| Amazingly, no matter what car the customer | | | | To find a great deal on a car why not log on |
| wants, it is always 'hot property', 'very | | | | to It's Australia's largest free classifieds |
| sought after' and/or 'hard to find'. | | | | site. You will find auto classifieds, |
| Moreover, it isn't a secret; we have all | | | | motorcycle classifieds, and Australian cars |
| known it for years. Nevertheless, some of us | | | | for sale all over the country. |
| still continue to be tricked into buying a | | | | |
| motor vehicle we really don't want to buy, | | | | You might think that the car dealer trusts |
| and at a higher price than we expected. So | | | | you implicitly with the new car and by |
| let's find out what some of the most | | | | letting you take the car home overnight or to |
| favourite and sneaky tactics they get up to | | | | work for a day, the sales person is trying to |
| and put them in our diary so that we can | | | | get you to 'fall in love with the car'. Not |
| refer to them when next buying a new car. | | | | very underhanded, perhaps, but considering |
| | | | the dealer will initiate this in some cases |
| Almost every new car dealership will drop the | | | | by asking for a trade-in assessment, you need |
| initial price they have listed on a car for | | | | to recognise that it's definitely a trick. A |
| sale. However, what you must be wary of are | | | | trade in assessment should take no more than |
| the scams, pressure tactics, twists, and | | | | about 10 minutes. A half hour at most. |
| turns that motorcar salespeople have up their | | | | |
| sleeves. It is in the showroom, when you are | | | | A dealer may tell you they have reached the |
| ready to finalise the deal, where you shall | | | | 'limit' as to what he can do with the price, |
| be worn down by these machinations, if you | | | | but he can give you a 'special deal' on cheap |
| don't have your wits about you. This is when | | | | finance. He will tell you 'the normal rate is |
| a great online site like comes in really | | | | a%' and then say, '...but you can have it for |
| handy. You can register, log in, search | | | | b%' (slightly less). Unless you are aware of |
| thousands of cars and refine your search by | | | | current interest rates, you can easily pay |
| using the vehicle 'keyword search'. | | | | too high a rate. Therefore, if you go online |
| | | | and check any of the large finance companies |
| Car dealers will never give you a direct or | | | | like au or banks they will be able to give |
| exact quote because if they do, they know you | | | | you all the information, before you are |
| will go to another dealer and have them | | | | conned by a crafty salesperson. Then compare |
| better the price. And to check on prices and | | | | with the dealers price and your bank. You |
| search for motor vehicles online is a great | | | | will find a good rate of interest if you do |
| way to save a lot of footwork. I recently | | | | some initial research. |
| found two sites, which had thousands of | | | | |
| Australian cars for sale. At au, you will | | | | A small increase in the repayments quotes |
| find new and used cars for sale as well as | | | | will equal a large increase in the total |
| dealer specials. | | | | amount you will pay for your new car. Dealers |
| | | | use this to great advantage in order to |
| If you do leave the dealership and tell the | | | | divert focus from the total price paid. The |
| dealer you will 'look around for other | | | | only way to find your new car is online, in |
| prices', the dealer will most likely ask you | | | | the comfort of your own home. Classified ads |
| to come back once the 'best price' has been | | | | are the best way to research, and at |
| obtained. Don't be fooled by this because the | | | | OzFreeOnline.com, you will find all the |
| dealer will then either match the price, or | | | | information you need to buy your new car. |
| try to increase it slightly by taking | | | | There are articles and car reviews and |
| advantage of the fact that you have had | | | | thousands of car ads to search through |
| enough of shopping and are now really eager | | | | situated Australia-wide. |
| to buy the car. Smart and very familiar, this | | | | |
| trick works very well for most dealers. It | | | | If you are not vigilant, your dealer may |
| relies mainly on getting you, the customer to | | | | offer you less than market value for your |
| feel obliged to buy, because you have put the | | | | trade in. The idea here is to conceal the |
| dealer to 'so much trouble'. | | | | profit from the customer by lowering the |
| | | | allowance for the trade in. If it succeeds, |
