BayAreaCarGuy.com

Car Concerns – Harry Douglas

I was sitting at my computer working on a marketing piece for my new book, HELP! I Gotta Sell My Car NOW! last weekend when Harry Douglas called me out of the blue. He had found me on Twitter, and after a short conversation asked me to be on his nationally syndicated radio program “Car Concerns.”

To be honest, I didn’t know who this Harry guy was. He was calling from Knoxville, TN, well out the San Francisco Bay Area where I lived. However, it didn’t take me long to check out his website at CarConcerns.com (and to listen to his previous shows on podcasts) to get a sense of someone who is an expert, someone who knows the car industry inside and out.

Harry headed up his own car dealerships for 25 years. As someone who spent just three years selling cars at the dealer level, that’s something I can respect. He then spent the next ten years on the air hosting one radio program or another. As an ex-Broadcast Journalist, I have a lot of respect for someone who can leave one calling and successfully move into the media as an expert host.

Car Concerns

Harry’s program “Car Concerns” is broadcast across the country, as well as internationally, on the Lifestyle Talk Radio network. He does two hours of live radio five days a week. His program is fun, informative, and upbeat.

What was it like being his guest? Listen for yourself:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Thanks Harry for such a great interview. You won’t believe how traffic on my website BayAreaCarGuy.com spiked for days following the interview! Harry’s program is not only informative, but he obviously has a huge audience that loves to hear about all aspects of the car business.

————

L. James Johnson’s new book, HELP! I Gotta Sell My Car NOW! New Rules for Selling Your Vehicle Online! is available for download at BayAreaCarGuy.com.

Welcome “Driving Today”

The BayAreaCarGuy.com has a new partner.

A new page on this website has been dedicated to Driving Today, a daily mix of news and information on the major trends, personalities, and new products shaping the automotive industry.

One of the deciding factors for adding Driving Today to this site was the hands-on input of Jack Nerad in the daily content. Jack’s past credits includes Editor of Motor Trend magazine and Automotive Age magazine.

Studio One Networks is the company that produces Driving Today. They are well known for their high quality, award-winning editorial web programs, articles, and features.

You can find Driving Today on this site via the Diving Today tab in the top navigation bar.

———–

L. James Johnson’s new book, HELP! I Gotta Sell My Car NOW! New Rules for Selling Your Vehicle Online! is available for download at BayAreaCarGuy.com.

David Carr – An Extraordinary Editor and Writing Coach

Choose your editor well – that working relationship is as intimate as any partnership. And consider yourself lucky if your editor is also a writing coach!

Over six months of writing my book, HELP!  I Gotta Sell My Car NOW!, David saw me through elation and depression and back again, and again. When I was blocked, he was proactive in unearthing my fears.

When I was held back by a limited view of the project, he talked me through my constraints. This brought out the full potential of my idea – creating a book that is concise and informative, and at the same time unique and personal to me.

David remained undaunted and enthusiastic right to the end, no matter how long my internal process  interfered (hint: fear) – and I was shocked to discover how deep and enduring that process was. He was right there, both stable and flexible, maintaining the vision, the relevance, and the voice. He held the big picture and ran interference, blocking all distractions and freeing my focus for the creative challenges.

The process of completing my book has been a great adventure, in large part because of his extraordinary support. David was a trooper, a coach, a very human and humorous companion, with as much allegiance to my book as to me.

You can get a sense David, who he is and what he does, by watching this brief video of him explaining “moving words”:

David’s website is www.MovingWords.us. He can be reached at 800-816-0189.

Buying Nissan Certified at Dirito Bros Concord

It’s true: I help friends buy cars from dealers. What professional from the car industry doesn’t do that?

In this case it was my friend Cynthia whose 1995 Honda Civic was just written off by her insurance company. Cynthia has a busy life and had no time to invest in the car buying process.

