Test-Drive Your Car Salesman

Many of us know it's important to test-drive a car before you pick it, but what about your car salesman? Shouldn't you have a say in that, too? While the short answer is that you should always be able to choose what car salesperson you would prefer to do business with, the process doesn't often feel so simple in the real world. Walk onto any car dealership's lot and one of two things will likely happen: Either a salesman or saleswoman will greet you, or you'll wander the lot for minutes before help finally arrives. Regardless of how soon you are helped, the salesperson who arrives was predetermined. You are his or her next "Up."

The "Up" system at a car dealership is meant to fairly distribute walk-in customers among salespeople. But what if the salesperson who was matched to you gives you a bad vibe or doesn't treat you right? Are you stuck with that salesperson? Not necessarily.

You could go to the sales manager, explain the situation, and request someone else. But if that's a bit too confrontational for you, we have an alternative strategy: Test-drive your car salesperson.

This new strategy requires us to take a step back. You are no longer on the dealer's lot. Instead, you are at home, planning which dealership you want to visit. You'll likely want to go to the one that has your car in stock, so take a moment to use Edmunds' new or used car Inventory tools. If you're new to car buying or need a refresher, take a look at our related article, "How to Buy a Car."

Once you've located a dealership with the car you're interested in, call and ask for the internet sales manager. Tell that manager which vehicle you want to test-drive and ask whether it's still in stock. Let the internet manager know you are early in the shopping process and are still researching other vehicles. The internet manager will likely have follow-up questions for you. 

While you are talking, pay attention to how your personalities mesh. Is he or she giving you short answers? Is the salesperson going the extra mile to meet your needs? If the internet manager says he'll need to call you back, do you get a return call in a reasonable amount of time? (About an hour is reasonable.)

Here are a few other questions to ask yourself when determining if you have a good salesperson or not:

• Has the salesperson listened to my description of the car I want and addressed it? Or is the salesperson trying to switch me to a car I don't want?
• If the car I wanted isn't available, has the salesperson suggested a reasonable alternative?
• Did I feel as if the salesperson was talking down to me?

If there are any warning signals at this time, it is easy enough to shop somewhere else. If you had walked onto the lot and been approached by the first available salesperson, it would be harder to walk away. You could be drawn into negotiations with someone you don't trust, someone who might pressure you, or someone who might bring in reinforcements in the form of the assistant sales manager, who could make you feel overwhelmed.

Let's assume that you like your phone interaction with the internet sales manager. Now you move to step two: Test-driving the car, which you arrange by phone with the internet department. You'll continue to deal with someone from the internet department for the test drive.

In addition to allowing you to evaluate the car, this test drive offers a face-to-face opportunity to size up the salesperson. You have said that you are still shopping, so the salesperson should respect this. However, a little nudging is normal. The salesperson might nicely ask, "Would you like to make something happen today?"

You might also hear this question, which is a little more insistent: "What do I have to do to sell you this car today?" Politely restate that you are still comparing different cars and aren't yet ready to buy. And leave the car lot.

Now it's time to ask yourself another series of questions about the salesperson:

• Was I treated with respect?
• Do I trust this salesperson to be open and honest when arranging the sale of this car?
• Was the salesperson listening to my needs? Or were they trying to sell me the car they wanted to move?
• If a disagreement arises, will I feel comfortable voicing my concerns?

If you feel comfortable after test-driving this salesperson, it's time to take the plunge. Call back and say, "I appreciate the time you took to show me the car. I'd like to move forward with the car I drove. What's your asking price on this vehicle?"

By saying "asking price," it is a soft form of starting the negotiation. It shows that you know what the sticker price is, but you want to know how much the dealer is willing to sell the car for. In many cases, you will get a quote that is at or below the Edmunds suggested market value price. If the quote is higher, tell the salesperson you want to shop around for a better deal. There is a reasonable chance that the salesperson will drop the price to get you as a customer. Once you've agreed on a price, ask for an email or printout that lists all the deal figures. This lets you see your out-the-door cost.

If you don't feel comfortable with the salesperson who answered your initial internet inquiry or phone call, you'll need to make some decisions on how to proceed. The easiest option is to find another dealership that has a similar car to the first one you called, then start the salesperson test-drive process over again from the start. Above all else, it's important that you feel comfortable with the deal you negotiate with the dealership and with the salesperson you choose to do business with.

As you work toward completing the deal, your early decisions about selecting a salesperson should make it a stress-free, enjoyable experience. There are good and bad salespeople in any retail establishment. If you take the time to ask the right questions, you should have no problem finding the good ones.