “marketable” to buyers.
9.Toying with your emotions to sell
Car salespeople know how to play with their client’s emotions. They will let you go to the driver’s seat and say how much the car matches you. If you mention you’re looking for a particular feature, they point that feature on every vehicle they present in the showroom, knowing how valuable it is for you.
10.Preying on clueless buyers
Research and information are your best defense against all tricks that car salesmen may do. If you come to them without any knowledge, you’ll be an easy prey. They can easily sway anyone who is uncertain. So, gather data first, understand the process, know what you want, and stay in what you’re capable of paying. Through that, you can get the best vehicle without hurting your budget.