What Kind of Car Buyer Are You?

"LTK" (wkoblinsky) 06/13/2014 at 00:10 • Filed to: None

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As I've stated before, I'm relatively biased, and probably a little cynical at this point, but I'm not completely unreasonable. When I posted !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! I was greeted with a barrage of responses from all over the spectrum of human experiences. We each have our own expectations and experiences and dealers are finally starting to catch onto this.

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As part of their !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , Ford Motor Company has adopted the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! to identify car-buying profiles for customers so their salesman can tailor the process to individual consumers. Using that as a basis, I've identified 4 major types of car buyers. Let's leave out some of the niche buyers, tire-kickers, and sub-categories and focus on the bigger picture.

"The Bull Moose"

This buyer is a pain in the ass for the inflexible and/or incompetent salesperson. They fall under the "D" in disc for dominant, and as such, want to be in charge of the process. Bull Moose tend to be the loudest and most aggressive buyers and respond to an approaching salesman in one of two ways. Either they'll say, "leave me alone; I'll get you when I need you," or begin to tell you just how much they hate buying cars. In negotiations, they really only care about feeling like they got a good deal. These buyers are also the most likely to "know someone in the business." Every salesman has some wishful fish tale they share about putting a particularly bullish moose in their place.

You are probably a bull moose if being in control of the process is the most important aspect to you when buying a new car. A natural born leader, you'll know what you want when you see it and have a good instinct for a deal when you see one.

"The Socialite"

Widely regarded as the most fun type of customer, this buyer is all about the experience. Falling into the "I" in DISC, these buyers are not stupid by any means, but are willing to pay more for a good experience. They want to be made to feel welcome and comfortable. They want to laugh and carry on conversation throughout the deal. The socialite will go along with the process so long as they're treated with respect. When they're not satisfied, socialites tend to dig in their heels and have to be either let go or dragged through the rest of the deal. They may still buy the car, but they won't be happy about it, and there's nothing worse than the awkward delivery after a half-hearted agreement to purchase. In negotiations, socialites tend focus on getting a fair deal rather than fight for every ounce of profit from the dealer's pockets. They're often referred to as "good people," and every good salesmen has a few that stop by often to chat, often bearing gifts.

You are probably a socialite if you most care about being treated fairly when buying a car. Cars are just a tool to get you back and forth to the better things in life and life's too short to fret over a few dollars anyway.

"The Snow White"

The rarest and most coveted of all car buying prospects is the Snow Whites - trusting, supportive types, falling into the "S" category of DISC. These are the most laid back of all buyers. They'll ask for help, but only if it's not too much bother. Snows often will go along with whatever the salesman is willing to put them through. Treated with integrity, they can make loyal customers for years to come. Otherwise, they're good for a quick, one-off buck. If they discover that they're being taken advantage of, their aversion to conflict will lead them to leave and never be heard from again. In negotiations, they tend to take the path of least resistance. Salesmen talk about these customers as if they're unicorns: you're lucky and blessed if you see one.

You are probably a Snow White if you hate conflict and don't want to be too much of a burden on the salesman. You give everyone the benefit of the doubt, like to make people happy, and tend to be grateful for what you have.

"The Engineer"

Widely reviled as the most feared of all car buyers, the engineer is a personal favorite of mine. You know the large crowd of salesmen loitering in front of the dealer? Get out of your car with a notepad, folder, or tablet/laptop and watch them scatter. Falling in the "C" of DISC, engineers are highly technical, detail-oriented buyers. They are prone to intense research and organization, and in most cases, know more about the vehicle they specifically want (and will not compromise on) than the salesman could reasonably be expected to. Knowing this, it's not uncommon for them to quiz the salesperson or ask questions with the intent of exposing weakness or dishonesty. When negotiating, they go over every digit in excoriating detail. Treated right, they can be one of the fastest sales, if not the most profitable. One hiccup, however, can spell disaster for the salesman.

If you're an engineer, you already know it. You know just what car you want and exactly what price you should pay based on painstaking research you've conducted prior to visiting any dealerships. You hate the process and the inefficiency inherent in it. You don't have time for such nonsense.

Disclaimer: While it shouldn't have to be said, this article is intended as candid humor. While there is merit to reading customers and tailoring your service to meet individual needs, every customer should be treated with respect and courtesy.

Arben72 > LTK 06/13/2014 at 02:13

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Guess I'm a DIC....

