Today you are the happy owner of a brand new car! Joy overflows and I want to get behind the wheel as soon as possible! Take your time! Below are tips on how to correctly “accept” a car, what to check and what to pay attention to, so that you don’t later regret and blame yourself for an oversight.So, point by point:
Checking the information in the PTS and reconciling it with the vehicle data
Engine no.
FULL NAME. and correct spelling
Correct spelling of the model name
Car color
Engine power
Year of manufacture of the car.
on different brands the car is stamped in different places. If you do not know its exact location, ask the manager to show it and compare it, paying attention to its full compliance with the PTS.External body inspection.
This is a superficial inspection to check for chips, cracks, scratches or dents. It is advisable to carry out the inspection in daylight.
Inspect the body from different angles and from different distances. Check the uniformity and uniformity of the painted body surfaces. Remember that scratches and dents on the body are clearly visible if you look at the surface at an angle.
Check all opening elements - hood, doors and trunk lid. All of them must be in the same plane with the mating parts, not be recessed or protrude.
Check the uniformity of the lines connecting the doors and fenders, as well as the lines of the headlights and taillights with the hood and trunk lids, respectively.
Check the attachment lines of the front and rear bumpers, decorative and protective grilles and the installation of emblems. Check the sill line at the bottom of the car.
Check the fastening of the front and rear lighting equipment. Headlights and lanterns must not have chips, scratches, clouding or fogging. They must be firmly fixed and not loose.
Check the fit of the chrome trim on the body belt line.
Check the outside mirrors. Their integrity and fastening.
Check the windshield and rear window. Check the door glass. There should be no chips or scratches anywhere.
Test each door for opening and closing. Make sure all doors open and close freely and with equal force. Check all door edges and door openings. Check that the rear door child locks are working properly. Check the functionality of the central locking using the remote control and the key.
Check the condition of the rubber seals on the doors, trunk, hood, and windows.
Check the opening and closing of the hood and trunk lid. Pay attention to the functionality of the springs, torsion bars and gas stops. Inspect all the sealing edges of the covers, check the condition of the rubber seals.
Open the hood and check the levels of all fluids: coolant, brake fluid, washer fluid, and engine oil level. Check the condition of the accessory belt. Ask your manager for information on the specifications of all liquids filled.
Open the trunk. Check the contents according to the attached (dealer) list. The kit must include a towing eye, a jack, a wrench for unscrewing the wheel bolts, as well as a spare wheel. The spare wheel can be either full-size or reduced in size - a spare wheel.
Check the opening and closing of the gas tank flap and the reliability of its lock.
Check the presence of front and rear mudguards and plastic fender liners. Often they are not included in the kit and are installed at an additional cost.
Check the integrity of the wheel rims and the presence of all wheel bolts. Check the wheel caps for cracks, chips and integrity of fastening.
Check tire pressure and condition.
Check the fastening and condition of the windshield wipers.
Turn on the ignition. In this case, all indicators on the instrument panel should light up.
Start the engine. All indicators should go out. The parking brake indicator (if it is applied) and the door open indicator (if the door is open) may remain on.
While sitting in the cabin, close the doors and windows and listen to how the engine operates. There should be no vibrations, twitching, extraneous noise, rattling or knocking.
Inside the car
Check the interior trim. The plastic should not have scratches, chips or other visible damage. All gaps must be level and the panels must not be distorted.
The ceiling must be clean.
Check the operation of each power window, first from the control unit on the driver's door, and then on each door separately. It is better to conduct the inspection behind closed doors.
Check the operation of the power window lock button.
Check the operation of the central locking button.
Check the operation of the electric side mirrors and the mirror folding mechanism.
Check the smooth opening and secure closing of the glove compartment and armrest.
Check the operation of the mechanism for moving and adjusting the driver and passenger seats. Please note that the chairs should not dangle or wobble.
Check the reliability of the rear seats and the operation of the folding mechanism. Pay attention to the reliability of the clamps.
Check the operation of the steering column adjustment mechanism and its locking.
Check if the sound signal is working properly
Check the presence of an ashtray, cigarette lighter and its functionality.
Check the functionality of the 12 V sockets.
Check the functionality of the seat belts and their locks.
Pay attention to your current mileage and fuel level. Check how much fuel was filled.
Check the operation of the gas, brake and clutch pedals. There should be no jamming, failures or squeaks.
Check the parking brake operation.
With the engine running:Check the functionality of devices and equipment
Check that 1st gear and reverse gear are engaged smoothly.
Check the operation of the stove and air conditioner in all fan blowing modes or check all climate control operating modes.
Check the operation of the rear window heating (in some cars, the front window too), the heated mirrors and seats.
Check the operation of the windshield wipers and washers in all modes. Pay attention to the direction of the jet - towards the glass. Check the movement of the brushes - there should be no contact with the glass frame
Check the ease of movement of the steering wheel. When the engine is running, the steering wheel should turn easily with the palm of your hand.
