Breaking news: I'm not the only person who hates car shopping!
Shocking, isn't it?
OK, not really. But I was a bit surprised by how many readers responded to last week's column about the ups and downs of hitting the dealerships to seek a new vehicle.
Several readers asked me to identify the dealers with which we had negative and positive experiences. I didn't name them in my original column because I have found, over the years, that every time I tell people about a horrible experience I have had at a particular car dealership, one of those people says he or she had an outstanding experience at the same business.
I can understand that. The car-buying experience is highly dependent on the individual salesman with whom you are dealing. Those salesmen come and go over time, even moving from one dealership to another.
For that reason, I'm not going to single out the dealerships with which we have had problems. But here's a hint on the dealer that gave us the best service this time: Its name rhymes with "wrinkly lodge." Get it? Alrighty, then.
Another reader wanted to know what kind of minivan we bought. We purchased our fourth Dodge Grand Caravan.
Some people don't like the Grand Caravan, preferring the minivan offerings of other automakers. One of my friends at work openly mocked me for getting a Dodge. But we have been generally pleased with the model, and, most importantly, it's what my wife wanted. I encourage you to do your own research to determine which make and model will be the best fit for your family.
A reader named Sam sent me an e-mail to say he thinks it is surprising how many people detest the car-buying process.
"Many often feel taken advantage of," he wrote. "To succeed is a matter of becoming well-educated on the process and being wary of all the pitfalls."
Sam wrote that he bought three cars in the last year, including two for himself and one for his son.
"I was proud of the deal I got on the first car," he wrote. "When I returned to pick up the car, the salesman did not want to be found. He was embarrassed, and I was told to ask for the sales manager, who sent a different salesman to inform me the car had been sold. I had paid a deposit and signed a contract 10 days earlier, waiting for the date my car would qualify for the trade in a special promotion, but they just saw the opportunity to sell it for more. No one tried to communicate with me, although I was in the dealership several times during the 10 days to see if the program had begun.
"I bought a new car for an equally good price, but from a different dealer, because I refused to deal with the first dealer."
Good decision, Sam. Sam added that he had researched the process for buying a car on edmunds.com before he started shopping, and that's also a good idea.
Other readers posted comments to last week's column on deseretnews.com. One of them, Michael, urged people to do research online and use the Internet service manager at a dealership.
"For years, car dealers have fleeced customers, but now that we have technology and information on our side, we've turned the tables," he wrote. "My next-door neighbor is the sales manager at a Honda dealership. He complains all the time about how much the industry has changed. I relish every one of his tirades. When I need a new Honda, he'll be one of the first I'll invite to give me a quote. I may even choose him if his quote is the lowest."
Another online reader recommended that people save their money and buy cars with cash.
"It is amazing how much harder you fight with dealers when it is your earned money vs. credit (future) money," this reader wrote. "I think people put up with the dealers because they feel they are negotiating with 'play' money. … (I) have learned which dealers are honest and which ones just play games. … There is a reason that car dealers have a bad reputation: They earned it."
I believe that is a fair, if unfortunate, assessment. If any other readers have car-buying tips or tales, please share them. We all could use a little help to get the upper hand in car-buying negotiations!
If you have personal finance comments or questions, send them to gkratz@desnews.com or to the Deseret News, P.O. Box 1257, Salt Lake City, UT 84110.