Tom McParland > Arben72 06/13/2014 at 07:49

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This is great, I always wondered what category the sales people put me in. I guess that would be Engineer. I tell anyone who is car-shopping to bring a folder with quotes, price sheets etc..when you have something you can plop down on the table and compare in black and white that tends to even the playing field.

Quick story- I was killing time browsing my local VW/Audi lot. Salesman came out and asked if I needed help. I said very quickly, "I don't want to waste your time. I'm not here to buy, I'm just killing some time until my wife is done her appointment." We started talking about some of the new models and I was telling him about the VW's new MQB platform and what that will mean for certain cars. About half-way into the conversation he says "What do you do?" I explained that I was a buyer's consultant and I help people get the best deal on cars. He responded, "Normally I give people that are just browsing my card and tell them to call me when they are ready. I'm going to be honest, I probably don't want you as a customer because I'm not going to make any money."

LTK > Tom McParland 06/13/2014 at 08:08

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At least he was honest. Personally, I love engineers. Even if there's not much money in it, I love the chance to geek out with a fellow car enthusiast. And engineers tend to be the car enthusiasts of the bunch.

Tom McParland > LTK 06/13/2014 at 08:15

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I respected him for his honesty and I know that dealership has a reputation for playing games so most likely even if I was shopping for a VW or Audi I would not have purchased from them anyway. Like you said if you play the Engineer right it can be a quick sale, tell them what they need to know, don't play games, give them your most competitive price off the bat. I try to tell the dealers I work with "You won't make a lot of money off my customers, but you will make some and it will be quick and easy."

f86sabre > LTK 06/13/2014 at 08:21

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I was going to say socialite until I read engineer. You've described my last couple of buying experiences to a T. That, and I'm an engineer. I would also add the engineer will likely already have financing in hand, know where cars may exist in the system and have already done a good bit of shopping before they came to you.

wallaby13 > LTK 06/13/2014 at 08:22

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I always wondered what salesmen thought of engineers. I actually hold an engineering degree and work for a HD truck OEM. Guilty of coming of stupid and quizzing the salesman, and sweating each number individually.

LTK > f86sabre 06/13/2014 at 08:27

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you can be a bit of both. Ford's adaptation of disc allows for something like 16 subcategories.

LTK > Tom McParland 06/13/2014 at 08:31

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Exactly. Despite the reputation, engineers often don't mind dealers making money as long as it's explained upfront with justification. One guy brought a spreadsheet printout in listing an estimate of all of our costs in (he was scary accurate) and offered us a 2% profit over that. If we matched it, the car was his. If not, he already had tentative appointments at other dealers.

Tom McParland > LTK 06/13/2014 at 08:34

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Wow...I never went the spreadsheet route (type B personality)

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > LTK 06/13/2014 at 09:13

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I tend to be a cross between a socialite and the Engineer (Disclaimer: I did get a degree from Georgia Tech).

As in I tend to window shop like a socialite, but once the numbers come out, out comes the notepad and calculator. Since I wasn't able to get exactly what I wanted when I bought my Mini (I wanted a green Clubman S, black leatherette or cloth interior, with a manual, no options other than the Sport Pack [cheapest way to get Xenon headlamps, if you want the other stuff in the pack]), I told the sales guy to tell the sales manager that if they expected to sell me a car from their inventory, they will have to take a haircut on their profit, as it's not precisely what I wanted.

I also pointed out to them I had another dealer ready to do a custom order with a small discount off configured sticker (because they didn't have any Clubman S manuals in stock), so if it wasn't exactly the absolute best they could do on the car, I would go for the custom order, and that would be that.

I got the car for the invoice price, but I was magnanimous, because I did buy the maintenance plan extension (double the maintenance for less than the cost of the maintenance itemized. Yes, I'm *that guy* calling service departments for quotes on services.). So they did make some money in F&I (I also took BMWFS' 0% APR loan for 48 months, over my credit union).

Arben72 > Tom McParland 06/13/2014 at 14:32

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Sadly due to my location my dealer choices are limited. I do my research, and usually know the lowest price possible I can get. But the dealers here act like they're doing you a favor, and I'm perfectly fine paying an extra few hundred to a thousand with a dealer that makes it enjoyable. Sometimes with lower end purchases dealers try a high pressure sales tactic and that's when I try my best to show they need me, not the other way around. Last time I was at a dealer picking up parts for my saab, they offered me a job, so that's got the engineer part down. It's not uncommon for my porsche/Mercedes/bmw salesman to ask me about some info on prototypes or future models.