Check the functionality of the on-board computer and information display.
If a parking assist system is installed, check its operation.
Check the operation of the front passenger airbag switch (if equipped)
Check the operation of the radio.
Lighting.Turn on the side lights.
Check the functionality of all side light bulbs and license plate lights.
With the engine running:
Check that the low and high beam headlights are on. Pay attention to the inclusion of the corresponding indicators on the instrument panel.
Check the operation of the headlight range control
Check the functionality of the front and rear fog lights and lights. Pay attention to the inclusion of the corresponding indicators on the instrument panel.
Check the operation of the direction indicators.
Check the operation of the alarm system.
Check the operation of the brake lights.
Check that the reverse lights turn on when you engage reverse gear.
Check the operation of the instrument lighting and its adjustment.
Check the functionality of the interior and glove compartment lighting.
Check the operation of the trunk light
Apply the parking brake. The corresponding indicator on the instrument panel should light up.
Take it for a test drive. You can even as a passenger. Pay attention to the absence of knocks and noises in the suspension.Upon receipt of the car you must be given:
2 sets of keys (a label with the key number, to get a new one in case of loss or to receive additional keys)
Sales and purchase agreement (SPA) in 2 copies, one of which is for the traffic police (be sure to check the compliance of the data contained in the PTS and the SPA).
Acceptance certificate (check the date - it must correspond to the current day)
PTS (two double-sided copies - one may be required when registering a car with the traffic police, the second - when applying for a loan from a bank)
If additional equipment was installed, a purchase order must be issued with the appropriate notes in the warranty cards.
Receipt cash order
Vehicle operating manual in Russian
If additional equipment is installed, then passports and operating instructions for it.
Service book with a mandatory mark on pre-sale preparation
Before inspecting and checking the car, it is best to print out the so-called inspection form in advance. For a sample, you can take a Ford Focus 3 vehicle inspection form and modify it to suit your car, depending on the options and equipment.
Write down all detected faults and shortcomings on this form.
At the end of the inspection, ask the manager to draw up a protocol or act, on the basis of which the dealer will have to eliminate all detected deficiencies. If the dealer refuses to fix the problems that have arisen, be sure to leave an entry in the complaint book and contact FMC.
Happy shopping and green light!
I found a list on one of the forums
Checklist for checking a car when receiving it from a car dealer
Have with you:
1. a camera, if there are paint flaws, to document
2. 2 liters of water if you pour something into the tank
3. auto-charging, since the cigarette lighter is not supplied
4. 6 LEDs for checking the changer
5. Compressor with pressure gauge
6. lantern (it’s not always light everywhere)
7. gloves, so as not to get too dirty
8. non-staining clothes (time of year, and suddenly where you have to go)
9. Of course, documents to leave
10. money, for some reason there is always a need for it at the last moment
11. floor mats
12. warning triangle
13. Fire extinguisher
14. First aid kit
15. receipts and applications for registration and maintenance
Documents and keys:
1. Registration certificate (copy) – what is it (PTS?)?
3. passports for additional. equipment and alarms with marks in warranty cards
4. car manual (Russian and English version)
5. service book (+ warranty certificate) The service book must contain records of pre-sale preparation.
6. Certificate from the State Customs Committee
7. A copy of the customs declaration certified by the blue seal of the OD (otherwise the traffic police will have to go back to the salon to get it)
8. 2 car keys (+ a token with the key number in case it needs to be duplicated)
Verification of numbers with documents:
1. Ask if the standard alarm is activated
2. Check the alarm system and the operation of the central locking system. If a shock sensor is installed, check the response level by knocking on the wheel. Ask the installer to show where the blocks are located, where the buttons are, where the locking, shutdown and service are
3. Open the hood and check the reliability of the hood stop.
4. Check the edges of the hood for chips
5. Check engine numbers
6. Check the chassis number
7. Check the body number
8. Check VIN
9. Check all documents carefully, every letter.
10. Check the fluid levels: antifreeze, brake reservoir, engine oil level, power steering oil level and windshield washer.
11. Check whether the year of manufacture of the battery also matches the year of manufacture of the vehicle. Often batteries are removed to start another car, because... they are not charged
12. Ask what kind of oil is filled
13. Pour water into the washer tank.
14. Check the reliability of locking and opening the hood. (The hood release lever is located to the left of the driver's seat under the dashboard at knee level)
15) The presence of a cover in the bumper covering the hole for the tow hook
16) Availability of a disk, for cars with navigation.
17) instructions
18) Cleanliness of the interior. Often there is factory dirt and dust that is difficult to remove
External checks:
1. Complete external inspection without opening the doors, hood and trunk.
2. Step aside and inspect the body from different angles for dents.
3. All door openings must be level, the doors must not protrude/stick out beyond the body
4. The hood and trunk lids should also not be skewed and should have smooth openings. Sit in front of the car, then behind the car and evaluate the evenness of the lines of the hood and trunk lid.
