A CAR expert has warned motorists of five major red flags to watch out for at a dealership, including an “annoying” and costly tactic.
Micky Fisher from Untamed Motors highlighted some of the “slimy” tactics that salesmen use to rip you off.
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In a video posted to his YouTube channel, he said: “It should come as no surprise or shock that dealerships will try anything to try to maximise their profit margins.
“They’ll deploy a lot of slimy tactics.
“If you’re not buying vehicles often…you can be hit by surprise.
“Keep in mind you are in the driver’s seat…you can call the shots.
“Don’t succumb to these greedy tactics.”
Markups
The first thing to watch out for is dealers trying to offer a car with a markup included in the price.
The Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of a motor, also known as the RRP in the UK, is publically available information.
They have the upper hand
Micky Fisher
Before going to buy a car, you should always have a make and model in mind and come armed with the numbers, including its MSRP.
If you notice in your cost breakdown that the dealership is offering a hiked MSRP as the base price, before any add-ons or extra costs, then it should send you running for the hills.
Credit crunch
Given that around 80% of Brit drivers buy their cars on finance, some form of credit check is a normal part of the sale process.
Indeed, if you aren’t asked to do one at some point, that’s a red flag in itself.
However, Micky explained that dealers can also go too far the other way.
You should never agree to a credit check or to place a deposit before seeing the car and having a test drive.
If a salesperson tries to make these a condition of a test drive then you should look elsewhere.
Added extras
Another thing dealers will try to sneak onto your bill is a range of added extra charges.
These can include things like extended warranties, optional services and even insurance policies.
Not only can these cost hundreds but you could be tied into an agreement that doesn’t work for you.
They can control the conversation
Micky Fisher
Just be aware that these are never a condition of any finance deal or payment plan and don’t let anyone tell you any different.
While you can purchase a warranty or insurance from a dealer, you are more than free to shop around through independent firms as this can often be cheaper.
This is especially crafty if they tell you that purchasing these extras can drop the interest rate on your loan.
The interest rates come from the bank and are the same regardless of what you buy.
On solid ground
Dubbed by Micky as the “most annoying” tactic dealers use, a key warning sign is a rush to get you into the dealership itself.
The infamous question “when can you make it in” should set alarm bells ringing.
The motors whizz explained: “I hated hearing that.
“They’re trained to say that.
“They want to get you into that dealership…because then they have the upper hand.
“They can control the conversation…eventually they’re going to wear you down.”
Instead, try and get the offer in advance and do some basic negotiation over the phone so, when you do walk into the dealership, you already know what you want and how much you’re willing to pay.
Ticking clock
Finally, Micky urged drivers to be extremely cautious if a dealer tells them that there is a time limit on a particular discount.
If they say that a deal is “only good for today”, this is usually a tactic to rush you into a decision and apply pressure to make a deal.
Considering that most discounts come from manufacturers rather than dealers, it is almost never the case that an offer available one day won’t be there the next.
