Recommending a Car for Someone Else: An Enthusiast's Guide

"Tom McParland" (tommcparland) 10/24/2013 at 08:55 • Filed to: HOW TO, CAR BUYING, AUTOMATCH CONSULTING, articles

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It’s bound to happen sometime, we have friend or family member come to us and say something along the lines of, “I need a new car. You know cars, what do you think I should get?” !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! But let’s face it, as dangerous as these waters can be, most of us can’t resist taking a swim. In case I haven’t mentioned it for the billionth time, I do this for money (the shopping for cars thing, not the writing thing). I have learned some tricks over the years on the art of car recommendation that I will share with you.

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Before we start, let me get something out of the way, this is not a car for YOU, this is a car for THEM. So as much as we want to say, “You need a family car, CTS-V” or “You don’t need a family car, get a Miata,” the appeal of these vehicles is limited to an enlightened few. That is not to say you can’t recommend Jalop worthy cars, but be realistic about it. Oh, and as realistic as a Jetta TDI wagon may seem, for the majority of the buyers out there you might as well suggest a spaceship.

So how do you do it?

First, listen to the initial question. More often than not they have already made up their mind, and just want a sounding board to confirm their choice. Since you are informed about cars, they want to feel good about picking what they did. So if they say, “I’m thinking about getting an Avalon Hybrid, what do you think?” The wrong answer is, “Are you sure you want a hybrid? Often the gas savings takes too long to offset the premium you pay for the electric motor.” (I lost a potential customer this way). The right answer is “Yeah, those are nice.” Of course this only applies to vehicles that are “reasonable” to begin with. If your grandmother comes to you with, “I’m thinking of getting a BAC Mono...” either she is the coolest grandma IN THE WORLD, or she is a little confused and really wants a Buick Encore.

If they haven’t made up their mind completely but have some type of clue and say something like, “I need a family sedan, what should I get?” feel free to indulge some options. Of course making legitimate, well informed, suggestions is sometimes going to be met with resistance. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! However, as much as Matt speaks the truth, you can’t always change perception. Therefore, if you are going to tread these waters do it carefully, if someone says “Are Hyundais any good?” do fill them in on how far the Koreans have come. If they say “I hate BMWs,” do not try to convince them to get a 3-series even if they want a German sports-sedan.

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If they have no clue at all, it is interview time: “How many people will you be transporting regularly?” “Do you need four-wheel-drive?” !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! “What type of activities do you do?” “What do you want in a car?” (You can go on and on, but that should cover the basics).

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Once you have narrowed down the vehicle category, it is time to get to the details. First up, “How much do you want to spend?” I also follow this up with, “How much do you want to put down, and what kind of monthly payment are you comfortable with?” I realize this seems redundant, but I can’t tell you how many times people have come to me wanting a $25k car for $2500 down and 250/month. I am a good negotiator, but not that good.

Next, “How long do you plan on keeping this car?” and “About how many miles do you drive per month?” These two questions along with their budget should narrow down the field significantly; it will also determine whether or not leasing is a good option.

Finally, “What do you drive now?” following up with, “What do you like about it, and what do you not like about it?” This gives you a clue as to their vehicular priorities such as: MPGs, performance, luxury, features etc...

So that about covers it. Yes, there are plenty more questions you can ask and this back and forth can go on for days, or even weeks (I have had that happen) so I tried to create a methodology for about a 30 min conversation. Final thoughts to keep in mind: it is not YOUR CAR, listen carefully, and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! Lastly, don’t recommend them a car to buy, recommend them a few cars to test-drive and leave the final decision up to them.

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At the end of the day maybe Doug was right, and we should not even bother or we should just tell everyone to buy a Lamborghini or a old Range Rover. They will either stop bothering us, or our roadways will become much more interesting. I encourage you to share your stories and tips below, or tell me I am completely full of it and have no business recommending cars to anyone.

Thanks for reading.

CalzoneGolem > Tom McParland 10/24/2013 at 08:57

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I've said this before but I always suggest a Prius if they don't have any idea what they want and if they have an idea what they want I try and reinforce their choices. No one really wants you to suggest a car for them.

