Car dealerships are notorious for toying with customers and trying to squeeze every last dollar from them, and with car purchases already being such a tricky endeavor, customers can become quickly overwhelmed. But one TikToker shared one of the simplest ways to vet a car dealership—by asking them to provide basic numbers over the phone.
Billythecarkid (@billythecarkid) has made it his online mission to make car shopping easier for his followers. His videos offer solid advice, and many viewers have even left comments on his posts to share how they saved money thanks to his tips.
In one of his recent videos that went viral with over 100,000 views, Billythecarkid says that if a car salesman refuses to provide you with basic information over the phone, it’s not worth going to the dealership in person.
The TikToker acts out a scenario in his video, in which he plays the part of the customer and the car salesman.
The hypothetical customer asks, “Could you tell me what the numbers will come to with taxes and fees on this vehicle before I come down there?”
“Yeah, your presence is definitely your power in this car-buying situation. Being right here in the dealership, in my office, with my manager and me pressuring you to buy this vehicle is really your best bet to get the best price,” the make-believe salesman says.
“But I just really need the numbers … I don’t even know if I’m going to buy it yet. I’m just curious what everything comes to so I can see if I can afford it. There’s really no way I can just get the numbers on paper to see everything and how it all breaks down?” the customer asks, trying to push back.
“We like to give you the bad news in person. That way, you’ve already made the trip down here. The chances of you getting up and going to another dealership to find out more bad news is slim to none. You’ll just take the beating we give you and move on,” the salesman responds.
The conversation continues in that vein until the hypothetical customer gives in and says he’ll go down to the dealership.
What should you do instead?
In the caption, the TikToker explains to his viewers, “If a dealership says they won’t give you numbers over the phone, then DON’T SHOP with them. It’s like every dealership received the same script from the same crappy sales instructor! After calling 40+ dealerships a day, if one more dealership says your presence is power, I’m going to puke!”
@billythecarkid If a dealership says they won’t give you numbers over the phone, then DON’T SHOP with them. It’s like every dealership received the same script from the same crappy sales instructor! After calling 40+ dealerships a day, if one more dealership says your presence is power, I’m going to puke! #carbuyingtips #carbuyinghelp #carbuyingsecrets #carbuyer #dealership #carbuyer ♬ Aesthetic Vibes – Megacreate
Many viewers shared that this exact scenario had recently played out for them.
“The fact I just had the exact same conversation yesterday. I told them I’m going down the street to the other dealership,” one person wrote.
“Hah, I just received the ‘your presence is power’ bs,” a second shared.
“I literally had (1) dealership do this exact thing and I said thanks anyway and they came back with numbers,” someone else wrote.
Autotrader reports that it is possible to buy a car over the phone or online but warns viewers that this may not be a “suitable process for every buyer.” For one, customers cannot test drive the car they’re interested in, and buying a car over the phone means you won’t be able to drive the car off the lot the same day as the purchase. The website also warns customers to watch out for scams when completing transactions without being at the dealership in person.
However, many viewers thanked Billythecarkid for his tips and claimed that they had saved money on recent car purchases because they followed his advice.
“I contacted via email and negotiated beforehand, I went end of the month, and asked for the total numbers before hand. And saved about $5000 on a Lexus,” one viewer shared.
“Learning from you.. never again will I negotiate face to face,” another wrote.
The Daily Dot reached out to the TikToker via Instagram direct message for further information.
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