Car Sale Today

One of the toughest jobs that I had, being in the military, was my job as a military recruiter. The reason is was so tough? Having to deal with a market or demographic that could not and often times would not make a decision about anything but chillin and relaxin (yes, I know that not how its spelled, but that’s the language the teens would use.

Many of the young adults that were in my office, wanted to join the military services, but then again, maybe they thought they did. When they were in my office, there were sold on being a US Marine, until there girlfriend, boyfriend or parents were able to sell him or her on the idea of doing nothing. I guess you could say, if they never joined, they really weren’t sold on being a marine. To the point I want to make in this article, some people just can’t say no and they are ever changing their mind, agreeing to almost anything said, lacking confidence in their answers.

I can vividly remember, in my younger and naive days, being sold something, I did not want. Through the years, I’ve grown wiser. If I determine, there is a need, I will make a purchase only after evaluating the information. If I can wait, I’ll wait. The way to say no, starts at the beginning of a sales presentation. I don’t mean, simply say…no to a request to buy or do something. I’m referring to saying no in your body language and demeanor. You don’t have to look mad or upset, just be indifferent.

Sometimes, you really want to hear what they are selling and you’re attracted by the features and benefits of the product. In many cases, after you’ve realized there was a hook, naturally your not interested. So, how do you say no? No two situations are to same, there is no one answer for each scenario. Many people will buy out of guilt or they simply can not say no. Many potential customers are intimidated by a fast talking sales person, they feel pressured or they are simply too embarrassed to say no.

Watch those buying signals.

When my wife and I went shopping for a car, I would tell her, don’t nod your head, don’t say things like…”really!” Or “Wow, I like that”. Responses and actions like these, tell the seller, your interested, tell you more and you might buy. Leaning forward in your chair, taking the brochure in your hand, signals your repeated interest and say…”Tell Me More..I’m Interested”. Even though you are interested for the moment, the sales person may try a quick close. A quick close is will sound like he following:

So, when shall we get started with the paper work?
Do you want that in red or blue?
I can have it ready for you to drive out of here now, what o you say?

Wives, never say to your husband in front of the sales person…”Honey…Can We Get It Now!” Listen to the information, think about what was presented and make your decision. You will appear more in control of the presentation ( and you are ) and when you say no, you can simple say: Thank you for your information, you were most helpful in helping me make a decision, may I have your card, I will let you know once I am ready to buy.

Don’t tell the sales person what you have saved up and how much of a down payment you have. Why? You have nothing to bargain with now. When filling out a credit application for a car or other significant buy can be nerve-racking. One thing I never did was show all of my resources for money. Why? you can never say, you can’t afford the down payment and the deal can always ask for more of a down payment because they just so happened to find a smudge on your credit. The point is, you’ve already played your cards and you have nothing to bargain with and when the sales pressure is on, say no is hard.

So, how do you say no, when some fat talking sales person, out to make quota,want to sell you something your not absolutely sure you want? It all starts at the beginning, when you first meet the sales person. If its a car lot, you can simply say, I’m only here to look, I’m not buying today. Let’s say you want to buy and your just not ready; don’t test drive, don’t fill out an application. If you cant manage to avoid these, simply say, wait…I’m not ready at all to do this, I need to rethink my decision. The words to say no or those that lead up to it are many. You chose when to buy and when to change your mine, not the sales professional.

Thank you for reading my article. Nathaniel Lewis is a business owner and technology professional who enjoys writing and sharing life experiences that will help people. Your comments are welcome to this and any article. Please visit http://MyExplainHowTo.info/ where you will find more How To informational articles.

ebay is a wonder. Fascinating, rewarding, dangerous…for both buyers and sellers. As a long time buyer, and a fanatical watcher of auctions I’ve come to glean a few tips that, I hope, will be useful for those contemplating or currently selling cars in eBay Motors. I’d like to cover listings, display and description, successes and failures, caveats, dangers and scams, and finally, alternatives. And while it is mostly geared to 911′s and other Porsche’s, the basic points apply to all cars.

Personally, I don’t care what software you use to list on eBay. Whether you use eBay’s own tools, or a third party offering such as GarageSale (on the Mac). They mostly do the same thing… get your car exposed to thousands of buyers. And that’s the point. You want to expose your car in the most appealing, open way. We’re not talking about attic junk, inexpensive merchandise, or the like. We’re talking about a relatively expensive item. And in a medium that is fraught with dangers, both on the selling and buying ends. You need to keep in mind that the buyer needs the assurance that they are dealing with an honest seller, who will make every effort to present their offering in a way that is clear and open. If anything I say is meaningful, this is probably it.

But let me put it even more bluntly. Clarity means money. I’ve seen dozens of cars go for way under the money because the seller didn’t have a clue. Poor title, bad pictures, descriptions that are either lacking or deceptive. These are all pocketbook killers. And time wasters. Your time, especially.

Let’s start…

The Listing Title

Of course, the basics are Year and Model. But you need to add some sizzle to drum up interest. 2002 Carrera 996 is ok, but perhaps adding words relating to options, warranty, location (especially in a road salt free area), etc. provide a more concise opening to your listing.

On the other hand, one listing I thought was terrible had the title “Clean Title, No liens”. I would hope so already. Don’t state the obvious. And if the title wasn’t clean, and/or there were liens better to mention that in the body of the listing. Buyers will find out eventually.