5. Check the plugs in the holes. under the tow hooks. Check the reliability of their fastening (so as not to lose them)
6. Check whether there are defects in the cutters on the outside of the passenger doors (deformation)
Front and rear optics should not have cracks, chips and should stand without distortions.
7. Kneel down in front of the front bumper and inspect the bottom of the bumper, as well as the plastic parts on the front of the car. There should be no chips, cracks or tears.
8. Inspect the rear bumper in the same way.
9. There should be plastic mud flaps behind the front and rear wheels (not always)
10. Check the integrity of the plastic arches
11. Check wheel caps, check tire pressure. (2.2 atm.)
Internal checks:
Interior check:
Front doors:
1. Check that both front doors are locked and unlocked with the key.
2. Check the doors for free opening and closing
3. Open the front doors and check the interior trim
4. Inspect the paintwork of the door edges, door pillar and center pillar
5. Carry out an external inspection of the front seats, mats and plastic sills
6. Remove and install the head restraints (by pressing the release button), make sure they are intact
Rear doors:
1. Check the doors for free opening and closing
2. Open the rear doors and check the interior trim
3. Inspect the paintwork of the door edges, the central door pillar and the part of the body where the lock mate is attached
4. Carry out an external inspection of the rear seats, floor mats and plastic sills
5. There is a stopper at the ends of the two rear doors in the locking area. This is a blocking of door locks from the ability to open them from the inside - for children. Check the functionality of the lock.
6. Check the rear seats and backrests for looseness. Everything should be secure.
7. Remove the head restraints (by pressing the release button), make sure they are intact
8. Check that the rear seats are folded and secured separately.
9. Check the operation of the mechanism for changing the angle of the rear seat backrest
10. Check the plastic ring that is pulled to tilt the rear armrest
11. Check the fastening of the plastic linings of the seat mounting hinges.
Trunk:
1. Check that the trunk is opened using the button and the key
2. Raise the trunk door, making sure that the gas lift is working
3. Inspect the inside of the tailgate
4. Check the edges of the tailgate for chips
5. Inspect the rear window heating threads for damage
6. Check the operation of the trunk light bulb
7. Check the functionality of the rear curtain (pull it out and remove it)
8. Remove the rear curtain
9. Inspect the surfaces of the luggage compartment, including the backs of the rear seats
10. Check the operation of the drawer and the presence of movable dividers
11. Open the shelves covering the drawer
12. Raise the luggage compartment floor and check the presence of a spare wheel, as well as the reliability of its fixation
13. Check the internal compartments, making sure that the hatches in the trunk are securely fastened, and also make sure that you have a jack, a set of tools, a wheel wrench and a tow hook.
14. Check the adapter for the tank plus the twisted standard nuts (if you purchased locks)
15. Check interior lighting
1. Check the reliability of closing and opening the gas tank flap. Check the operation of closing the gas tank flap using the central key.
2. From the driver’s door, check the operation of the power windows on all 4 doors (4 keys and a lock button)
3. Check the operation of the window regulators on each door separately, using an individual switch.
4. Make sure that the driver's door lock for all power windows works.
5. In all cases, lower the glass all the way down. Everything should run smoothly.
6. View the dashboard and the mating of the strut linings
7. Check the free longitudinal movement of the driver and passenger seats, and then the tilt of the backrests, the seat height adjustment, as well as the adjustment of the lumbar bolster
8. Set the variator to “P” mode
9. Check the handbrake and the number of clicks
10. Start the engine without opening the hood.
11. Pay attention to the fit of the interior plastic panels.
12. Check the operation of the hatch.
13. Check the operation of the radio. Check using the balance method
front and rear speakers, as well as the stereo balance of the right and left speakers, put in 6 CDs and check the radio and CDchanger. If possible, tune in to one station.
14. Check Bluetooth
15. Check mileage on computer
16. Check the operation of the rain sensor (lower the lever one click.....to automatic mode. If the brush passes over the glass once, then everything is fine...If it crawls continuously, then bend over the seller and let them insert the fuse)
17. Check the operation of the wiper blades in all modes and adjust the stroke interval.
18. Check the operation of the front and rear washer pumps (Front - right handle towards you, rear - rotation towards you).
19. Check the ease of movement of the steering wheel; when the engine is running, the steering wheel should turn with the palm of your hand.
20. Check the operation of the rear window heating - the heating threads can be felt by hand after half a minute. (don’t forget to turn it off if there is “+” outside the window)
21. Check the operation of the electrically heated side mirrors (don’t forget to turn it off if there is “+” outside the window)
22. Check the operation of the electric heating of the front seats.
23. Check the sound signal
24. Check the dashboard lighting
25. Get out of the car and ask to turn on the low/high/turn signals/foot lights/fog lights/hazard lights/dimensions/reverse one by one.
