To do things before buying from Dealer

[mky]

Guys,

I am a total newbie when it comes to buying cars. What are the things that I should take into account before I finalize the deal at the dealership i.e., which things do the dealers do just before they hand the keys to you. I don't want to come home and repent later that something should have been done by the dealer but it was not done.

Things such as:
1. Debadging the car. I have some dealers quote me several hundred dollars for this (besides the car price).
2. Service coupons? Do I have to get my car serviced from only the dealer that I bought it from? Or I can go and do it elsewhere too?
3. Car wash? Machine or manual?
4. Interior cleaning especially when the car gets dirty when it was used for drive test.
5. Any other thing?

 

[kn5owa]

1. Any Hyundai dealer will service your car - believe me - at the prices they charge - they want your business.

2. Hand wash the car yourself - there are a number of ways a car wash can and will damage your car.

3. Get a nice shop vac (a small one) and clean the inside of the car yourself. I would never let a stranger inside my car for something like that.

4. This is simple but important - check the mileage - dealers routinely try to pass off so called "manager's cars" as new. These are used cars/demos - nothing else. And, they usually have several thousand very hard miles on them.

5. They will aggressively push "add - on" warranties at you. I would never buy anything like this as Hyundai's big selling point is the warranty.

6. Check for body damage - dings, etc.

7 Make sure you get all the manuals - mine came with a stack almost a foot high.

8. Pay attention to silly add-on price boosters like "nitrogen in the tires", mud flaps, paint protection, and "processing fees". That last one adds around $500 to the price and is universal where I live (Va).

9. And you should get a free tank of gas

 

[Mark_888]

Guys,

I am a total newbie when it comes to buying cars. What are the things that I should take into account before I finalize the deal at the dealership i.e., which things do the dealers do just before they hand the keys to you. I don't want to come home and repent later that something should have been done by the dealer but it was not done.

Things such as:
1. Debadging the car. I have some dealers quote me several hundred dollars for this (besides the car price).
2. Service coupons? Do I have to get my car serviced from only the dealer that I bought it from? Or I can go and do it elsewhere too?
3. Car wash? Machine or manual?
4. Interior cleaning especially when the car gets dirty when it was used for drive test.
5. Any other thing?

I am not sure if you have negotiated the deal yet, but if not:

1. Make sure to amend the sales contract manually that specifies the dealer will not place a dealer decal on the car. If you want the dealer to rebadge your car with a wing, include that also (they may charge you for that). Next to the provisions you hand-write in, initial it, and have the sales manager initial it.
2. Tell the salesman you want to negotiate an out the door price, that includes all fees, taxes, etc. Otherwise they are likely to add some stuff on above the price you negotiate. Before you sign any papers, make sure the out-the-price on the closing papers (with the Finance guy) agrees with what was negotiated on the sales agreement.
3. If you have a trade in, make sure you take two keys to the dealership. The will want to inspect the car, and then they will lose the key and you will not be able to leave. When that happens, tell them you have an extra key and you are leaving now, and if they don't meet your price you are going to another dealer.
4. When you sign the final papers with the finance guy, he/she will try to sell you extras including an extended warranty. An extended warranty is OK, but don't pay over $1500 for the HPP Platinum Warranty. You can also purchase the warranty later, and from any dealer, even on the phone at a dealer in another state. Do your research on this forum about extended warranties.
5. I would not worry too much about washing the car, since it is better if you do it yourself.
6. When getting service, ignore the dealer's 15K mile , 30K mile etc service bundles. Read the owners manual and only do what is necessary (usually oil change). Forget about paying for inspections. Learn how to change the engine air filter and the cabin filter yourself.
7. You can go to any dealer for service, even for warranty repairs.
8. Don't believe anything a dealer tells you (sales or service), unless you verify it independently. Everything must be in writing.

 

[Audio]

Things such as:
1. Debadging the car. I have some dealers quote me several hundred dollars for this (besides the car price). - Debadging as in removing their dealer sticker and any factory badges from the trunk? Aside from the flying "H" in the center of the trunk lid, everything is just stick on. A bit of fishing line, a heat gun(or if you must, hair dryer), and a small bottle of Goo-Gone will let you do it yourself. The "H" has pins, you cannot remove it without replacing it with another "H" or "Genesis" badge.

2. Service coupons? Do I have to get my car serviced from only the dealer that I bought it from? Or I can go and do it elsewhere too? This all depends. Some dealerships might end up giving you complementary coupons specific to their dealership, but most of the time you will have a Maintenance plan which will be good at any dealership you go to.

3. Car wash? Machine or manual? If you are concerned with keeping your new cars paint as nice as possible, put the elbow grease in. Look up "The 2 bucket method" on youtube to get a good idea on proper car washing techniques. 2 buckets and a good car wash soap, a quality, soft wash mitt or sponge and a good microfiber drying towel will do wonders for basic car washes. I also highly recommend something along the lines of Adam's Polishes "Guard and Gloss". It goes on while the car is wet, you dry the car, and it will help seal and protect the paint until the next wash.

