Usually, when you hear about tales of dishonesty in a car dealership, one assumes salespeople are the ones scheming. However, according to one dealership worker, quite the opposite happened when a customer came into his dealership looking to buy a Nissan LEAF.
TikToker and dealership worker @elegant_jerk5 shared how he was “car fished” in a TikTok that received over 40,000 views.
“Bro one thing I’ve learned about all my years in this business. If somebody comes into the dealership too eager to buy my car, 9 times out of 10 they have bad credit,” the worker starts his video.
The car salesman continues, “And I got car fished this morning. So, young dude walks in. He’s all excited to buy a Nissan Leaf, which is our electric car. And he was just so excited. He’s like, ‘Yeah, man. I’m ready to buy today. I just want to go on a test drive, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.’”
The employee notes he was quick to oblige the young prospective buyer. He says they made it through the test drive and pulling credit process.
“443 score. No money down. 19 years old. Get out my dealership, bro,” he says, looking into the camera.
Minimum credit score?
Before attempting to finance a vehicle, it’s probably a good idea for you to check your credit score. One of the biggest assets one can have going into a negotiation is knowledge. And unless you’re purchasing vehicles with non-negotiable prices, like Tesla, you’ll have to engage in some level of this song and dance.
Knowing your credit score can help you negotiate a lower interest rate on your payment. Over time, this can significantly reduce the amount of money that you’re spending on your vehicle if you’re financing. Furthermore, there are several free tools you can utilize online that’ll help you check your credit score. Several banking institutions, like SoFi, for instance, also offer free credit monitoring as well.
It’s also a good idea to walk into a dealership knowing what you want to pay “out the door” for the vehicle. Now this amount will fluctuate based on the interest amount of your monthly payments. However, there’s an added benefit to keeping this amount in mind. That’s because you can consult with other financial institutions outside of car dealerships. This way, you can walk into a business with a pre-approved check amount to purchase a car outright. If the dealer agrees on that price, you can give them a chance to try and get you an auto loan with better terms. But this way, at least you have some leverage.
Let the sales rep know that you’re possibly thinking of financing, so they can work with you on an “out the door” price. Remember: Playing it close to the chest is the name of the game. Generally speaking, there are some things you should never tell a salesperson. For instance, don’t get into the game of what you want your monthly payments to be. When financing, always think about the total price of the car.
Viewers had varying opinions
Some viewers thought the TikToker missed out on an opportunity to help a youngster out. “Offer him some advice bro. And tell him come back when his credentials are right,” one said.
“At 19 years old he may have just been oblivious to what it takes. My niece was the same way. She had no clue that you can’t just walk in and buy whatever you want. I had to explain the requirements,” another said.
Another person claimed that credit checks don’t really matter. Even with a score that low, a deal could be devised that the young man could either accept or reject. “But honestly anybody can get approved for a car no matter the credit,” they argued.
The dealership worker countered, saying the “no money down” bit that made the situation difficult. “Yea with some money,” he replied. There have been instances on social media where other car sales representatives have echoed this same sentiment.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @elegant_jerk5 via TikTok comment.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
