Car-Buying Tips

I read “Car Sales Games Isn’t Always Fun for Buyers” (For What It’s Worth, Sept. 3) with interest. Few car buyers enjoy any encounter with today’s car salesmen. In fact, the vast masses in this country dread the encounter, stumbling over monthly payments and options, they become “easy prey” to the “greatest” seller of all--the car salesman!

The car salesman and his sales teams are taking such excessive profits from today’s car buyers that another automobile recession could take place by late 1980s. Combine excessive profit-taking with capturing the buyers’ trade-ins for well below wholesale (buyer surrenders equity in trade-in), and you have the buyers owing several thousands of dollars to the banks, above wholesale, when time comes to trade and buy another car.

The buyer will refuse to float a “second” on the trade just to buy another more modern car. Result: Buyers will hold on to their cars another two or three years. Even though the reasons for the last auto recession were different, the results will be the same: few new car purchases by the general public.

Remember, car salesmen practice their selling games every day. They use sales teams to assure maximum profit-taking during the sale. Even Additional Dealer Markup Stickers (ADMS) are used to guarantee more cash in the booty. The car buyer has few defenses to such tactics, but he can follow a couple of rules: Shop and buy on separate days (reduces impulse buying), and take a friend (friends make salesmen nervous).

Learn to flow with the sales team, with time invested, they start to listen to your deal. They listen because you have money (money is powerful). Discover the salesman’s game plans and the rules he/she lives by and the battle is won.

DARRELL PARRISH

Los Angeles