Full List Each and Every Time
The fleet manager car dealer scam is fairly common in modern dealerships that do not have an in-house fleet department. If you called one of my dealerships, or many like it, and ask for the fleet manager. You would be directed straight to one of the sales managers only acting as a fleet manager.
All Car Dealer Scams
There are a few dealerships that still have a full time fleet department. The fleet department of a dealership may consist of only a single fleet manager, or may also include a couple of salespeople depending on the volume of vehicles sold.
Some car dealers have combined their fleet and Internet departments together. These departments deal with high volume, low profit sales with highly educated car buyers.
These salespeople are in charge of selling cars and trucks in bulk to businesses, rental agencies, construction companies, utility companies, etc. When selling cars to these types of companies, the fleet managers have the power to discount and sell vehicles at rock bottom, discounted prices.
A huge misconception about fleet manager’s is they’re all on a salary, therefore making money when they sell a car is not important to them. This is NOT TRUE! Some are salaried employees, but some also get a percentage of the car dealer holdback they don’t discount to the customer.
There are also several dealerships out there that their fleet manager is just another commission based salesperson. You just never know whom you are going to deal with.
Insider car buying tip.
There are many individuals and websites claiming they know the secret “two words” that make car dealers squirm when you say them. And they’ll tell you the super secret to getting a great deal on a new car if you buy their book, pamphlet or digital download for $29.95.
Here are the two words:
FLEET MANAGER
( Please make your check payable to Insider at Auto Cheat Sheet. )
These so called experts tell you to call or go to a dealer and ask to speak with the fleet manager and you’re guaranteed to get a great deal. I’m sorry folks, but this is absolutely false. First, not all dealerships have a fleet manager or even a fleet department at all. Second, they will treat you like any other uneducated customer off the street.
I’ve seen some books on the web sell for as much as $99. These books claim to have the secret ingredient to buying a car. Sad thing is, people pay for this information every day. Even when they can get more information from web sites like this one for free, and its coming from a professional in the car business.
Asking for a “FLEET Manager” could get you a good deal when buying a vehicle from a car dealership. The hard part is finding a dealership that actually still has a fleet department and allows you, as an individual, to meet with them.
With more car buyers than ever using the Internet to comparison shop for cars. Most dealerships have phased out their fleet departments completely, some have combined them with their Internet departments. Calling local dealerships in your area to find a fleet manager may open you up to becoming a victim of the fleet manager scam.
If you don’t know what FLEET stands for in the car business, let me share it with you:
Full List Each and Every Time!
Instead of wasting time to hunt down a dealership that actually has a fleet department, protect yourself and avoid this scam by using online companies such as Ryde Shopper, Motor Trend and Cars Direct to receive free new car quotes, and don’t rely on a “fleet manager.” You can use the quotes you receive to compare with what the fleet manager quotes you also.
Read more detail on how to get car dealers to bid for your business online.
Buying a car through the dealerships fleet manager sounds like a pretty good deal. The problem is finding a car dealership that really has a fleet department with one of these individuals in it.
Car dealers that do not have a fleet department like my own, do not want to miss out on these sales opportunities. We have a plan when someone calls or emails inquiring about a fleet manager. These inquiries are normally forwarded to the new car manager, he will then “pose” as the fleet manager. We even had extra business cards printed with the fleet manager title, for such an occasion.
The fleet manager scam works like this; you call a car dealership and ask to speak to the fleet manager. The receptionist notifies the new car manager there’s a phone call with a customer wanting to speak with the “fleet manager.” The sales manager picks up the phone “posing” as the fleet manager and sets an appointment with you.
You arrive at the dealership and ask for him by name, he then takes you to an office to negotiate a deal on the car you want to buy. The sales manager will discount the car, but did you get the lowest price? Who knows? Remember what FLEET means in the car dealership world … Full List Each and Every Time!
I promise you he will attempt to hold some kind of profit on the car deal. This is where your free price quotes will come in handy. Do not offer them up front, wait to hear what his best price is before referring to your quotes.
RydeShopper has one of the largest new car dealership networks in the world. Select the make and model you’re interested in and they will instantly search clearance pricing within your local area. Don’t forget to select as many dealers as possible to increase your chances for the greatest discounts and savings.
Edmunds is one of the oldest and best new car research and review sites on the internet. Their huge dealer network allows you to shop, research and compare millions of new cars so you can find the exact vehicle you're looking for.
MotorTrend is one of the best kept secrets on the Internet. Best known for their automobile magazine, MotorTrend has a vast dealer network across the nation. Their referral service is 100% free and there’s no obligation to purchase. Just pick the vehicle you’re interested in, select local dealers, and receive discount pricing.
CarsDirect has been in online vehicle research business since 1998 and has all the right tools to help you find your next car, truck or SUV. They offer a no-hassle experience from configuring a car to making the final purchase. You’ll find your next car quickly and easily.
There are some benefits to buying just a single car from the fleet department, and you may still get the same benefits that come with buying cars in bulk. This is what a lot of the books for sale on the Internet base their information on.
In my personal opinion you should still do your own research to make sure you’re getting a good deal, even if you buy from a fleet manager.
Benefits of buying a car from the fleet manager:
