Lets Make A Deal

How to Get the Best Deal on a Vehicle Purchase

Want to know what is really out of “whack” in the car industry today? Expectations. What the buyer and seller expect from each other is totally out of whack.

The buyer is convinced the dealer is making buckets of money.

The seller is convinced the buyer is holding out on buckets of money.

The truth is, the days of major vehicle mark ups are long gone. Most dealers sell on volume so prices should be generally pretty fair. So how can you, the buyer, get the best deal for your vehicle purchase?

Keep a few of these things in mind:

·       Best time to deal is at year-end or as early in the next year as possible – on last years model.

·       There is more a mark up on trucks, so you can probably get a bigger discount on them.

·       There isn’t a whole lot of room to move on car prices.

By doing some homework, you can make sure to get the most bang for your buck:

·       Check to see if there are any factory incentives (cash rebates, extra options for free, bonus trade-in allowance)

·       Check out the site www.CarCostCanada.com - for $40 you can get a report on five different vehicles and find out what they are really worth and where you can get the best deals.

·       In the US, check out the Kelly Blue Book

·       Narrow down what you are looking for to a maximum of five possibilities and check out manufacturers websites for incentives. You can even build the car you want and print it off to take with you into a dealership.

When dealing with a salesman, try to treat him as an assistant. No, he isn’t there to get you the best deal (that is up to you) but that doesn’t make him your enemy. Unless he is a Badger, then all bets are off.

She Buys... He Sells

A car review with a twist. Two perspectives on the same vehicle; one from someone who knows nothing about cars but knows what she likes, the other from an automotive know-it-all. Complete with video and photos.

2012 Ford Focus Titanium

PERFORMANCE AND HANDLING
She Buys (SB):

• Zippy with lots of get-up-and-go

He Sells (HS):

• Nice handling
• 2.0L engine supplies ample power for this small car.

COMFORT

SB:

• Was surprised it was as comfortable as it was, I expected less comfort in this size of car.

HS:

• Very comfortable for its size.
• Layout of drink holder leaves room for improvement

BUILD QUALITY

SB:

• Decent, some controls seemed a bit flimsier like the seat warmers that are dials.

HS:

• Very appealing for a small hatchback
• Well engineered with incredible night illumination and things most won’t notice like the closing shutter behind the grill for improved gas mileage.

PRACTICALITY

SB:

• Only two drink holders, no place for cell phone or anything else.
•  Great car for around town, wouldn’t be as great on longer trips or with more than two people.

HS:

• Nice cargo capacity for its size.
• Overall, will be easy car to sell.

MISC.

SB:

• Map did not recognize secondary highways.
•  MyFord Touch – would like to see improvement on the placement of certain features ie: clock much more prominent.

HS:

•  MyFord Touch was a sweet spot for me – I really liked it.
• Family fit well in it, but not for longer trips with adults in the rear.

 *This Vehicle was supplied by Ford Canada

What's In A Name

You tell me. My wife and I are starting to do some auto reviews and we need to figure out what to call it. Any input you can give us would be much appreciated as we value your opinion - that’s why we write!

What’s involved? - a ‘his’ and ‘hers’ perspective. Possibly even some minor debating.

The two points of view are from someone who knows cars and someone that just knows what they expect from a car. In some ways it will be like hearing the thoughts of a know-it-all car salesman and ‘Jane Doe’ off the street.

We would love to hear your suggestions for a name. While you are at it, tell us what you would like to see, and what you would like to learn. The possibilities are endless.

Post your thoughts and ideas here, on twitter (@thexsivdon) or even on at XSFDetail, we are here for you.

Don't Let The Dealer Badger You!

Let's Do The Deal!!!

  So now you think you have found a great salesperson to represent you and your needs, let’s hope they aren’t like this guy, who just wants to get your money
….all of your money!

  Some salespeople don’t know how to respect the opposite sex and therefore have not fully evolved into human beings. Some will treat women as a less intelligent life form, some will even take advantage of women, don’t be a victim!!! 

