Automatch Answers Your Questions! (With Updates)

"Tom McParland" (tommcparland)
10/09/2013 at 09:15 • Filed to: Automatch FAQ, car buying, automatch consulting, automatch, customer sevis

As a part-time (now full time) professional car-buying consultant I have gotten several inquires from a number of you wanting to know the details of this fun job. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! I tried my best to address all the big ones in this post. If you still would like to know something I have not yet discussed, feel free to hit me up in the comments.

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Q: How did you get started?

Like all of you I love cars and consume information about makes and models like an obese man at an all-you-can-eat buffet. When shopping for myself some years ago, I did a lot of research and learned some tricks on how to get the best deal. Quick back story: when I graduated college with my Education degree in January of 2005, no one was hiring teachers mid-way through the year. I worked odd-jobs and thought I might try my hand at car sales. I applied at a local Honda/BMW dealership. I ended up taking a “personality test” as part of the interview, a few days later I get a phone call from the sales manager, “We are sorry but the results of the personality test says you are too ‘customer oriented’ we need you to be more ‘company oriented.’ Essentially the results say you would be looking out for the best interests of the customer, we need you to look out for the best interest of us.” This got me thinking...I wonder if I could help people buy cars and save them the hassle of dealing with the “stealerships?” A few years ago I started doing consulting for free for family and friends. After every deal I was told, “ This is awesome, you should make a business out of this!” Once I finished graduate school, I had the time and energy to to make it a full-fledged business.

Q: Do you do this full-time?

No, I am a teacher but most teachers need a little something on the side. I don’t get enough clients to really pay the bills but it is nice as extra cash. Sometimes I do 3-4 deals in a month sometimes I won’t get a client for several months. There are full-time consultants out there, mostly on the west coast that cater to very wealthy clients.

(Update: I now manage about 30-40 or more clients per month, this is now my full-time job)

Q: What do you charge?

I have three packages- First package $149- I have a very detailed survey that helps narrow down the field of choices to a few (usually 3) makes/models of what I think will be the best picks for the client. I locate those cars, and give what the “fair market” value is. At that point the client is on their own. Second package $299, I do everything from the first package but I will show the client how to communicate with the dealerships and shop to get the best deal. I will also give advice on how to get the most from their trade and get the best interest rates for financing. Third package $499, everything from the first package (including the trade and financing advice from package 2), then I negotiate with the dealerships on the client’s behalf get the best deal. All they have to do is secure the financing and pick up the car.

(Update: my pricing structure has changed I now offer 3 pricing options, $499, $599, and a custom quote for specialty cars )

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Q: Do you buy the cars?

No, I do not handle the product nor do I work with the banks to get a client financing.

Q: Do you go to the dealerships in person?

No, all communication is handled over the phone or via the internet. I do my best to get as much information as possible in writing so my clients can arrive at the dealership prepared. Most of the time once a price has been decided upon, I instruct my clients to call the salesperson and put a refundable deposit on the car.

Q: Do you only work within your local area?

So far all of my clients have been local as most of my business has resulted in word-of-mouth referrals. However, I could work deals anywhere in the U.S. since I could call or email any dealership.

Oh and I don’t deal with any international import/export sales. There are folks that specialize in that stuff, but that is way too messy for me.

(Update: The vast majority of my customers are outside of my region.)

Q: Do you only deal with new car sales? What about leases? Or used cars?

Yes to all of the above. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! As far as used cars go that gets tricky because of all the makes and models available but I have had several used car deals, however, all of them were for lightly used cars, only a few years old usually with Certified Pre-Owned warranties. I usually stay away from anything under $15k.

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Q: So how do you get the best deal?

It really depends on the car. For new car sales/leases, I contact all the dealerships within a radius of my clients’ choosing that have what the client wants in inventory. I get price quotes and shop those prices against each other. I have mentioned in other posts that not all dealerships want to play ball, so it can get tricky. Sometimes I have to call and speak to a manager, and sometimes I just have to move on to another dealer.

