r/askcarsales

Hi guys! I’m 19f and I just had my baby a few months ago. Due to complications, I was unable to work and lost my job. My car gave out on me two weeks later. Its repairs are going to cost thousands and I absolutely cannot afford it. I have around $2,000 left in savings, and I’ve been looking for a used car. Anything on places like marketplace in this price range are “fixer uppers” with their own issues I can’t afford to fix. I’m not sure if I can get a loan or a car from a dealership without any income. I plan on getting a job as soon as I get a vehicle, but I’m not sure if a promise is enough to get a car. Any advice will help!

Hi everyone, I have been 8 months now in sales at a small dealership in a small city. Its small that there are only 3 sales people in the whole dealership. I started last year and up until now Im having trouble being assertive. Ive been told and taught and been talked to by my managers that I have to learn how to hold my own, how to handle negotiations, how to uncover the NOs, dig deeper and ask harder questions. Sometimes I really wonder if I am meant for this work but I know that only quitters wont know. I dont think I have enough experience still and the amount of traffic we have for me isnt substantial enough for me to consider that I am really not meant for sale. I want to be good at it. This is where I am really having a hard time. Does anybody have any advice for me?

Thank you

Myself and my father are both in the market for a new vehicle. Both Toyotas. Now we are two separate parties but being family I’m sure we could try for a bit to work together and say if both our numbers arnt met, we both walk even if one party gets their number met. Atleast for one dealership so we don’t burn bridges everywhere. Am I seeing this wrong?

I purchased a new Nissan Sentra in March. I put down 10k and signed papers for a loan of a little over 15k. They placed the loan with the credit union I am currently a customer of at the same rate that I could get direct.

Unfortunately, they filled out the dates on the paperwork wrong and it never was completed by the CU. I verified this personally with the CU.

What happens if they can't get the same rate now or if they can't get my loan approved. Do I have to take a higher interest rate with someone else or can I return the car? Maybe a discount to buydown to match the total amount shown in the truth in lending paper?

I’m looking to replace this lil guy after 8 years of adventures together. It’s just not practical anymore.

Notes: The car has NEVER broken down on me. Still runs like a champ. 88K miles, still has 33 miles to the gallon. That said I haven’t always been good about changing the oil (haven’t always been bad, either).

It has some scratches, light dents, missing hubcaps. Missing one air vent cover. It’s taken on an odd hum but I went to a reputable mechanic last year who told me they couldn’t find anything (and they checked EVERYTHING). One tire has a hole through the first skin so presumably that will need to be done. The steering is starting to lock up a little bit on sharp turns and I probably need to replace my brakes.

Ideally I could get my hands on a Camry. It doesn’t have to be recent. I just need something to replace this car because I have REALLY outgrown it.

Thanks so much

I test drove a new-to-market EV SUV at 2 dealerships in Canada. I'm having 2 different experiences, and I'm wondering I'm just being a difficult customer.

Dealer 1 has been working with me for some time, primarily to answer questions and offer insight. When the vehicle landed, we did a test drive, they answered more questions. On the pricing side, they offered very fair pricing (MSRP + admin, freight, PDI, licensing - incentives). The salesperson left us in her office only to come back having dropped the admin fee to $300, without us even asking.

Dealer 2, I did a test drive. The salesperson is only a couple weeks in, and had double-booked herself. During my test drive, she called me (presumably to ask me why I'm not back yet?) I didn't see the call, only took 15-20 mins for the test drive and saw the missed call only when I was back at the dealership. Once inside, I noticed she didn't have a corporate computer. Everyone used their own laptops. She didn't have EasyDeal (or whatever they use) on her laptop and everything had to go to a Sales Manager. She called me back this week, and I asked her to beat the other offer i got. I broke down the pre-tax price, but didn't mention any incentives. She came back to me with a higher price after applying the incentives. When I called her out on it, she put the SM on the phone and he claims to have priced out a trim that won't even be in the market for another 4 months! He said he'd call his GM, and finally came back to me with an offer that is worthy of consideration. They wanted a deposit on the call. Overall, I didn't like that I wasn't talking to someone who couldn't even give me an initial price, offered me a negotiated price that was higher than expectations, and then the urgency to put a deposit down right away.

I spent similar amounts of time with both dealers, but dealer 1 was more about questions about the car and very hands-off beyond that. Dealer 2 was almost all about pricing. They aren't even aware that the vehicle isn't sold in the US, and that the trim they quoted won't be in the market for a few months.

I don't want to fault the salesperson for being green. She's younger, new to car sales overall, and very new to this dealership. But I also don't want to give the SM or GM any courtesy for not proactively offering a good deal when they reached out to me.