Check the operation of the headlight range control and front fog lights
26. If the engine has warmed up by this time, check the operation of the stove. Should be warm.
Turn off the heater and blow through the interior with a fan at all speeds, changing the direction of air flow with the switch.
27. Turn on the air conditioner and check for the presence of cold air in the MAX cooling mode.
28. Turn on air recirculation in the cabin and check the air pressure from the nozzles. It should blow a little weaker than when taking air from outside.
29. Check the cigarette lighter and its operation (telephone charging)
30. Check the reliability of the opening and closing of the glove compartment and all containers in the car
31. Check seat belt buckles
Walking checks
Set the drive operating mode to “Auto”
Set the variator to “D” mode and drive off with your seat belts unfastened. It should beep when the speed reaches 15 mph.
Check brake operation
Set the variator to “Reverse” mode and move off
The cabin is usually filled with 3-5 liters of gasoline, i.e. before refueling (AI-92 or 95 - check immediately. The manufacturer recommends gasoline with an octane rating of at least 91). Before leaving the dealership, ask to add additional gasoline to the gas tank until the fuel control lamp goes out. (The light comes on when there is less than 10 liters of fuel in the tank)
From my article today you will learn how to properly buy a car at a car dealership if you decide to purchase a new car.
Naturally, a new car is new in Africa, and this is the best option for a motorist, if finances allow, unlike.
But did you know that even a completely new car from the most official dealer can be obtained with a catch, and even more than one? Unfortunately, this is so and the entire purchase procedure should take place under your close attention.
Well, the price at car dealerships can seriously depend on many nuances, which the buyer is quite capable of using to his advantage using simple techniques. Don't you want to buy a brand new car at a serious discount? Few people don't want this!
Want to know how this is done? Read the article and you will find all the answers!
Once the make and model of your future vehicle has been determined, you can begin searching for a car dealer to conclude a deal. Let me remind you what I wrote in one of the previous articles, which you should read first.
I will only note that the price for the basic configuration of the car you choose should be approximately two-thirds, or a little more, of your entire purchase budget. Otherwise, you may not receive what you expected from the package.
Now I’ll tell you about the configuration itself because some motorists have confusion about the meaning of some terms:
- Options are all additional components and devices installed on a car individually or in batches;
- Equipment is the installation of a certain number of options of a certain configuration on a car.
Specific models usually have several categories of basic equipment, which differ in a hierarchical order and can very significantly influence the price and capabilities of the car.
Manufacturers name their configuration systems differently. As an example, I will give the most common notations.
- Economy package;
- Comfort package.
Mid-budget:
- Standard equipment;
- Family package;
- Intensive package.
Luxury package:
- Sports equipment;
- Ultimate package;
- High-tech equipment.
Each brand has its own configurations and configurations and configurations, and they often differ noticeably. Some manufacturers specifically develop and implement unique branded options in order to stand out from the general brand range.
You should also distinguish between the options themselves, which come in two types:
- Manufacturer's options are usually any additional components or different characteristics of units that are structurally introduced into the car at production sites;
- Dealership options are additional multifunctional devices, comfort and design details that dealers can equip car models with on their own.
If you need to choose between these two categories, it is better to give preference to the manufacturer's options.
Are options needed at all? Of course we need it! After all, configuration options may include engine power, beautiful non-standard coating colors, and many other good and useful things. After all, the engineering genius of the planet is constantly improving passenger transport.
For example, anti-lock braking systems (ABS), airbags and exchange rate stability (ESP) are incredibly popular options, without which many drivers can no longer imagine modern cars.
Purchase procedure
Who is best to buy from?
It is safest and most optimal to buy new cars in showrooms that are official dealers of manufacturers. In such places, at least you won’t be deceived on a grand scale, unlike ordinary car dealerships, where all sorts of scams and even scams are possible, which is what I’m talking about.
Attention! Beware of places where customers are lured with prices below the general level of official dealers!
On the Internet you may come across options with price tags significantly lower than those offered by the officials. Your contacts will convincingly and reasonably confirm all this to you, and will in every possible way assure you of the safety and honesty of the offer.
Don't believe it!
In fact, these are unofficial dealers with confusing gray, and sometimes black, sales schemes, according to which you will definitely overpay a significant amount for the car and will not even be able to challenge it in court.
I will tell you specifically about purchasing from official dealership car dealerships.
When is the best time to buy
There are two good periods for shopping according to the season:
- Winter is when the demand for cars falls and dealers become more accommodating;
- Spring is the end of the first quarter, when the annual update of the model range ends and discounts come from the manufacturer.
Also a good time for purchases is the end of any reporting and financial periods:
- Of the year;
- Semester;
- Quarter;
- Months.
At this time, between the 22nd and 30th, dealers are ready for maximum discounts and pleasant gifts. Official dealers have their own plan from manufacturers regarding the number of units sold, for failure to comply with which various sanctions and penalties may be applied to them.