She called me, explained her tight budget, and asked for help. I did a Needs Assessment (see my book, HELP! I Gotta Sell My Car NOW!) to determine if her initial request for help buying a Honda Civic or Toyota Corolla could be expanded to other makes – especially ones that were less expensive in an effort to stay within her budget.

The budget was a problem. A new vehicle was out of the question, and a  pre-owned Civic or Corolla that fit the restrictive price requirements would have more miles than I could recommend.  This is where my experience selling used cars came in. I asked Cynthia if she would consider the Nissan Sentra.

Think Outside the Box

Buyers who prefer imports usually think of Honda or Toyota. Yet, Nissan is not just an import, but its quality, gas mileage, and low cost of ownership is within striking distance of the Big Two. And with pre-owned, you gain all those benefits for significantly less money.

Cynthia knew that I used to sell for a major Honda dealership. That fact added credibility to my statement, “There are a few sleeper models that most buyers don’t know about, but remain some of the best buys in the market place. The Nissan Sentra is one of those.”

Cynthia immediately got on her computer and did research through Consumer Reports. What she found confirmed my recommendation and she gave me the green light to find her the right car; in this case, a Nissan Sentra.

I got on the  phone with my friends in the industry: all in various levels of sales for major dealerships in the San Francisco Bay Area. We don’t beat around the bush: they tell me what they have and I see if I can match my friend with their car so everyone’s happy.

More than a Good Deal

I think most of the time when friends ask me for help buying cars they simply want to know they aren’t being conned and paying too much for what they think is a good deal. Who would have thought that my experience in the car business would come in so handy for my friends.

In Cynthia’s case I set out to get the best deal available. Part of getting a good deal on a used car is making sure the buyer is protected:

• has the car been fully inspected and deficiencies fixed (ask to see the actual inspection sheet the mechanic fills out).
• does it have a clean vehicle history report – especially no accidents (see previous article: CARFAX or AutoCheck).
• is there warranty left? Is an extended warranty available.

You can resolve all the above issues by simply buying a Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicle. A CPO vehicle not only has to meet a higher standard to even qualify for CPO status, but all CPO programs are backed by the manufacturers – not the dealer – and require  the vehicle to  passed an extensive inspection process where deficiencies are fixed. You also get a manufacturer’s extended warranty.

This is the protection I wanted for Cynthia, and usually recommend for most of the friends I help. Vehicles don’t have to be certified, but it simplifies the process.

In the case of Nissan, the warranty only includes the power train (engine and transmission). I recommended that Cynthia get the optional WRAP service contract (bumper-to-bumper extended warranty) so she would have total protection for the next 4+ years and to 100,000 miles.

Hats Off to Jeannie Stang at Dirito Brothers Nissan

I regularly recommend to friends that they walk out of dealerships that don’t treat them fairly and with respect. However, I also tip my hat to the sales staff and dealers that go out of their way to be professional, courteous, and are great to work with.

Even after calling all my friends in the car business they couldn’t match the deal I found at Dirito Brothers Nissan in Concord. Their Nissan Sentra was certified and after back and forth calls with Sales Consultant Jeannie Stang and her Sales Manager Laura Fernandez, we quickly came to terms that I could recommend to Cynthia.

We didn’t waste time. Cynthia took BART to Walnut Creek. I drove from Berkeley and picked her up at the BART station and we drove the remaining ten minutes to the dealership. Jeanne (the sales consultant) was literally waiting outside for us. The car was freshly washed and literally just a few feet away. A quick test drive confirmed its condition (even better than we expected!) and we all moved inside to complete the paperwork. Simple. Fast. Efficient.

BTW, I asked for and received the vehicle history report and the actual mechanic’s inspection report of the car. When I needed the brake measurements interpreted (I wanted to confirm that both front and rear brakes had more than 50% life remaining) Paul Voskes, the Service Manager, came over and confirmed that both measurements were over 50%. He also answered other questions that arose in the moment. This was exceptional service!

Dollars and Cents

Buyers who negotiate the deal over the telephone or via email are always nervous until they see the final figures on paper.