The eBay stuff

Under the main head lies the basic info on the car…VIN, mileage, color, options, etc. Most things are automatic but make sure you list options. If you don’t have the ‘option’ to check off, include it in the body copy. You want to sell the car, don’t you?

Main Copy

You’re selling two things. The car and yourself. You’re asking a person to spend thousands of dollars. If you aren’t a dealer with a nationwide reputation, you need to reassure the buyer that you are a caring owner who has treated your Porsche like your baby. In the UK, service history and where the car was maintained is of supreme importance. To me, it is too. If you kept records, and hopefully you have, state it. If some specialist did the servicing, state it.

Offer a chance for interested buyers to get a Pre-Purchase inspection. Platz (dot) com has a list of good service centers for this.

I always recommend an inspection. It’s a good investment. It also shows that you have faith in your car. Remember, the more you put into the selling of your car, the more you’ll get in the end. Of course, not everyone has the time. But try. Also try to be available for personal visits.

Another good thing to mention is any Porsche affiliation. PCA members, this is a big plus. Don’t be shy. Hey, and if the car won any awards at shows, don’t be modest.

Of course, try to be honest about the car. Is it a salvage title? Well, you should mention that. If they order a CarFax they are going to find out anyway. Same for bad accidents. A small dent, well. Body work that was cosmetic and repaired. I leave that up to you.

Conversely, talk about condition, especially if it is a plus point. Lack of road chips, scratches, original paintwork, etc. Pluses.

But don’t lie. You’re going to back it up with photos!

Also, if you use one of those checklists which have all the points and a grading range, excellent to poor, don’t check off excellent if that area leaves much to be desired. One dealer has been listing the same car for months now. His pictures are good. But they also reveal leather seats with pronounced cracking. It’s obvious. But he has ‘Excellent’ checked off under condition for the seats. Hey, if he’s stretching the truth on that, what else is he hiding. Now I emailed him with links to leather products that could fix them up. But rather than spend twenty or so bucks fixing them, he keeps on listing the car. Oh yeah, his engine bay is dirty. And this is a dealer! So far he’s gotten bids up to $24,000. He’s asking $32,500. He relisted twice with an opening bid of $27,000. No takers. Is this an IQ test?

Photography

I’m a firm believer in the value of good photography in selling cars. And I’ve seen hundreds of cars not selling because the pictures were few, overexposed, too small, etc. I don’t know if the seller is uncaring, hiding something, or just lazy. Do I want to spend tens of thousands on a car that I can’t see in person or at least photos. Simply put, Good Photos sell Good Cars.

The more photos (within reason) the more likely you’ll sell your car. And that’s what you want to do, isn’t it?

What do I hate? Out of focus pictures. Overexposed, lack of contrast, no shots of the engine bay or boot, the wheels and tires, etc. Need I go on? Think of it this way. Your photographs are a substitute for the buyers doing a personal inspection of the car. Would you want to inspect a car in the dark? Have a one minute time limit? I don’t think so.

Take your pictures either earlier in the day or later, but not at night. The sunlight can wash out details. A bleached out look to the car will make the buyer have second thoughts.

Remember this point. At major auctions, the sellers that stay by their cars, answering questions, allowing punters to examine their cars, etc. achieve significantly higher prices. Treat your auction the same. Show off your car in pictures. Answer questions quickly and thoroughly. Make more money.

Know Your Car (Model Selling Points)

For each model, even each year there are points that you can make that sell you car. Here’s a few:

356 range — Obviously the most important things are a rust-free body (or repair work to make it such), originality, matching numbers, etc.

Early 911′s — Probably one of the hottest areas in the market. Again, body integrity, matching numbers. The earliest cars are more eligible for historic events. Later, ‘long chassis’ cars are better handling.

1974-1989 — Again, body condition for non-galvanized cars is important. 1988-89 cars, the G50 transmission. Engine modifications like hydraulic tensioners should be noted.

964′s — As this line went on, major improvements occurred. Mention all updates such as breather hose on distributors, or dual belt changes also for distributor failure.

993′s — 1995′s (Non-Variocams) don’t have the carbon buildup that the later engines had, so longer life without top end rebuild. Later cars have more power. Of course, these are the last air-cooled cars. “S” cars carry a premium, don’t underprice your cars.

996′s — 3.6 engine more powerful. State if your 3.4 or 3.6 engine has any updates such as RMS work. 2002 onwards more creature comforts. 1999 – 2001 good value. Tiptronics have less RMS problems.

997′s — Well, great cars but depreciation is hard to gauge. But the buyers here are looking for the cleanest, newest looking car.

914′s — Getting hotter. Personally I prefer the 2.0′s or the 6′s. Upgraded shifters,, other upgrades or improvements…talk it up.

928′s — Later models have more improvements generally, and the prices reflect that. Unfortunately, this is a very expensive car to deal with. Any remedial work should be mentioned…engine work, electrical, etc. It’s scary what it costs to fix the most minor thing. But they are good cars when running.

Front Engined Porsches — Well, not as knowledgeable here. 924′s actually finally getting some respect. 944′s and 968′s selling and good value for dollar. I’ll get to this eventually.

Cayenne’s — Do you bother reading about Porsche’s?

Pricing your Baby

Here is a grey area. A good start is the pricing sites. NADA and Kelley Blue Book are two.

