I needed to write about the recent advertising in my area. Central Florida just doesn’t get it.  Price, price, price.

Wouldn’t it be refreshing to find a dealer that gets it? One that realizes that price advertising is not a motivator like it use to be.  In our area the dealers think the public is stupid.  We will sell you a car for $100 over invoice and make zero profit.  They are not telling you that they receive a factory bonus based on how many they sold quarterly or monthly or based on some other time period.  If they receive a bonus of one thousand a unit then you actually paid eleven hundred over invoice and these figures don’t include hold back, the amount of the invoice that is held back and paid by te manufacturer after the dealer sells the unit.  You could be paying a profit of over two thousand dollars and being told you are not paying any profit.

Some states protect the consumer over from this sort of advertising but not Florida.   Just like the guaranteed trade ads (explained in a past post), these no profit or invoice ads are deceptive.  How do you fight it?  What does the consumer do? The consumer must shop.  Don’t fall into the “offer” trick.  Get a dealers price and go to the next dealer.  Remember to get the OTD price. Out the door. If you want to shop by internet, try it.

I published an E book for people buying a car, truck, or motorcycle, “The Informed Buyer.” It’s on Amazon/Kindle and Barnes and Noble/Nook for three dollars and ninety-nine cents. Not much or an investment to save hundreds and maybe thousands.

I wouldn’t visit the dealers that get on the radio or TV and scream about price like a circus announcer.  Price is important but first comes customer service and honesty. Other considerations are location, service reputation, services after the sale and follow through.