 Don’t think it’s just women that can be mistreated; some guys have to tolerate bad salespeople too. Have you ever had a salesperson with little to no knowledge of the product act as though he knows it all???

 If any of these are the case, I ask you to turn and run…as fast as you can because you will be eaten alive and leave with something you never wanted! A big problem is, some dealerships promote this kind of behavior, and they don’t want the customer to have time to think.

  Let’s say for example they pull this stunt and tell you they have another buyer lying in wait. Tell them to sell it, you need your time to go through the process, picture yourself in it, picture your family in it, and make sure it is right for you. The salesperson is there to serve you, not the other way around. 

 We buy cars to fill a desire, rarely out of need. Take the time to make sure you are getting what you want and don’t let them pressure you. Another trick some dealerships will use is to ask you for your drivers licence before a test drive. They do need to see it and confirm you are legal to drive; they do not need to get a photo copy of it until you purchase the vehicle.
Once they have a copy of it, anyone at the dealership can run a credit check on you while you are out. When you come back from your test drive they will already know how much of a loan you qualify for. They may even try to put you in a more or less expensive vehicle to suit their needs. It’s not legal, at least not in Canada, but how often do you check your credit report to see who has been running checks on you? Just another dirty trick you will find in a dishonest dealership. The best policy is to always keep your licence in sight.

 When you find a salesperson and dealership that treats you right, you may have located the perfect place to buy your next vehicle!

Pssst! Wanna Buy A Car?

Do you want to know how to get the most out of your car buying experience?

Well the truth is, it’s all in the dealership or even more so the sales consultant you choose. Not every dealership is alike. Some have the most customer oriented care you can imagine, while others just want your money and to get you off the lot so they can get the next fish on the hook.

Here is my advice on how to find yourself a great sales consultant that you can trust.

Word of Mouth
First and foremost, ask your friends and family - you trust them don`t you? If they have had a good experience with a salesperson, they are probably more than happy to share. Maybe try putting the word out on twitter or Facebook that you are looking for a good salesperson.

Research
Once you have a sales consultant that you think might be a good fit, do some research on the dealer they work for. Google the name of the dealership and see what comes up. Does it have good reviews? How are their online ratings? (In this age of tech people share almost everything online) Next, I would GOOGLE the sales consultant’s name, you may be surprised what you dig up. We live in this hi-tech society; why not use it to your advantage.

If you like what you have seen so far, the next step you is to find out what they sell. If you don’t think they carry what you are looking for, then spend some time chatting with the sales consultant and get their recommendations for the type of dealership that might be able to fill your needs. If you get a name, it’s time to go back and do some more research.

The last bit of research before meeting the consultant, is to check out the dealership staff parking lot to see what everybody there drives - when you see a parking lot full of another manufacturers cars at a place, you have to ask yourself why?

So now that you have found a sales consultant that you can trust - and you can use more than one, don’t feel like you are limited, after all it is your money - what should you expect from them?

Over the next week or so I will guide you along a trail that will be both helpful and educational, with a side of humor for good measure. I will give out some info that is for your eyes only, whoever you may be. There will be questions asked afterwards so pay attention. And feel free to ask questions and I shall provide you with the best answers I can, some of which may even be true - after all I am a salesman too ;-)

The Show Must Go On- Part 2

  Well the time came and went, and as expected, I was brilliant...at least that is how I chose to see it. (If you feel otherwise feel free to keep it to yourself, it's not easy keeping a swelled head like this, and I wouldn't want you messing that up for me!)We made the show, and what a show it was! Dave ( @Miradart ) started out with a bit about what's going on in the auto world around us, followed up by some chat about Carroll Shelby and of all things....his deodorant....that's right he had one named after him. Pit-Stop. Brilliant advertising put it into every household around....wait a minute, that would be old spice wouldn't it...lol
.
  Following that bit of great reporting that you only find on AutoMojo, he flashed into some pictures of a car show he had been to earlier in the week. Turns out, it was like a walk down memory lane.  Many of the cars in the pics were my work and some I even helped build. It got me thinking back to when I was just a youngling, a Jedi wannabe.~~~~~~

