If you’ve ever bought a new car at the dealership, you know that it can be quite a task. If you are navigating the world of used cars in New Jersey,it is important to go in with some knowledge not only about cars but also the techniques car salesmen use to get you to buy.
While there are professionals in every field who are honest and forthcoming, there are some in the car business that are not. If you would like to see inside their heads, here are some of the tactics used by car salesmen in order to make a sale:
- Lying by omission: If you’ve ever seen the ads in the newspaper or home mailings, you have likely at least given them a good look. “Wow, what a great deal!” you say, but is it? Car dealers place these ads to lure you into their dealerships. Once you’ve been lured in, all bets are off. Maybe there is something wrong with the cars or something else makes them undesirable. The moral of this story is: Be very careful about trusting all advertising for used cars.
- Tricky negotiation: While you may think that you scored an incredible deal on that car you just purchased, the truth is that you didn’t really. Car salesmen play hardball when it comes to negotiating. They will start out with an incredibly low quote on the car you want and, once you’re primed, they’ll encourage you to shop around to see if you can get a better deal and will offer to match it. When you are unable to buy cheaper, you return to the dealership and buy, being none the wiser.
- Free add-ins that aren’t free: Add-ins are a way to distract potential buyers and get them to accept a higher offer without knowing it. This makes customers think that, no matter how much the price is inflated, they are getting a sweet deal. They are then less likely to argue about what they don’t realize is actually a higher offer. Meanwhile, the “free” add-ins may actually cause them to have higher payments.
- Taking a dip in the time-wasting pool: Salesmen know that you are exhausted from car shopping all day and that you are ready to just get the whole process initiated and completed quickly. Time and fatigue are often factors in who buys and who walks.
- Becoming fast friends: Attempting to find commonalities, car salesmen depend on the calculated bond as a way to make it harder for you to say “no.”
It is important to note these characteristics don’t apply to all car salesmen. For each deceptive salesman out there, there are hundreds of honest ones. To avoid being duped, let these tricks act as an alert when purchasing a car.
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Mercedes Potter is a New Jersey native with connections to some of the best dealerships in the state. If you’re looking for an honest car salesman and reliable used cars in New Jersey, follow me on Twitter @CedesPotter.