The English language has become increasing common throughout the world, yet when consumers walk into car dealerships, it’s as if the entire car dealership is speaking an entirely different language, a language not taught in school. This puts the car-buyer at a disadvantage. This language is so obscure that it is its own foreign language that nobody understands. This makes buying a car tough. Some who are old enough to remember may compare this language to the Orkan language spoken in the old TV series Mork and Mindy. The volume of unfamiliar language consumers encounter while in car dealerships during their car-buying experience, compiled with an inefficient and commonly misunderstood car sales process, makes the entire car-buying cycle an overwhelming and incredibly stressful experience.
An informed buyer is often a car dealer’s toughest customer. Some dealers refer to these customers as their worst nightmare. To help educate our clients about the car-buying process, related words, phrases, and concepts, we have compiled a list of common auto-buying terms dealers often associate with the car-buying process. Please read the auto buying terms carefully as few people understand them, and it may impact your negotiation for your new vehicle as well as the financial component of your transaction. We have also incorporated many of the most commonly misunderstood terms in our list below. The words and phrases are listed in alphabetical order for your convenience.
