The Scam

Jane's car suddenly began running erratically. "It seems as though it's running rough," she thought as her mind began worrying. " When I first drove the car from out of the lot it ran just fine and now all of a sudden these strange knocks and noises seem to bounce from under the hood. Thick, puffy clouds of smoke began filtering its way from different areas of the car body. "I must get a tune-up," Jane muttered to her self. She felt mad at herself for not getting it done sooner when she first began noticing the smoke "This is even costing me a lot of money just to keep a little gas in my tank"...

This scenario happens more to so many people than you think! It doesn't matter whether you live in a big city or a small rural town, there's bound to be a dealer who sticks it to you with an engine going down the tubes. This is something that's normal with smaller used car dealers. One of the biggest scams of all time, it can be broken down into three parts:

1. The Major Threat Table. Each car dealer has different charts by which they can determine how to "properly" fix your car. Unfortunately many of these unscrupulous dealers skip past the low and normal levels and settle for the severe chart. These charts represent the level of service that has to be done to the car. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out which one costs the most. On many cars, servicing the car more often than it should will just about double the cost of simply maintaining it overall.

2. The Service Department Charge High On Their Rates. Take one look at the prices and you will notice how expensive servicing your car can be. If you went to the dealership where you bought the car, chances are they have seen that car before. However, the main reason why it's best that you check around for mechanics is the cost it takes to repair your car if you took it back to the dealer. There have been studies where independent repair shops hire better mechanics and that the cost is relatively cheaper than the dealers.

3. The High Price For Parts. Ever wonder how salvage yards exist? It's their key businesses is supplying parts to people who need it to repair something. People who visit salvage yards are looking for the low price. At a service department at dealers, their main goal is to profit from you! Yes, the auto parts they purchase are brand-new. However, it's so marked up in cost so that you won't even believe how much the dealer earns a profit. This means that not only are they getting money for the labor of putting the part in but they're also profiting from sales generated from the parts.

One thing to keep in mind when purchasing a used vehicle is an automobile flooded with over-the-counter additives. Normally used on high mileage automobiles, it's more of a practice than many may think! Some used car dealers use oil additives to temporarily quiet noisy engines, reduce engine smoke, and plug up leaks. The problem lies after covering up these engine problems with this additive. The use of harsh chemical, such as additives in large amounts, can lead to a host of other problems. Oil pump malfunction, overheating, sludge, and faulty spark plugs are just some of the problems. Sadly, most cover-up situations use high quantities of fluids that can strip away what was originally intact. The key to noticing this is either looking under the oil cap after turning off the car for bubble deposits or pulling the dipstick out to check for a thick, lumpy appearance to the oil.

A Hidden Car Everyone Knows

Kate badly was in need of a vehicle that she can get around town with but money was a little tight. Every weekend, she scoured throughout many sales ads that were printed in the newspaper in hopes of finding a good deal. One day while she was looking over the classified auto section she saw something that flashed before her very eyes. "Wow! I can get this car today! Originally it was priced at $21,000. It sounds like it was a great deal. The best part about it was it was only $17,900!" Quickly, Kate dashed to the dealer expecting to find the vehicle and purchase it. When she got there, the salesman told her that the car was already sold but he would be more than happy to find a car that's similar to the one that was advertised...

This trick has fooled many yet continue to fool people for more years to come. What the dealer did was advertise an automotive in the newspaper for an unbelievable deal. He was hoping to get rid of the vehicle by selling it at a ridiculous price. This price is usually so enticing that the dealer ONLY has a selected few left at this price. The public usually pour into the showroom by the throngs.

In other words, the real trick is getting you to come down to the dealer. Oftentimes, the dealer will advertise these specials in order to generate more traffic to the dealer. They'll usually pick one vehicle and advertise it by saying "selection is limited." This selection is usually the one car you see in the ad. The problem is that the car is "unfortunately" been sold or someone is about to buy it.

Once you're inside the dealership, they'll now try to sell you on another automotive that's very "similar" to the one you were interested in. Most times, it will be at a price that's MORE than what you saw for the first vehicle. "How did I get tricked?" you may ask. What happens is that there are little words located somewhere around the ad indicating the stipulations. This comes in the form of the stock number found under the automotive photo or sales copy. So what happened is that the time it took for you to rush down to the dealer and purchase the vehicle, someone has already beat you to the punch.

To avoid this from happening to you, first read the ENTIRE ad before making any sudden moves. The "impulsive behavior" to run and grab this special is what sales managers go through training for. The sad part about this issue is that the car may be actually be sitting on the lot. The only thing you'll have to do is just provide the stock number of the vehicle to the salesman. Most times, when a commercial ad runs or at the bottom of most car print advertising, is a set of numbers. Make sure to write this set of numbers down. Then bring a copy of the WHOLE ad with you. Have a copy done beforehand and carry the original with you. This way, you'll have a picture and stock number of the vehicle displayed. You can locate the vehicle yourself if you feel the car is still available. Look on the sticker found on the driver side windshield. There is where you will find the stock number for that particular automotive. From there it's just a small task to find the car that was on sale. Then you can walk inside and negotiate for it if you find it.

Car dealers often run ads like these during the weekend, any sales event, or during holidays. These ads will most likely have a few cars with photos and wordings to throw you off. Avoid becoming a victim of this trick by doing a bit of "detective" work beforehand.