For used cars, it is more difficult because you are never shopping apples to apples. You just got to find the leverage somewhere.

I have gotten to the point now that certain dealerships give me big discounts off the bat because I have worked with them before, and they know it will be a quick and easy sale.

Q: What about special orders?

Again it really depends on the car. Dealerships usually are more willing to make a deal on cars they have on their lot but even if you have to special order a car, it pays to shop around. Of course, there are super rare models that you are just going to have to pay MSRP for.

Q: Why would someone pay you to do this when they can do it themselves for free?

The short answer is they wouldn’t. If you can do something yourself and do it well, you don’t pay someone else to do it. But how much is your time and energy worth? Recently I had a landscape company weed all my beds, edge and mulch. It was $200 and it took a team of 8 guys 3 hours. It would have taken me an entire weekend. I have better things to do with my time, and I hate pulling weeds. I consider that money well spent. Most folks around here know their products and know something about car sales, so there aren’t too many Jalops that will pay me. However, the majority of car-buyers are intimidated by the dealerships, don’t want to get ripped-off, and often just don’t have the time or energy to deal with the hassle. So they pay me a few hundred bucks on the second most expensive purchase they will make to so that things go smoothly.

Q: How do you deal with people who can’t take recommendations?

My job is not to tell them what car to buy but rather give them as much information possible to make an informed decision. I have developed a fairly in-depth survey that covers: needs, wants, budget, lifestyle, previous cars, brand preferences, and so on. Once all the questions are answered, I try to narrow down the choices to 3 or 4 depending on what is available. I tell my clients to drive a few cars and report back which is their favorite.

Sometimes people already know what they want and are determined to get it. The majority of the time if someone comes to me wanting say a Camry, even though I will suggest the Mazda6 and the Accord chances are they will end up with a Camry. As long as they get a good deal I’m happy and they are happy.

At the end of the day, it is not my car. Sure, as an enthusiast, I get a little disappointed sometimes when people don’t end up with the “cool” car, like my dad who didn’t get a 6-speed ATS or 3-series but rather a CLA. Or a recent client who came close to getting a Genesis R-spec sedan but settled on a Sorento SUV.

Q: What is the most expensive car you have gotten?

It was one of my early deals, a fully loaded new Ford Explorer Limited, MSRP about 52k. When it was all said and done, my clients paid about 46 grand for it.

(Update: I’ve brokered several deals on high-end sports cars and exotics)

Q: Have you had any really difficult deals?

I had one car that was really difficult to find and my clients weren’t exactly being flexible about it. They wanted a CPO ‘12 Mercedes C300 4matic in Palladium silver, with black leather and wood trim, with Navigation all with less than 12k miles for under 33 grand. It took me months to find this car they ended increasing their budget to get a ‘13 left-over, and still saved a boat-load of money. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

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Q: Who is your biggest competition?

As of now, I am the only one who does consulting in my area. There are some used-car dealers who broker new car deals as well, but they end up buying the new car at a discount and marking it up for their customer. My rates are flat regardless of the price of the car, regardless of the savings.

Q: What is your advice for someone who wants to do their own consulting?

Start out doing a few deals for free for family and friends, learn the ropes, get a referral base. Once people find out that they have to pay, you will get less inquires but the ones that do come will be serious clients. And always be re-evaluating your methods, I learn something new every deal.

Update 2020 Questions - What is the biggest challenge in starting an operation like this?

The hardest thing is getting enough exposure in front of people who are willing to pay for the service. You can be awesome at it but if not enough people know who you are the business is not going to get any traction. I got lucky in the fact that I write for Jalopnik. The website reaches over 10 million readers per month, if I have some good articles maybe I will get 1-2 million clicks. Of those 1-2 million readers, maybe 40 of them will actually pay me to shop for cars. That’s a rough numbers game.

If starting my own car buying business is too much of a challenge can I work for Automatch?

I do hire folks on a freelance basis to help me shop for cars. If this is something you may be interested in hit me up via email. I may not have an opening now, but sometimes my agents get too busy with their day jobs and personal lives and have to step back. Or the customer base may grow where I need more people.