When Jeannie brought over the paperwork everything was exactly as agreed – to the penny. And Jeanne and her boss Laura Fernandez  worked quickly to get us into the Business Office to complete the final paperwork. It was there that  Greg Corbett, the Finance Manager, was quick, professional, and a genuinely nice person to deal with. Again, no surprises.

Driving Away

After Cynthia and I left the Business Office, Jeannie took us out to the Nissan Sentra where she handed over the keys and answered any last minute questions on its use. And even though she wasn’t required to do so, when we were in the business office Jeannie took the car to a gas station and brought the gauge to over half as a simple courtesy to Cynthia. This kind of service really stands out.

We were in and out of the Dirito Brother’s Nissan Concord dealership in 2 hours and 10 minutes. When I was in car sales the average customer stay was at least 3 1/2 hours and often extended beyond 4, and even 5 hours. Two hours seemed miraculous.

As I drove away I contemplated my experience with this dealer: my time working with Jeannie Stang and Laura Fernandez on the telephone could not have been better. Our experience at the dealership itself rated a full 10 out 10. All the staff were great: courteous, professional, and down-to-earth people who were pleasant to work with.

Most importantly, Cynthia was thrilled to have received the deal she got and was just as thrilled with the car itself. What a pleasant surprise that it was in even better condition than we expected.

I was also reminded that not all car dealerships are created equal. Unfortunately, the industry’s negative image is earned through bad behavior. As an insider to the car industry it was my direct experience that Dirito Brothers Nissan Concord and Jeannie Stang are on par with the best dealerships and sales staff I have worked with. Such good behavior deserves recognition.

———–

L. James Johnson’s new book, HELP! I Gotta Sell My Car NOW! New Rules for Selling Your Vehicle Online! is available for download at BayAreaCarGuy.com.

AutoCheck or CARFAX?

Anyone who buys a used car and doesn’t check its vehicle history report is asking for trouble.

As an Internet Sales Manager I used both major vehicle history reports: CARFAX and AutoCheck®. Both serve a purpose, but in this economic downturn it’s important to save money. That being the case, the best buy is the one that is better known in the auto industry, yet less known by private sellers: AutoCheck®. This is one situation where my position as an industry insider comes in handy.

On Dec 28, 2009 I found these prices online following a price increase by both companies:

• Single Reports
  • AutoCheck® $24.99
  • CARFAX $34.99

• Multiple Reports
  • AutoCheck® $39.99 – Unlimited
  • CARFAX $44.99 – Maximum of 5 reports

If you choose the single report package you can save 40% by buying your vehicle history report from AutoCheck®. (34.99 – 24.99 = 10 divided by 24.99 x 100 = 40%)

Other Benefits of AutoCheck

Speed is Crucial

As an Internet Sales Manager for a major dealership, we once took in a trade that came up with a clean report when we initially ran the vehicle history. However, a month later when I went to sell the car we ran a new vehicle history report that indicated an accident.

The dealership I worked for had a policy of NOT selling used vehicles that had been in an accident – period!

The result was that I lost a sale, the dealership lost a customer, and the customer was put through a process he was justifiably disappointed over, all because the speed at which the accident appeared on this vehicle history was not as fast as it could have been. A quicker turn around could have saved us all a lot of grief.

This is an example of buyer beware. No vehicle history report will catch every incident and this is another reason to have your own mechanic check out used cars prior to purchase. Want more examples? Below are two investigative journalism reports on the negative aspects of some vehicle history reports:

Shorter U.S. TV station report

Longer Canadian TV report

Speed is crucial, and it’s another reason for purchasing AutoCheck® because they deliver accident information faster. And you get twice as many number of accidents in your report when compared to CARFAX.

And just like CARFAX you get:

• available information on accidents, odometer rollback, lemon vehicles.
• a list of the number of previous owners.
• a buy back program is available.

