Intro: Finding a good car salesman is like trying to find the perfect car ... at the perfect price. A car salesman can influence how much money you spend, the experience that you have, and the selection of cars available to you.
Take SOT:
Phil Reed, Senior Consumer Advice Editor - Edmunds.com
(4:35-4:48)
"So, you want to find somebody that has good, solid, product knowledge - not just of the car you're buying, but of other possibilities too - so you can ask comparative questions and also pricing information about all the models on the lot."
Continue VO: The Internet is a great way to not only shop and research a car, but to also find recent buyers who can recommend a car salesman. Many times, referrals and recommendations from friends, co-workers, and recent buyers can be your best resource.
Also, call the dealerships - speak with several salesmen to gage how knowledgeable they are - whether they're willing to answer your questions completely and honestly and if they're willing to work to find the answers they don't know offhand. If they're not willing to answer any questions over the phone or via email and insist on an in-person visit - you may want to steer your business elsewhere.
If your car salesman tries to negotiate the price of a car by focusing on the amount of your monthly loan payments, it could be their way of hiding the fact the car is overpriced.
Take SOT: (5:14-5:49)
"A good car salesman will respond in whatever way you ask. So, if you say "what's my total price?" They'll give you that figure. If you ask "what's my price out the door?" They'll calculate that for you ... that's a very useful figure. The bad car salesmen are the ones that are going to want to say, "Ok, folks, what's your monthly budget?" "This will fit into your monthly budget ... it'll be $375 a month." People can't think of what the total price is when they're given a monthly payment. And so that is something we actually consider to be a real mistake ... is to be what we call a monthly payment buyer."
Continue VO: Don't forget, you're not stuck with a salesman who's not meeting your needs. You can always walk away.
Tag: For more car buying tips and advice, visit the auto tab at Bankrate.com. I'm Kristin Arnold.