General Ask a Nissan Salesman Thread

[Dotson]

I bought my first new car a couple years ago ... and took along a pencil and paper, lol.

I kept carefully and deliberately reviewing my checklist, running some calculations, and making sure I didn't miss any key concerns. For me it was helpful.

Although, I was there for nearly 4 hours! Maybe the dealer was trying to wear me down with the repeated "check with manager" and get the customer tired and with low blood sugar routine.

Just use your phone. they won't know if you texting or doing analysis/research. I always double check financing numbers online.

I found it very helpful to tell your sales person up front that you have limited time. give them a time you need to be done. My last vehicle purchase, I was in an on my way home in the new car, in 2.5 hours, this included trade and financing paperwork. They we're really working to get me out the door on time.

 

[McLovin157]

Just use your phone. they won't know if you texting or doing analysis/research. I always double check financing numbers online.

I found it very helpful to tell your sales person up front that you have limited time. give them a time you need to be done. My last vehicle purchase, I was in an on my way home in the new car, in 2.5 hours, this included trade and financing paperwork. They we're really working to get me out the door on time.

So as a salesman I can say thing things I appreciate the most are as follows.
1. Have realistic expectations. Don't you come and yell at me wanting a $350 a month payment on a $40k vehicle without bringing $20k down.
2. Be upfront about what your goals are. Is there a specific vehicle you are looking at? Are you trying to be in a specific budget? Any features this vehicle needs/wants?
3. If your on a time crunch let me know so we can expedite the process. I know you don't want to be here any longer than you have to no matter how cool I am ?.
4. Please for the love of god don't get in my face because you can't manage your credit. The bank hit YOU back with a 21% rate because YOU didn't pay off those collections not me.
This last one I wouldn't recommend for most salesman but I appreciate it.
5. Don't hold your cards to your chest. At the end of the day I don't make any money if I don't sell you a car. This is how I feed my family so I want to see you drive home in your new vehicle. If you give me what you have to work with I know what avenues we need to take to accomplish your needs.

 

[Xeno]

So as a salesman I can say thing things I appreciate the most are as follows.
1. Have realistic expectations. Don't you come and yell at me wanting a $350 a month payment on a $40k vehicle without bringing $20k down.
2. Be upfront about what your goals are. Is there a specific vehicle you are looking at? Are you trying to be in a specific budget? Any features this vehicle needs/wants?
3. If your on a time crunch let me know so we can expedite the process. I know you don't want to be here any longer than you have to no matter how cool I am ?.
4. Please for the love of god don't get in my face because you can't manage your credit. The bank hit YOU back with a 21% rate because YOU didn't pay off those collections not me.
This last one I wouldn't recommend for most salesman but I appreciate it.
5. Don't hold your cards to your chest. At the end of the day I don't make any money if I don't sell you a car. This is how I feed my family so I want to see you drive home in your new vehicle. If you give me what you have to work with I know what avenues we need to take to accomplish your needs.

So, the Z will be my first New car. And first time through a dealership. Anything I should be cautious of? I get that it varies based on the salesperson and the dealership, but are there any kind of red flags I should be watching for?

 

[McLovin157]

So, the Z will be my first New car. And first time through a dealership. Anything I should be cautious of? I get that it varies based on the salesperson and the dealership, but are there any kind of red flags I should be watching for?

If your not comfortable then don’t work with them. That’s the big number 1.
2. Come with some knowledge and expectations. What’s your credit? How strong is your profile? There are a TON of different things that can give you a strong or weak profile and that will determine your borrowing power.
3. Depend on the salesman a bully tactic Could be used. If they begin this approach this is the typical 90s sleeve ball sales tactic.
The big thing is honestly if your not comfortable then it’s not worth it.

 

[Donalex]

https://www.annualcreditreport.com is the place to go to check your credit and challenge any errors you find. It's setup by the three major Bureaus. Equifax can give you a score from a model that's used by most financial institutions but you have to sign up for (free) credit monitoring with them.

Get pre-approved at a local Credit Union for potentially the lowest rate.

 

[jdm-rhd]

good thing getting food at the grocery store is not like buying a car at a dealership, most of us would starve to death...

 

[McLovin157]

https://www.annualcreditreport.com is the place to go to check your credit and challenge any errors you find. It's setup by the three major Bureaus. Equifax can give you a score from a model that's used by most financial institutions but you have to sign up for (free) credit monitoring with them.

Get pre-approved at a local Credit Union for potentially the lowest rate.

Rates will vary based on which bureaus are used. IE Nissan motor acceptance company NMAC uses only Equifax. Also there is no real “truth” in local does best. TYPICALLY NMAC gives the best rates but they are stricter with the criteria. The best thing you can do is go get a rate from a lender and have the dealer beat it.

At my dealer we work with over 40 different lenders each with their own pros and cons. Only thing I ask is don’t bring a BS CapOne pre approval. I hate those things because 95% of the time it’s a BS general approval.

 

[McLovin157]

good thing getting food at the grocery store is not like buying a car at a dealership, most of us would starve to death...

It doesn’t have to be a painful process. I will say 90% of the time it is because the industry is flooded with sleaze balls. Though just like how to properly set yourself up financially people don’t know how to buy a car. As crazy as that may sound.

 

[RicerX]

it was never really the cars that made the actual money it was all the services, adds, etc. that contributed to the profits in the car. Sell a $2500 dollar warranty, addons, whatever and a car that was losing money may now make a grand. Just can't really do that right now for most.

