How to Talk to a – Car Salesman
Author: Lorraine Messina
Just recently I have had the pleasure to spend time shopping for a new car. Not having done this in six years I basically didn’t know where to start. There are so many options to choose from. Compact cars, mid-size sedans, luxury cars, wagons. etc.
After much thought, I compared my current car’s engine specifications and my cars dimensions to new cars and made a list. Time to test drive. This was an adventure to say the least. I would categorize myself as an aggressive test driver. Something I found that my car salesmen and saleswoman didn’t appreciate.
My current car has provided me with quite an education in car repairs. It was my intention on my test drives to try out all the features and put the car to the test. Being that I have quite a sense of humor, it humored me to no end, that on ever single test drive I took the salespeople were the ones to start the car from a cold start. Having experienced problems with my current car and cold starts I thought it wise to question this behavior. I heard a variety of answers. “I need to back it out of the parking space” or “I need to drive it off the lot for safety’s sake”. This is what confuses me. If I am taking a car for a test drive, wouldn’t I know how to back it out of a parking spot and drive it?
The test drive I must say was rather interesting. It apparently throws some sales men for a loop when you ask about engine specifications. The funny thing is I repeated what I had read and learned from their car literature. It was also quite interesting how many of the salesmen new how to work the cruise control. In my case it was none.
The really fun part is what happens after the test drive. You both sit down across from each other at a desk and do what is called: “working up some figures”. This in layman’s terms is paying the most for the new car and getting extremely little for your old car. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? The best part is when the mystery voice is called
in. A call is made to this mystery voice where you learn exactly how little you are going to get for you old car.
The most impressive thing was when I was asked by a salesman: “See these figures.” “How can we make you part of our family and feel comfortable about your purchase today?” I am not one to make snap decisions let alone make a purchase on the spot. So after thinking to myself I said: “Isn’t selling a car something you want to do?” “You can call me when you come down in price.” That reply of course brought stares. I in turn excused myself and left. Two days later I got a call from the salesman requesting I come in again and “work the figures”.