| A smart salesperson will urge you to commit | | | | and it usually does, the dealer can offer you |
| to buying the car you really want, even | | | | an unrealistically low price for the new car. |
| before you get the final price. This is | | | | |
| irksome and exasperating for customers, but | | | | An extremely common trick is 'limited time'. |
| reasonable from a dealer's point of view. Now | | | | If the dealer does give a price, (a most |
| your car dealer has two choices: To give you | | | | unusual and dicey thing for the dealer to do) |
| a quote and watch you walk out the door, or | | | | he will try to make you believe that it is |
| entice you to negotiate. Perhaps you may be | | | | only valid right now, while you are standing |
| lucky when negotiating with the dealer; | | | | in the showroom. This is an obvious ploy to |
| however, you may never know whether you have | | | | force you to make up your mind on the spot. |
| paid too much. If you feel uncomfortable | | | | The amazing thing about this con is the |
| about a car dealer, then go online at | | | | number of people that fall for it. What you |
| consumer.vic.gov.au where you can check that | | | | need to think about when buying a new or used |
| this trader of motor cars in Victoria is | | | | car is that going online to find the make, |
| licensed and has Licensed Motor Car Traders | | | | model and all the information about the |
| (LMCT) number. | | | | vehicle first is the smart way to buy a car. |
| | | | If you go online to au you can check out what |
| Most auto classifieds online give a price, | | | | is for sale and also do some research on the |
| which you can work with, but a regular trick, | | | | particular vehicle you want to buy. |
| which is frustrating and time consuming for | | | | |
| customers is this. A dealership will identify | | | | There are various methods of stalling a |
| one or two cars of a particular model. These | | | | client. You may ask why? The purpose of the |
| will be the 'undesirable' cars. The problems | | | | stalling trick is to exhaust you. While you |
| are common and may be simple. For instance, | | | | are sitting in the office with the 'free cup |
| 'the manufacture date is very old', 'the car | | | | of coffee in a styrene mug' trying to decide |
| has been in the showroom for a very long | | | | whether or not the salesperson has offered |
| time', perhaps they are 'the least popular | | | | you a good deal, it reduces the time |
| colour' and of course 'with no options'. | | | | available for to you to shop around for a |
| | | | better price. Remember these salespeople |
| Next, the dealer will run a large advertising | | | | don't have anything else to do but convince |
| campaign based on these two cars, with the | | | | you to buy this car here and now. Moreover, |
| price ridiculously below cost. When the | | | | they know exactly how to do this with the |
| advertisement runs, the dealer waits for | | | | help of the other salespeople and mechanics. |
| customers to flood through the doors. Of | | | | |
| course, when they do arrive to get the best | | | | Some common stalling tricks are: They might |
| deal, they are usually told that the cars | | | | misplace the keys to the trade in or perhaps |
| have been sold and are now waiting to be | | | | another client's car has blocked yours |
| 'delivered' to the clients. Consequently, you | | | | ('you'll have to wait for the return of the |
| will be invited to browse the showroom or | | | | client'). Perhaps they will take excessive |
| customers are 'switched' to another car. | | | | time to assess the trade-in. There is always |
| | | | a valuer on site at a dealership, and a |
| If you still insist on looking at the | | | | valuation takes no more than 10 to 15 |
| vehicle, if it is still on the floor, the | | | | minutes. Don't put up with silly scams like |
| salesperson just points out why this | | | | this. is a site that will assist you in |
| particular car is undesirable, and then | | | | finding the motor car you want. This is a |
| persuades the customer to look at a better | | | | fascinating site, because they have |
| car, of course you will expect to pay more. | | | | interesting articles, car reviews and even a |
| To make sure you do not pay too much, log in | | | | forum where you can join in to talk about |
| to a site where you just register, log in, | | | | cars with likeminded people. |
| and search the thousands of vehicles | | | | |
| available Australia wide. Not only can you | | | | Now let us look at a classic trick designed |
| search for a motor vehicle with a simple | | | | to make the customer think the car is really |