  I had never imagined when I started out I would be working on such magnificent pieces. I just wanted to have a job I enjoyed....fast forward 10 years later, I was the hottest thing on the market! To have a car done by The Don, was a form of gloating to many (once again, I chose to overembelish for entertainment purposes only). But I realized that over a short period of time, I had gone from being a virtual unknown to one whose name meant something to many people, especially car people. This did make me proud.

 To think all I wanted to do was create a job I enjoyed, but by satisfying all the right people and making excellent connections I become sort of the go-to guy for the Central Alberta  auto-detailing. It was not till I met The Jedi Master,( my mentor who's name I will leave out for his sake) and he taught me the ways of the polisher that I was truly able to capitalise on what I had learned. I vowed to only do things that brought joy to peoples lives, and so it was. Soon the student became the teacher, and proceeded to care for his Masters vehicles. It was time for me to seek out a youngling to train up in the ways I had been taught. Oh those were the days~~~~~~ Ok, now the reality sets in.


I was to guest on the show and help advise people on how to find a good detail shop and help them understand when one is required. After establishing myself as the self proclaimed "expert" I went through a few random questions with Dave and gave sharp insightful answers, he too was mystified at how one man could be such a bundle of information! This man was trying to stump me, but to no avail, I was far too great in knowledge for this to happen....then it came, the clip of the carwasher from Latvia, ( Pro detailer from Latvia does his job! (VERY FUN)
http://bit.ly/QV4wp ) I had to speak my mind.It was very hard to watch from an auto detailers standpoint, but I endured, and used it to help educate people on how not to wash their car.

All in all we had a great time making the show, and I have been asked to return. ( after all, I am just that entertaining! ) I am quite looking forward to it and hope you fine folks will jump on board watching this (somewhat) informative show weekly on fusedlogic.tv

The Show Must Go On- Part1

I wasn't expecting to be on the big screen again, but it looks like it is happening to me once more. My fans adore me, and they have demanded more!!! OK, thats how it looks in my head...lol.
Alright, my only real tv appearance was in a Crime Stoppers commercial...but I played the role so well that I was told by 10 people they were ratting me out for some pocket cash! Now it is something I am actually passionate about...this time I get to talk about cars. I am so in my element on this one, I don't think one show will be enough. It seems as though word on the street is that I am some kinda detailing guru-I tell them I am just a meager being like they are...the only difference is that I'm an overachiever with a huge ego...and I'm not afraid to share it with others.

So a couple of weeks ago my wife had done a little spot an an interweb tv show, she got talking to the producer about me and the next thing I know, I'm being asked to guest star on a show called AutoMojo with a Twitter aquaintance of mine Dave Foley (@miradart). Quite the cool cat himself, we have been hashing out ideas for the program. All of our brainstorming has brought back cool memories of details past.

I was running through some of the stories of vehicles I have been so blessed to play with, and how sometimes I was so good I even amazed myself lol!! It was at this point when it hit me, - I have been given some of the most amazing iron to play with just cause someone figured I had talent...this is why my ego is so big today (insert swollen head here!).

As the possessor of such great knowledge, it helped me realize that with great power comes great responsibility, and just as SpiderMan was faced with the same dilema, I too choose to use my knowledge for good. I will do this show, and I will share my big brain full of cool stories with all my loyal fans, and new ones too. This is going to be my opprotunity to share the gifts that were given to me...I will do a tell-all on the tricks of the trade. Although it won't happen in just one episode, it will be something that is permanently on the web for anyone to access.

Stay tuned for more info on what to look forward to on AutoMojo with Dave Foley (@miradart), and special guest moi! Don Nault  (@xsfdetail). Looking forward to you looking at me, soon!