Thank you for reading if you would like to read any more of my car-buying adventures, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

DISCUSSION (64)

Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 09:23

Hmm

Seems i find my future sidejob.

yes, i'm making quite good of money from my job in cellphone operator, but having an extra cash is always good.

Tom McParland > Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW.
10/09/2013 at 09:24

I don't know how the Indonesian car market is, but if it is anything like the US, you should do fine. If you start this up please let us know on Oppo how it goes, I would be very curious. :)

Nibbles > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 09:30

Thanks for answering the questions! A++ would read again (I've saved this information for further use)

Tom McParland > Nibbles
10/09/2013 at 09:30

I had you in mind for many of these. :)

Volvosaurus-Rex > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 09:33

Have you had to learn all sorts of things about cars that you previosuly did not care about? I have found that some of the things most car buyers are looking for, I couldn't care less about.

How did you convince the "first few clients" to let you complete the whole process for them?

Have you had anyone who was dissatisfied?

How much time would you say you dedicate to each "car consulting" based on your three tier system?

Can I be your apprentice?

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 09:33

I, to this day, don't see why some dealerships still use the "screw over the customer" mentality for their operations.
It's been proven time and time again that customer service and a "customer-focused strategy" provides long term sustainable growth, even in sales.
But I guess some people can't see past their own noses.

Nibbles > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 09:33

I do appreciate it.

BTW I haven't had much success yet, though I am working a deal for a 1-ton reefer (first client woo!)

Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 09:35

Hmm

In indonesia, there's some weird practice if you get a customer got to a dealership and buy a car, you'll be paid.
It's between 500-750 bucks, depending on the car that you sell.

And ya, sometimes i take my friends to my trusty mercedes dealer for asking some guide in buying cars. After the deal, i rarely ask any money from my friends. But the dealer always give me some extra cash for that.

Tom McParland > Volvosaurus-Rex
10/09/2013 at 09:37

1. Yes I am much more knowledable about CUVs and SUVs now because they are popular.

2. The first few clients were close friends and family that I did this for free. Then they told people who wanted to pay me.

3. I had an early client get a new Focus, she really likes the car but it has had some quality control issues. She doesn't blame me, but I still feel kinda bad.

4. Depends on the car and the client

5. Maybe we can work something out. :)

Tom McParland > Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW.
10/09/2013 at 09:38

Then that is really the way to go! That way your client has nothing to lose (or spend) by getting you involved in the process and you get a nice chunk of change.

Tom McParland > Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW.
10/09/2013 at 09:41

On a side note...I think I might need to move to Indonesia. The wife likes tropical islands, we could partner up, and I can eventually get my hands on an RS6 Avant. Brilliant!

Tom McParland > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
10/09/2013 at 09:43

I can usually spot those dealerships right away by their ads and by how they respond to my inquires. What they don't realize is when they try that BS with me not only do they lose the sale, they hurt their reputation because I am going to tell everyone I can to avoid them.

Tom McParland > Nibbles
10/09/2013 at 09:44

1-ton reefer?

Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 09:44

Ya.

But maybe i'll dealing with eurobox only.

I once taking my friend to a local Toyota dealer, to get a new GT86 in blue. I take him there because i remember seeing one of those earlier that week. And despite he spend 65k on the car, the dealer only bother to give me 50 bucks.

I don't have a specific rates yet, but i think it's a bit too cheap. Even i get 500 bucks from my trusty dealer after selling a smart car to my ex.

Tom McParland > Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW.
10/09/2013 at 09:45

My rates are cheap because I know the demographics in my area, and this is only part time.

davedave1111 > BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
10/09/2013 at 09:47

It happens in a lot of businesses, not just car sales. Two interconnected reasons are firstly that many/most successful small businesspeople, in my experience, are better at finding lots of work/clients/customers than at running a business, and secondly that if you treat your customers like idiots and rip them off, it's not completely unprofitable because you'll end up with a customer-base of idiots who let you rip them off. That's even more true in a business with high-profit, low frequency transactions like car sales.

