What do consumers really want in a car buying experience?

[Internet car shopper]

Offer the spreadsheet to those who want it. I have one I'm using to evaluate the various offers and leasing options, and I use excel formulas to do the calculations. I'm at the point where when I get an offer, within a minute I can compare it to the other offers and plug the numbers into my lease calc section to know whether or not this is a good deal. Sure, the dealership can do the calcs, but I like the reassurance of knowing what the number "should" be (and I have validated it by comparing to online calculators). If a dealer has a different figure, that's fine, I just ask where they got it, and plug the numbers into my handy-dandy (you guessed it!) excel spreadsheet and calculate it their way to see whether I missed something or whether the dealership is adding. I picked up an error in sales tax calculations, and another debatable item (whether or not to charge sales tax on acquisition fees if paid up front & not capitalized) that way, neither of which was disclosed on the quotes.

For those who don't use or like excel, don't offer. It should be evident from discussions how financially and/or computer savvy a buyer is--and if you aren't sure, just ask!

 

[Brian in Etown]

I ran across a site a while back that had a download of a spreadsheet for buyers CarBuyingTips.com Free Spreadsheet Download Area
I think I will use something like this?
thanks for the tip ICS

 

[Pete]

Dead on and dead wrong here.

People are not always really looking for the lowest price but the last place that they can feel empowered.

The auto industry has not risen to the same social-economic status with other retailing industries because some one has to be or made out to be the bad guy or diversion for other industries.

Let me tell you I have told friends and family time and time again that if they would focus, research and spend the same amount of time on many other purchases, the savings would be ten times greater.

Buying a home, jewelry, clothing, INVESTMENTS, IRA's and MUTUAL FUNDS, even carpeting to name a few.

The margins and especially commissions on some far exceed the total profit made on an avg car deal.

It is ridiculous because a home sells for 1M in comparison to 350k that it makes any sense that the commission should be higher?
Bull to any realtors that it's more work and for certain of the fact that they spent more money out of their own pocket to sell the higher priced one.

I bought a house for 500k and the realtor showed me 5 homes in one day. I bought the one I found by researching. They made and got half of a 30k commission and they sucked and had no clue of or even sincerely asked what my needs and what is important to me.

When a stock goes down or loses money it's the markets fault but when a vehicle depreciates as it is supposed to do, "that no good salesperson or store that sold it to me" is at fault.

The fact is the auto industry as a whole have spent so much time competing with each other that of the 10B+ ad dollars spent yearly on loss leaders and gimmicks that by know that they would have finally come together to positively promote and betterment of the industry.

I had mentioned in this blog briefly about why there isn't a retail automotive union and the same current mindset by dealer principles and manufacturer's applies.

Enough ramble and all the best from the Windy City.
Pete