GhostZ > Tom McParland 10/24/2013 at 09:05

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When I am asked for recommendations, I try to make sure they walk away with 3 things:

1. If they have a reason for not liking a car, they must relate it to something physical about the car . Looks, driving feel, interior quality, these all count. Brand, "reliability", country of origin, do not.

2. They seriously consider used cars that may appreciate in value, or at least not lose 50% of their value in a few years. I understand they're not for everyone, but so long as a used Mustang GT is better (even after being driven for a year) than similarly priced a new Mustang V6, there will always be an advantage to buying used.

3. They calculate costs of the vehicle over the entire time they plan to own it . This is where asking me (your car friend) about this stuff is highly advantageous, because most people have no idea how much maintenance costs, and I've met people who were shocked that I would suggest budgeting at least $1000 a year toward tires, regular maintenance and cleaning materials. They thought I was crazy, so I had to show them, in paper, that (with a new car, at least) 3000$ over 3 years is more than made up for by bringing their car up a level on resale, and if they plan to own it for a long time, it will last them far longer if they do regular maintenance.

If they completely disagree with my model choices, if they hate me for saying the car they want is junk, that's fine. As long as they understand those 3 things, they will be far better off.

GhostZ > CalzoneGolem 10/24/2013 at 09:05

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Ask them to get it in a specific color so we can identify these owners on the road and avoid them.

Tom McParland > GhostZ 10/24/2013 at 09:06

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That is an excellent approach.

CalzoneGolem > GhostZ 10/24/2013 at 09:06

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Here's a top tip. See a Prius and avoid it.

Ex. President Mack41 > Tom McParland 10/24/2013 at 09:08

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Final thoughts to keep in mind: it is not YOUR CAR

^this

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > Tom McParland 10/24/2013 at 09:13

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I've noticed all to often just how much my advice falls on deaf ears, unless I tell someone what they WANT to hear. So they trick is to somehow be able to sell someone on a car based on their criteria, not your own.

Haha, my uncle recently bought a new car, had about a 12-16k budget (13k in insurance money. I recommended a '10 Fusion (coming out of a '07 Camry). I had him convinced too! The Toyota is the only foreign car he'd ever bought I knew he'd prefer not to do it again. Anyways, like I said, I had him convinced. But guess what, his wife makes the final decision and she wanted a Buick LaCrosse, so they ended up with a Buick LaCrosse. Actually not a bad looking car in black, except for those stupid vents on the hood.

So in a man-to-man type situation, my opinion was valued, but his wife didn't care, haha. She came by my work for something the other day and said "is that your Taurus (SHO) in the parking lot?" As if she had seen it for the first time. I've had it almost a year now. She commented how it was a nice looking car. I then realized she doesn't give a shit about cars 99% of the time, only that 1% of the time she is looking for a car and she is very American in that she needs it NOW. So you have a very limited window to provide her with options, haha.

At this point she'd already committed to the Buick, but I bet she could've gotten into a '10 Taurus (non-SHO) within her budget. But when it's a non-sho, does it really matter which V6 sedan she ended up with?

cazzyodo > Tom McParland 10/24/2013 at 09:45

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Good stuff! Since my research and shopping of my own (to which you are aware of and assisted in!), I have had more people asking for my opinions or assistance in figuring out cars. I tend to ask, "what are you looking for?" and expecting the response "I need an SUV because winter."

To which I tend to say, "well, it's not winter all the time (though it may feel like it) and how bad of a storm do you normally drive in?" That frees up thought a little bit. My roommate was sure she needed an Escape or something but I asked her about her drive, who she would drive, how far and if what she expected to do with it overall. She thought about it and realized that she didn't actually want it but was conditioned to think she did (interesting thought there...potential post later haha).

Apparently she's getting a Civic this weekend. I had no idea. Just like when my other friend asked me about different SUVs (she was sure she wanted on) and I gave her opinions and such based on what I've been in and read about. She got a Highlander without me knowing.

No matter what, people may not care what you say. That was clear when the two of them got their cars without further question. It's their choice, not mine, but they should have test driven as many things as possible just to be sure.