Nibbles > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 09:48

Yeah, along the lines of this .

I didn't really expect to get into any commercial vehicles, but it was serendipitous how it happened. An hour after I decided to truly pursue consulting a friend of mine (whom I haven't talked to in a good while) sends me a text saying "Hey, I know you have a knack at finding cars and shit, could you find me a 1 ton reefer?"

So we worked out the details and I'm almost done with the deal.

Aya, Almost Has A Cosmo With Toyota Engine Owned by a BMW. > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 09:49

Ya, i know.
I just kinda feels i diserve a bit more.

I also have a friend that do the same side job like us, but he's specialized on 2 wheels things. He got paid 50 bucks every single client he take to a local yamaha dealer. And yamaha's bike is cheaper than GT86.

Sure, just move here!
I live in Surabaya, just 8 hours of driving from Bali. And my friend still keeping his trusty RS6 V10.

Tom McParland > Nibbles
10/09/2013 at 09:51

Awesome! Please do a full-post with details I am very curious as how commercial sales go.

And I just figured out that 1-ton reefer is a one-ton refrigerated truck....for a second I thought you were "dealing" something else. :D

Kinja'd!!!

Nibbles > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 09:54

Ah, now I understand lol! Being raised in an industrial county, I've never made that association.

Commercial sales is super easy. The hard part is finding the proper truck. My experiences with commercial dealers have always been quick, painless and up-front (of course these experiences are from years ago and I've not dealt with commercial sales in a metro area before, this is gonna be fun)

Volvosaurus-Rex > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 09:55

Have you ever seen this survey?

http://www.myproductadvisor.com/mpa/auto_/inpu…

I am thinking of adapting this into my own survey to give to potential clients as a starting point, I would ask for a copy of your survey but I know that's probably about as "trade secrets" as it gets for you.

(I'm near Chicago, so hopefully that's not creeping on your territory)

Tom McParland > Volvosaurus-Rex
10/09/2013 at 10:00

Here is my survey ...but a computer doesn't spit out results like the other one. I don't find that to be reliable. This just goes to a Google Spreadsheet and I take the information using my knowledge of products and make recommendations.

Volvosaurus-Rex > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 10:08

Right, so I don't want the computer spitting out results, I just need to create a survey so I can analyze clients needs. That survey seemed like a good starting point for me to understand things that "normal" people care about in cars.

Also, do you have the clients bring their cars in for trade-in valuation or how does that work? It would all depend on what dealer they end up purchasing from.

cazzyodo > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 10:09

Since my car search (and your tips, which again, thank you) people have been asking me for help in their research. So far so good...I don't think I will get beyond the family and friend stage but it's a lot of fun.

I mean, I haven't really contacted dealers except for one person but the research in and of itself is really cool.

William Byrd > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 10:09

Outstanding write-up. I've considered this, but haven't had the time to get anything going. Similarly I have done this type of thing for friends, sometimes just providing something simple like a list of options that matches their criteria. It's fun when they actually buy (or at least seriously consider) an interesting option they hadn't thought of before.

Tom McParland > Volvosaurus-Rex
10/09/2013 at 10:11

I advise on how to use a trade but I won't evaluate them. What I will do is run an Edmunds TMV on what they have and tend to give them figure on what they can expect for their trade. I usually give a conservative figure, I would rather an dealer offer more than they expect than less.

Tom McParland > cazzyodo
10/09/2013 at 10:14

The research is the fun part....working the dealers can be easy but also can be a time-consuming pain in the ass.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 10:14

I agree with you on the "why not do it yourself" point, if there is one thing they hammered into me when I was studying supply chain management it was: If someone can do it better, faster and/or cheaper (ideally at least two apply), there is no point in you doing it. I find this surprisingly relevant in almost anything, except maybe my love life. Haha. I make decisions based on this all the time in both my professional and and private life.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 10:19

Do you often find someone that has their heart set on one car, they go test drive your other recommendations and they'll go for one of those instead? You give an example of someone being dead-set on a Camry and they'll end up with one. But I want to hear your "success-stories", where you successfully steer people away from beige? Is it possible?

cazzyodo > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 10:23

As you said in your post above, once you get a relationship with a dealer it certainly helps. I'm pretty sure I could do fine with a Ford dealer (where I've gone for my lease and my last purchase) and Subaru dealer (where two people I know have gone).

