Frequent Questions

#1. Q. What differentiates you from other car buying services like car brokers?

A: There are many things that differentiate me from car brokers. One is that anyone or anything can call themselves a broker regardless of their experience in the auto industry.

I have been the car business for over 30 years as a car dealer, who also worked for Auto Trader and Kelley Blue Book as a Sr Vehicle Valuations Analyst.

I know how dealers make money, how to protect you from overpaying, and how to protect you from the pitfalls of dealing with this process on your own.

Two, as I have written previously, I am unique in my business model of NEVER ACCEPTING DEALER COMMISSIONS. The conventional broker gets paid an undisclosed commission from the dealer. If you run into a broker that needs more money when representing you, BEWARE!!! The only way to get TRUE REPRESENTATION is to work with someone who is ONLY aligned with you and will not take a penny from a dealer that pays the broker’s salary.

#2. Q: How are you different from the services available that offer free price certificates?

A: The problem with these free certificates is that some of these companies offer prices on cars that don’t exist or “it is up to dealer discretion” whether to honor the price or not. When using the certificates, the buyer is still left on their own to navigate through the entire buying process. It will be up to the buyer to negotiate every other profit center a dealer has. The certificate might be a low price, but it’s obvious that the dealer will try to make up the profit in other areas of the sale. I will negotiate other profit centers that a dealer has. My goal is to prevent our client’s time from being wasted and offer tremendous peace of mind that they have a someone in their corner who is only looking out for their best interest.

#3. Q. How do I know that you will get me a better deal than I can get for myself?

A: I will first want to acknowledge that when you are considering hiring me to represent you in this very important transaction, that you have the right to ask that question.

The short answer is that negotiating car deals is my skill set and I am very good at what I do. My experience working inside car dealerships, Auto Trader, Kelley Blue Book, and Accu-Trade has taught me how dealers make money, and the fact that I have been negotiating car deals for many years gives us me the level of experience needed to provide you the upper hand in negotiating your car deal.

In order to be able to effectively negotiate a car purchase or lease, you need to know the “True Cost” of every item that needs to be negotiated. It's hard for the average buyer, who negotiates a car deal every three to four years, to know all the facts. Not knowing the facts will always make you wonder if you got the best deal. If you don't know the specific pricing in negotiating a car deal, you will base your decision on if the deal feels right. Dealerships are experts on making you feel that you are getting a good deal, even when you're not. So, most people walk away from a deal wondering if they really got the best price.

But there is an inherent conflict of interest between the dealer and buyer. Dealers are in business to maximize their profits and you are trying to save as much money as possible. Without years of experience and all the hard facts, who do you think will come out ahead?

#4. Q: Are you a broker?

A: No. Working with a car broker that gets paid by the dealership creates a tremendous conflict of interest for the broker. Where is the broker's loyalty? To the dealer that pays them or to the client? Even if the broker finds a middle ground for both parties, the buyer will end up paying more than they must.

Most brokers have spent years cultivating a relationship with their dealerships. Having spent so many years working in dealerships, I have experienced many brokers (not all) ask the dealership for a larger commission than usual when they have an opportunity to do so. If the broker is receiving a larger commission, the client's price goes up. With the commission amount not being disclosed, unfortunately, the client never knows. It is sad but true.

I base my business model upon honesty and integrity. When you hire me, I promise is to look out for your best interests only. That is why I will never accept any type of commission from a dealer. The only thing I require of the dealers is to treat my clients respectfully and continue their excellent service after the sale.

#5. Q: If I qualify for a Costco, AAA or Credit Union price, does that mean that I'm getting the best deal?

A: Costco, AAA and Credit Union pricing is pre—negotiated and is generally a fair price, but the negotiation is incomplete. Dealers have many other avenues to make money besides the price of the car. The average consumer will agree to this pricing and drop their guard in other areas of the sale, therefore paying more money than they should on their purchase or lease. I can negotiate lower prices than Costco, AAA and Credit Unions and provide clients with a complete negotiation covering all aspects of the sale, i.e.: vehicle price and trade in value.

#6. Q. Why did you start your auto buyer’s concierge service?

A: I know the common frustration that most people go through in Naples and Marco Island when buying a car on their own. I am very empathetic and if I can spare people the pain, anguish and self-doubt they go through, then that is what I am committed to do. I get great satisfaction from using my knowledge and vast experience negotiating great deals to help people save money and take the misery out of the car buying experience.

#7. Q. What makes your auto buyer concierge service so unique?

A: There are many aspects of my service that is unique, but the most significant is that I am an advocate for the buyer, not the seller. I don't receive any compensation from the dealer, so there are no conflicts of interest. My ONLY obligation is to you and I will do everything that I can to ensure that I achieve the best possible deal for you.

With traditional car brokers, the broker's income is based on whatever he wants to make on the sale. Thus, both broker and the dealer are looking out for their own best interests. When both the broker's and salesperson's income depend on how much profit they can make, it creates a tremendous conflict of interest for the customer. The only way I could truly help people and eliminate that conflict of interest, was to align myself with my clients by not accepting any dealer commissions.

My intention is always to do what is best for my clients.

#8. Q. What is it that you will do to make your clients rave about your auto buyer concierge service?

A: I want to provide an amazing car buying experience for my clients! This is more than providing great prices. I will streamline the entire process to eliminate the numerous situations that people go through that have made car buying so distasteful.

I do this by facilitating the entire process for our clients from start to finish.

Here are just a few examples:

• If they know what model they want, they may never have to set foot in a dealership. All they do is give me a description of the make, model, color and features.

• I can handle getting the best price for their trade-in.

• I can communicate with my clients regularly, so they are not left in the dark.

• I can go at their pace. Nothing is ever forced.

• Most importantly, my clients love the fact that all the information provided is coming from me, not a salesman trying to make a commission. I will present my clients numbers before they go to look at a car, thus eliminating the need for the buyer to go to the dealer, where they fall in love with the car and later find out--after much time has been wasted--that the car costs way more than they can afford. I can eliminate dealer mistakes before numbers are quoted to my clients.

• I am not only getting them a great deal, but with my knowledge of the business, I can set up my clients to be in the best position possible for when they get their next car.