Excellence magazine is a fantastic resource. Bruce Anderson has both Market Reports talking about ac?ual sales, and his Market Update covering a section of the marketplace (for 993′s, 914′s, Early 911′s, Turbo’s, etc.) with very up-to-date pricing in varying degrees of condition. I can’t recommend it more. And his brother Steve’s illustration work is superb!

Also, see what price COMPLETED sales achieve. An overoptimistic opening bid is not indicative of an actual price. Ebay does give a market range but I find it useless. Also, unsold auctions can teach us a lot about listing. Is the reserve price too high? See what bids DIDN’T meet the reserve. And remember that dealers usually achieve a premium for their cars, especially when they are specialists or authorized.

IMPORTANT — Remember that eBay gets phony bids. Try not to encourage friends to submit bids to drive up the price. You’re probably not going to sell the car. Also, if unsuccessful in your listing, eBay will probably offer you a free relisting. Well, maybe the relisting is free but some extras are still optional.

EVEN MORE IMPORTANT — Today, we are still in very unstable economic environment. I see a softening of the market in lesser than top-tier cars. It either is going to take longer to sell your car, or a readjustment of your expectations. Don’t be discouraged. Good cars sell.

How Options affect value

Got to be honest. Aftermarket kits, especially updated body kits, $20,000 stereos, etc. are great fun. But don’t expect them to make their initial investment back. I saw a guy who had a 911SC updated to a 964 bodykit, expensive stereo, tasteless interior installed, etc. He was asking $69,000 for it. Guess what? He eventually relisted it $20,000 less. Guess what? I’m sure he still owns the beast. A 911SC is a 911SC. The car was worth in the teens. You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear, as they say.

If you want to improve/customise your car….fantastic! But do it for yourself, not in expectation of a big reward later. There are exceptions. Getting a RUF upgrade from their USA place might be an interesting idea. But you still won’t get back your money. Most cars are just used cars. Unless there is a particular demand for the model, say a 356 or early 911, some collectibles such as factory Speedsters, etc. your car probably isn’t worth more than you paid for it.

International Opportunities

If you are comfortable with shipping, and with dealing with overseas buyers you can consider some of the eBay Motors foreign markets. With the weakness of the dollar, overseas buyers can achieve a significant savings even with import tax and shipping. Especially with 356′s and early 911′s. The market is quite crazy there, especially in the UK. But be careful. Yes, be very careful! I wouldn’t sell anything without the money in the bank, and verified. Scams abound. I’ll cover that later.

Alternatives to Ebay

Say you’re not successful on eBay. Well, don’t give up hope. There are some other cost-effective methods to get your car out there. Firstly, the time-honored auto classifieds, Hemmings. I’ve always worried about the lead time, especially in monthlies but now Hemmings is placing their classifieds on their website so that answers that. It does seem that the asking prices are higher in Hemmings but that could be indicative of a more focused clientele than just wishful seller thinking. Worth a try.

Lists are a good resource. Pelican Parts and Rennlist are two that cater to sports cars, and Porsches. They might be better for manual transmission cars than Tiptronics due to the readership, but the price is right.

There are general listings such as Cars (dot) com and AutoTrader. Worth checking out even as a supplement to your listings.

Seller Beware

Remember, scams abound on eBay, both buying and selling. Be sure to add language to protect yourself. Unless you sell warrantees state whether anything is covered and the time period. Or state, “AS IS”. People are buying used cars and both parties must make an effort to do the right research to protect themselves.

Also, sellers must be extremely careful who they sell to. Low feedback can indicate either a newbie to eBay, or someone who changed their identity to hide negative feedback. Negative feedback should be a warning sign. Too much of that and you might consider canceling their bids. Some people ask for a higher deposit from these buyers.

Pay attention to the eBay warnings about scams. Foreign buyers can be a godsend with the dollar dropping. They can also be scam artists. Beware people who send a deposit higher than asked, and who request you to send back the difference in cash. You’re not that stupid, are you? Certified checks can be forged. It isn’t enough to deposit a check. The bank will credit your account for the funds. If the check is no good, they’ll just as quickly take out the funds. Remember, it can take weeks for a check to clear, especially if foreign. Go to your bank manager, ask them to find out that the check is real. There’s a system in place for this procedure. You don’t want to find out that you’re out tens of thousands AFTER you ship the car.

So the operative word is CHECK. Check the buyer. Check the check. When in doubt ask for cash or wired funds. Then give them the car. If the buyer is legit he or she won’t mind.

A Success Story

One car I was interested in was a 95 Cabriolet located in Florida. The listing was outstanding. His description of car, its’ features and add ons (Artec wheels, LoJack, Kicker Sub and associated amps, rear seat delete, factory option of locking storage, etc.), detailed notes on body structure, etc….as I said,outstanding. He offered his assistance in shipping, both domestic and foreign. Everything was clear. Then, the icing on the cake. The photos. A couple dozen clear photos on the listing page. AND a link to a Picassa web album containing dozens more pictures. Other than being there, it was a close second.

Now the interesting part was that the seller had the car listed on Autotrader at a decent price. But no buyers. So he listed on ebay. I had submitted a bid at book. I knew it was going to go higher. And I had seen the ad on Autotrader so I knew in general what he was looking to get. I had the winning bid till a few days before auction end. Then he started receiving questions…some from clueless buyers (what kind of coolant does it have?) and dealers who knew that the car was worth a nice bit more. And also queries from Europe. At the end of the auction it went for over two thousand more than it was listed for on Autotrader. While sad that I didn’t get it, was so happy for the seller (who I’ve had some great email conversations with…and knew that this was an upfront and honest guy).