For example, the manager may have his bonuses cut off, and the dealer himself may have his discounts reduced or even deprived of them for malicious and repeated underselling of the minimum established volumes.
Were they showered with volcano ashes?
Therefore, during these periods, you can count on a profitable purchase. Some people even make money this way by purchasing new cars at maximum discounts and selling them at the average market price.
In the very first days of the reporting periods, you can usually get only symbolic discounts and some gifts or additional items. For example, floor mats or crankcase protection, but nothing more. You will have to fight for a gift set of winter tires.
How to look for official dealers
The largest number of dealership centers are located in large cities. Therefore, if you have such an opportunity, you should consider the option of buying a car in a city other than your own. The highest density of car dealers of different brands is observed in the capital. There is the greatest competition between them and, accordingly, the best conditions for buying a car with significant discounts, if you try and seize the moment.
To find the dealership centers you need, you must first go to the official website of the representative office of the brand you have chosen. On this site, by entering the name of your city in the search field, you will see a list of official dealers in your region. You can find all the geographically most convenient and accessible centers for you and work with them.
The lists of dealers will contain basic information for each of them: physical address, contacts, official website, etc.
By going to dealer websites, you can get acquainted with their offers and assortment. All information about configurations, package and single options, terms, payment methods, open promotions, etc. is indicated there.
How to buy profitably
So, you have already decided on the model, color, configuration and options you need. Here it should be taken into account that dealers make maximum concessions when choosing more advanced configurations, but you can’t save very much on the basic version.
Get to work calling car dealers using the lists you have chosen. For greater convenience, it is better to print these lists and work on them “hand-held” rather than on the screen.
You need to call each dealer, find out their initial conditions and try to impose yours. You will be connected to sales consultants, to whom you will inform the equipment you need, color and other necessary data.
The most important thing here is not to give the initiative to the manager. You should be the manipulator, not the center employee, then you can count on success.
What should you tell the manager? For example, you can deliberately tell him the trim level of a model one step lower than the one you have chosen and unobtrusively hint that if there are any interesting offers for a higher trim level, then you are ready to listen, for the sake of variety.
This will encourage the consultant to disclose to you all the discounts and special offers available at that time, and the initiative will be in your hands.
Don’t be shy and feel free to use bluffing techniques: joyfully tell managers that their competitors, whom you just called, are offering such and such favorable conditions and with such cool gifts, but you decided to ask if there are better offers somewhere.
This way, you present yourself not as a victim of marketing charm, but as a “customer in the balance” that you need to fight for. And they will fight for you, believe me! Well, if you don’t overthink things with “competitors’ offers,” of course.
Usually in such cases, the manager abandons crafty ideas of professional manipulation of the client and asks to wait for a while, or agrees to call you back in a couple of minutes, because the center has found one special offer for you today, the details of which need to be clarified with the authorities.
How else? After all, according to the law of marketing, it is impossible to let a client go to a competitor, and God bless him, they are ready to give in, since they got such a nut to crack. That is, the consultant will go to a senior manager or higher management to agree on a discount and scope of price concessions if you become insolent and decide to bargain.
And you will definitely do this - I strongly advise you to bargain until the last minute. It won’t hurt you, much less the dealership!
Also, when talking with a consultant, try to let him understand that this is not the first time you are buying a car at a dealership and you need a specific offer right now and today. To all sorts of slyness, like: “come to us, we will give you delicious coffee and calmly discuss everything,” answer firmly that there is no time for empty chatter and you only need their offer from the salon, and not coffee or spaghetti for your ears.
Well, or in some other way, but stand firm and demand the final verdict on discounts over the phone. Don't forget to remind us that you have many more sales places to call!
After a meeting with management on your account, the manager-consultant will offer you specific terms of purchase: a discount for a certain amount and, usually, some kind of gift or set of gifts.
It should be borne in mind that various types of discount accruals, points, etc. are not considered discounts and are not compelling arguments in favor of a purchase. So cool down the manager if he suddenly gets carried away on this wave.
The discount will be awarded to you in any case at your request or “forcibly” and the salon has a much greater interest in it than you do - sellers try to attract buyers to themselves with discount cards. Therefore, it is their idea and their problem, not yours.
You can also offer to give you a specific gift. For example, a set of winter tires instead of floor mats, or a satellite travel alarm that you looked at on their website. Don't hesitate to take the initiative!
By the way, the prices for all sorts of optional devices, systems and components in auto centers are often astronomical and you should buy them as gifts for your car, and not for money. You can buy the same thing on the Internet for 2-3 times cheaper, if necessary.
So be on the lookout if any zealous manager, forced to give in to your persistence, decides to take a little revenge on you by subsequently foisting something on you at inadequate prices.
When you call, some car dealerships may not have the options you need. About half of your list will be eliminated early in the process. And in some places you may be asked to wait, promising all sorts of bonuses for waiting. You can only agree to wait for a short period and without paying a deposit if everything else looks worse than this offer.
