Smh

"Wjionieis" (wjionieis) 10/17/2015 at 20:02 • Filed to: None

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Sometimes I try and read other car sites that aren’t Jalopnik, sometimes I make very large mistakes, I believe that these would both fall into this category.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > Wjionieis 10/17/2015 at 20:27

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I fail to see how that article is incorrect. Is it fluff? Absolutely. Is the point still valid? Also yes.

Does that men one should agree to whatever price a dealer insists is their absolute lowest? Nope. But, that also does not mean one should try to steal the car one buys either.

DrJohannVegas > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) 10/17/2015 at 20:51

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Great news! If the dealer does not agree to the price, no sale is made! So, this asinine concept of “stealing the car from the dealer” needs to be put to rest.

When I have a clear demonstration that a dealer, or a salesperson, for that matter, is providing a clear service above and beyond being the gatekeeper to a purchase by virtue of an outdated cartel system, then maybe I’ll consider giving ground on a car deal. Until then, I’ll use every trick, stunt, and angle to look out for me, because I know the guy (or gal) on the other side of the table is doing the same.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > DrJohannVegas 10/17/2015 at 21:28

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Great News! There is more than one car dealer.

If the one you were working with won’t agree to your price, then you can find one who will.

If none of them will, then maybe you’re the asshole trying to steal their car and you should either wait until you can afford a fair price for said vehicle or be realistic about how much said car actually costs to buy.

How about you treat people like you want to be treated? Even if the other person is a car salesperson.

DrJohannVegas > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) 10/17/2015 at 21:45

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There may not be more than one for that particular make in my area, because franchises are restricted and controlled by a variety of laws and agreements between the other parties. So, I return to my original point: the franchise system is a cartel. Direct manufacturer sales would likely have many of the same problems. Still, acting like it’s an efficient market, full of reasonable alternative sellers, is silly. It’s not. Dealers earn profits through oligopoly rents, otherwise they would not fight so dearly to maintain regulation of the industry.

Now, do some people have unreasonable expectations about the price of a vehicle? Sure! People have unreasonable expectations about the price of things all the time. But, there’s a key difference between many of the purchasing interactions one has in everyday life and the purchase of an automobile (or a house, for that matter). Haggling and negotiation are considered essential parts of the exchange. When someone thinks the price of cereal on the shelf is too high, they put it back, mutter under their breath, and walk down the aisle. By virtue of making the price a matter of discussion, the concept of a “fair price” or “correct price” is a matter of debate. I can assure you that one thing which is not part of the price is “being nice to the salesperson”. I can put a price on feelings in that interaction, and its $0. Don’t hate the player, hate the game. (Alternatively: “It’s not personal, it’s business.”)

That article points out, and rightly so, that the average person purchases a car (I’m estimating here) every 5 years or so. That’s a long time between interactions, and even less reason to expect that any individual salesperson is looking out for my interests in addition to their own. There’s a reason that “buying a car” is a canonical example for explaining bargaining models in game theory classes.

Finally, please stop referring to it as “stealing”. It’s not theft if both parties agree to the price. Calling it so just makes you appear childish.

Birddog > Wjionieis 10/17/2015 at 21:47

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“The goal of every car dealership is not to rip people off, but to make a profit. There is a difference.”

It’s been a while but I’m calling Bullcrap on that line.

I sold Toyotas around 1998-2000 and Chevys from 2000-03. Ten cars a month or you’re out was the standard. Pressure? Tons.

It’s not just the Car Biz. It happens in Plumbing, HVAC, Roofing, Electrical and more. If your Plumber shows up to your house with an Ipad in hand to show you the “Pricing Menu” I can guarantee you’re about to get screwed.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > DrJohannVegas 10/17/2015 at 22:03

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Where the fuck did I say to not have a spine and just blindly agree to whatever price any particular dealer says they want?

I only suggested that both parties agree that the process of buying a car is a professional transaction and to be civil about it. You’re the one with the pissed off attitude about having to talk to a salesperson about buying a car.

Do I think cars should be priced just like anything else we choose to buy? Yup. But they aren’t. This is the system we have in place. So you can either deal with it and be civil about it, or you can choose to not buy a car at a dealer. I don’t like it any more than you do, but there is zero reason to treat the person trying to sell you a car like they are stealing from you. Most of them aren’t. They are just trying to make a living like anyone else.

You are the one being a child about this. If you detest the process so much, don’t buy cars from a dealer. Or hire someone like Tom to handle all the negotiation for you.

DrJohannVegas > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) 10/17/2015 at 22:55

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If I felt I needed Tom’s services, I’d happily hire him and pay him. He is providing a service on my behalf. The salesperson, generally, is not.

Luckily, I take a strange enjoyment in the game of price negotiation. I tend to find that the egos involved on the side wearing the suits (see: The “I’ve sold X number of cars, the buyer knows nothing” language in the original article.) makes the whole endeavor a fun exercise in behavioral economics.

DrJohannVegas > Wjionieis 10/17/2015 at 23:08

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This guy is full of “great” stories.

http://beta.motortrend.com/features/opini…