The car wasn’t perfect (although was pretty close), but the listing was! And his return showed how a little effort, honest presentation, and clarity really pays off. By the way, he got over six thousand over book price! Just goes to show that people will pay for the right car!

This is just an overview of the process. Good luck with your sale!

copyright2011, William Sachs Gore

Billy Gore writes about classic, sports cars, etc. and does automotive art and graphics. You could see his work on his website and Facebook Fan Page.

http://www.billygore.com
http://www.facebook.com/billygoredesigns

Have you ever started something and not completed it? Or

maybe there’s something that you know that you should do but

you just don’t seem to get around to it? Or perhaps there’s

something that you know would benefit from more attention /

more focus but you just don’t give it the attention that it

deserves?

For a lot of business people this sums up the selling experience!

Most people that I speak to who are involved in sales freely

admit that they don’t focus on new business enough or that they

frequently put off new business generation to do

something else instead. This seems surprising when every

business person knows that new business generation is essential

to helping them to hit target, push them over target or build the business that they desire.

Given this – why is it that we so often don’t take action?

A large percentage of people that I speak to complain that sales

isn’t seen as professional and that they don’t consider

themselves as doing a professional job. When I ask them when

they last read a book or attended a seminar on selling,

communications or motivation they look at me like I’m stupid.

90% plus haven’t read a book in the last year and …well over

80% have never read a book on selling!

Is it any surprise then that they feel unprofessional?

Question.

Would you consider a brain surgeon with no training and who

had never read a book or attended a seminar? I don’t think so!

So why is this the case?

I believe that it simply comes down to leverage. We often know

what we need to do but it’s just easier not to do it. Think about it for a second. Have you ever thought that you really needed to so some cold calling? You maybe got the client list together, got yourself a coffee and sat down to do it. All ready to go but then you ended up going through your email inbox! I think every business person has done that because sometimes it’s easier just not to do it!

As we’re still at the start of 2005 I decided today that we should focus on what you want and on how to get leverage so that you feel compelled to take action right now. Record the results of your findings in your sales success log and remember … the more detail you go into, the greater the leverage … the greater the leverage, the more the call to action.

But before we do this… consider the fact that according to all of the statistics – you are about to catapult yourself into the elite group of sales winners!

Why?

* 90% of sales people don’t buy books or listen to audios

* 90% of books / audios won’t be read / heard past the first

chapter

* 80% of readers / listeners won’t take any action

That means that if you read AND take action you will be part of

an incredibly elite group! Interested?

Where are you now?

No seriously! Where are you now? When I work with

individuals and teams I have discovered that it takes an

incredible amount of courage and honesty to really investigate

where we are currently. In life we all live in our own

perceptions of the world – prejudiced by the spectacles that we

habitually wear. If you are going to make a radical difference to any area of your life it is essential that you break through this barrier and be honest with yourself. Only by taking this crucial step will you get what you want.

Over the course of the next few minutes I am going to ask you

some questions. The more time you take to really consider these

and think through the answers, the more they will help you to

get leverage. I strongly recommend that you record the

questions and the answers into your Sales Success Log (SSL).

Questions to Ask Yourself

What is the most pressing issue or challenge that you face with

new business generation at the moment?

If you were to know, what is the biggest issue that you need to

resolve at the moment such that if you solved it you would

make a major breakthrough?

Sometimes this question isn’t so easy to answer. Keep asking it

of yourself over and over. Let’s face it, if this was dead easy,

everyone would do it and then you’d only be keeping up not

getting ahead!

Typical answers include:

* I don’t have enough time to generate new business

* Making excuses

* Fear of rejection

* Not confident enough

* Not enough training, knowledge, support, back-up etc.

* Market depressed

* Client rejections

* Price

* Existing supplier relationships

* No database

* Unqualified leads

* And many, many more…

Am I sure that I understand this issue fully?

Sometimes the presenting issue is not the real issue at all.

Before we carry on you need to ensure that you have a full

understanding of the issue at hand.

* What is really going on here?

* How long has this issue been going on?

* Have I always considered it a challenge?

* How bad are things really?

* Is this worth working on?

For the rest of this exercise I am going to use fear of rejection and not having enough time as my examples. I will be basing my answers on typical answers given by coachees in sessions that I run.

Fear of rejection. “Before I even make the call I am worried

that the client will reject me. I wasn’t always worried about

this. When I first started selling I didn’t care at all. I guess that I started to feel this way about 3 months after I started. I seem to get rejected much more often now and, if I’m honest I do very little new business generation. This is definitely worth working on as my lack of proactivity is effecting my business.”

I don’t have enough time. “I think that this is more wrapped

up with the fear of rejection. I am very busy but generally I do

make excuses when it comes to cold-calling. If I didn’t have the

fear of rejection I am sure that I could find the time. I started finding things to do as soon as I started to win my first clients and things have really got pretty bad now. If I were to lose a client I really have no back-up as I haven’t been focusing on new business generation at all recently.”

What is the Impact of This Problem on Me?

Now… I said that you had to be honest! Ask yourself…

* How is this problem currently impacting on me?

* What results am I getting due to this problem?

* How are these results impacting me; my team; my business?

* When I consider this impact how do I feel about it?

Remember to consider each incidence separately.