After you have called all the salons on the first round and selected several promising ones, start calling them on the second round. Yes, yes, this is exactly how money and discounts are made.
From the remaining options, you should choose the most profitable one, and then communicate with all managers on its basis, busily informing them that, they say, in such and such a place there are such and such good conditions. Can you offer me a better option?
Communicating in this spirit, you must find out from each dealer his final position, that is, drive him into a corner in which only the final price will remain, which the salon will probably not reduce.
After calling everyone a second time, politely thank each employee for the information provided and, citing the need to communicate with a couple more centers, say goodbye with a promise to call back if anything happens.
After doing this with all the remaining dealers, just wait a day or a little less. Very often, with this approach, some manager, with a burning plan and an awl in his ass, calls you back with an even more advantageous offer that appeared “for you, well, just now”
This concludes your bullying of sales employees. Don’t be especially ashamed of your “villainy,” because, rest assured, in compensation for concessions to you, dealers will definitely give something less to a less persistent client or sell him at exorbitant prices something completely unnecessary and lying around. These are the wolf laws of marketing.
We buy
Having chosen the most profitable seller, you need to check with him again all the points of the offer: brand, model, equipment, options, color, price, discount, gifts, payment methods. When everything has been checked in this way, you can go look at the car.
If, upon arrival at the dealer, you see that your car is kept in an open parking lot and it is covered with snow or dust, then request a wash before inspection.
It is mandatory to inspect the body of a new car especially carefully. And not just like that, but with a thickness gauge. You can bring your own device or ask for it in the showroom (it is required for each vehicle site).
The body of a new car can be damaged during delivery, parking and all kinds of movements. For all discovered hidden corrections, you need to ask for a reasonable discount, because if you decide to sell the car, then the buyer, having discovered the same thing, will also reasonably demand a discount from you.
Typically you will need to visit the dealer twice. For the first time, you will inspect and approve the car, clarify the details, make a deposit (usually 10-15 thousand rubles) and leave your data.
Attention! On your first visit, be sure to write down the VIN number of the car in front of the manager in order to eliminate the temptation for dealers to subsequently replace the car you have chosen with another for any reason.
After some waiting (usually no more than two or three days), they will call you back and inform you that everything is ready and you can pick up the car.
On the appointed day, you will arrive at the car dealership and the first thing you must do is to make sure by the VIN number of the body whether the car in front of you is the same one that you inspected before.
Before signing the purchase and sale agreement (SPA), deed of transfer and other documents, read them carefully, especially the small print, if any. Keep in mind that salons do not accept free forms of PrEP and all their contracts are standardized. It is unlikely that you will be able to include your points in the policy from the salon.
You can also take out CASCO and MTPL policies from a car dealer.
After signing the papers and making payment, the car dealership must carry out shopping preparation for your car:
- Washing;
- Polishing with paste;
- Inflating tire pressure;
- Removal of manufacturer's preservation.
When leaving the car dealership you must have:
- Vehicle passport;
- OSAGO policy;
- Guarantee certification document;
- Completed service book;
- Book of description and operation of the car.
You can find additional visual information on purchasing a car at a car dealership by watching this video:
- While still at the car dealership, determine how much gas you have in the tank and where you intend to refuel.
- Keep PTS, OSAGO and licenses in a separate folder at hand in case you are stopped by the traffic police.
- Even at the car dealership, adjust the seat and steering column to suit you.
- It is very advisable that before the main drive of the car to your home, especially if it is far away, in some suitable place, carefully study all the necessary systems of the car, check and adapt to its operation.
Conclusion
At the end of the publication I will make several main conclusions:
- The success of the purchase depends on the correct selection of equipment and a set of truly necessary options;
- Success in the fight for a profitable deal is determined by seasonality and your assertiveness in communicating with managers;
- You should only buy a new car from official car dealers.
Did you know such tricks before? Or maybe you have your own? Tell us your method of purchasing a new car at a dealership and if it turns out to be interesting or useful, I will add it to this article and indicate your authorship!
I'll end here. Press the social buttons, subscribe to my blog, be active and purposeful.
Happy car shopping!
Purchasing a new car is always a serious process, which is accompanied by significant expenses. Therefore, this issue should be approached with the utmost caution and understanding of the matter. Modern car dealerships offer a huge selection, but you should remember that there is serious competition among them. There may even be several representatives of the same brand in a big city. Therefore, when buying a new car, there are certain opportunities to reduce the cost or bargain for some gifts for yourself in the form of additional equipment features. These are nice subtleties that seriously change the shopping experience. It’s one thing to simply buy a car, but it’s quite another to receive a very expensive gearbox lock or some other useful thing as a gift.
