Choosing a dealership that’s right for you

CONSUMERS in Cork don’t suffer from a lack of choices when it comes to car dealerships, but your car-shopping experience will vary depending on the dealership you choose.

In a recent consumer reports survey, 57 percent of those polled said they were very satisfied with their experience at the dealership, and 31 percent said they were somewhat satisfied. On the other end of the spectrum, 10 percent of the respondents said they were somewhat or very dissatisfied with their dealership experience.

That survey makes it clear it’s possible to have a positive dealership experience. It’s also possible to have a disappointing one.

Your car-dealership adventure doesn’t have to be a luck-of-the-draw situation. There are steps you can take to make sure you choose a dealer with which you love doing business.

A good place to start is by figuring out what you’re looking for in a car dealership. For most people, three factors get top priority when evaluating dealers: price, service, and availability.

Price: No one wants to pay too much when purchasing a vehicle, and people like to feel as if they’ve cracked the code and beaten the system when it comes to getting a great price. It’s human nature to crave a bargain.

Service: People need people, and even the most informed car shopper reaps rewards from stellar customer service. Service is key because informed client care rooted in integrity fosters trust between the consumer and the dealership, allowing you to focus on getting the right solutions to problems rather than avoidance of unnecessary expense.

Availability: Availability is essential, because if a dealer’s vehicle stock is limited, so are your choices. If a dealership doesn’t have models equipped with the options you seek, the dealer can special-order your vehicle, but in many cases this can be a lengthy process. The simplest and most straightforward approach is to find a dealer offering a car with the options you want right there on the forecourt.