Tips on purchasing a "new to you" vehicle...

 As much as we love sending out brand spankin' new vehicles, sending out used vehicles can be equally as exciting! Sometimes you love what you love, product discontinuation happens, and when you find that perfect used vehicle - it can be a RUSH! Here are some important things to keep in mind when you are considering a used vehicle purchase:

1) Book an Appointment It goes without saying, that booking an appointment is a much more favorable approach when  shopping for a vehicle. As much as I can appreciate the spontaneity that sometimes comes with "the shop", I want to be prepared for you, and give you my UNDIVIDED attention. Purchasing a vehicle is a big decision, let's take time together and really make sure the vehicle you are looking at makes sense. Also, in pandemic times, it is essentially mandatory straight across the board that dealerships operate via appointment only. Call the dealership, book the appointment - we love having structure to our day, much like you! That being said, we get it, life happens, we might have to reschedule. That's ok, we appreciate the courtesy and are more than happy to adapt. When booking the appointment, make sure you are mindful of weather conditions and time of day. You want to have a clear picture of the vehicle in consideration, and also want to be comfortable when going out on the test drive!

2) Verify what comes with the vehicle: Make sure to ask your salesperson about all of the "extra" things that come with the vehicle. Sometimes it's not much, but other times it can be a real gold mine! (Hello, winter tires!). Are there extra keys? Extended warranty? Mats? These are all added benefits to consider!

3) CARFAX! We are LEGALLY obligated to disclose any accidents that have happened to a vehicle that are over $3000 in damage. All too often, people never ask to see the Carproof/CARFAX. This can be a valuable source of information, it can show any insurance claims on the vehicle as well as service records (very handy). Important to remember, not all shops will update service records for regular maintenance of a vehicle, but that's not to say that it didn't happen. DO NOT PANIC if you do not see a regular maintenance schedule associated with your vehicle in question. 

4) Pre-safety/Reconditioning Protocol: Every vehicle that leaves a car lot has to pass a safety. The quality of the safety can sometimes be questionable and I can't speak globally for all of the dealerships, but I can say that I am fortunate to work in a dealership with a service department attached. Not just any service department - a fantastic one that has some of the best technicians in the land! It might be because we are a small town, and the likeliness of us running into you at the grocery store is very high, but when you purchase a vehicle from us, it goes through the shop for it's pre-safety (that's when we first obtain the vehicle from the previous sale), and then upon YOUR delivery we recondition it. What does that mean? That vehicle is going to be as perfect as it can be by the time you bring it to your driveway. We will replace tires if need be, coils, converters, batteries - the list goes on. Additionally, all fluids are topped up, you would have  a fresh oil change AND we also include a tank of gas!

5) TESTDRIVE: Don't just drive the vehicle - take it for a lifestyle spin! I ALWAYS encourage families/singles to a) drive the roads that you regularly drive on (unless you are coming from hours away, that's an exception)  b) load it with your gym bags, hockey bags, any sporting equipment bags, groceries - anything that you regularly cart around on a regular basis             c) install your car seats/booster seats to see how easy it is, and how much room you have. Again purchasing a vehicle is a big decision, this vehicle not only has to meet your budget goals, it has to make sense for your lifestyle too! While on the testdrive, make sure to test ALL of the equipment, and do not be afraid to bring up anything that isn't working properly to your sales person. Again, I can't stress enough, as fabulous as I am - I cannot read minds. Test the air conditioning  in the winter, and the heat in the summer - does it have CarPlay or Android Auto? TEST. IT. OUT! 

Buying a vehicle has changed DRASTICALLY over the years. It's certainly a more consultative approach today than years passed, and can be an enjoyable experience if you come prepared and are open and willing to work with your car salesperson! Happy Driving!

How much would you give me for my 2014 Chevy Cruz????

 😑😑😑😑😑😑😑😑😑

...While I can certainly appreciate the fact that you are considering a trade in, and also considering my dealership to outfit you in your next vehicle, IMMA NEED MORE THAN THAT!!!!!

When thinking about trading a vehicle in, please know that there are list of things that I will need right off the bat;

If you have made an appointment, and are physically at the dealership - this is a huge benefit, and your list will be a little bit shorter. Please come prepared with the following:

✅ VIN - Vehicle Identification Number - this can be found on your driver's side window, the side panel part of your driver's side door, on your ownership, or on your insurance policy

✅ Mileage, brief history of the vehicle (accidents), any extended warranties that might still exist, where the vehicle was initially purchased from etc..TIRES - if you have winter tires on, do you have the original set

✅ If the vehicle is financed, I need to know how much you have left owing. What is the interest rate, and who/what financial institution holds the current loan

At this point, I will be going out to your inspect your vehicle, an appraising manager will follow suit. DO NOT PANIC!  I usually like to set you up on a test drive during the appraisal. If you have a few extra Goldfish crackers in the backseat - it's all good (maybe we will be looking at something with leather for your new vehicle 😊)

Because we are living in a virtual world, all too often, people want to work on numbers before they come into the dealership. I get it - your busy, so am I! We can absolutely get started on working numbers for your trade, but just know that these numbers are 

SUBJECT TO SEEING YOUR VEHICLE IN PERSON

I will require all of the information mentioned above, but I also will need pictures of the actual vehicle. So please make sure you send me the following:

✅ Exterior pictures - front, back, sides

✅ Interior pictures - dashboard (with vehicle on preferred), front cabin, back cabin

✅ Trim level/engine size (especially if you are a Ford owner, often these things do not decode with just the VIN)

✅ Leather, Navigation, Sunroof, Carplay/Android Auto 🠜all of these things are nice to have confirmed!