There is no point in bargaining in the showrooms of Russian manufacturers. You will be much more likely to be given a discount or gift at a Mercedes or BMW dealership. There is an increased demand for budget cars, so customers often simply do not have the opportunity to bargain. But this does not mean that you cannot buy a car at a profit. You need to know some secrets about buying a car from a dealership. Those who have worked in car dealerships and experienced all the peculiarities of the attitude of manufacturers towards customers can tell about these secrets. Today we will look at some of the intricacies of buying a new car at a dealership, the technical and moral aspects of some parts of this process.
How can you buy a car at a dealership more profitably and get pleasant surprises?
Remember that in the current situation of our economy, the buyer of expensive things dictates his own rules. Unless you come to a Ferrari showroom and start demanding a 20% discount, because in this case it’s unlikely that anyone will consider your offer serious. The most expensive and cheapest cars are bought mostly without discounts. But asking for a discount or a gift on a middle-class car is quite realistic. However, there are options for getting discounts on both budget and luxury cars. These are holidays and promotions, when salons discount from 5 to 10 percent on the entire model range. But now we will talk about special cases. The discount can be claimed by the following behavior:
- do not show the manager that you are really considering purchasing this car;
- let the salon staff persuade you to buy this particular car, tell us about how you were in a salon of another brand and you liked a certain model;
- make a face when you get into the car, say that it looks poor, in your current car it is even better;
- look at the equipment list and you will be surprised that this car doesn’t even have heated mirrors and a gearbox lock, and you are disappointed;
- say that in general you think the figure on the price tag is quite inflated and would not want to pay that kind of money for a car;
- Always show doubt - this can give you certain privileges when buying a car.
The fact is that in a car dealership the staff is allowed to use certain levers to persuade the buyer. For example, many brands do not offer interior and trunk mats, music and other peripheral options as standard. Salespeople are allowed to use these features as gifts to showroom customers to persuade them to buy a car. But if you glow with joy and nod in agreement to all the statements of the salesperson in the salon, no one will give you rugs. You will have to spend a certain amount of money on them. Even such insignificant gifts can save about 2% of the cost of the car. Or better yet, come to the dealership after the New Year and complain that you are going to buy a car from last year and definitely won’t pay the full price tag.
The technical process of buying a car in a showroom
Purchasing a new car has several technical features that you should keep in mind when purchasing. Most showrooms follow the national rules that apply to sellers of new cars; there will be no problems with registering vehicles. But there are some companies that regularly violate the rules for selling cars and do not issue the necessary documents. You can find out about such companies from customer reviews, but it is best to initially know how the transaction of buying a new car at a dealership should take place. Among the subtleties of this transaction and the documents that should be in the hands of the buyer, it is worth highlighting the following points:
- the payment is made through a bank payment; payment in cash of such a large amount looks suspicious to the tax authorities;
- upon full payment, at the time of payment of funds, the buyer receives the entire package of documents for registering the car;
- the temporary package of documents is valid for 10 days, during which time you need to register the car;
- The documents must contain a PTS, and you cannot be released from the salon without insurance;
- It is better to register early, because we are talking about ten calendar days, not working days.
When purchasing a car at a dealership, you should check the VIN code on all parts, as well as the body and engine numbers. This will help get rid of the troubles that may await the buyer at the traffic police when registering the car. Using the trust and euphoria of customers when buying a car is not uncommon among car dealerships. In particular, the moment of a quick sale is very important, when the salesman in the showroom says that tomorrow this car will no longer be in stock, another client went to the bank to apply for a loan. Don’t listen to these myths, the car you looked at is just a showcase option; they can bring you a new car from the factory within a week, which will be even better.
Purchase of cars in stock and transport after a test drive
In domestic showrooms, the problem of selling actually used cars is progressing. If a vehicle has been sitting in the showroom for two years, several thousand people have already been in it, the seats have begun to wear out, and the steering wheel is shiny from the sweat deposits of all these thousands of people, the car cannot possibly be sold at the price of a new car. This is not just an argument for a price dispute for the buyer, it is a reason to order another car from the factory or reduce the price up to a 20-25 percent discount. Also, many showrooms sell cars after a test drive, which is generally not correct. In this case, the following process takes place:
- the car is supplied by the manufacturer free of charge to the dealer network for a test drive and demonstration;
- the car receives temporary documents and is used in the network’s showrooms for display to clients and test rides;
- when a model becomes outdated or begins to wear out, the salon puts it up for sale at the price of a new car;
- the transaction is shown to the manufacturer as a sale of transport at a large discount, and to the buyer it is sold at full price;
- This is how domestic salons earn good money by deceiving both clients and manufacturers.
