There are a lot of factors to consider when evaluating a dealership, but for simplicity’s sake we can group them under four headings:
- Price – Is the dealer willing to negotiate and flexible on pricing…Are they a “one price” facility?
- Inventory – Does the dealer have the car you’re interested in purchasing?
- Perks – What kind of additional items or services are available from the dealer?
- Facility – Location, hours, shuttle service, loaner vehicles?
a) Price
You won’t know exactly what you’ll be paying for your next car until you’re working with a salesperson. You can however get a sense of how competitive they are from using an online referral service such as Ryde Shopper, Edmunds, Motor Trend or Cars Direct. Just note the quotes you receive on a few popular models, and then compare them with what other dealerships are asking for the same vehicles. (You may find for example that dealerships in less affluent areas have better prices.)
b) Inventory
Most dealerships put their inventory online. This lets you see who has the best choice of vehicles. If you’ve already settled on a particular model, trim and even color it also means you can see if it’s available.
I highly recommend even if you find the perfect vehicle on a dealer’s website. DO NOT make initial contact with them directly through their website. You will still want to go through an online referral service like Ryde Shopper first. Doing so lets the dealer know they are not the only dealer your requesting price quotes from and will also encourage them to provide you with a better up front price. When going through an online referral service. Make sure you select all the dealer’s available to get the most quotes in hand.
If the dealership you want to work with doesn’t have the exact vehicle you’ve selected they can almost always get it for you. They’ll often trade inventory with other dealerships, (especially if they’re part of a larger group,) but it may take a few days to get the car you want. Alternatively, if they have to order it from the factory you could be waiting weeks, or even months in the case of popular models.
c) Perks
Many dealerships will offer “freebies” to sweeten the car purchase deal. Of course they’re not really free, but you should still take them into account when car shopping. Some of the most common are:
- “Free” or “included” basic maintenance such as oil changes and tire rotations.
- Car washes. Some will wash your car after servicing it, others won’t.
- Loaners. Some dealerships will loan you a car while yours is in for servicing.
d) Facility
There’s a lot to consider under this heading, but you might start with location. Assuming you’ll be going back for servicing, it helps to find a dealership not too far from home or where you work. A lower price at a dealership two counties over might be outweighed by the time and expense of getting there. (Bear in mind that you don’t have to get your car serviced by the dealership that sold it.)
Other important factors to consider are:
- Opening hours. Do they have an early drop off time? Are they open late one or more nights each week?
- Shuttle services. Will they run you home or to work? How far will they go?
- Is there a waiting room? For a relatively quick job like an oil change it can be easier to wait than take the shuttle home and then call for a ride back. If they have a place to wait, is it clean and comfortable? Is there complimentary coffee and WiFi? (If yes, you might be able to able to work while you wait.)
- Do they seem too pushy? Yes, they’ve got a business to run, but do they seem like they’re constantly pushing additional services? If so, you might prefer to take your business elsewhere.
