When the time comes to purchase a new (or used) car, you may be dreading the dealer experience. Are you going to be pressured to buy? Will you make a poor decision because you don’t know what you are doing? These are the types of questions that will swirl around your head, making you want to avoid this experience at all costs.
There used to be a day and age when most car sales people would do whatever it took to make a sale. Fortunately, the industry has improved as of late, with a growing number of sales associates hoping to actually help the customer along the way.
While you should never expect a car salesperson to take a loss on a deal, there is a good chance that he or she will be genuinely interested in pointing you in the right direction.
Here are three things you should expect from your salesperson:
1. Advice and guidance. Even if you know what you want to buy and how much you want to spend, there are going to be details with which you need assistance. For example, maybe you want your salesperson to explain the benefits of a particular option, such as in-dash navigation or adaptive cruise control. Don’t shy away from advice and guidance, as this is what the person is there for.
2. Somebody who can answer all your questions. How does this car stack up in terms of safety and reliability? What are you able to do in terms of the price? Do you have any other vehicles that may suit me better?
You have the ability to ask as many questions as you want along the way. As long as you are respectful, you can expect your salesperson to treat you the same way in return.
3. Friendly service. There is nothing worse than buying a car from somebody you cannot trust or enjoy communicating with. You don’t have to be friends with your salesperson, but you should expect this person to provide you with friendly service.
In the end, what matters most is that you get a deal you are comfortable with. As long as you get the car you want at a price you can afford, your dealings with the salesperson will be secondary.
When you expect these things from your car salesperson, you can go into the process with a clear idea of how you want your experience to unfold.