Therefore, if you see a car being sold after a test drive, you have a real opportunity to get a discount of up to 30% on the cost of the car. It is enough to remind the dealership that they are selling a used car. However, whether to buy a car after a test drive or not is a rather big question. Many motorists will prefer a used car that was in the hands of a normal owner. This car has been well maintained and will drive no worse than a new one. So whether to buy a car from a dealership is still a big question that you have to decide. We invite you to watch a useful video about buying a car at a dealership:
Let's sum it up
It should be said that car dealerships offer quite a lot of different tricks related to the price of cars or other important features of the purchase. More than once, the actions of salons were noticed and exposed when the dealer was shown a huge discount, and additional payments were taken from the buyer. All these features suggest that with the right approach, you can demand a good discount from car dealerships. Of course, to do this you need to buy a car from an official dealer of the brand, and not at the first dealership you come across. You also need to select a seller very carefully.
Before purchasing, talk to a consultant, clarify certain features of the salon, payment methods, the possibility of obtaining a loan and other details. And also remember one important point - you should not take out MTPL insurance right in the salon. You will pay a lot for this service. It’s better to take the documents, find an insurance company near the salon and get insurance cheaper. And then pick up the car and go for state registration at the traffic police. Have you ever been successful in claiming a discount on a new car from a dealership?
When picking up a new car at a dealership, people often forget to check their purchase before receiving it. We strongly recommend that you inspect the vehicle carefully before signing the documents.
Documentation
Carefully read any documents you receive, much less sign. A simple typo can make your life very difficult later.
PTS. Check whether your passport details, car model name, year of manufacture, body color are entered correctly. The main thing in the PTS is the VIN number, a 17-digit vehicle identification number.
The engine number is also important. When visually inspecting the car, compare both numbers with those indicated in the title.
Certificate of inspection and acceptance of the machine sign only after a thorough inspection of the car! What you need to check in the car itself, read below.
The purchase and sale agreement, operating instructions and service book must contain the signatures and seals of representatives of the car dealership.
You will also be offered a whole stack of secondary documents, a warranty card for the radio, passports for additional equipment, and so on. Make the manager tell you why each piece of paper is needed. Some people prefer to print out a complete list of documents, but this is not necessary - we have listed the main ones.
Visual inspection
Just because a car is sold ex-showroom does not mean it is in perfect condition. For example, when transporting cars there could be an accident and the damaged cars could have been poorly repaired.
Walk around the car, inspect the body for scratches, chips, small dents and abrasions. Some defects are difficult to notice from above; sit down and look from the side at an acute angle.
Pay attention to the doors, trunk, hood - they should open easily and be flush with the body, no part should look protruding. All “gaps” between the body and the doors, trunk, and hood must be the same.
The body parts (for example, the wing and the bumper) at the joints must be perfectly matched to each other.
In the trunk, check the spare tire, jack and tool kit.
Under the hood, look at the engine number and VIN number, check it with the title. Check all fluid levels (oil, antifreeze, brake fluid).
Tires and wheels must be new.
Car interior inspection
The same verification rules apply inside. Carefully inspect the plastic and trim to ensure there are no scratches or abrasions.
Check the seat adjustments, glove compartment, armrest, visors - everything should open, move and lock.
Pay attention to the air ducts, whether they close completely and are easy to adjust. Otherwise, you risk driving in a small draft.
Test all window regulators. Lower the windows all the way.
Electrics
The car's mileage should be 15–20 km. If it’s more, ask the manager what’s wrong. And ask for a discount or additional benefits.
Turn on the ignition and look at the instrument panel. There should be no warning signs (low battery, etc.). If something is on fire, insist that the problem must be fixed.
This is especially true for the battery. Don't listen to the fact that it will charge when you drive. The car could wait for sale for 6 months or more, while the battery most likely was not recharged by employees and could lose some of its capacity.
Turn the air conditioner on for heating and cooling, and check the radio and other electronic devices in the car. Don't forget to check the electronic controls located on the steering wheel.
The engine should start easily and run smoothly. You will have to drive a couple of meters, this will allow you to test the brakes. The handbrake must clearly fix the car.
Check all lighting elements, including brake lights and turn signals.
What to do if you notice a defect
If you find a defect, insist on its elimination and under no circumstances sign the acceptance certificate.
Remember: until you sign the act, you are the master of the situation. The salon's goal is not to lose face and leave you happy. If problems arise, call management.
If the defect is cosmetic and it doesn’t bother you, ask for a discount or, again, “goodies.”
What should you receive with the car?
- Set of keys (and a tag with the key number for making a duplicate in case of loss) 2 pcs.
- Purchase and sale agreement 2 copies.
- Acceptance and transfer certificate (to be signed after inspecting the vehicle) 1 copy.
- PTS 1 copy.
- Double-sided copies of PTS 2 copies.
- Work order for additional equipment (if installed) 1 copy.
- Receipt cash order 1 copy.
- User manual 1 copy.
- Manual and passports for additional equipment 1 copy.
- Service book (with a note on pre-sale preparation) 1 copy.
Finally, a simple piece of advice: watch the behavior of managers. If the car has a defect, they will try to hide it. Don't be afraid to be boring - it will be easier for you later.
