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.

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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.