Fear of rejection. “I’m not doing hardly any new business

generation. I know that this is impacting my potential client

base. I used to bring on new clients quite regularly but I can’t

remember the last time that I brought on a really new client. My

team don’t really see me as a new business winner and I know

that the boss thinks that I only “cherry-pick” easy business.

his makes me feel annoyed as I know that I can be better than

this. What’s more I think that I am less confident in my dealings with existing clients and this is impacting my potential revenues.”

I don’t have enough time. “Because I don’t make the time to

generate new business I am sabotaging my own chances of

success. When the others are doing business generation I am

usually doing administration. I’m not really part of the team

because of this and it upsets me.”

What Future Consequences Will Your Problem Bring?

Quite often when we don’t do something right now it doesn’t

really matter. Doing exercise today or not doing exercise today

will do little (or nothing) for your fitness levels, your physique or your health. When considered over a larger period of time however daily actions such as exercise will determine massive differences in the results that you get.

When considering your actions and their consequences you

need to look at the long-term. It’s important that you take time

to really think through and picture these consequences. The

more real they are for you, the more leverage for change will be

created.

Questions to ask yourself…

* If nothing changes in your current situation what will the

consequences be?

* What’s the likely outcome of your continued action (or inaction)?

* What consequences will this have on your sales career,

finances, business, promotional prospects and self-esteem?

* What’s at stake for you?

* How will others such as your family, friends and

acquaintances be affected?

* How do you feel about this course of events?

Fear of rejection. “Ultimately, I will not have enough business

coming in and I will probably be sacked or go bust. No business

can survive without new sales. I have been quite ambitious in

the past and have taken on loans for cars and a new house. If I

don’t make the sales then I could easily lose these. My industry

is quite small and it would not be good for my reputation or

future employability if I were sacked or made redundant. I

would hate the thought that I had failed to do my job. If I lost

my house it would put an incredible amount of pressure on my

family life too as we are hoping to have a baby next year.”

I don’t have enough time. “If I don’t create the time to

generate new business I won’t make any sales and I will lose my

job. This will make me unemployable as my reference would be

poor. I wouldn’t be able to keep up the car payments or my

mortgage. This would create massive family tensions and

personal stress.”

Take Personal Responsibility

People often ask me what the differences are between great

salespeople and sales superstars. This is a truly great question

which, I believe, has several answers. High up on my list would

be that sales superstars’ take personal responsibility for their

success no matter how hard things around them may get. Only

by taking total personal responsibility can you become totally

accountable for the results that you get.

Keeping this foremost in your mind consider how you

contributed to the current situation or problem?

I totally accept that your initial answer may well be that you

didn’t contribute. For many people this way of thinking

represents a quantum leap in their habitual behaviour so it may

not come easily.

Keep asking yourself…

If I knew, how have I contributed to this current situation or

problem?

Fear of rejection. “I have allowed myself to fall prey to my

own imagination and become fearful of generating new

business. I have focused on the times that I have not succeeded

rather than the times that I have. I have listened to people

around me who are not getting results rather than focusing only

on those who are peak performers.”

I don’t have enough time. “I have allowed myself to make

excuses and rationalise my own behaviour because of my fear

of rejection. I have listened to and adopted the mindsets of other salespeople who are making excuses rather than taking action.”

Do You Want to Change Now?

Before we start talking about what you want instead I think that

it’s important to know that you do want to change now don’t

you. So take a moment and consider…

* What you will gain when you resolve this situation?

* What results will you begin to get and why will you enjoy

them?

*How do you feel about your decision to move towards a

satisfactory solution?

Fear of rejection. “When I let go of the fear I will be able to

generate new business confidently and professionally. This will

allow me to take control of my own destiny whatever sales

challenges are thrown into my path. I will begin to create new

client relationships, new sales and new opportunities. Knowing

this makes me feel alive and ready to get going.”

I don’t have enough time. “I will gain the ability to choose

how I spend my time rather than being dictated to by my

irrational fear. I can concentrate on planning my sales

campaign so that I gain maximum benefits from my efforts. I

feel excited at the possibilities ahead.”

You + 100% Commitment

Many times in my programmes I ask you to commit yourself to

action. In the minds of sales superstars there is no greater

commitment than to yourself. Grab your Sales Success Log and

answer the following questions…

1. What is the most powerful and congruent step that you can take right now?

2. What’s going to get in the way of you taking it?

3. How are you going to deal with this challenge?

4. When will you start and complete this step (put a date on it)?

My suggestion is that you sign and date your commitment to

this step.

Welcome to the new you … let’s get going!

For the last 10 years, Gavin Ingham has been helping sales people to explode their sales performance by turning self-doubt, fear and lack of motivation into self-belief, confidence and action. With his inspirational approach to sales performance and motivation Gavin combines commercial experience, personal excellence and communications technologies in delivering personal and business sales success.

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Nowadays finding the right car for you does not have to be difficult. There’s numerous ways to shop around through the local adverts, web sites, local used and new car dealers for a bargain. It can be in person, by the web or by browsing the weekly or daily news paper. To find the right deal to fit your budget through a little hard work you can find what suits you best.

If you’re like a lot of people a used car may be a great alternative to a new one. There’s plenty of car sales on the internet, local classified ads and local used car lots. In many cases finding the right deal may take some browsing around, but it does pay off in the end. So for most people who are looking to save a little extra money and perhaps buy in cash, a used car can be a smart place to start.