| keyword search, but also when you are ready | | | | exceptional. I am sure you have heard this. |
| to sell a car you can use the free | | | | 'My wife/husband drives one'. Yes, the car |
| classifieds to do so. | | | | salesperson has bought the same model for his |
| | | | own spouse. If it happens that he or she |
| The most widespread trick currently being | | | | really does drive this particular model, then |
| used is to make the customer believe that the | | | | it is most probably because the salesperson |
| salesperson can get the lowest price for the | | | | gets it as part of his/her salary package |
| car, so that you (the customer) will start | | | | because they work for the car dealership. |
| negotiations with the dealer almost | | | | |
| immediately. The specific methods vary, but | | | | A good sales person will search hard to find |
| here are some common ways of doing it: | | | | common interests with the customer so he or |
| | | | she can 'make friends'. The purpose of this |
| The salesperson will tell you. 'You could | | | | is to make you identify with the sales |
| probably get the car for less than | | | | person. This, in turn, should make you feel |
| $36,250…', but will avoid giving a | | | | sympathetic to the salesperson and leads to |
| specific price. Instead, the salesperson will | | | | the customer feeling bad if he/she lets down |
| say, 'When you are ready to buy, we can | | | | the dealer by not buying from them. What you |
| strike a deal, are you ready to buy now?' | | | | have to remember is that you may never set |
| | | | eyes on this person again. All you are doing |
| The salesperson tells the customer: 'If | | | | is buying a car. Just as you, buy a pair of |
| you're going to spend more than $36,250 on | | | | shoes. You don't need a 'new' friend. |
| the car, you should come back and see me'. | | | | |
| When the customer returns and asks to buy the | | | | Offering 'extras' such as carpet mats, window |
| car for $36,250, the salesperson will point | | | | tinting, car seat covers and other items |
| out that he/she never promised to sell you | | | | serves two purposes: It draws a line that |
| the car for $36,250, but is ready to give you | | | | makes the customer believe that the dollar |
| the best price when you are ready to buy. 'Do | | | | amount is not further negotiable. If, for |
| you want me to get a good price for you? | | | | example, the bottom line on the car is |
| …so are you ready to buy now?'. We all | | | | $32,000, the dealer may stop at $36,000 and |
| know that buying a new or used car can be a | | | | start adding 'extras'. The extras may only |
| daunting process however; at au, you will | | | | add up to $500 by the time the dealer has |
| find the latest car specials from reliable | | | | managed to convince you that negotiations are |
| dealers. | | | | finished. It slows down negotiations, and |
| | | | diverts focus from the dollar amount. Go |
| Your salesperson may give the price for an | | | | online to au and search through their online |
| older model car. Either the 'old' car is a | | | | listings. Find the price of car you want |
| previous model, or perhaps it has been | | | | without the hassles. |
| gathering dust because no one has wanted to | | | | |
| buy it (usually for good reason) and the | | | | Caution. If you have been referred by a |
| dealer wants to get rid of it quickly to make | | | | friend, and you tell the sales person the |
| room for newer models. This is likely to | | | | 'good news', this instantly means that the |
| happen if you don't think carefully and | | | | customer is more likely to trust the sales |
| specifically ask for the price for a current | | | | person. Trust is money. The more trust given, |
| model car that is not older than 3 months. Be | | | | the more the customer will pay for the car. |
| wise and search OzFreeOnline.com, where they | | | | Keep the information to yourself, or you will |
| have thousands of cars in their cars | | | | end up being scammed. is a site that will |
| classifieds pages. By simply registering and | | | | assist you in finding the motor car you want. |
| submitting a keyword search, you will find | | | | I am fascinated by this site because they |
| the car you want in no time. | | | | have interesting articles, car reviews and |
| | | | even a forum where you can join in to talk |
| The other ploy is when the salesperson takes | | | | about cars with likeminded people. |
| your credit card along with an insufficiently | | | | |
| low offer to 'the boss' for approval, but | | | | You have probably heard the expression, 'the |
