[cycomanic]

I recommend talking to some people who know about car dealer sales strategies. For many people buying a car is highly emotional and car dealers are trying to manipulate those. Some examples, if you come in with a budget of say $5000 they will always try to sell you something which is above your budget ("this is what you really want/need"), so never give them your true budget. If it comes to closing a sales deal they will often work on you with 2 people, which is much harder to resist psychologically. So best is to go buy a car with at least 2 people as well (and make a strategy before so they don't play you against each other). They also use strategies, like installing a mirror at the place where you drop the car back after a test drive so you see yourself in the car, which causes an emotional response.

[laurent92]

...and this is part of the success of Tesla.

Car dealers are literally driving traffic away from them. They are about as popular as taxi drivers before Uber.

Psychological tricks are a predatory social behavior, not only to the buyer, but also because people (especially introverts) detect them quickly and grow tired very fast. That leads people online (for Tesla) or online shopping (who enjoys being harassed by vendors in every clothes shop?), or online because at least the price negotiation doesn’t depend on your face or your mastery of social games. When your psychological tricks lead to entire industries sidestepping you and letting you die with popular support, you know something is wrong.

[irrational]

And yet Saturn failed even though that was how their cars were sold also.

[alistairSH]

All true. And thankfully avoidable in 2021. I just bought a new car, from a large chain dealer, 95% by SMS.

[smsm42]

Bought my last car this way - once I knew what make/model I want (which did require physically seeing a few), it was 100% email until it was ready on the parking lot to drive off and the papers were ready to sign. The dealers that asked to "come and talk", or "call and we'll discuss the options" just got "thanks but no thanks". Fortunately, in 21th century there are people that are willing to sell cars without bullshit, and they got the deal. And that was pre-lockdowns, now I imagine more people would be willing to work this way.

[NullPrefix]

No thanks, delivery would eat all my data allowance.