(#2) What's My Out-the-Door Price?
Dealers typically tack on loads of taxes, fees, and charges to turn a profit. Some of them are legit and inevitable, like documentation fees, registration, and tax. The rest are there to bump up the dealer's bottom-line profits. Just skip the BS and ask them about your out-the-door price. If you want to negotiate down from that, let them figure out which charge to reduce.(#12) Tip: Don't Trade In
Okay, this isn't a "question" per se, but it is good advice. Putting your car up as a trade-in is just throwing money in the trash, for no other reason than you don't want to bother selling it yourself. If you're willing to give up thousands and thousands of dollars for the sake of simple convenience, then good on you, Mr. Trump. But those of us who live in the real world should just not be okay with handing over that kind of money for nothing. Plan ahead, have a little bit of patience, and sell your current car yourself. Don't get caught in this scam of convenience.(#3) What Aftermarket/Dealer Parts Are on the Car?
Would you drive to Pep Boys and shell out $200 for a pair of mud flaps and stick-on fish-eye mirrors? Of course not. But would you notice if your dealer were charging $45,750 instead of $45,550? Dealers have a longstanding habit of "doing things" with cars - adding "custom" dealer touches and then charging customers ten times what they're worth. Ask about aftermarket alarms, tinted windows, or the "paint protection package" (aka "silicone wax"), and compare those charges to the market value of those add-ons.(#10) Can You Catch Up on the Service?
If you're looking at a used car with 100,000 miles on the odometer, odds are pretty good that it's got an expensive service coming up soon - could be spark plugs, a timing belt, a full fluid replacement, transmission filter change, almost anything. When you go home to think about your purchase (which you should), go online and look up the manufacturer service schedule. If the car is coming up on a big service interval, have the dealer perform it as a condition of sale.(#8) Can I See the Inspection Certification?
A "certified" used car is just a used car that has been inspected, repaired, and restored to near-new condition. That's fine, and manufacturer certified used cars can be great deals. But a dealer certified car can be a wreck purchased from an auction, put together with junkyard parts, and "certified" by the dealer on the basis of... whatever. Ask to see the inspection and repair work orders so you know what was done to the car beforehand.(#7) Is It on the Lot?
Here's a common scenario: you find the car of your dreams on a dealer lot, but you'd really prefer it black instead of green. Or maybe you want the 410-horsepower V-8, and not the 360-horse engine. Dealer says, "no problem, I can get it for you." Dealers trade cars back and forth like kids trade Yu-Gi-Oh cards, and this might be completely legit. But bear in mind the terms of the deal may change, since the black car might have options or add-ons you're not willing to pay for, and you'll probably get charged an extra delivery fee for it.
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The profit of car sales in the entire industry continues to decline, and the traditional dealership business model has caused many potential problems. In order to avoid being trapped during the purchase, many problems need to be solved by the car owner. Every car owner needs to ask what's the total cost including financing, it's one of the important questions when buying a new or used car.
This random tool generates 12 items, including the 12 important questions that should be asked at a car dealership. You could check those questions here if you are considering buying a car. Welcome to leave a message and share your thoughts.
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