Study Shows Car Buyers Satisfied

Anthony Fontanelle
November 15, 2007

Consumer Reports recently revealed the result of their study concerning the feedback of car buyers on their car shopping trips. While it is widely believed that majority of auto shoppers are unhappy about their dealership experiences, Consumer Reports' study shows that most car buyers are actually satisfied with how things work out between them and dealerships.

But still, there are people who are still prone to being duped by car salesmen. It is common knowledge that some dealerships are using sales tactics which will prove costly for consumers in the end. Of these tactics, the value of a trade-in is the most popular.

Consumers are advised to have an agreement first with the salesman as to what the price of a new vehicle is before discussing the value of their old vehicles they are looking to trade in. If consumers are not wary, dealerships can give them less than what their old car is really worth. Some dealerships can gain hundreds or even thousands through shady dealing when it comes to trade-ins. It is even better for consumers to just sell their used vehicles by themselves because there is a better chance that they will get more than what a dealership will offer.

Even with tactics like that, consumers are still satisfied with their dealings with auto dealerships. Almost nine out of ten people polled by Consumer Reports or 89 percent of the whole lot said that they are satisfied with their purchase of old or new cars. More than half of the respondents even said that they are very satisfied while only a small five percent said that they are not satisfied.

When it comes to the amount that they have paid for their newly-purchased vehicle, 68 percent of the respondents said that they have paid more or less of what they expected. Sixteen percent of the respondents said that they have paid more than what they expected and 15 percent said that they have paid less.

The study also revealed that when car shoppers visit dealership lots, 72 percent of the time, they found the vehicle that they were looking for. If their chosen model is not available at the lot, 49 percent of the polled respondents said that they opted for another model from the same lot.

But while most consumers are satisfied with their dealership experiences, Consumer Reports pointed out that it does not mean that they came out with a good deal. "Being treated well by a dealer doesn't necessarily mean you're getting the best deal," said Jeff Bartlett, the deputy editor of ConsumerReports.org. "We recommend consumers really do their homework and go in with as much information as possible," he added. That tip also applies to purchasing auto parts such as Mazda brake dust shields.

Source:  Amazines.com