Anyone who wants to have a great experience when they buy a car needs to make sure they choose the best dealership.  But how do you know if the dealership is going to give you great service? At carfam.com we know how difficult this can be so we’ve put together this list to help you spot the bad ones before you get too involved with them.

Shopping online will help you expand your choice of dealerships but you will still need to be able to test-drive your car.  So make sure you do your homework before you set foot inside the dealership – here is a list of warning signs for those who are in the Bloomington and Rialto, California area. We train our employees on the first day of work that we are not about manipulating the customers, our business is built on long-term trust and relationships. 

1. Overly Keen Salesmen 

All dealerships are different and have different ways of dealing with their customers.  At carfam.com all of our salesmen will wait, standing back in order to give you the best chance to see all the cars we have on offer.  Only then will they come forward to offer help. If you go to a dealership and the salesmen are circling like sharks, or pounce on you the minute you set foot on the lot, you might want to go elsewhere.  

We make sure to communicate with the customer right away to see if they have any questions and if they signal to us they just want to look around, we give them the time and space to look around. We know that almost everyone wants a salesman to be by their side too! So, we will never leave you out there alone with your questions as well. This is the best of both worlds!

2. You refuse one salesman and are immediately faced with another

This sales strategy is known as turnover.  If the dealership runs on this basis they will continually send out new salesmen until you get so fed up with the process you just sign up.  This is one you should definitely avoid as it is set up for the benefit of the dealership, not the customer. We have been in the business for more than most and we know that this is a bad look for a dealership. We give them their time and their space and we understand that there are a lot of smart buyers. 

We know that the relaxed approach has shown time after time to build the long-term relationships that we cherish. On the flip side, if you found a salesman that you liked on previous visits, just give us a call and we will try to do our best to make sure they are here for you when you arrive. 

3. You get an online quote but when you call you are dealing with a regular salesman

If you get an online quote and call the internet department you will be expecting to pay the quoted price.  If you find that you are just sent to a salesman who offers a different price or tries to sell you a different car altogether it is time to move on.  At carfam.com the online price is the price you pay. From time to time we understand that all businesses and car dealerships have miscommunications, if this is the case we will be upfront about this and resolve the issues ASAP. Our customers are our number one asset, not our cars. 

4. If your salesman asks you to “wait here” or “follow me” you might want to think twice.

This is one of the oldest tricks in the book as far as car sales are concerned.  When the salesman disappears off for 20 or 30 minutes they are increasing the amount of time you have invested in the process.  This makes it less likely that you will call time on the transaction and go to another dealership. At carfam.com we make sure that you are in control, not the salesman. It is your car, your purchase, your money, and you are the most important person.  If you go to a dealership and are faced with these old-school sales tactics simply leave, don’t let them waste your time like this. We also know that many experienced buyers do like to take their time and we don’t want to make you feel like you are in a rush, so we will also respect that approach if you prefer to take your time. 

5. The salespeople try to bump up the price

If you tell a salesperson the monthly payment you want and they ask  "up to…?" Be wary. This is a key way of getting you to hike your payment price. By getting into this particular game you could end up negotiating against yourself and end up with huge monthly payments.  At carfam.com in Bloomington, CA, our salespeople never ever do this – what you say you need is the payment you will get. 

6. Salesmen who try to sell you a car you don’t want.

At carfam.com our salesmen pride themselves on listening to your individual needs and trying their very best to meet them.  Our salesmen, unlike those in some other dealerships, are never told they must sell whatever is in stock. You can be sure that no one is going to try to push you into buying the luxury option when you come in for the economy model.  If you go to a dealership where this is happening it is time to walk away.   

7. The advertised car is suddenly unavailable

Some dealerships use cars in their ads just to bring people to their lot where they can then promote the stock vehicles.  This is known as "bait and switch" and relies on the fact that many customers do not know that legally if their car is advertised then they should be able to buy it at the price stated.  However, the more astute dealers will tell you the car sold or it is out with another customer on a test-drive. These are all warning signs that you shouldn’t ignore. At carfam.com if you visit us looking for the car we advertised, that is the car you’ll see. 

8. You start to feel intimidated or uncomfortable 

If you are starting to feel under pressure to spend your money this is not a good sign.   Think about it – if you went into a restaurant or shop and they did this, what would you do?  You’d leave. If you are already feeling intimidated just by being on the lot you can imagine how intense this could get once you start sales negotiations.  It is better that you leave now and take your business to a more customer-centered dealership. 

What we want you to know is mostly the three main reasons people come to Carfam. The Peace of Mind return policy, which is a free return policy with no questions asked. The second reason is that we will not make you settle for less, meaning we will not make you settle for a car you don’t want. We want you to be another one of our happy customers. These are the reasons we stand out from the competition and the reason we continue bringing you the best service we can everyday. Because of the top three reasons customers continue to come back to Carfam to join our family and build these lasting relationships.