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February 3, 2006
Ask the Salesman: What Happens After the Sale?
Buying a vehicle is made up of several different elements. Most people concentrate on only 2 or 3 and overlook some of the more important parts of a new car purchase. One of the more important aspects of buying a new car in my opinion, is what happens 6 months after the sale.
The best car buying experience can be ruined by spending 4 hours in a dealers service department waiting on an oil change on a Saturday afternoon.
Working for BMW and Volkswagen for many years has spoiled me as to what to expect from a dealers service department. Before you buy your next car, ask your salesperson what their dealer will do for you in regards to service.
For example, I called 3 Toyota dealers in town asking for a price quote on a particular vehicle for a friend. I advised my friend to go with the one that was not the lowest. My friend was puzzled and asked why. I explained that when I asked the salesman that quoted me the lowest selling price what their dealership would do for me if my car came in for service, his response was that someone would drive me across the street to the shopping mall. When I asked the salesman that quoted me a higher price what the dealership would do for me if the car was in for service, he gave me a long list of amenities the dealership provided. These included:
-- Shuttle service anywhere within 8 miles of the dealership.
-- Free car washes anytime.
-- Free loaner car if my car was going to be in overnight.
-- All the gourmet coffee I could drink.
-- Play area for the kids if I wanted to wait for my car.
What does this mean to you? When shopping for a car look beyond the lowest price. In almost every case a dealer will match price. Even if they do not, I would rather spend my money with a dealership that shows they care about their customers after the initial sale.
My friend bought his car from the dealership I suggested and just had his first oil change. He dropped it off in the morning, they drove him to work then picked him up at the end of the day. All this did was reinforce that the dealer wanted him as a customer.
Publisher's note: "Ask the Salesman," is a weekly feature where Dave Lewis, a working auto sales professional, shares his ideas and suggestions for vehicle buyers. Dave has been in the automotive profession for seven years and currently sells BMWs at The BMW Store in Cincinnati, Ohio. You can find his website at www.BMWlivery.com.
Posted by Frank at February 3, 2006 10:55 PM | Filed under Auto News
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