Perhaps it has something to do with obscene markups for cars? This sounds an awfully lot like a statement that completely defeats the philosophy behind markups.

What a concept - advertise a service contract + MSRP and a customer has value in paying over MSRP rather than being completely sideways in two to three years when the market eventually corrects and hating your guts. Right now no one is paying extra for warranties because they're being boned for 20% plus in markups. Some extreme cases are more than 50%.

I don't have sympathy for those buying sports cars with a markup - these aren't needs. I do have a problem with the practice affecting commuter cars, work trucks, and family vehicles. Not everyone purchases a vehicle out of choice in these situations. My kids need to go to school every day and I need to go to work everyday. I am borderline terrified of anything happening to my vehicles that require a replacement to be procured in today's market.

Mark my words, if it happens and I'm forced to pay 30% over MSRP or something silly after I've explained my situation to a dealership, I will remember that forever.

 

[McLovin157]

Perhaps it has something to do with obscene markups for cars? This sounds an awfully lot like a statement that completely defeats the philosophy behind markups.

What a concept - advertise a service contract + MSRP and a customer has value in paying over MSRP rather than being completely sideways in two to three years when the market eventually corrects and hating your guts. Right now no one is paying extra for warranties because they're being boned for 20% plus in markups. Some extreme cases are more than 50%.

I don't have sympathy for those buying sports cars with a markup - these aren't needs. I do have a problem with the practice affecting commuter cars, work trucks, and family vehicles. Not everyone purchases a vehicle out of choice in these situations. My kids need to go to school every day and I need to go to work everyday. I am borderline terrified of anything happening to my vehicles that require a replacement to be procured in today's market.

Mark my words, if it happens and I'm forced to pay 30% over MSRP or something silly after I've explained my situation to a dealership, I will remember that forever.

The current market is a wild double edge sword right now. I had a guy back in July who bought a 2020 F150 XLT 4x4 brand new and traded it for 6k more than what he paid for it and at the time new Rogues were only 1k over MSRP. Then I saw a dealer in California who was charging $32,000 for a $18,700 new Versa. It's wild times that I personally can't stand.

 

[FBD]

The current market is a wild double edge sword right now. I had a guy back in July who bought a 2020 F150 XLT 4x4 brand new and traded it for 6k more than what he paid for it and at the time new Rogues were only 1k over MSRP. Then I saw a dealer in California who was charging $32,000 for a $18,700 new Versa. It's wild times that I personally can't stand.

The only thing we need dealerships for is access to servicing and parts. Everybody needs to wake up. The dealer model is a 100 years old and needs replacing. My area is in the digital transformation of health care and the massive shift to remote workers from home and the dissolution of corporate real estate. Things are massively pivoting and anyone who is a car sales rep better start preparing for the unavoidable right sizing that is coming.

 

[FBD]

The only thing we need dealerships for is access to servicing and parts. Everybody needs to wake up. The dealer model is a 100 years old and needs replacing. My area is in the digital transformation of health care and the massive shift to remote workers from home and the dissolution of corporate real estate. Things are massively pivoting and anyone who is a car sales rep better start preparing for the unavoidable right sizing that is coming.

I mean even Nissan is automating its assembly lines. Talent and workforce is shifting. And it won't be shifting back.

 

[takemorepills]

The current market is a wild double edge sword right now. I had a guy back in July who bought a 2020 F150 XLT 4x4 brand new and traded it for 6k more than what he paid for it and at the time new Rogues were only 1k over MSRP. Then I saw a dealer in California who was charging $32,000 for a $18,700 new Versa. It's wild times that I personally can't stand.

The hot market for used full size trucks and SUVs is beginning to collapse. Soon, the value of these will be corrected by high gas prices. The sales manager at my dealership confirmed my theory yesterday, he said the auction values on trucks and SUVs has already begun a noticeable decline, and he even admitted that the price of the Titan pro-4x I was looking at will likely need to come down to invoice soon. He said "it'll be like 2008 soon" as we were discussing the prospects of these trucks.

However, I think vehicles that don't use too much gas will remain over-valued for a while as demand for them becomes even stronger.

Many manufacturers pivoted priority to the gas guzzlers as they are way more profitable. We may see "good deals" as the demand/availability ratio tips back in the consumer favor.

Now about companies like Ram and Ford who went "all in" bigger vehicles.....

 

[McLovin157]

I mean even Nissan is automating its assembly lines. Talent and workforce is shifting. And it won't be shifting back.

The dream is to shift to working for Nissan directly so believe me this is just a start to a hopefully brighter and happier future. I had to start somewhere and with what's happened in my life a dealership was the easiest way in.

 

[indio22]

It doesn’t have to be a painful process. I will say 90% of the time it is because the industry is flooded with sleaze balls. Though just like how to properly set yourself up financially people don’t know how to buy a car. As crazy as that may sound.

I saw some odd things at the dealership when buying my new car in early 2020 (pre-covid). A customer underwater with his current one year old car, and with bad credit, yet trying to buy a new car. Customer and the sales guy were working phones trying to arrange some creative financing.

And later some older guy, who every 15 minutes or so would stand up shouting and waving his arms, looking like he was leaving ... but he never did. Apparently that was his negotiating style, lol.

Most frustrating ever was many years ago, tagging along with my friend and his family as they bought a new car. We sat down and the sales guy said the price, and started listing off the options and extras they should buy. All that time I'm waiting for the negotiations to start ... until realizing ... there would be no negotiations! They were a very non-confrontational family (and not so good with money either), and were going to pay whatever the sales guy told them!