Section 2: PREFACE
My start in the industry was as a salesperson selling new Fords. By the end of my second year, I had achieved the status of a “Ford Top Hatter” which was an elite group of salespeople who represented the top 5% in the nation. I contributed my success to my ability to understand exactly what the buyer wanted, needed and could afford, and never proposing anything that didn’t meet their criteria.
A few years later I quickly moved up the management structure of a new car dealership going from sales manager to general sales manager and ultimately as the general manager. At the height of my career, I was successfully managing multiple franchises within the same automotive group.
My philosophy regarding the industry never wavered and everyone working on my staff, whether in management, sales or service were trained and held to the same principle of mine, and that was to respect the buyers wishes. The act of selling should be a win, win for all parties involved. Following that philosophy breeds happy customers and that dictates to repeat customers and referrals.
Not wanting to get off track, as this book is about buying and not selling, I just wanted to validify my knowledge and understanding of the retail automobile business, none of which is a fool proof method for buying a vehicle. It is however a guide so you, as a consumer, have a better idea what to expect and thus be better informed to deal with the process.
Always keep in mind that the dealership must make a profit. What this book will assist you with is to hopefully recognize what is a legitimate profit and how to say no to the gimmicks and unwanted add-ons many dealerships utilize today. In my opinion, most are a sign of weakness of the management at the dealership. Adding unnecessary items trying to easily boost profit, and forcing the consumer to pay for things they may not want or need, is not a good indication of a dealership’s integrity. It breeds cowardice, rather than taking the initiative and training their sales force to better compete in the marketplace, legitimately.
Lastly, Although I am sharing some of the finer points regarding the purchase of a new vehicle, nothing included in this book is meant as any guarantee you will get the best deal possible. It does however, offer additional insight to assist you in making an informed decision of your purchase. It has allowed me, my family and many friends to make an informed decision when purchasing a new vehicle and having a win-win experience. I highly emphasis that the best price isn’t always the best deal. It is “The Deal You Think You Got” and not necessarily “The Deal You Actually Got.” What does that mean? Simply put, if you got the vehicle you wanted within the budget you wanted and it was the best deal offered by any other dealer, does it really matter how much profit the dealer made? Win, win.
The Author
R.K. Mazza