So my questions. Would I be a jerk if:

• Went back to dealership 1 with dealer 2's pricing?
• Ghosted dealer 2, or didn't work with them, despite their better pricing?

If you're a dealer, is this an average experience? Is there not enough margin at MSRP to offer a great deal off the bat, rather than making me work for a deal? Am I just being a difficult customer?

Seems like a waste

My wife and I Found her dream Yukon XL (92k) after a 3k rebate. We informed the dealer we’d like to close a deal this week and pay in cash if they could take an additional 2k off the top. Obviously he wasn’t too fond of paying in cash and asked if we would finance a partial amount for at least 3 months before we completely pay off the loan. Obviously they’re getting a kickback for meeting the minimum loan requirements.

I haven’t got the terms yet of what this would look like, however does this ever play out in favor for both parties. Would this partial small amount loan be worth the 2k off?

Also, are dealerships that much more motivated to close a deal before the end of the month ?

I applied for financing online through Toyota, was approved through a couple, Wells Fargo had the best rate. I’m self employed for the last year. I have my most recent tax return. Will that be enough, or will they want bank statements? My bank statements are a bit of a mess because I was an idiot and didn’t separate anything, so I’ve got cash deposits/electronic payments from customers in my personal account. Will that be a problem? How thoroughly will they look at them? I unfortunately will definitely be asked for POI as my experian score is 652. My husband has a good w2 job but poor credit due to medical debt so I have to do this on my own, unfortunately.

Anyone else having issues selling their more enthusiast focused car on fb marketplace recently?

I'm trying to sell my focus ST on marketplace place but outside of a few curious trades haven't gotten any serious interest.

For context it's a 2016 with 144k miles and I'm listing it for 8k with an extra winter tire set included. It has a clean title and only been in 1 minor accident with only a few minor mods (cold air intake, shifter bushings and oil catch can)

Should I just be patient or look to sell it elsewhere.

So i’ve been shopping for the ST hybrid & the lowest i’ve gotten so far is 33k OTD before trade in (they’re not aware i have one yet) i’m in FL pls lmk if it’s possible to get lower than that or if im delusional 😭😭 yesterday i went to the dealership and they start at 34k so getting them to 33k is something but i really need to be closer to 30k OTD. ideally 30-32k. pls reply w any tips/advice! also im in positive equity on the trade in.

TL;DR: I’m deciding between a 2026 Kia Niro EX and a 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid Sport. The Niro is cheaper and gets better MPG, but the Subaru feels like it may be the safer long-term ownership choice. Am I overvaluing Subaru’s reliability/longevity reputation, or is the extra cost justified?

I know very little about cars and I’m feeling pretty overwhelmed. My wife and I are looking for a new vehicle after my previous car was totaled. I’m not someone who upgrades cars often — I bought my last car new, kept it for 7+ years, put about 90k miles on it, and would have kept driving it if not for the accident- I believe I coulda have gotten a minimum 3-5 more years out of it with no issues.

Our priorities are:
Keeping the car 10+ years/Strong reliability/longevity
Good fuel economy
Low-stress maintenance/repair costs
Good safety and driver assistance features
Enough cargo/practicality for daily life
Comfortable enough for a lot of driving

Originally, we were comparing the regular Crosstrek against the Niro, but with gas prices and how much I may be driving, hybrid MPG is becoming much more appealing. The Niro EX seems to make the most sense financially: lower price, excellent MPG, good features, and a strong warranty.

However, I keep hesitating because of Kia’s long-term reputation compared with Subaru. I know Kia has improved a lot, and everything I’ve read about the Niro seems positive, but I still worry about reliability, depreciation, repair costs, and whether it will feel like a good long-term choice 8–10 years from now.

The Crosstrek Hybrid Sport would cost roughly $4k more / higher monthly payment, but I’m wondering if that premium is worth it for Subaru’s reputation, AWD, resale value, and overall longevity. But it seems the Crosstrek gets a decent amount of dislike/hate from reviewers like Edmunds.

One other factor: AWD sounds nice, especially since I’m now in Oregon and may do occasional coast/mountain trips, but I’ve never owned an AWD car and haven’t really had issues with FWD. I recently moved from Michigan, where snow/blizzards were much more common, and now live in the the Portland Oregon area. So I’m trying to figure out whether AWD should actually be a major deciding factor or if I’m overvaluing it because Subaru makes it feel essential.

