car dealer shops

I'm doing my first car dealer shop later in the week. I have to take a test drive, then get a price for the car.

I know if the salesperson gets you in their office you can be there for a VERY LONG time! Any suggestions for getting out of the dealership quickly?

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt

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Stand up and walk out the door.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

My secret.... I only do dealership shops around lunchtime. Hit it, make it stick, then quit.

I tell them I'm using my lunchbreak to shop and get a better feel for features, prices, rebates, promotions, etc...

I never state what time I have to be back (because it's flexible anyway) or that I'm in a rush, just that I'm on my lunch break, but.... I get some really streamlined, thorough presentations with no chit-chat. I guess they just assume that my lunch break is an hour like most people's and try to really drive home their presentations in under an hour.

I've seen people on here talking about dealership shops taking them 1 1/2-2 hours, but honestly, mine have never taken more than 45 minutes even with testdrive. My salespeople typically gloss over some of the features, offer a test-drive, I accept, and they go over the features more thoroughly during the testdrive.

Never go after "work hours" or they'll think you have all the time in the world.

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Plan the work. Work the plan.

the guidelines clearly say to not sit down and negotiate. You are to say I am not buying today but would like to have an idea of the best price you are able to offer. I have done 3 and never had an issue after this is how I approached it. Make it clear you are not buying today.

seattleshop425 Wrote:
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> the guidelines clearly say to not sit down and
> negotiate. You are to say I am not buying today
> but would like to have an idea of the best price
> you are able to offer. I have done 3 and never had
> an issue after this is how I approached it. Make
> it clear you are not buying today.

Unless it's a posted price dealer, exactly how do you get the best price unless you pick a car and state you are ready to buy it?

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson

If we are sitting in an office, I stand up, tell the salesman that I am not ready to buy today, thank him for his time and leave. I do not hesitate -- I just keep walking. One time, I had a salesman that just wouldn't take no for an answer. After each time I told him that I wasn't ready to buy, he excused himself, talked to his manager and came back with a better offer than the last one. The last time he did this, I walked out of the dealership without saying a word. I had his business card and all of he information I needed according to the guidelines. I explained what happened in the report -- it was accepted. I expected to receive an email asking for clarification, but I didn't hear a word

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What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals. -Henry David Thoreau
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Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out. -Frank Clark
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seattleshop425 Wrote:
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> the guidelines clearly say to not sit down and
> negotiate. You are to say I am not buying today
> but would like to have an idea of the best price
> you are able to offer. I have done 3 and never had
> an issue after this is how I approached it. Make
> it clear you are not buying today.

I am wondering how you can know and advise what the guidelines read when the company was not even mentioned. There are MANY companies that offer car dealer shops and the guidelines are ALL different.

I assume it is because KathyG said that a requirement was to test drive and to get a price for the car. There are very few shops which require the test drive (Most only require it if offered, but you aren't supposed to suggest or ask for one) and only two that I can think of that require that you get the exact price. (Again, most only state to see if the salesperson offers the price, but not to push/request it)

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Plan the work. Work the plan.

The scenario KathyG mentioned sounds exactly like the shop I am suppose to do tomorrow. The guidelines say to shop 2 hours prior to closing to allow a test drive. And then submit report by midnight. I was wondering if the timing for the shop could be a typo. And should say AT LEAST 2 hours prior to closing. The company is Monterey , I appreciate your help.

DMP...IIRC, the guidelines say you must start the shop at least two hours prior to closing, not "two hours prior" as you stated in your post...it's a small, but very significant, difference.

.
Have PV-500 & willing to travel.
"Answers are easy. It's asking the right questions which is hard." (The Fourth Doctor, The Face of Evil, 1977)

"Somedays you're the pigeon, somedays you're the statue.” J. Andrew Taylor

"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." Galileo Galilei

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/20/2014 09:36PM by James Bond 007.5.

Actually DMP is correct. I just completed a shop for Monterey today and in the guidelines they left out the "at least two hours"; however, I knew what they meant.

James Bond 007.5 Wrote:
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> DMP...IIRC, the guidelines say you must start the
> shop at least two hours prior to closing, not "two
> hours prior" as you stated in your post...it's a
> small, but very significant, difference.

Thanks for all the good ideas. It IS a Monteray shop.

Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. Eleanor Roosevelt

I've done new car shops for 6 different companies. 3 required a test drive, 2 required a test drive if asked, and only 1 allowed you to refuse the test drive if asked. From the OP there is no way to know which company they are working for.

Again, just get up and walk out the door. After getting a price the only thing keeping you there is being too nice to say no when the salesperson says he needs to go speak to his manager before you leave. The salesperson is not your boss or parent, they do not get to say what you do or do not do.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

Looks like we cross posted. For Monterrey read my second paragraph above.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

I do a ton of car shops. I still want to look at other brands before I decide. The price gives me a better way to compare.

Shopping Western NY, Northeast and Central PA, and parts of Ohio and West Virginia. Have car will travel anywhere if the monies right.

Thanks, this was my first shop for them. I am learning.

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