Just caught a glimpse of a segment about car deals "Cracking the car buying code- online" ooooooo ahhhhhh.... on the Today Show and Regina Lewis an AOL Consumer Advisor "Internet Specialist" was the expert authority on car deals. Her whole insight was that she talked with a salesperson, this is the expert that was choosen and her research, background and technical expertise is based on a conversation with a salesperson, not the sales manager not the general sales manager not the general manager but a sales person.
I looked her up and she says she is an AOL consumer advisor, TV contributor, tech trend expert and host of DIY Network's Tech out my house, what I failed to see is any reference to the retail auto industry, but maybe she visited a service department, oh, oh, oh, she purchased a car before, yea that makes her an expert. Her expertise is akin to "I read a law magazine and it said do this in court", the assumption by Regina Lewis is that we should take her word that what she is saying is indeed fact, but she flatm out has her facts wrong, kind of like practicing medicine without a license, maybe not that far but she is no expert, although in this case she did talk with a sales person.
There is no code, there is no secret society writing script and policy for dealers to follow, only the manufacturers whims and fancies. Although I believe that a consumer advocate should have a voice, but there view points should be based on fact and I grow tired that consumers have so much information that guides and steers them in the wrong direction and there view points continue to raise anxiety and fear when a consumer visits a dealers showroom. Articles and broadcasts continue to perpetuate the notion that a car dealer is withholding something, all because a consumer advocate who passes themselves off as an expert says, this is what a consumer should expect when they visit a showroom and when it doesn't happen, because it can't happen the dealer is the villain. When in fact the information was wrong.
Case in point, Regina Lewis says that "Location matters" her words: "Keep in mind, car deals often vary regionally, so when you're doing your online research, it's a good idea to type in multiple zip code[sic] (maybe an hour away or one state over). Could be worth the drive if the incentives are better."
FACT: There are regional, state, local and dealer ad group incentives, however they are geographically assigned by zip codes. if you do not live in the area in which the incentive is available, you don't get the incentive.... period, unless you lie and make up an address in a neighboring state and your taxes and paperwork is assigned to that new address and then you have to register and plate your purchase at your new address that you lied about and then you have to change your address and re-register and plate your vehicle and in some states you may have to pay the difference in sales tax possibly... OK, I think I made my point.
Regina Lewis presents this as an option when in fact it can't happen, however the car dealer is left trying to defend themselves and once again looking as if the are lying, because her expertise (using the term loosely) has created a bad experience for the consumer who is probably demanding the incentive that they can't get and does not understand why they can't get it because Regina Lewis said that they can get it...whew.
Regina Lewis states- "The real math"..."70 percent to 90 percent of customer rebates from car manufacturers trickle down as discounts to car buyers..."
FACT: 100% percent of customer rebates from car manufacturers trickle down to the consumer, if a dealer does not honor the rebate and keeps it as Regina Lewis is implying they would be in violation of there Sales and Service Agreement with the dealers respective manufacturer.
Regina Lewis states- "Going the eBay route"... "Many buyers feel they're paying $1800.00 less than the official Kelly Blue Book value of the vehicle (the industry standard for the going-rate of any given vehicle)
FACT: The key word here is 'feel'... a good deal is a state of mind and eBay much like any good sales tool creates an atmosphere in which consumers feel as if they WIN... I think this is eBay's new slogan... 'WIN it on eBay or something like that'. It doesn't mean that the deal they received was the best deal that they could have achieved somewhere else, perception is half the sales battle and many consumer oriented places go to great lengths to create the impression that they are the low price leader, when in fact they probably aren't. Regina Lewis goes on to state that Kelly Blue Book is the industry standard, in fact there are many books that are used to determine a vehicles value, NADA, Black Book etc... but a vehicles value to the dealer in which you are trading your vehicle looks at other criteria that is not in a book, a book is merely a guide, other criteria would be local auctions, and the dealers own success rate in selling a particular used vehicle. For instance a dealer who sells a lot of 2001 Ford F150's XLT's may be willing to pay a little more for your trade than someone who doesn't have a high demand at there dealership for that brand of vehicle, i.e the local Honda dealership.
I wholeheartedly believe that every consumer needs to do there research, however I tire of consumer advocates who continue to perpetuate half trues and false information that merely confuses consumers and further creates an atmosphere of distrust and anxiety between consumers and car dealerships.
If you choose to report on something please get the facts straight before you report, but of course it will take the major news bureaus and television news agencies to demand more from there experts but therein lies the problem, from what I see these agencies hire financial analyst, consumer advocates and other journalist, when in fact they should engage a real expert to report the facts in the respective field, particularly as it relates to the retail auto industry, I am continually amazed that these organization will continue to report on these automotive consumer issues and they do not engage the services of someone who has a background in the field, they would not do it in another field such as the medical profession or legal profession.
I would ask that consumers demand that they get the real answers to there questions not some watered down half true version from a non expert posing as an expert.
Enjoy Today!
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