| then returns to say it was not accepted. This | | | | Woody', akas Wood Duck; you may have even |
| is intended to drag the customer into more | | | | used it. Don't become one. This is a person |
| negotiations. i.e. '…we only need to | | | | who walks in to the showroom, puts total |
| increase it slightly and she's yours..." | | | | trust in the sales person, and sincerely |
| | | | believes the sales person is actually helping |
| Don't get caught by being given the price for | | | | to get the best deal for them. It is a |
| the car excluding the on-road costs. If you | | | | salespersons' dream because he or she knows |
| don't specifically ask for on-road costs to | | | | the full retail price will be paid. |
| be included, the sales person will most | | | | |
| likely give you the excluding on-road costs | | | | We have all heard it at some time or another |
| price. Of course, you have to be guarded | | | | when we have been searching for a new car, |
| because your contract may be drawn up on this | | | | 'Subject to loan approval'. Many car loans |
| proviso. Trouble is that when you are ready | | | | will have this phrase in it, and believe me; |
| to sign, the 'quoted' price of the car, will | | | | some dealerships will try to exploit you out |
| then be understated by many thousands of | | | | of more money by using this phrase as the |
| dollars. | | | | reason why. This fraud is usually pulled on |
| | | | consumers that may have bad credit, so if |
| If you are a bit slow and think your car is | | | | your credit rating is good, you shouldn't |
| worth more than it really is, you just might | | | | have to worry about being taken advantage of |
| get a clever salesperson that will give in, | | | | by the dealership. |
| and agree to an excessive price for your | | | | |
| trade in. Now you might be pleased by this, | | | | The bad news is that for those people who are |
| because you may be thinking that you are | | | | taken advantage of, it usually means upwards |
| 'putting one over' the dealer. No so, | | | | of $1,000 more in finance fees and an |
| generally the sales person will look up on | | | | additional $50 a month added to your car |
| the computer or in the Car Dealers Price | | | | payment. To avoid this scam, finance your new |
| Guide to find out the going price for your | | | | or used car through your own bank or credit |
| trade in and will start from there. In | | | | union. |
| addition, believe me; you will pay for it in | | | | |
| the end. How you ask? Well when the dealer | | | | The most abused fraud is the 'credit rating' |
| charges TOO much for your new car. You can | | | | scam. The car dealership tells you that your |
| check on the internet for a price as well, so | | | | credit score is lower than what it actually |
| go to au, so you are armed with the real | | | | is. This is in order to charge you a higher |
| price, when you go to trade your motor | | | | finance rate on your car loan. It is pure |
| vehicle. | | | | greed and the best way to deal with this is |
| | | | to bring a copy of your credit rating from au |
| From time to time, a ruthless sales person | | | | with you when you go looking to buy a new |
| will have a go at this. He/she will contact | | | | car. That way there is no confusion about |
| you before your new car is delivered. When | | | | your credit rating. Unfortunately, no one is |
| the niceties are over you will be told that | | | | protected from this scam, because the |
| there is an issue with the trade in. You will | | | | dealership doesn't care if you have good or |
| be asked to bring the car into the workshop | | | | bad credit when they try to con you. |
| for further inspection. When your vehicle | | | | |
| has been in the garage, for 60 minutes, | | | | Another favourite trick is the forced |
| (having nothing done to it), the salesperson | | | | 'warranty' scam where the auto dealership |
| will tell you that the mechanic claims to | | | | will insist that in order to qualify for the |
| have found it is really only worth $500 less | | | | car loan you will need to purchase a two or |
| than what they have offered for it. Watch for | | | | three year warranty. Don't fall for this; you |
| this old ruse, because if you fall for it, | | | | do not need the warranty. While you are |
| the sales person gets another $500 in his | | | | tearing your hair out looking for your dream |
| pocket. To make sure this does not happen to | | | | car I suggest that you register with and |
| you go to and check out the great car deals | | | | browse through the thousands of ads they have |
| in their Car classifieds. You will find | | | | online in their free car classifieds. You |
