Auto Insider Car Buying Tips
Welcome to my 100% free online car buying guide for new and used vehicles. My name is Carlton Wolf and I’ve been in the retail car business for over 20 years.
I created the Auto Cheat Sheet to better educate buyers on the deceptive sales practices found in many dealerships across the country. Please understand, not all car dealers are dishonest. However, you never know who you will be dealing with.
My detailed new car tips will guarantee you get the best price available while new car shopping. 95% of the new car buying process can be done online without haggling with a car salesman.
Buying a used car is a little different than buying a new vehicle. I’ll show you how to find the right vehicle, negotiate the lowest price, check the vehicle’s title history, arrange financing and more.
Trading in your car to a dealership may be an easy & convenient, but is it the right choice for you? Learn how to navigate the trade in process, and see how you can get the best deal.
While serving in the Coast Guard, I had multiple people tell me I should sell cars for a living. So after I got out, I got into the car business thinking I would make a quick buck. I quickly realized the more I sold the vehicle for, the more money I would make… That’s when I became driven to take the profession seriously. During my career I moved up through the ranks, achieving my goal of owning multiple dealerships.
Please understand that I am a car guy not a writer. If there is one thing I know how to do, it’s how to buy and sell car. And I’m willing to share my knowledge with anyone willing to listen.
For over two decades, the Auto Cheat Sheet has helped thousands of people level the playing field when navigating the deceptive car buying process.
Most online car buying guides you find on the internet are written by individuals that have done research on the industry and have no experience in the field. The Auto Cheat Sheet provides you with real-life modern car buying tips from a dealership professional with over 20 years within the retail car industry.
New cars are a high-ticket item, new car sales account for over half of the total gross sales at the dealer. Gross profits hover around $2500 per car, but from a net-profit standpoint, new car sales generally lose money. However, additional products and dealer strategy makes up the rest of the average.
The months of September to December are the best time of year to buy a car. Dealers have sales quotas, which typically break down into yearly, quarterly, and monthly sales goals. The largest rebates are always available at this time of year which helps the dealer move the old models to make room for the new.
Not all dealers and their staff are unethical. However, you never know who you will be dealing with when you walk through the door. Car dealer scams cost uneducated buyers thousands of dollars a year. The problem with most car-buying scams is once you become a victim…it’s too late.
If you could look behind the curtains of the dealership, you would discover that each and every operation you are passing by is set up as a profit center—all of them competing for the money in your wallet. So who typically wins this war of dollars, and how does the dealer actually make any money? The answers might surprise you.
Want more new car buying tips?
Buying a used car instead of a new car has its advantages. The most beneficial, someone has already taken the huge initial depreciation loss on the vehicle when it was purchased new.
Need more used car buying tips?
I will always recommend selling your trade-in on your own over trading it in at a dealership. I understand some people must trade because they don’t have the time or patience.
Require more trade-in tips?
They always start with something that takes your focus from the matter-at-hand using: misdirection, gimmicks, too-good-to-be-true scenarios, and sometimes even tight-short-booty-pictures of someone looking much too far for that fan belt.
Want more car dealer scam tactics?
The sale of the vehicle itself is not the only area a dealer makes money when selling you a car. Backend products such as financing, insurance and warranties are all high profit opportunities a dealership will take advantage of.
The best self-defense at the dealership is having a pre-approved car loan in place before you go shopping. Here’s why, and how to protect yourself.
How can you receive better finance rates?
Extended auto warranties can be great, but know the right questions to ask before buying one. Learn how to use free warranty quotes to your advantage.
Where can you gain better extended warranty value?
Make sure to call your car insurance agent before you head to the dealership, so you have all the information you need before you buy a vehicle.
What delivers you insurance savings effectively?
