While there are allegedly some honest car salespeople around, the bad ones make the news.
Some proactively lie as though their lives depended on it, while others mix truth and error. It’s one of the reasons so many consumers dread going to new and used car dealerships. But there’s more to the story.
Car Salespeople Viewed as Very Unethical
The Gallup 2023 Honesty and Ethics poll shows Americans don’t trust car salespeople. While nurses were seen as the most ethical professionals, car salespeople, advertising practitioners, and Senators were tied for second-last place. Members of Congress came in dead last.
But here’s the thing about the men and women working in the car sales industry. While they may lie or bend the truth to their benefit, so do consumers. Here are 15 lies car buyers tell.
“I’ve Been Preapproved for Financing at a Lower Rate”
Many car buyers tell this lie with straight faces. If they don’t like the financing rate quoted by car salespeople, they might counter by saying they’ve already been approved elsewhere for lower rates. It’s a way to pressure car salespeople into backing down and improving their offers.
“If You’re Not Willing to Negotiate in Good Faith, I’ll Walk”
If you tell a car salesperson this lie, don’t let yourself stay in the chair for too long. You need to negotiate in good faith if you want the person on the other side of the desk to do likewise. Some car salespeople will call your bluff if you’re huffing and puffing too much.
“My Credit Is Great”
Another whopper of a lie some consumers tell car salespeople is that their credit is great. That’s okay if it’s true, but it’s another thing if it’s way off base. Before telling a car salesperson this lie — assuming it’s untrue — remember that they will check. No one’s taking your word for anything.
“I’m Just Browsing”
Some consumers will go to car dealerships and walk up and down the lot to check out some vehicles. They might brush off car salespeople by telling them they’re only browsing. But that’s often untrue. They may be ready to sign the paperwork that day if they get what they want.
“I’m Going to Pay in Cash”
Buying a car in cash is best for consumers. But some car buyers will lie by telling car salespeople they’re paying cash when the reality is they obtained a car loan from another institution and plan to pay for the car that way.
Car dealers see this ploy as a pain in the neck since the types of sale documents needed differ based on whether a customer pays in cash or with a loan. So, it can be a waste of time for a car salesperson to find out, well into the transaction, that a customer isn’t really paying in cash.
“I’m Not Buying Today”
Some consumers lie by saying they don’t intend to buy something immediately. They might mislead by stating they’ve just started the process when they may have kicked off the process weeks before. They don’t want to look desperate and want to get the best price.
“I Thought I’d Get More for My Trade-In Vehicle”
First off, car dealerships are notorious for assessing relatively low trade-in values. But that offer will drop even further if consumers lie about the condition of their vehicles. The car dealer can easily find out via Carfax if a customer’s car was involved in an accident or two previously.
“The Dealer Across the Street Offered Me a Better Deal”
It’s common for consumers to make up better offers from rival car dealerships. The reasoning is simple. Consumers who fib in this way want to force the hands of car dealerships they’re negotiating with.
“But Another Salesperson Told Me That…”
It’s never a good idea for a consumer to try to get a better deal by lying that another salesperson at the dealership promised them X, Y, or Z. That’s next-level dishonesty. But it happens.
“I Thought That Option Would Be Included in the Price”
Another lie some consumers tell is that they thought specific features were included in the price. It’s one way some people try to sweeten the deal without forking over more money.
“I Can Only Afford to Pay XXX a Month”
Consumers should just be honest and say they don’t want a payment above a certain amount monthly. The problem is when they bend the truth by saying they can’t afford to pay above a certain amount even if they can do so comfortably.
“I’ll Sleep on It”
It’s hard for some people to be honest and say when they’re no longer interested. A consumer who has lost interest might tell a car salesperson they’ll go home, think about it, and call or return to the dealership the following day. They say that as a way to make a quick escape.
“I Have to Ask My Wife (Husband)”
Someone who can’t look another person in the eye and say they’re not interested in pursuing a sale might lie. They might say they have to consult with their spouse or significant other. The reality is they don’t want to move forward with the deal. So, they put the onus on someone else.
“I’ll Call You Back Tomorrow”
When a customer says this to a car salesperson before heading out, it’s often a way to get out of there. The odds are there’s no intention of them calling the car dealership employee back.
“I Can’t Afford It”
People don’t typically go to car dealerships unless they’re ready to make a deal. So, consumers who spin this fib often do so to get a huge chunk of money dropped from the purchase price.
Consumers Aren’t Above Bending the Truth
While car salespeople lie, so do consumers. It’s just that the latter do so on the former’s territory. A little honesty from car salespeople and vehicle buyers can go a long way.
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