Buying a car is one of the most important decisions one makes in the early, middle, and even later adult years.
For the first-time buyer, he or she is best served by taking the advice of those who have already purchased vehicles i.e. a parent, older brother or sister, grandparent, older friend etc.
This is not to say that first-time buyers are naïve and not capable of making a quality purchase, just that having a little experience along for the ride can present a better deal than going it solo.
So, if you are a first-time buyer or even one with a car or two purchases under your wings, will you be doing your fair share of research before walking on a car lot?
Get Social about What You Are Searching for
When it comes to buying a new or used car from a dealership, you may feel a little intimidated at first.
For starters, some car salespeople live up to that reputation of being a little high-pressure, just looking to make a sale at any cost.
Yes, while there are some dealers and salespeople out there like that, many of the dealerships nationwide know that coming on too strong is a good way to scare off prospective buyers. As a result, it is better to hold back on the sales pressure and instead work with the consumer on what he or she is looking for.
For the consumer, be as educated as possible not only about the vehicle of interest, but also how the dealership tends to treat consumers.
Is it known for being all sales and no personality? Will you be jumped on by several salespeople before you even get out of your current vehicle? Can you expect the dealership to not meet you halfway when it comes to negotiating a purchase price? Those are but a few of the questions that typically go through the heads of consumers.
Before getting yourself in a panic, keep in mind that car dealerships have one goal and one goal only, get that new or used car off the lot. If that means toning things down and working with you, they will most likely do it.
So, whether driven to buy a new or used car from Chapman VW in Arizona or someone a little closer to home, it is important to remember that knowing as much as you can about the dealership ahead of time is not to be taken for granted.
One of the means to go about that is not only looking at dealer’s website (see more below), but also their social media activities.
Many dealerships have active social media profile on sites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat etc. Visit these dealer pages, giving you chances to not only learn more about them, but also to possibly interact with them prior to stepping foot in the showroom.
Social media is also beneficial due to the fact that you can oftentimes interact with other consumers.
Speak to them about their car-buying experiences with a particular dealership, if they felt pressured into buying an automobile, if the customer service after the sale was what they expected, and whether or not they would recommend the dealership to their family members or friends.
Along with social media, be sure as mentioned a moment ago that you visit the dealer’s website.
Before many businesses got the hang of the Internet a decade or two ago, they would oftentimes have minimal profiles on the worldwide web. Today, however, that has really changed.
Since you’re buying and not renting a car, you want as much information as possible about each and every dealer you are considering doing business with.
Some dealership websites will even offer you a “chat” feature the minute you open up the homepage. Whether you want to engage in that “chat” or not is of course up to you. On the positive side, doing so can help get you to the salesperson and/or vehicle you are interested in learning more about.
Doing your research before you set foot on a car lot provides you with a number of advantages.
Most importantly, you will be driven to decide before too long whether this dealer is the one for you.
