Suggestion - dont.

 

 

depends on the broker and your negotiating skills
I think most people will save money by using a broker , and the fee is usually recouped and some by the savings and they do all the leg work

 

Depends on the broker you use and the relationship they have with the dealership.

Sometimes just walking into the dealership and having a non-sales talk with one of the salesman will get you the same deal as using a broker. If a salesman doesn't give you the time of the day because you didn't blurt out "I WANNA BUY A CAR" then that's not the right salesperson. As a consumer and employee of a dealership I would never walk in to the store with the intention of not buying something, (car, parts, free brochure, or just questions about a vehicle).The only exception would be to see a vehicle they had for sale that was so expensive and limited that I would never be able to afford (which happens about every month at my store )

As a dealership it is a double edge sword ie - We sell a car but have to pay the broker a fee. A lot of times the broker will base his commission off of how much profit we have in the car and at that point you might as well have talked to a salesman at the store who is doing the same thing. Benefit to a broker is he can sell you a car at any dealership, provided he is in good standing with that store and the management staff. At a certain point the dealership will realize that they can use the broker to their advantage being that they do not have to pay him benefits, vacation or sick time for that individual but that person does not always have the dealerships best interest in mind and if the experience with the customer is not the best he can walk away and leave it with the dealership involved.

It all comes down to your comfort level with the people that work at the store or the broker you meet. When you are speaking to a broker you are not standing in the middle of a dealership and dealing with a high-pressure sales scenario. If you find a chance to meet and speak with one of the salesman in a no pressure situation ex. Car show event at the store, Charity event, On a Forum or even through social media you might get the same treatment as you would with a broker.

My job at the dealership has allowed me to converse with clients from their home or office and they never have to set foot in dealership unless it is to test drive the vehicle or sign paperwork. This seems to be a better scenario for both parties since they are both on neutral ground and don't have pressure to make a decision right there on the showroom.

 

I personally believe you are better off finding someone who will vet any used vehicle you might consider buying before you sign on the dotted line. New cars are usually 7%-10% off. Not much room to negotiate. But a used car, no idea what you're really buying. You don't know the original owner(s). You don't know how it was cared for. You don't know how it was driven. Service records are critical! Don't take 'no' for an answer. No records, no sale. Walk away. Check the Carfax and Autocheck. See where the car was: city and state and WHEN it was there. Overlay with hurricanes and floods and salted roads. See what the mileage was when it was FIRST TITLED. Was it around 1,500-4,500 miles BEFORE it was titled? DEMO!

There are a lot of things you need to be aware of before you buy used or certified. Even if a car is certified does not mean it has not been in a accident. If they can reused the same body parts, it can still be certified. Trust NO ONE buying used. Do your homework.