But unlike CARFAX, AutoCheck® has another benefit, which is something I haven’t used so I can’t recommend it one way or the other:

• An AutoCheck® Score, which allows you to tell how a vehicle measures up against others of the same make and model at a glance.

Remember that no vehicle history report is perfect and getting any pre-owned vehicle inspected by your mechanic is always a good idea. Of the two, the better buy is AutoCheck®

——————

L. James Johnson’s new book, HELP! I Gotta Sell My Car NOW! New Rules for Selling Your Vehicle Online! is available for download at BayAreaCarGuy.com.

The links I provide are often affiliate links that I receive a commission from if you click thru and purchase a product. I appreciate the support as this allows me the resources and time to develop my website (www.BayAreaCarGuy.com) and funds the development of my next book. See my video explanation at http://bayareacarguy.com/sell-car-online-thanks-for-the-click/.

Sell Car Online – Thanks for the Click!

The links I provide in on this website and in my new book, HELP! I Gotta Sell My Car NOW! are often affiliate links that I receive a commission from if you click thru and purchase a product.

The truth is, I appreciate the support, as this allows me the resources and time to develop my website (www.BayAreaCarGuy.com) and funds the development of my next book.

So, if you click thru and purchase products, thank you. More in my video below.

James Johnson explains why clicking thru affiliate links is important.

HELP! Me Buy My Car – A New Service

Car dealers have a bad reputation for a good reason. During my dealership career in Internet Sales, I listened closely to my customer’s intense, even harsh opinions about car dealers. Guess what? Their intensity was an appropriate reaction to the way they had been treated.

My customers not only wanted the best deal possible, they wanted to know that they weren’t being conned, manipulated, or made a fool of.

Yet a mistake can cost you hundreds, even thousands of dollars more than necessary. And what is even scarier for most buyers is the fact that this is after the actual price of the car is determined. See more below under Negotiate the deal.

Real HELP! for Car Buyers

As I began to offer my HELP! Me Buy My Car service, it made significant changes in people’s experience at the dealership. From saving money to feeling empowered by knowing they were finally getting more than a good deal. Here’s one person’s  remarkable experience.

Help is on the Way

• Needs Assessment. As a preliminary service (no extra charge!) I can provide a “Needs Assessment” to help you determine which is the right vehicle for you.

• Find the vehicle. Once you’ve determined which vehicle you want, I perform a search in your area and provide a short list of dealerships where it’s available.

• Negotiate the deal. I have two basic rules for buyers when purchasing a car from a dealer:

1. Never begin your vehicle search by walking in the front door of a dealership.
2. Don’t be sucked into believing that negotiations are done once you establish the price of the vehicle.

I contact the dealers on the short list and negotiate your best deal. The price of the vehicle is only the beginning. Most buyers relax and effectively go to sleep once the price of the car is negotiated. Big mistake!

Where circumstances dictate that I an unable to pre-negotiate all price points (i.e. you may not be able to line up financing ahead of time), I educate you so you are empowered while at the dealership – in control because you are informed and confident. And if issues arise, I’m only a phone call away.

• The price of the vehicle is the first of five points where the dealer can make a profit. That’s why dealers can sell cars at invoice (and in some cases, below invoice) and still stay in business. In fact, they can more than make up their profit margin in the four remaining profit points.

That’s why I negotiate the “deal” and not just the “price” of the vehicle. I make sure you stay safe during the entire car buying process. Based on your specific circumstances, I pre-negotiate as many remaining areas of concern as possible. Handled incorrectly, these can cost you hundreds, even thousands of dollars more than necessary.

HELP! Me Buy My Car

Do you want real HELP! with your vehicle purchase? Would you like to make sure that you get more than a good deal – and you know it!

Finally, be the driver’s seat and in control when you walk into the dealer’s showroom. Have your deal pre-negotiated on the exact car you want. Take the worry and fear out of this car buying experience, while getting a great deal and saving tons of money.

HELP! Me Buy My Car $477