| thousands of cars to choose from and be | | | | will find private listings, dealers' listings |
| equipped with all the information you need | | | | and used their keyword or quick search to |
| when you arrive to look at the car you want | | | | find exactly what you are looking for. |
| to buy. | | | | |
| | | | Can you remember that extra $fee that seems |
| Now if you don't want to be pursued by a | | | | to appear on your contract to compensate the |
| dealer just don't give a phone number. Say | | | | dealer for basically doing nothing? It is a |
| 'it's a silent number', '...don't have a | | | | good swindle that I am sure you have seen or |
| mobile', 'can't leave a work number', or at | | | | heard of often. It's called the 'dealer prep' |
| the test drive 'accidentally' give the wrong | | | | scam. Yes, it is the extra $500 or more that |
| phone number. If you don't, dealers will | | | | is added to the contract when the car arrives |
| sometimes pursue a potential customer until | | | | in the dealership ready to be driven off the |
| they wear them down to buy. | | | | car lot to, or by a prospective buyer. |
| | | | |
| Even after continual phoning, and when you | | | | Try to avoid paying this unreasonable fee if |
| end up buying from a different dealer, the | | | | you can. Try to find out whether the car |
| sales person (who has missed out on the deal) | | | | dealership you are buying from has this fee. |
| will then give you the bad news. When you | | | | If they do, tell them you will not be buying |
| tell them you bought elsewhere (at a very | | | | the car if you are forced to pay it. If they |
| good price of $34,550) they will say, 'Oh no, | | | | will not knock off the fee off then find a |
| you shouldn't have paid any more than $32,000 | | | | dealer that will strike this ridiculous |
| for it!' This is designed to make you feel as | | | | charge off the contract. While I write these |
| bad as the salesperson, who lost out too. It | | | | articles, I am always searching the web to |
| also highlights just how spiteful some people | | | | find the best sites to visit to do extra |
| can be. | | | | research. I found au and found it interesting |
| | | | to browse. is a great site to search because |
| No matter when, where or which dealership you | | | | of the news, reviews, thousands of new and |
| may stroll into, there is always a reason to | | | | used car listings, the ease by which you can |
| feel 'lucky', according to the keen sales | | | | browse the site and free registration. |
| person. Early in the month, they might say | | | | |
| they missed their target last month and are | | | | The dealer 'mark-up' fee is another phoney |
| desperate to make it up. During the middle of | | | | fee that is made up just to pad the car |
| the month, 'the boss has told me to push out | | | | dealership's profit margin. Once again, the |
| more cars or I'll never reach my target this | | | | dealer charges this unnecessary fee for no |
| month either'. The most common, is probably | | | | reason other than greed. On your new motor |
| the most used because most people fall for | | | | vehicle, this fee can be seen on the sticker |
| it. This is the end of the month trick. | | | | marked on the manufacturer's suggested retail |
| | | | price (MSRP). These are just a few of the |
| The time of month may matter to some dealers | | | | many scams and tricks that surface from time |
| sometimes, though; it never matters to a car | | | | to time particularly when you are trying to |
| broker. Beware of this because you may end up | | | | buy a new car. |
| paying more than you expected. Go online to | | | | |
| consumer.vic.gov.au and find out the | | | | We know that these practices go on, just as |
| information you need before rushing headlong | | | | we also know that there are many trustworthy |
| into the 'big end of financial year deal'. | | | | car dealerships. What you must be aware of is |
| This trick deserves serious consideration. It | | | | that you must find the right dealer who can |
| is the most elaborate trick of this type. | | | | and will sell you a car, without trying to |
| Manufacturers know that companies often buy | | | | rip you off in the process. A good and |
| around this time of year for accounting | | | | trustworthy dealership can make the |
| purposes. They therefore rarely offer any | | | | compensation they deserve for their efforts. |
| factory discounts, and they sometimes | | | | All you have to do is find that dealership. |
| increase their retail prices to take | | | | When you do write in, we would all like to |
| advantage. | | | | know. |
| | | | |