So my primary advice is now: TEST DRIVE EVERYTHING.

Tom McParland > cazzyodo 10/24/2013 at 09:46

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Test drive everything (that you can afford) is great advice.

BrownMiataDieselWagon > Tom McParland 10/24/2013 at 09:55

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Camry is the safest recommendation.

cazzyodo > Tom McParland 10/24/2013 at 09:55

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My method is now to determine their segment, find what their bias is ("I've always driven a Honda so I want a Honda!") and suggest close competitors because each segment is so competitive, suggest a couple just out of the segment they were interested in, then make sure they at least see the car in person (and if interested, test drive). Worked on my sister...then she just stopped caring.

Tom McParland > BrownMiataDieselWagon 10/24/2013 at 09:56

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I usually lean Accord, but yeah same difference.

BJ > GhostZ 10/24/2013 at 10:12

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Your first point is good - if you can't relate your dislike for a make/model to something that can be experienced with one of the five senses, it's only an emotional bias. You need to open up and try new things sometimes; the world changes.

Example: My in-laws would like to get a newer car, and I think they're curious about Volkswagen because I've owned a few and like them very much. Despite the fact that there is a VW dealer in their town (only 10 minutes from the house) and the fact that VW is actually a popular brand here, "it's difficult to find a repair shop."

Le sigh...

jimbeb > cazzyodo 10/24/2013 at 10:15

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Your primary advice is usually the only advice I give, though I usually add that I'd be happy to come along on test drives and serve opinions based on my experience (plus other tidbits of random information I can't help but rattle off), I put great effort in expressing my opinions in sentences starting with "I really like (...)" or if I really don't like something "What do you think about (...)".

It's also true that more often than not, all you need to do is confirm them in their initial choice.

BrownMiataDieselWagon > Tom McParland 10/24/2013 at 10:16

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I disagree. In my opinion, the Accord is much less beige. Some people do not appreciate the less beige-ness :)

Tim (Fractal Footwork) > Tom McParland 10/24/2013 at 10:17

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What is the difference between 4WD and AWD?

Tom McParland > BrownMiataDieselWagon 10/24/2013 at 10:19

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I didn't mean same difference in terms of beige...I meant same difference in terms of "safe recommendation." And that is exactly why I lean towards the Honda, especially in the current generation.

Tom McParland > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 10/24/2013 at 10:22

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Not sure if joking or...but it is a legit question and our friends over at TTAC have great article to help .

Barbarian772 > Tom McParland 10/24/2013 at 11:09

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Feeling a little bit embarrassed, but can someone explain the real difference between 4WD and AWD?

EDIT// ok Automatch already answered it....

Tom McParland > Barbarian772 10/24/2013 at 11:12

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Because you were the second to ask this, I added a link within the article. Thanks for bringing it up. :)

Tim (Fractal Footwork) > Tom McParland 10/24/2013 at 11:45

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So it's just marketing?

Tom McParland > Tim (Fractal Footwork) 10/24/2013 at 11:47

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No there is an actual difference between the two. Depending on the application one is better than the other. Basically here is an over-simplification for low-speed grip, i.e. off-road a 4wd is better, for higher-speed and/or road use AWD is better.

505Turbeaux > Tom McParland 10/24/2013 at 11:50

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the answer is always Hyundai or KIA, something with a warranty on it. I have weeded out alot of "hey can I come over to wrench on (meaning I fix) my shitty old Volvo or VW or BMW" this way

Your boy, BJR > Tom McParland 10/24/2013 at 17:27

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You're in NJ, right? Just do what I do- Suggest a 2CV or if they need to sometimes drive faster than 40mph a DS or if they have a small business a H Van and give them the number for Eurocar Imports in Toms River. I had trouble deciding on a Transit Connect or a NV200 for my mother and I's furniture restoration business so I said fuck it and now we are getting an H Van at some point in the next year from them.

Stef Schrader > BrownMiataDieselWagon 10/28/2013 at 14:30

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They made that Accord coupe legitimately pretty nowadays. I like that exterior design a lot.

MIATAAAA > Tom McParland 10/28/2013 at 14:39

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Smart convertible.

Everyone stops asking for recommendations.

Giovanni McFarlane Fitzpatrick > Tom McParland 10/28/2013 at 16:36

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Very much true. I was a salesman for a time at a high-volume Honda dealer down here in Tampa, and the one thing that was constantly reiterated to myself in training, and later confirmed true once I was on the salesfloor, was that the majority of customers only cared about two things (at least those who were financing): down payment and monthly payment.

In fact, that ethos was so prevalent, that we were explicitly told not to even attempt to quote a price to a customer, and really, we didn't have to. So long as the sales and finance managers could get to that down-payment/monthly payment number the customer wanted, all we had to do was find the right car, get them bottled water or coffee, and make sure they were comfortable until the finance managers were ready for them.

Things are probably different now, since I stopped working in the industry a number of years before services such as Truecar became prevalent, so I can only imagine that at many dealerships, especially non-luxury dealerships, it has become more about the dealership reaching those magical numbers the customers have in mind versus any intangibles of the car itself, the service, MPG, safety, etc.

SpeedSix > Your boy, BJR 10/28/2013 at 17:54

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H Van?? Awesome!! Try to let one of the Jalop writers test it out so we can all see/hear/smell/taste/feel/drool/etc. about it.

SpeedSix > Your boy, BJR 10/28/2013 at 17:54

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And how is furniture restoration like? I never hear about it in anything I read...

SpeedSix > Tom McParland 10/28/2013 at 17:57

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It should be relatively safe to recommend a Mazda. More exciting styling (not too exciting or alienating, though smiley faces seem to alienate somewhat more), fuel efficient (well more than, say, a basic Toyota Corolla), practical, lightweight, fun-to-drive, "perceived quality", competitive features...

Plus, since Mazda is getting the business, they'll always have enough money to keep building sports cars and awesome manuals in everything!

Your boy, BJR > SpeedSix 10/28/2013 at 18:17

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Find free stuff on craigslist/side of road, do maybe small modifications to it, if it needs any, and repaint. I picked up 17 doors dating from the 1850s to the 1930s, some of them with the porcalin door knobs still on them, some i'll just repaint, and others (the damaged ones) I'll cut up and turn into coffee tables.

Your boy, BJR > SpeedSix 10/28/2013 at 18:27

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currently I am restoring a toy chest from the 1920s for a friend (I also do commission work) taking it apart, filling the chips, re-sanding, and painting.

Dogapult > Your boy, BJR 10/28/2013 at 20:30

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Good people at that business.

efme > Tom McParland 11/01/2013 at 12:27

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half the time people can't decide what body style they want. I just tell him to figure that part out and then test drive every single one in that category.

oh. and buy used.

Tom McParland > efme 11/01/2013 at 12:30

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Those questions above, help narrow down body style....sometimes. :/

efme > Tom McParland 11/01/2013 at 12:38

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only sometimes. I do get a little frustrated when they don't want to drive a minivan. but they will glady consider driving a mom-suv that is 80% the same functionality and often times the same look.... just slightly higher off the ground.

Qurkless Hero > Tom McParland 11/01/2013 at 22:11

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I am 19 years old and anytime someone says, "I need a car" I say "Get a Honda or Toyota." Why? Because 90 Percent of my friends know nothing except for good gas mileage and reliability.(Yay for that other 10 percent tho) They don't care about performance at all. They generally want a 4 door car to transport them and other people. Unless they want a fast car I never tell them to get a fast car because they know nothing about over or understeer so best to get a car thats too slow to do either.

Gloff > Tom McParland 11/02/2013 at 14:01

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That's like Car Sales 101. Are you a broker, salesman? Sound advice here, if you find a car salesperson that asks you questions like this and listens, you've got a good one.

Gloff > Tom McParland 11/02/2013 at 14:04

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Waters are cloudy now with many manufacturers tagging SUVs with the 4WD label even if it's truly an AWD. Case in point: Escape and Explorer. Essentially the same system as in the Edge/Flex, but because the Edge/Flex is "Crossover" territory they get slapped with the AWD tag, and the Escape/Explorer "SUV" gets tagged with 4WD.