Buying a new car today is not as difficult as it might seem. There’s a lot of new models out there to choose from with lenders ready to make a deal. This way you don’t have to worry about any prior owners, and how the maintenance that was or was not done. If you have a good credit standing it can be fairly easy to obtain a loan with a good interest rate. This way you can know what to expect to pay on a monthly basis, so you can find a car to fit your budget.

Whenever you are looking for a bargain you may want to consider buying a car from the owner directly. This way you may locate a quality vehicle and haggle for the right price. Once you have decided on a deal having a mechanic look it over can be a good idea. This way you can be assured what you are buying is in good condition as stated by the seller. As like anything else browsing around does not hurt to get what you want at the right price.

To find a car online there’s a few ways to do just that. Today, just about all car sales are listed online through various web sites with pictures and details of the vehicle. It can be a great way to gather information right from your home to get a good idea of what you are looking for. The fine details of each vehicle as well as photos usually are present through a dealers web site. This way before you even make a special trip for car shopping you are already informed of all the details

Classified adverts can provide another option to find a local bargain. Many people utilize this as a way to sell a used or new vehicle. Not only private sellers, but dealers do this to attract potential buyers to their advertisement. It never hurts to take a look through these adverts even though much of these are accessible through the web.

Shopping around is always a good option when you are trying save a little bit of money. Doing this an ensure that you get familiar with what is currently on sale for new and used vehicles. Even calling on ads posted by private owners can wreak some good results as in some cases private sellers may be more willing to make a deal in your favor.

Today a car is becoming just about a necessity for day to day living. When you are looking around to find a vehicle that fits your needs for getting to and from work a few resources are very helpful. The internet, classified ads and local deals can offer you various deals based upon what you like and need the most. A new car might be a good option or even a used vehicle depending on you driving needs. So for finding a deal in Australia it does not have to be difficult to find exactly what you want at the price you can afford

If you are looking on the internet for used cars Sydney then here’s the place to start; Car City. There are a wide selection of prices and styles available, have a look- car sales Australia

How do I find out how much my car is worth in today’s market place? If you find yourself wondering about the value of your car you may be in the market for a new used vehicle and want to verify the true market value of your vehicle. Or you may be thinking about selling your car for the most money and then getting your dream car.

For whatever reasons you find yourself wondering the value of your car, knowing the true market value of your vehicle is an important factor that can save you money.

Not knowing how much your car is worth in either situation can be costly to you.

Let me further explain…

If you are selling a vehicle, you could lose precious cash without knowing the value. Or, you could be sitting on a car that won’t sell because it is priced too high, and this too can be expensive.

So here are some suggestions…

Begin by doing a search on the three most popular websites for determining the value of your car. They are the Kelley Blue Book, The NADA guide and the Black Book. These sites are easy to navigate around and will walk you through the process by asking a few questions.

The sites will ask the following:

* Your zip code, your region may differ in prices over another region.

* Year, make and model of the vehicle you are searching a market value for.

* Size of engine.

* Mileage of the car.

* Any extras on the vehicle such as alloy wheels, sunroof, automatic door locks and windows.

* The condition of the vehicle you are looking for; Good, Fair or Poor.

With the information you gather from these three sites you will have the answers to the value and worth of your car in today’s market place.

Whether you are buying or selling a used car, this information can be used to help save you money. If you are interested in saving some time as well as money, there is another way to find the value of your car and selling it for the best price.

If you want to sell you car without the hassle then you might want to consider using an auto consignment program. There are dealers who will sell your car and do all the work for you, including analyzing the fair market value. Why not get help from someone who knows and understands used cars? These dealers are in the used car business and have the expertise to determine the value of a car. They buy and sell cars everyday so they know what is really going on.

In addition, these same dealers that sell cars on consignment know and understand the market place. You can rest assured that the auto consultant has done the work to determine the fair market value of the car.

So, if you are trying to determine the value of your car preparing for either a sale or a purchase, a dealer that offers a consignment program may be just what you are looking for. Check it out…you’ll be glad you did.

To learn more about selling your car through a consignment program Click Here now. You’ll be glad you did.

For answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions about consigning your car Click Here

The trade-in, the anathema of the automotive world. Everything comes back to the trade-in. Consumers and sales representatives square off, staring eye to eye: the former wants 15 000$ for the trade-in, the latter stifles a chuckle and says it doesn’t even retail that high! This is the scene currently going on in multiple dealerships all over the world.

For example, somewhere in Vermont:

Client: It only has 34k miles on it, and it is a convertible

Sales Rep: It is definitely well maintained, but remember, this is January, not much call for a convertible in the middle of January in Vermont.

Client: Why?

Sales Rep: Well, something about the snow. To say nothing about the double digit minus temperatures.

**Sales rep makes a few calls**

Used car manager: I don’t want it.

Lewis Used Cars manager: I don’t want it

Johnnie Donnie Autos manager: hmmm, maybe I can get you 10,000$ but I am doing you a favor

Snowy Mountain Automobiles and Trucks manager: look I ain’t buying now, but I’ll give ya 18,000 if ya still got it in March.

**Sales Rep hangs up**

Sales Rep: We got 10,000$…

Client: What?! You people are crooks! I saw some on the Internet advertised at 35 000$! C’mon honey, we’re leaving.