It's all coming together...

Kinja'd!!!

BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 10:51

Exactly. I understand that there's enough suckers out there where they can get away with it a few times, but those same suckers are the same people who shop on cars based on non-brand or model specific traits. If they ever figure out what they're subject to, they'll just buy a Jetta instead of a Corolla.

ddavidn > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 11:10

I have too many side jobs already, but my father-in-law wants to buy a couple of Corollas soon, and I will probably help him so he doesn't get ripped off as usual... thanks for the tips!

BJ > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 11:12

Great write-up. Thanks for this!

Tom McParland > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs
10/09/2013 at 11:20

There was one guy who came to me saying his wife wanted a loaded V6 Camry...I know that his wife has a soft-spot for luxury cars so I said..."Hey for the same price I could get you a CPO Mercedes C300." That Benz turned out to be the impossible Mercedes that I did a few posts on. Maybe I should have said "get a Camry" lol.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 11:36

oh man if you want a loaded sedan, there are so many options besides a Camry, haha.

I'll have to read the C300 story.

Volvosaurus-Rex > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 11:37

So how did you figure this all out when you didn't have your very own Automatch to ask? Have you changed your pricing strategy at all since you started charging? How did you come up with those figures in the first place?

Are you annoyed with my questions yet? I don't forsee them stopping soon.

Tom McParland > Volvosaurus-Rex
10/09/2013 at 11:43

Ask away...I don't mind. If I did, I wouldn't have bothered with this post in the first place. This is my contribution to the Oppo community. I don't have much in the way of mechanical skills, meaning zero. And I am not as knowledgeable about specific cars as most people around here. I just got the BMW chassis codes down, I still can't remember all the Mercedes ones.

As far as figuring this stuff out, I dunno just worked at it over time. In terms of pricing, I looked up what the those fancy full-time consultants charged, usually 1500-5000. I knew I would get zero clients at that price point. So I set my fees at something that is worth my while but still affordable for most people.

Volvosaurus-Rex > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 12:02

As a Mechanical Engineer I hope I have contributed something, but more likely I have contributed zero so far.

What "fancy full time consultants" are you talking about? Do you have links so I can compare their services to what I am considering offering?

You know it's funny that before I found you on here, I have been saying for probably over a year now that I wanted to be an automotive matchmaker of sorts. I've even got a few friends that will be in the market shortly that are the kinds of people who would see the value in this service. Right place, right time I guess.

Do you tell the dealers you are negotiating on behalf of someone else? What are some of their typical reactions and how do you get past that/use that to the benefit of your clients?

Back to the trade-in, I know often times dealers will cut customers a deal on the car if they know you are trading-in, just so they can fleece you on the trade-in value. It seems like that would be a big part of the negotiations, so do you do anything aside from helping the clients understand what value they should expect to be offered?

Naijaflavor, I Love Doritos > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 12:20

hmmm Automatch good

Tom McParland > Volvosaurus-Rex
10/09/2013 at 12:21

Good questions. I can't find the links at the moment, but when I was doing some market research early on I found a few consultants, mostly in the LA area, charging a few grand for a percentage of the savings (that is too convoluted for me to figure out).

As far as trade goes. I just negotiate the price of the vehicle at hand and let the dealer know there will be a trade if it is a significant trade. For beaters I don't even mention them.

I usually contact dealers via email and say something like "Hello, I have a client interested in X. Is this vehicle still available? Could you please email me to discuss further." If I have to call I say "Hello my name is Tom with Automatch Consulting I have a client that is interested in..." and so on. Sometimes this throws the dealers off, especially the shady ones. Every so often I will get "So who are you?" I explain that people pay me to shop cars for them and negotiate a good deal. At that point usually a dealer will work with me. Sometimes I can tell they will get a little defensive. For the most part luxury dealership roll with it easily, I guess they are more used to dealing with intermediaries.

