It seems like many car dealerships get a bad rap these days, especially in the used car industry. While there are many dealerships that are less than appealing, you can also find some gems. The key is to know what to look for and what questions to ask. If you’re looking for your next used car dealership, here are four tips that will help you pick the right one.
Tip #1: Vet for Reputation
It’s important to use all your tools to look into the reputation of a dealership. This can include:
- Asking around – Talk to friends, family, auto mechanics and neighbors. See who goes where and which dealerships got top marks from people you actually know. Start a list of used dealerships near you—circle ones that people liked and cross off any with bad reputations.
- Searching online – The web is a wealth of information, and typically you can find out pretty quickly whether a business is nice, or not. Remember to read between the lines, it’s hard to fault a business for a negative review that is obviously an underserved vendetta. For example, if someone wanted to pay $5000 less than Kelly Blue Book value for a car or they simply didn’t have the finances to buy a car, and the dealership couldn’t give them what they asked for, it’s probably not the most valid negative review.
- Years in the biz – A shady dealership isn’t going to stay in business long—so make sure to look at how long a dealership has been around. A business that can boast over 30 years of selling cars probably knows what they’re doing and does it well.
- Going with your gut – If you’re on the fence with a business, call or visit them. Your intuition will guide you, and it is okay to say, “Hey, I’m a little worried about this, can you tell me more about how you practice business?” A good business won’t get offended and they’ll willingly answer all your questions. When you go with your gut, you’ll definitely discover if a dealership is the right one for you.
Tip #2: Make Sure it’s Convenient
There’s no use driving 200 miles to a dealership you hope will live up to a good reputation. Try and stick as local as possible. Not only will it be easier to maintain a relationship for future vehicle purchases, it’s also easier to deal with any issues you may have. Also note that any used car extended warranty you get will most likely need to be covered in the city the car was sold in. Do you really want to drive a long distance to take care of additional business?
Tip #3: Look for No Pressure Sales that are Honest
Although a car dealership will always work to make a sale, there is a fine line. If you feel you can’t say no without intense pressure, the dealership is probably not worth your time. The same can be said about honesty. A used car dealership should never lure you to their lot by listing cars that aren’t on there. Call ahead of time to make sure a vehicle is onsite, and be wary if it sells five minutes before you get there. There are some other positive signs when working with honest, low-pressure salespeople:
- They won’t encourage you to look outside your price range. In fact, they’ll help you determine a price range that is comfortable and doable. They want to see you succeed with your payments.
- They won’t “guesstimate” rates. No good can come from getting someone pumped about a 7% rate only to change it to 8% at the last minute. Also, they’ll be okay if you finance with someone else who was able to secure you a better rate than they could—or they’ll match that rate.
- When you tell them no, they understand. A good used car dealership wants you to be happy with your purchase. It means you’ll most likely come back. They’ll even keep an eye out for your “dream” vehicle if you don’t find something on your first visit.
Tip #4: Take a Test Drive
The right used car dealership is going to take you out for a spin. If there’s a ride you’re interested in, and the sales approach and facilities meet your standards—a test drive should be part of the package. It should even be encouraged.
The bottom line is that good business is about the customer. You want happy customers because it creates a successful business—and the right used car dealership will make your satisfaction their mission.