Who is right here? Is the sales representative right that a convertible in the middle of a Vermont-esque January is a tough sell or did he or she not try hard enough? Is Mr. Smith wrong in thinking his car is worth 35,000$? We can tell you that the most likely scenario is that an indignant M. Smith will go home, take pictures of his car, pay to have it advertised on the internet and in papers and magazines; he will likely have to wake up Sunday morning early to go test-drive the car with a total stranger on more than one occasion a stranger who may not even be that interested in buying M. Smith’s convertible. And what does M. Smith DO when the “stranger” offers to buy the car and offers him a personal check? On the other hand, the sales representative has obviously lost a sale because when M. Smith does sell his car, he certainly is not going to return to that dealership. Worst, M. Smith will tell his friends and co-workers about the experience which may translate into even more lost sales. So again, given that the overall result will have unfortunate consequences for both parties involved, who was right in this situation?

From experience, I can tell you that a convertible indeed loses about 10% in retail value in the winter months of northern states and close to 15% in trade-in value over the same period. It also gains 10% of value in the spring in both retail and trade-in value. So in the fictitious case above, it appears M. Smith is at fault and does not understand the market. But the intent of this article is not to point fingers. It’s a story, after all.

The point is to highlight the important factors that determine the trade-in value of a used car. Most of these variables are self-explanatory.

So here we go, each factor is listed in order of importance. By the time you are done reading through, you should have a clearer idea of what truly affects a trade-in’s value. This will help you plan ahead by taking good care of the car you have now in anticipation for the time where you will want to trade it in. It will also help you buy a new car today that will be a great trade-in candidate in the future. Finally, it will prepare you to negotiate your trade-in’s value if you are currently buying a new car.

Your trade-in’s value is determined by:

1. How well your car’s brand is doing right now.

When SAAB declared bankruptcy, SAAB trade-ins lost at least 40% of their normal trade-in value. Jaguar and Volvo are two brands that are currently struggling (along with many others) in new car sales and this hurts their resale value. Saturn trade-ins are barely worth anything today. It’s simple, if there isn’t a great deal of demand for a manufacturer’s new car, usually there isn’t a great deal of demand for the same manufacturer’s old car. Inversely, BMW, Subaru and Hyundai are on a tear, thereby increasing their resale value and therefore their trade-in value.

2. Season.

Of course, if you live in Florida, the season has less impact than it does in Michigan or Canada. That being said, the net effect percentage wise on a trade-in’s value based on the season is so important we felt it needed to be at number 2. As we mentioned above, the time of year can add or drop between 10 and 20% on a trade’s value. AWD cars and trucks are great trade-ins in the fall, convertibles are horrible trade-ins from August to early-February, Pick-ups usually do well in the spring because home landscaping projects/yard-garage-basement cleanup are on the to-do list. Traditionally, March, April, August, September are prime months in the automotive world for sales. In general, trade-ins fetch higher prices in these periods, though, this varies according to region.

3. Body condition.

Your car’s overall exterior condition needs to look younger or at least not older than it actually is. If you car is 10 years old, it is understandable that there is a little rust and a few scratches, but it is not ok if the bumper is missing! Put yourself in someone else’s shoes and ask yourself ‘would you buy your car?’. Windshields are a value killer. If there is a crack in the windshield, no matter how small it is, you have to figure the price of a new windshield will be deducted from your trade-in price.

4.Color combination.

Perhaps you like a blue exterior with a red leather interior, but chances are you are part of a select group. Anything Yellow, Pink, Light Blue, Flashy Green, Gold, Bronze… you get the idea, these are tough sells. Beige, Grey, Off-White interiors always look dirty and usually need a good cleaning before they can be resold, so you can expect the cleaning bill to be deducted from your trade-in value.

5. Transmission.

On any car, there is almost always a higher percentage of buyers opting for one transmission over another. For example, Mercedes-Benz offered a standard transmission on its C-Class series, but over 90% of buyers chose the automatic transmission. Well if you are looking to trade-in a Mercedes C-Class with a manual transmission, you will find that its value is significantly decreased versus the same exact car with an automatic. This can also work the other way around. A Subaru Impreza WRX attracts manual transmission users and will fetch a higher trade-in price if equipped as such.

6. Popularity within its segment.

By segment, we mean for example full size sedans, intermediaries, full-size sport-utility vehicles, full-size pick-ups and so forth. You can think of segments as categories. In each segment, there are always cars that sell well and others that do not sell as well. In the intermediary segment, Toyota Camry and Honda Accord are the leaders, while the Chevrolet Malibu and Kia Magentis sell less than half the number of cars as the leaders (2011 data). What this means is that even if you paid your Kia Magentis the same price as you would have paid a Honda Accord, you will still get less in trade-in value for the Kia despite having identical mileage and model year.

7. Equipment.

The gap in pricing between a fully loaded model and the same model with basic equipment tends to decrease with time. So even if you put 5000$ dollars worth of options, the difference in pricing in 4 years between each model will more likely be 1500$. Because of this, it is a lot easier to sell a used car with a lot of options and features than a basic model. Features such as A/C, CD player, automatic windows and locks, and alloy wheels are almost a necessity, while a sunroof, leather seats, xenon lights, AWD (when the model also comes in FWD), 7 passenger option on SUVs, dual zone climate and so forth always add to your car’s trade-in value.

