‘Had a kids dad ruin…’
Car saleswoman Ash (@ashxauto) went viral for boldly telling people not to bring the whole family along when car shopping.
Her post has generated over 20,300 views as of this writing.
Why Doesn’t She Want You to Bring More Than 1 Person?
“I’m gonna hold your hand when I say this: Your family is literally ruining your car shopping experience,” Ash begins.
She doubles down on the take with her caption, “Family doesn’t always know best.”
She says rather than advising you on what’s best for you, family members will often advise you based on what they’d do. “What families don’t understand is that car buying advice is not linear. What works for one will not work for another,” Ash says.
She then provides viewpoints from different family members that can alter the buying process.
“Your dad would never lease a car because it’s throwing away money. Meanwhile, leasing may be the best option to fit you the best,” she says. “Your uncle is telling you to buy a car for $5,000 cash because he does it every three years and he’s just fine. Your mom is telling you to get a Toyota at a Honda dealership because it’s cheaper, but she doesn’t know that you can buy a certified pre-owned one that comes with seven years, 100,000 miles on a powertrain warranty,” she shares.
The car saleswoman says she is by no means trying to get buyers to stop listening to their families. Rather, she wants them to be educated and empowered enough to make their own decision.
“Do your own research. Figure out what works for you, and stop relying on people that don’t pay your bills or make your money to make decisions that affect your future,” she concludes.
Who Should You Bring Car Shopping?
Car salespeople earn a commission on their sales, MotorTrend reports. This can lead to salespeople being very pushy and employing different tactics to get someone to buy a car. So it’s not a bad idea to bring an extra person to go car shopping, NerdWallet shares.
Edmunds states having another person at the dealership can help the process. However, the person needs to be chosen wisely and understand the car buyer’s goals.
An extra person is useful during the test drives, negotiating, and signing the contracts. Having the right person with you at the dealership can help you fight off pushy salespeople, notice inconsistencies in deals, and even leverage your position in negotiations.
The person’s gender is irrelevant as long as they can stay on objective and have an eye for details. They may specialize in cars or negotiations, or simply be unafraid to ask questions. Prior to visiting the dealership, it’s important to define the roles each person plays in the process.
Here are five questions you can ask your friend or relative to see if they are the right person for the task, according to NerdWallet:
- Do you know the automotive market?
- Do you know the best way to finance a car?
- How are your negotiating skills?
- When was the last time you were in a car dealership?
- Do you know how to say no in the finance and insurance office?
What Did Viewers Have to Say?
Not everyone was fully convinced of Ash’s tip.
“Always keep in mind y’all – the dealership only has their best interests in mind, not yours. Of course they don’t want you to bring anyone that has experience,” one TikTok commenter shared.
“’Don’t bring people who won’t let you impulse buy’,” another replied.
Others shared the ways family members may not be very helpful in the car-buying process.
“My cousin said to not buy warranties. As if they’re the ones who are going to pay for their future shop bills,” one commenter shared.
“They are just going to talk about the low interest rate they got 10 years ago,” another commenter said.
One salesperson said, “I had a kid’s dad ruin getting his dream car because he doesn’t trust dealerships. The kid reached out a few months later after buying a messed up car off Facebook marketplace. By then the car was already sold.”