Tom McParland > Gloff 11/02/2013 at 14:52

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Thanks. I'm a consultant...kind of like a broker.

Gloff > Tom McParland 11/03/2013 at 02:29

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Sales Consultant? Haha I kid. People pay you to make the deal happen right? It's like you're a third party salesman for the dealers, except you're on the customer's side. I can see the difference as, traditionally, a broker just went out and found the car you want and you just go sign. You actually take the time to do a thorough needs analysis and help the client narrow down their search? Forgive me, we haven't had any brokers at our dealer recently.

Edit:

Checked out your website, you do what good salespeople should do, except the client believes you lol. You're a little more full service than a traditional broker is what I gather.

ZooMotorPool > Tom McParland 05/04/2015 at 10:27

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It is different down here. The first thing you should ask is their budget.

I am fundamentally for everything nice. Morally speaking, I will judge cars that is big on morality like hybrid or electric with a grain of salt. I will also consider rubbish contraption sold as new, to be a waste of natural resources. Think of it in this way: efforts taken to mine the finite iron ore that will run out one day, energy taken to melt it into ingots and mill it into steel, and then the cost it takes to shape it into rubbish car, are all wasted. If it doesn’t look good, at least the plastic oil or cow corpse leather bits in the inside must be good.

That’s why I buy the “clownshoe car” Mazda 2 as my first ride. It has quite the ordinary exterior, aggressive looks which makes it boring pretty quickly, and disproportional body ratio just like a concept car. In short, it is Jalop’s choice. But will I recommend one? That depends. Low score on practicality, high score on efficiency, fun-to-drive, and interesting interior. Japanese cars will at least score medium to high on reliability marks. The fun-to-drive part is the most difficult to explain, and the only reason why the “Be Alive” marketing won’t work. But it can be summarised into simple human term such as this: “On a breezy Sunday morning, on your bed, contemplating between dozing off and catching my morning sports game to attend, my driving experience urges me to wake up early and prepare my sports gear so I can have the reason to cruise on the highway to the badminton court. I couldn’t care less for the fun of the game, while on bed and still sleepy, all I think is about grabbing the steering wheel and have a spin.”

Everyone wants to be the passionate car guy as a side hobby, to accumulate popularity. But for a poser like that, I wouldn’t hesitate to praise the new Honda jazz over my choice. They can’t feel it, they just don’t have the soul, all they want is the look, the badge, the space they won’t ever need, the widely available official repair shop, and not all the hassle. It is not a bad car, but the local version is just so aptly packaged that I couldn’t hate it more than I do currently. I wish the captive import market for cheap cars are still there, then we can have the Euro-5 130 HP rated L15 engine instead of the dirty old one. But even the positively identified car couldn’t feel the difference. The jazz is good enough, but not the Yaris though. And they are as reliable as you can expect.

ZooMotorPool > efme 05/04/2015 at 10:31

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Always go CUV for urban-dwellers. You’ll be right 80% of the time.

skullcandy2580 > Qurkless Hero 05/04/2015 at 10:59

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Preach. ^^^

ZooMotorPool > ZooMotorPool 05/04/2015 at 11:29

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So, to sum up my guide:

The first thing you should ask is their budget. Then go to the body style. After that, the badge. For strangers, assume they are non-car guy, even for those DIY enthusiasts. So, always put reliability score and dealership network reach on the high mark by default. If they get offended by your mentioning of mainstream car model, hold on... they don’t automatically earn their enthusiast cred yet. Let’s hear a case:

My friend, who is a girl said to me, “I couldn’t grasp the idea of ‘car for the masses’, I just can’t!” She is looking for a replacement of her 2003-ish Honda jazz. She has a budget for the equivalent of US market USD 25,000 maximum, which earns you mid-trim model of Kia Sportage. She expressed the need for a ‘tall car’, due to ever increasing number of potholes on our city streets. She is open to Korean brand, which is why I let her ride my bro’s Hyundai ix35 / Tucson. She likes it very much, and went to test drive, but she found both Sportage and Tucson to be problematic in outward visibility department, especially on the rear. Eventually she chose the budget-blowing new Honda City (the sedan version of Honda jazz). It ticks off as a non-mass market car, popular badge, but still not an exactly popular model due to irrational pricing (a small sedan that is more expensive than basic Hyundai Tucson / Honda CR-V). The thing that blows my mind is that the City is very vanilla, the interior is extremely plain beige. It is actually more reasonable to go for the new jazz, but she said she is bored with that hatchback style (her brother drives the 2008 jazz). She completely forego the “tall car” criteria. Why? Because the husband is a shill for Honda (that unfortunately buys crap Honda, not the good Honda).

Lastly, not everyone values the interior greatly despite my propaganda for “car with good interior” instead of “attention-grabbing exterior”. Because you actually spend most of your time on the inside, not looking at the outside. Good interior will help you relieve stress during long traffic jams. But market taste is totally the otherwise. We have this popular bargain-beater Honda here:

Sure

it has that somewhat “striking” exterior for commoners. Forget the flimsy body panel. Because no normal guy checks into that. You are just asking too much. Do you get it? People ask for curvy headlamps that don’t afraid to break the grille line and carve their housing into the hood. That is “striking” enough looks for the masses. The favourite bit for most is the neatly arranged yet modern-looking tail lights. Just google it, actually it is the logical version of the HR-V’s tail design I have to say. This is how people in third world market builds their dream car. In first world country, the style will tick off as “confusing,” “busy,” or simply RICE... just look at that rear spoiler and front bumper wings. Chromes... they saved the mirrors from it. But they do have that “chrome garnish” that blankets the side mirrors. My Toyota Innova is like that. It screams luxury for them, despite BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz left their door handles plainly body coloured.

Moving to the interior, this picture shows a fair comparison of equally priced family car. While the Suzuki clearly screams beige (literary), you have to be there to actually feel it. Yes, that rough edges around the glove box is an actual panel gap, you can slip in a paper from the gap. Looks like a rough plastic? Indeed! Just like your plastic toy, I didn’t know that it can be used for car interior, couldn’t imagine the cabin smell after being baked for a day on an open space parking lot. And yes, there are no other things than plastics everywhere, at least the Suzuki has a hint of fabric in the door trim. Now, just a glance at the steering wheel makes you think that this is the stepchild of the Honda car family. Every Honda today has the same 3-spoke sporty steering wheel, except this car and the Brio. I mean Honda deliberately make the interior to be completely shitty. Oh look! Symmetrical AC vents placement! But that’s the only character point I generously grant to this hideously cheap interior. Not even Toyota punish their non-corporate customer with that treatment. You can only find that cheap arrangement in Toyota Etios taxi car.

Now this is a popular choice. People who buy this don’t need car consultant, as I believe. But when they happen to be your friend. It is extremely difficult to argue these real points against the general masses’ fondness for the Honda brand and that somewhat fresh exterior looks. It kinda beats you when Honda is being popular here for their slightly luxurious segmenting (above the generic Toyota and Suzuki, and their model is always slightly pricier, the routine service at the dealer cost you more, and the spare parts pricing is on par with Peugeot and Mercedes-Benz). Yeah, you just can’t write your car consulting guides logically.

Flat Six > Tom McParland 05/04/2015 at 12:56

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All of this advice is exactly correct, but it is in no way worth the effort, so I agree with Doug. Unless you are a professional what is the point of doing this elaborate dance around their ego? My rules are simple for any non-Jalop.

1) Any car that was already purchased is automatically the perfect car and a great deal.

2) Any Asian car being considered get’s “oh cool I heard they are reliable”

3) Any European car being considered get’s “oh cool I heard they are fun”

4) Any American car being considered get’s “oh cool”

dogisbadob > Tom McParland 05/04/2015 at 18:09

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you misspelled Miata :p

Andrew T. Maness > Tom McParland 05/04/2015 at 19:16

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I realize this seems redundant, but I can’t tell you how many times people have come to me wanting a $25k car for $2500 down and 250/month. I am a good negotiator, but not that good.

I believe you’re that good Tom.