8. Price it retails for today.

The last few years have been very difficult for manufacturers and dealerships. Car companies have begun offering significant incentives and rebates on new cars. This was not necessarily the case 3 or 4 years ago. Therefore, it is quite possible you bought a new car 3 years ago when it had just come out and paid full retail for it, while today, the same car has 5000$ in manufacturers’ rebates deducted from its starting price. It would be understandable for you to assume that your car followed standard 3 year depreciation, but unfortunately you now also have to take into account rebates on new cars and tack on that amount to the normal depreciation.

9. APR offered on used cars.

If you trade-in your used car at a new car dealership representing a brand that offers competitive rates on used cars, this will be a positive for your trade-in value. The reality today is that manufacturers are offering very low APR’s for good credit customers on new car purchases. Sometimes, the difference between a new car costing 22 000$ with a 1.9% APR and a used car costing 15000 $ with a 6.9% APR is not enough to justify buying a used car. If the APR is high on used cars, they are harder to sell and therefore your trade-in value is negatively affected.

10.Model has changed or been discontinued.

Anytime you trade-in a previous generation model, or a model that no longer exists, your trade-in value will fall. Every 4 years or so, companies completely overhaul their model lines and newer generation models usually have more luxuries, more powerful engines, better fuel efficiency, and a completely different look. If your car is from the previous generation, your trade-in value suffers. Same thing applies if the manufacturer no longer makes that particular model. Inversely, having for example a 2006 car that looks the same as a 2011 because the manufacturer has yet to update the vehicle will be beneficial to the price you can expect to receive for your trade.

11.Dealership has a used car lot.

We discussed this subject in Can You Negotiate the Price of Your New Car. Dealerships with a used car lot will likely keep the trade-in on the lot and assuredly sell it for a profit. This profit becomes your trade-in’s value negotiation leeway. In other words, you may be able to convince the dealership to take less profit on your used car (i.e. give you more money for your trade-in) in return for buying a new car there. If the dealership does not have a used car lot, then your sales representative will have to call independent used car dealerships in your area and ask them how much they are willing to pay for the trade-in. In that case, only the items listed in points 1 to 10 become a factor and you are not likely to get more than market value for your trade-in.

12. Dealership represents the same manufacturer as your trade-in.

We covered this topic numerous times on our website. To put it simply, if you are trading a used Honda for a new Honda at a Honda dealership, you may get more for your trade-in; especially if you bought your Honda at that specific dealership. The important thing to remember here is that you can substitute Honda for any other manufacturer and that anytime your trade-in was built by the same company as the new car you wish to buy, you have a better chance of seeing your trade-in value increase.

With this information in mind, we hope you will be able to set yourself up to get the best value for your trade-in, now or in the future. If you are buying a new car now, try and think ahead to the time you will be trading it in. If you are hesitating to get leather seats because you feel they are too pricy, remember they can easily add at least 500$ to your trade-in value and 1000$ to your resale value. Same goes for color and everything else listed above.

On the flip side, there are often times price reductions for ‘uncommon’ cars at the dealership. These are new cars that haven’t sold for months or even years because they have unusual features or colors. I used to work at a dealership that had a mustard color model that normally retails above 40k. We held the car for 17 months and ended up selling it for 35 000$. Although the client did get a great deal, and was one of the few who liked that particular color, this person must realize that when the time comes to trade-in the car they will get a significant reduction on its trade-in value.

Also keep in mind that as time moves along, the factors listed above begin to become less relevant. If your trade-in is less than 6 years old, the list applies to you. If you trade-in is more than 6 years old (give or take a year depending on the model), than this list becomes less relevant.

Regards,

Charles Drumheller-Jolicoeur

The Auto Consultants | Automotive Information & Car Buying Tips

www.theautoconsultants.com

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Car sales scams are easy for car dealerships, they are master salesman who work at selling every day.  The average car buyer on the other hand spends very little time engrossed in the car buying arena.  I recently had this experience and from doing my homework I learned these “inside secrets” about how a car dealership runs and the common tricks they use.

I recently found myself in a car dealership and from the moment I was greeted I felt like I was being led down THEIR path.  Here are my observations based on what I researched from a jaded ex-car salesman that allowed me to avoid common car sales scams.

First of all, the initial contact you receive is being observed and evaluated.  The salesman is getting a feel for how much you know about the cars in the lot and if you have a sense of what you want and how much you intend to spend.  You want to exude confidence at this point and this confidence comes from doing your homework before talking with the dealer.  Research what type of car you want, find the average selling price and then stay firm to that range.

When negotiations start it is important for you to understand that the dealer will negotiate a higher price than he expects you to pay.  Not a problem when you have an idea of the average selling price for that vehicle.  Just start your negotiations low and work toward the middle of the two figures.

A good thing to keep in mind is that everything is negotiable at a car dealership.  Cars are major purchases and there is room to negotiate on the initial price and any extras. 

One thing to ask before the papers are signed is how many keys will be provided with the car.  Seems like a small matter but with today’s high tech fobs that remotely open a car door costing $250 or more you want to have 2 included with your deal.  This happened to me, and by asking before the papers were signed I saved hundreds.

Car sales scams can be worked at the front end and back end of a car sale but the more you know and understand the less likely you will be to fall for these tricks.

The car dealerships have the selling game down to an exact science.

Get the full inside look at the way car dealers work their customers and how they make money directly from a jaded ex-car salesman turned renegade.

If you are considering buying a used or new car, SUV, truck, van, boat, motorcycle or any type of vehicle then Check Out These Auto Scams Now!

Becky Gillaspy is a consumer advocate helping you save money, time and energy by finding the best deals.

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