Many of us must have visited dealerships after we have finally decided on the car that we want to buy but then how many would say that the dealer experience was very good? We doubt that it wouldn’t be many out there raising their hands in answer. People who have worked in dealerships and who would be reading this article would actually manage a smile. Well, there are many tricks that a dealer employs so that a customer wouldn’t go to another dealership. Actually the sales people, in their training, are taught to be cunning and conniving. However, how can we let our beloved readers to be fleeced off their hard earned money so easily? No, we cannot and hence have listed out the regular tricks that a dealership would employ so as to eke the maximum money from your pocket. Many dealers would also assure you that their dealership has catered to many buyers before and would extend the same warmth to you but beware, that’s just a sugar coated pill that they are trying to down your throats.
Most of the times, its not the entire dealership which goes by the principle that the customers should be fleeced. Infact, it may be some of the sales personnel who might be trying to extract incentives or moolah by asking a customer to purchase more and more extra fitments or stuff. First and foremost, when you go to a dealership for booking a car, then the sales person would definitely try to gauge if you are a cold, warm or hot customer. A cold customer means someone who is just trying to enjoy the airconditioned confines of a show room and to get a feel of the car’s interiors. He has no immediate plans to buy the car and would show the least interest in the finance schemes and stuff. Next up is the warm customer, who wants to buy the car but may be backing off due to some or the other thing. He needs to be prodded a bit before he signs on the dotted line. The third one is the most easiest. He has already done enough research and has got his cheque book ready.
For the second type of customer, the sales person would have his calculator, the EMI sheet, the list price of the car selected and also the discounts. Usually car companies dole out discounts at a time for all the dealers. Some of the dealers try and go overboard by promising more goodies or discount but are reluctant to put them down on papers. Beware of such transactions. A deal which is not on papers would most likely be dishonored by the dealer and eventually the manufacturing company. So, you end up paying more than what you bargained for. Many a times, buyers want to trade in their existing car and the sales personnel after consulting the used car section team, tell you a quote and gives you a exchange bonus. Always let the sales personnel know that you are going to exchange an existing car, only after he quotes the price for the initial new car. This way, he wouldn’t be able to hike the price of your new car and then try and fit in the exchange bonus in it. Also, this way, you would get more moolah for your existing car. Whilst on the table discussing deals, concentrate on one aspect and don’t get carried away. Sales personnel try and make things confusing so that you eventually agree upon whatever he says.
Many a times, sales personnel would tell you that you would qualify for the so called promotion that they are running only if you choose certain packages. However you can always contest this an instead take a second opinion from some multi car show room. Also if the dealer says that the promotion would be applicable after the car is delivered to you, ensure that he gives it to you in writing before handing over the entire amount to him. A sales personnel would be more than happy to note that you are choosing the finance option over outright payment scheme. For a finance scheme, the sales man stands to gain in incentives than on outright purchase. Almost always, never go for the dealer finance since it tends to be more on the expensive side. Always do your research with different banks and go in for the deal which you feel will suit your requirements just fine.
A sales personnel would definitely ask you an estimate of the EMI that you would be willing to pay. In this case, never mention any amount. Just ask him to tell the quote which would come up with the downpayment that you are willing to pay and for the number of months. After a deal has been struck, tell him that you have the maximum capacity to pay so and so amount and hence this deal isn’t fitting into your budget. Even if the sales personnel persists on asking you about increasing the payment, tell him flatly that you don’t want to extend your budget anytime. It so happens that if you give the sales personnel an estimate that you would be ready to pay a fixed amount, then his next question would definitely be “how much more can you extend it to?”. Since your ego is at stake, you do some mental calculations and extend the budget a bit more. Based on this extended budget, the sales personnel would calculate your EMI, thus making you shell out more money than what you initially had in mind. Moreover negotiate separately for the anti rust or paint protection scheme that the dealer has to offer you. Also try and negotiate free floor mats, garage cover and stuff from the dealer.
If a sales personnel quotes x number of days for the delivery, take it down in writing. This is because, once they have the money transferred to their accounts, the dealers wouldn’t care more about achieving the scheduled delivery date. You would then have to struggle with them everyday to get your car delivered.
Not all the dealers end up being scrupulous, however, this post was those few dirty rotten apples in the basket. Many dealers try and maintain a good relation with their customers and ensure that their customers get a fair deal. They also take care that their customers have a good shopping experience and in turn recommend others to their dealerships.
