Is the Affordable Sedan “Scam” Sweeping the Nation?
Dealers Deny Tricks Taking Car Buyers to the Cleaners
“There’s a sucker born every minute” …
This time the “suckers” are hard-working Americans who don’t know the auto industry faces two major problems…
Or that those two problems are pushing down prices… And giving new car buyers leverage to demand a great deal.
Yet new car dealers across the nation continue to overcharge uninformed buyers – while they still can…
Before the truth gets out and the shtick’s up… Because the fact is…
Incredible deals are available right now…
If you walk on the lot knowing what to say to get the best deal…
Mind-Tricks Dealers Use to “Extort” Suckers for Cash
Car salesmen get a bad rap… AND in a lot of cases, it’s well-deserved.
But remember; they are highly trained – every day – to get you to purchase a midsize sedan, small SUV crossover, or “best priced compact SUV” at the highest price possible.
Here are just a handful of the mental triggers, tricks & sales deceptions they sometimes use to make you pay more.
Mind Trick – Misdirection:
Originally a term from theatrical magic, misdirection is a form of deception used to get people to look away from the magic “trick.”
Car salesman use misdirection to focus your attention away from price, interest rate and the effects of “rolling over” your existing loan…
Instead, they train to focus your attention on down payment, trade-in value, monthly payment and how many months your loan will be… sound familiar?
When you try to talk price or interest rates, they bring it back around to monthly payments or one of these other topics…
Don’t fall for it.
Mind Trick – “Cant Language”:
No… that’s not a misspelling… The term “cant” dates back almost 800 years…
It was used to describe the “secret language” used by gypsies, thieves, and beggars to exclude and deceive outsiders…
Some car salesmen carry on the tradition and use industry “jargon” (aka “cant”) to keep you from seeing what they’re up to.
One example comes from luxury crossover lease deal paperwork.
On the forms, there’s a term called “Money Factor.” Money factor tells you the amount of finance charges you pay over the life of the lease.
You can think of it like the interest rate on a loan. You’ll find it on lease deals forms expressed as a tiny little number…
So tiny in fact that no one pays attention to it.
Because what they don’t know – and car salesmen won’t tell you – is that you have to multiply that tiny little number by 2,400 to get the real “money factor” rate!
Talk about misleading!
Mind Trick – “Mental Triggers”:
Behavioral economics sounds like a term for a college campus… not a word found on a car lot.
It refers to the study of human behavior – using science experiments to separate truth from fiction.
In his book “Influence” author Robert Cialdini writes about the 6 Principles of Persuasion. The research is fascinating – but he cautions in the wrong hands, the 6 Principals can be abused.
Influence is highly recommended reading for all car salesmen.
There are many “triggers,” but three to be sure to watch for that have been proven time and time again to work are…
The “Mental Triggers” to Look Out for from Car Salesman
“False Scarcity” … Fear of loss is more powerful than the desire for gain…
That means a car salesman may lead you to believe someone else wants to buy the car you’re looking at before you do…
And we feel incredible pressure to not only to buy quickly… but we also know – deep down – that we cannot negotiate on price, or we’ll miss out on the car that we only “kind of” wanted just a few minutes earlier…
“Commitment and Consistency” refers to our desire to do what we say we will do…
An admirable trait – that can quickly be turned against us…
Salesmen will always be “closing” – asking “closing questions” like:
“If I can get you that, then do we have a deal?”
Every “yes” means you are less likely to change your mind later… Even if a big part of you is saying “walk away” …
Do yourself a favor and stick to “maybe” when you get one of those questions!
“Reciprocation” refers to our desire to return a favor… the problem is that we can be tricked into returning a huge favor for a tiny favor.
For example, if a salesman gets you a coke – even if you didn’t ask for it… You will feel pressured to return the favor – by buying a car for full price…
Turn These Car Dealer “Tricks” to Your Advantage
Now that you know the tricks of the trade, you can now use your new knowledge to snag an incredible deal on your next luxury sedan, a midsize sedan or best small SUV you have had your eye on.
And don’t forget you might even use your new knowledge to get free technology upgrades… other free upgrades…
Or maybe you want free maintenance…
Ask for the car you want at the price you want to pay, and you just might be surprised what you can get…
Where to Find Car Deals Online
Because of the pressure to move unsold inventory, you’ll often find terrific deals on new cars – including best priced compact SUV’s, midsize sedans, best small crossovers, luxury sedans, trucks, electric, and hybrid models…
In all makes and models – from Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, Infinity, Toyota, Nissan, Ford, Chevy, and many more.
Just about any car with any feature you can imagine!
If you’re willing to spend a little time searching the deal “ads” you may find your dream car at a discount to the price you may pay anywhere else.
Interested in the possibilities?