Tom McParland > Naijaflavor, I Love Doritos
10/09/2013 at 12:22

Ha! Thanks.

Volvosaurus-Rex > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 12:29

When dealing with client's budget, do your clients typically tell you whether they want new/CPO or whether they want a 50,000 mile, but nicer, car? Obviously there are "life of vehicle" considerations with buying used, and I could do the math but I would probably end up confusing most people. I have actually calculated before $/mile of vehicle usage, based on how long someone plans on having the car (using average yearly mileage calculations), to determine which price/mileage combination was a better deal. I can even plot it to show the break even mileage (up to X miles, Car A is a better deal, past X miles Car B is a better deal, etc...)

You said you try not to deal with <$15,000 transactions, do you turn people away or just generally don't have any interest from people trying to pick up a ride on the cheap?

Tom McParland > Volvosaurus-Rex
10/09/2013 at 12:35

1- Depends. The survey covers "how long they plan on keeping a car" if they are a drive it till it dies type of buyer I tend to lean towards cars with strong reliability histories. If they are only going to own it for 3-5 years it opens things up a bit.

2. Both. Most people aren't going to spend $300 to get a cheap car. And those cars tend to be high-mileage models too many factors to make a strong recommendation And there is not typically a lot of wiggle-room in price at that stage. Remember people are paying me to save them money. If you pay me $500 to save you 6 grand on a new Mercedes that is worth it. I you pay me $500 to save you a grand on a Mazda2...not so much.

TrackRatMk1 > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 17:55

Seems like your bread and butter is people who consider their time too valuable to waste car shopping. Have you considered isolating your market to niche/specialty vehicle procurement? Or is your customer base just not large enough for that yet?

I can see an exciting path along those lines... very similar to what the specialty vehicle research teams do for RM and Bonhams auctions. The wealthy businessman/business owner/car enthusiast with no time on his hands but a clear knowledge of what he or she wants says "find me a classic E-Type in great condition with original paint under 60k miles". Or even better, "I want an original Group B Audi Quattro to add to my race car collection". You get the picture!

You could represent clients all over the country, specializing in odd, rare, and high value vehicles and have a rate card for all aspects of that search. Hours searching, traveling, negotiating, contracting with shipping companies, etc. Everybody needs a specialty ;)

Mikeado > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 19:30

Kinja'd!!!

DAT BLUE.

AGAIN.

Tom McParland > Mikeado
10/09/2013 at 19:35

Actually its a different blue the other post has estoril blue (navy) and I forget what this is maybe Nagoro or something. :)

blackchair > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 19:45

Great write-up! Thanks for this knowledge.

Tom McParland > TrackRatMk1
10/09/2013 at 20:17

Most of my clients are regular car-buyers who really just don't want to get ripped off and want to know they are getting the best car for them. They are intimidated by the dealerships and just don't want to be bothered.

As for the specialty cars, as tempting as that is I really don't have the type of clientele at the time that would benefit from it nor to I have access to the resources to get such rare vehicles. And there is the fact I would want to buy all of them for myself and the wife would not be happy about that. :)

N51fanatic > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 20:57

WHo knew I have been doing this for years and never charged. But like you said, no way i could make a living doing this.

Tom McParland > N51fanatic
10/09/2013 at 21:01

As long as you have fun and your friends are happy keep going! :)

N51fanatic > Tom McParland
10/09/2013 at 21:42

WHats funny is my local mall, yes I said mall, has a car broker in it. I cant imagine the overhead he has with the rent alone in that space.

Mikeado > Tom McParland
10/10/2013 at 03:18

Hmm. I think I prefer this one.

Tom McParland > Mikeado
10/10/2013 at 12:57

Decisions...decisions. :)

His Stigness > Tom McParland
10/16/2013 at 14:57

Yes, your dad got the Mercedes! What a good choice lol.