My main questions are:

1. Am I wrong to assume the Subaru is likely to be more reliable or longer-lasting than the Niro?
2. Is the Niro’s reliability strong enough that the better MPG/lower price should win?
3. Are there any known concerns with either the 2026 Niro hybrid system or the new Crosstrek Hybrid?
4. For Oregon/PNW driving, is Subaru AWD worth prioritizing if most of my driving is commuting, errands, and occasional road trips — or would FWD with good tires be totally fine?
5. For someone planning to keep the car 10+ years, which would you choose and why?

Any thoughts, ownership experiences, or things I should be thinking about would be really appreciated. Thanks!

My parents just got a new '26 GMC Sierra. I asked them if they set up CarPlay or if they needed help with that. They said "No, the guy told us not to use CarPlay...it could cause issues and void the warranty or something like that. He told us to use the built-in Google one and 'Hey Google'."

What? That's just a flat out lie. Why would he say that though? What incentive is there for them or GM? Is it just so GM can track them better through Google?

I bought a '26 Chevy Silverado from a different dealer a few months ago, and they never mentioned anything like that, nor have I had a single issue with CarPlay. I have not seen anyone online have issues with it either. I also think this dealer is a bit shadier and pushier than the one where I bought my Silverado.

Hello! I will try to keep this brief. I sold my car back to the dealership I bought it from a couple of years ago, this past February, as I was leaving the country. This sale was in Wisconsin. I’ve never sold a car before this and it was out of necessity.

No issues with the sale at the time, they vetted the car, checked with the credit union on what was left on the loan, gave me a check, and we parted ways.

I received a voicemail today saying they “received some information” on the car and asked me to call back. I know I could just call them to find out, but this seems strange to me and thought I’d check with the lovely people here.

No accident history or anything of that kind. It seemed a clean sale to me and it seems odd to contact me now, especially since I’m no longer living in the U.S. They were aware of this part as I loved the car and lamented not being able to take it with me.

I appreciate any insights! Thank you!

Starting the research for getting a base Corolla hybrid for my 17 year old son, he’s been driving his 2007 2wd Tacoma pickup for a bit over a year but he’s starting college in the fall and the drive is killer on the mileage for his truck. We have the title for it, nothing owed. 92k miles, no rust or damage and mechanically solid.

Few weeks ago the ford dealer offered 3k for the truck when inquiring about a Maverick, and I laughed walking out the door. Could easily sell it outright for 12K+ I’m just not a fan of dealing with FB marketplace low ballers and tire kickers.
The new corollas are about 27/28k msrp. As far as negotiating goes, would it be reasonable to ask for around 22K OTD with the trade?

I’m 19, I start at a dealership next week, but tomorrow I have my meeting to negotiate pay. Is there anything that I should know, or might help me out?

Dealership is making me pay another $51 for plates. They stated the $91 doss not cover the charge for plates from BMV.

Hi. Recently purchased a Ford Super Duty. I signed a non-export agreement for 6 months /15k km that says I can’t export or sell for export until these conditions are met.

Two months later, wife hates the vehicle and I’d like to get out of it for the wife and some other things about the truck that I don’t like.

What are my options? Can I trade into a dealership for a different truck? How can I know that if I trade it into a dealership that they don’t export it?

Thanks

I live in Ohio.
Last Monday I went to a Chevy dealer to look at a 200 used Subaru forester. The car was in service as they just got it in. Clean carfax, no accidents, 41k miles, serviced by Subaru down the road regularly.
We love the car and decide to finance for it. I went in preapproved loan for 5.74%, 60 months. Dealer didn’t want anything to do with my loan. After hours of them shopping for loans they said we used your Bank of America loan.
Slapped dealer plates on my trade, it was paid off already I owned it outright, signed all the financing paperwork, and title transfer. We left the dealer with my trade but with dealer plates on it.

Everyday sales said the car will be ready. 4 days later, last Friday, I was told they’re waiting on parts.
Monday parts are in but now the car is at Subaru but sales guy won’t tell me why.
Today I got a call, car didn’t pass safety inspection they no longer are selling me the car find something else on their lot or walk away. They won’t tell me any info whatsoever on the vehicle or why it failed.
Also they didn’t use my Bank of America loan, they had me fill out a credit app to shop loans and submitted my info to Bank of America to get the rate so they looked like they submitted the app, I found this out today when I called bank of America.

Sorry if this is alot. My head is reeling from this misadventure. Should I just walk away? I’m going the dealer their plate back and putting my own plate on the car. Sales said sale isn’t really final until you pick the car up so have a nice day.
Edit: spelling and grammar
Update: dealer called me back after sales gave me the run around. The car had a leaky head gasket. They are getting it fixed and it’s warrantied. They said I can buy the car at the already agreed price, which he made it clear was a total loss for him, or I can walk away.