4. Interior cleaning especially when the car gets dirty when it was used for drive test. The dealership should have the interior cleaned before you take delivery. Most of the time, a dealership will have the car washed, interior cleaned, and tank filled with fuel while you sign the finance paperwork. Buying a car at a dealership takes (too much) time and by the time you decide you want the car, they will still have plenty of time to get things done while you do the paper work. Once you own it, a small Shopvac, a good leather conditioner(I recommend Lexol), and a good all-surface vinyl/plastic/leather cleaner along with some microfiber cloths and MAYBE a soft bristled interior cleaning brush should be all you ever need if you keep up with it.

5. Any other thing? Just don't get taken advantage of. They will try and push 3rd party "Repair plans" and "Extended warranties" on you, they get commission on these. Hyundai offers their own maintenance and repair plans, get the details, negotiate the prices, and don't go with any 3rd part plan that you haven't researched first. A lot of them will fight you every time you try to file a claim. Also, the price on the sticker is not always the price you need to pay. Haggle, get informed, go in confident. Car buying CAN be stressful, but don't let it stress your wallet more than your comfortable with just because of a pushy sales person.

 

[Audio]

Don't believe anything a dealer tells you (sales or service), unless you verify it independently.

This is the best single piece of advice when dealing with a dealership EVER. If you take absolutely nothing else from any of our replies, keep this in mind through the entire deal.

 

[Munch520]

I like washing a detailing myself. There's no way they'll do a better job on it than you will.

-Zaino products, great wax and the Z6 is a great finishing spray/waterless wash for touching the car up.
-Einszett cockpit premium is a great interior cleaning product, with no residue left and a very nice smell that fades quick.
-AND PLEASE no tire wet or armor all on the tires, unless the car is going to sit for a few hours to let that stuff 'cure'. Or religiously wipe the excess off. That crap gets flung up on paint the minute you drive off and is no bueno for wax and clear coat.

 

[Audio]

no armor all

on anything. ever.

 

[Munch520]

on anything. ever.

Amen brother

 

[kn5owa]

Small addendum:

In my case, the salesman asked for a credit card for a Hyundai Bluelink something or other of that nature.

Give a car salesman a credit card for anything, and you will pay heavily in the future.

 

[XPO439]

Agree with everything that has been posted.

One thing to note, install the Genesis wing yourself if you want it. You can buy one on Ebay with the prongs already removed. I drove around for a while with those two holes where the "H" use to be because I ordered the wing with the prongs and didn't have a way to saw it off. Had to send it back.

Oh, rub underneath the front bumper for any signs of road rash. You never know how these people drive. Check for dings/dents especially if the car has been sitting there for a while. Always be weary of "manager special vehicles" or similar type of wording. Those are the cars that have been thrashed around and usually have thousands of miles on them. Trust me, you don't want it.

If you can, deny the car wash, spend $100 or so and get it detailed. Just have the dealership clean out the interior.

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[mky]

Thank you guys for the super excellent recommendations!

 

[ntx_v8]

Guys,

I am a total newbie when it comes to buying cars. What are the things that I should take into account before I finalize the deal at the dealership i.e., which things do the dealers do just before they hand the keys to you. I don't want to come home and repent later that something should have been done by the dealer but it was not done.


.
5. Any other thing?

When I bought my first car, I probably made every mistake in the book. (By the way, the book I recommend is "don't get taken every time" by Sutton). I now treat car-buying as a competitive sport. Others don't--do what fits your personality.

That being said, on my last car I added to my offer and the sales order:
1). No dealer badges.
2). Spare keys at dealer cost for the life of the car.
(Keys are way high, even at cost).
3). Parts and accessories at wholesale for the life of the car. (Dealer comes out ahead on this one. You will drive past the other dealer to buy from him).
4). Car in "new" condition. (I had to order (actually preference) from Korea), but if they get from another dealer--same concept., but add a max number of miles on odometer.
5). Spare tire included. Not necessary on a Genesis, but some cars come with spare tires as an extra. (The Genesis spare is a donut, but that's the way it is).
6). For the price offer, I write $12,345 + taxes and fees sent to the government only. (In other words, they need to build their fees (and their contractor's fees into the offer price. They always try to argue later (in the finance office where the paperwork is done) that the document fee is not included, but don't budge).

 

[Munch520]

When I bought my first car, I probably made every mistake in the book. (By the way, the book I recommend is "don't get taken every time" by Sutton). I now treat car-buying as a competitive sport. Others don't--do what fits your personality.

That being said, on my last car I added to my offer and the sales order:
1). No dealer badges.

THIS! And no dealer license plates either (I prefer the plain gloss black frames, $7.99 or so at Auto Zone). Get that crap outta here. Unless they're giving me a discount to advertise

 

[hokie1525]

THIS! And no dealer license plates either (I prefer the plain gloss black frames, $7.99 or so at Auto Zone). Get that crap outta here. Unless they're giving me a discount to advertise

LOL. I'm going to replace mine as well. I also scratched off their stickers. Bad enough they feel the need to advertise on MY car, they want to do it in two places.