Additionally, know that I am going to ask you how much you want for your trade. Why? Because I want to know what your expectations are, and I need to manage those effectively. Often, consumers will come in with prices in mind, and 9 times out of 10 they have looked up their current vehicle on www.autotrader.ca and have only found retail values. We are going to be dealing with what's called a WHOLESALE value. You need to take into consideration that, we as a dealership, will have to safety your vehicle - which usually means a full recondition of a vehicle by the time it leaves our lot to their new home, clean your vehicle, advertise your vehicle, pay the salesperson (thanks!) etc..

At the end of the day, WE LOVE/WANT your trade - for the most part. But it's so important to give me, your salesperson as much information as you can! I am not here to pull one over on you - don't give me that much credit. I am here to realistically manage your expectations, give you a fair value and exceptional service. I ask all of the questions, because although I am many things, a mind reader I am not (shocker). Tell me what you are currently paying, what you want to pay etc.. I want to help you! 

DEALERSHIP CHECKLIST!

CONGRATULATIONS! You have finally selected the PERFECT vehicle for your lifestyle, budget and killer style!....Now what?!?

Purchasing a vehicle is exciting, and all too often, people just ASSUME that the next steps come so naturally and with ease. But more often then not, people have no idea on what happens next, what happens after they've agreed to a payment, or what they should even come to our dealership with. If you're coming for just a test drive (which is completely fine), make sure that you do come prepared with your license - seems obvious, but you'd be surprised. 

If you have come to the dealership, prepared to purchase the second largest investment of your life (first being a home), here is a list of physical items that you WILL need to make that leap into car ownership:

✅ Driver's License

✅ VALID Insurance 

✅ Ownership - if you are trading in a vehicle

✅ Existing Lien Information on current vehicle - if applicable 

✅ Recent Pay Stubs/Income information

✅ Any employee numbers that are applicable if receiving eligible rebates

Other things worth mentioning;

Keep an open mind: Like a birth plan, sometimes getting EXACTLY what you want isn't completely realistic. Of course, this is your investment, and we are going to do our best, but there are some packages/features that are only available in certain price points and trim levels. With the recent pandemic, inventory has also become an issue. Be open to colour! It doesn't mean we are going to actively put you in a bright yellow Wrangler (unless you want that), but maybe have a few colour options that we can work with. 

Be realistic: Sure, getting you into a comfortable healthy payment is our goal, but getting into that fully loaded Pacifica, with leather seats, all of the safety features, the theatre group and NAV, is NOT going to happen for 100 bucks biweekly

EXTENDED WARRANTY/INSURANCES: Contrary to popular belief - we are NOT out to suck your wallet/bank account dry. These options are available for a reason. Especially things like Gap Insurance (we will touch on this soon). Listen to our Business Office before you reject any suggestions immediately. Plans can be customizable and honestly can save you SO much money in the long run for as little as $2/day. I always suggest Gap Insurance, if you are rolling in an existing lien and financing something long term - you do not want to be responsible for paying something outright if an unfortunate event occurs. 

Be honest about your financial situation: The financial application process, does involve us submitting a credit application to major financial institutions. We will learn about any small blemishes or larger contusions. It's in your best interest to be transparent about your situation -  we have literally seen it all, there is NEVER any judgement - shit happens! This information is always so helpful to have going in, so just know that even if you feel uncomfortable disclosing it to us, we will find out about it anyways. 

Hellloooo Humans!

 

Hey, Hi, Hello! It’s really nice to meet you and so great that you are here. My name is Jess. I’m 32. Have been in sales for over a decade (gross). Two years ago, I found myself moving away from the world of media sales and into car sales – weird, I know. It’s been a ride! (no pun intended).

I’ll be the first to admit that I knew NOTHING – and I mean nothing about cars. Heck – I didn’t get my full license until I had graduated college and was well into the “work world”. Fast forward to 2021, I am fully licensed, have driven ALL over the province, have acquired 2 speeding tickets, and now have regular conversations surrounding engines, towing capacity and fuel consumption – who am I?!?

The intention of this blog is to connect – isn’t that the intention of most social media type things? I want to connect with both people that are consumers and in the biz! When searching women in car sales, the results are fairly…limited. I know there are more of us out there, perhaps even more of us in my tiny area of Leeds & Grenville, so let’s chat (613 – you know me)! Working in a male dominated environment can be tough sometimes, I’ll never say no to coffee chats or wine chats (virtual or socially distant). Sales in itself is an emotional rollercoaster! You are constantly adapting, pivoting, accommodating, negotiating and performing for every single person who walks through the door, makes a phone call, instigates a web chat. You are a professional chameleon! It is mentally exhausting, but I see you.

On the flip side – buying a car can be a stressful and daunting experience. In fact, some people might prefer jean shopping or bathing suit shopping (no thanks!). But it doesn’t have to be! I want this to be a conduit for anybody who has questions about getting into a new or new to them vehicle. If you’ve had a bad experience, have had some tough times financially, are going through a divorce/separation, are a brand new driver looking at your first car – I want to help!

That being said, this blog isn’t just going to be about my top picks of things to drive and Motor Trend links. I’m more than a car sales professional. I am a mom, I am a partner, I am an ex-wife, I am a competitive fighter, I am a daughter, I am a sister, I am a friend, I am a lover of wine/scotch and beer. I like to camp, hike, eat delicious food This blog will be a look into my day to day experiences, my passions – maybe sometimes I’ll even share a recipe (ha!). In any case, I look forward to connecting with you – I hope to have the opportunity to earn your business!