Honesty, trustworthiness, and fair play are not words that most people would use when discussing a car’s salesperson. Most people expect that the person trying to sell them a car will take advantage of them if given the chance. They walk into a car dealership on high alert, waiting for even the slightest indication that the dealer is trying to take advantage of them.
It’s encouraging to know that in most cases car salespeople are not looking to rob their clients blind. Still, the nature of their job requires them to get their customer emotionally invested in purchasing the vehicle, even if that means omitting information that might make the customer change their mind.
This is part of the game that exists between seller and buyer. It’s a different thing entirely to work with someone who is dishonest and trying to take advantage of you. The following are four tips that can help a car buyer find an honest salesperson.
Quotes Provided by the Phone or Online
An honest car salesperson will be happy to negotiate the price of the vehicle with you over the phone or online. A dishonest salesperson may try to win their customer over by merely appealing to emotion and using pressure. This is easiest to do face-to-face. If a salesperson says that the only way they can discuss the price of the vehicle is face-to-face, this may be a red flag.
Get any quotes in writing. That way, you can bring the quote with you when you visit the dealership. If the price changes, you’re dealing with a dishonest individual, and it’s time to take your business elsewhere.
Honesty Gauged by Knowledge
Before setting foot on the show floor of a dealership, do research about the vehicle you are considering. When you are face-to-face with the salesperson, you will know some information about the vehicle and will be able to test how honest the salesperson is.
For example, if you know that the base model of the vehicle does not come in black, yet the salesperson promises you that they can get you the base model in black, it’s likely you’re dealing with someone who will promise you anything just to get you to sign on the dotted line. A dishonest salesperson will make promises they can’t keep.
The Hard Sale
If a salesperson tells you that you have to purchase a car by an arbitrary time and if you don’t the price or the vehicle will no longer be available, nine times out of 10 what they’re saying isn’t true. The harder they pressure you, the more likely it is that they are lying.
You want to work with a salesperson who lets you buy on your timetable. An honest salesperson wants their customer to be happy with the product they purchase, even if this means that they make their purchase a little later.
They Tell You How Honest They Are
An honest car salesperson does not need to convince their customers that they are honest. When a car salesperson tells you that they are on your side, you know it’s not true. They want to make the sale. That is their number one priority.
An honest salesperson does not need to compensate by trying to convince you of their honesty. Instead, they focus on the value of the car they are selling as opposed to trying to convince you of their intentions.
Buying a new or used automobile can be daunting. Dishonest car salespeople prey on the trusting and naïve nature of their potential customers. However, you can protect yourself by doing research about the vehicle you’re looking to purchase as well as the asking price for that vehicle in your area.