You should email me your survey so I can see what car I should get. I'm thinking your survey is like a rorschach test and I can see if I actually want German cars.

Tom McParland > His Stigness
10/16/2013 at 19:29

Funny story my dad was all set to go for the C250 coupe...he went to go pick it up and he saw the CLA250 on the lot. So he drove it and really liked it, now he is going to get a CLA. On the one hand I am glad he got the CLA becuasue the C250 is slow as shit for a German coupe and the turbo 4 in the CLA is at least kind of quick on the other hand the CLA is "wrong-wheel-drive" But hey he will probably let me take it for a spin so I am curious to what they are all about. As far as my survey goes, it is not one of those things that spits out results. It is just answers on a spreadsheet and I use my knowledge of products and the industry to make recommendations. And since I already know you...and already know you like German cars, that is going to "skew" the results.

His Stigness > Tom McParland
10/16/2013 at 22:13

The C250 isn't that slow ='[

That's cool though about the CLA, I need to go the local Mercedes dealership and try one out because I'm really curious, and I won't feel bad about wasting their time because when they ask how much I want to spend I can say around $30,000 with a straight face. Did your dad get a FWD or AWD?

Damn it. I was planning on putting serious answers down though and see if maybe based on your professional opinion if I subconsciously think I should end up with a German car or something else. Or maybe your survey would tell me to go try out a BMW or an Audi, because as of now I have no intention to go try out either for my next car. If that makes any sense.

And professional question; what websites or services should I use to find a new car I want. I want a very specific car; a new VW Golf TDI 4 door with white exterior and a 6 speed. Trim doesn't matter because I know they never come in anything but a base, and especially now since they're dialing back production.

Tom McParland > His Stigness
10/17/2013 at 05:27

Oh c'mon even a Benz disciple like yourself had to admit that a +8 sec to 60 is sad for 30k+ German sport coupe. :)

I dunno what he got, he hasn't picked it up yet. I'll try to do a write up if I can

As far as finding cars I mainly use Autotrader, sometimes Cars.com and CarGurus

His Stigness > Tom McParland
10/17/2013 at 19:15

Holy shit is it really that slow? I thought it was around 6 or 7 because I remember reading the comparison in one of the magazines. Granted it was the sedan but still the couple can't be that different.

Nevermind I just looked it up. Holy shit 8.5 seconds?!? I think my Golf is faster than that. It's official, the world has ended.

texasfordfan > Tom McParland
12/06/2013 at 18:11

How often do you get better deals than the USAA car buying service?

Tom McParland > texasfordfan
12/06/2013 at 18:16

It all depends on what you want, those services usually only work with new cars because they have relationships with specific dealers. If you are looking for a lightly pre-owned luxury car ive saved folks anywhere from $1500 to $8000. But to answer your question, I don't know no one has ever shopped me against them.

ssidd47 > His Stigness
04/25/2014 at 12:34

I have a C250 and it really is that slow haha! But I love it anyway.

ssidd47 > Tom McParland
04/25/2014 at 12:36

I love my C250! It's slow as shit but so lovely to drive, and pretty. I took it auto crossing and it did far better than expected.

XFactor > Tom McParland
05/16/2014 at 10:08

I know this is long after the article was written but I seem to remember you indicating you are looking for partners in other markets (could be wrong). I too have provided car buying consulting for free for many friends, family and coworkers over the years. Everyone is very pleased and I've provided very similar services to your 3 packages.

I'd like to expand this into a side business. My biggest challenge is marketing and getting the word out. Any interest in partnering to expand your brand into a new market? Maybe there's something we could work out.

Kyle C > Tom McParland
02/02/2017 at 15:01

USAA’s Car buying service is basically a dealer referral program. The discount is very small, much like TruCar’s. I applied for a TruCar discount just to see what it had, and it was roughly $500. That was off of MSRP plus destination charge etc. The price actually was still above MSRP. Tom should definitely be able to get you a better deal.