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Most independent motor vehicle dealers are active in their communities and support various community service projects. This DVD can be used as a tool when you serve as a resource person on a high school campus, presenting to students the important issues they need to consider when buying their first vehicle. Your role as a dealer in this situation is not a salesperson, but a community service provider who knows cars and can share that expert knowledge with consumers. If you currently do not have a partnership with your local schools, the following tips will guide you in how to be a valued resource person.
This DVD, “How to Buy a Car in 8 Steps” is the result of successful independent motor vehicle dealers thinking beyond their dealerships and serving their communities as educators in the industry. |
Buying a car is usually a challenge in most households, but for first time buyers or new teenage drivers, it can be extremely stressful. You, the dealer, can take them through an easy to understand process in 8 easy steps... |
- Beginning Your Search
- Financing and Your Credit
- Dealer vs Private Seller
- What's A Fair Price?
- Don't Get Stuck with a Lemon
- Inspection
- Warranty vs As Is
- Taking Delivery
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If you are a
dealer member of NIADA
and would like a copy of
"How to Buy a Car in 8 Steps"
to share with your community,
please email Georgia Brown
or call 1-800-682-3837. |
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HOW TO USE THIS DVD AS A DEALER |
FOR THE DEALER
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Contact the school district’s administration office and introduce yourself explaining who you are and that you would like to present a consumer education program, “How to Buy a Car”, to students. Make sure you stress it is not a sales pitch for your dealership, but rather a consumer education presentation developed by the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association. Ask for specific procedures as how you might do this. Some schools require request forms for district approval, others prefer that you contact the campus principal.
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Refer to the “For the School” section of this booklet to describe what students will learn from your presentation using the DVD.
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When you present to the students, be sure to stress that you are not there to sell cars, but to show them HOW to buy a vehicle.
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The DVD is designed to stop after each “step” and allow time for questions, or you can show the complete DVD. You can take copies of credit applications, anonymous credit reports, Carfax reports, window stickers, etc. to show and explain to students.
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In the “For the Teacher” section there are suggestions explaining how he/she can use your presentation to extend the lesson in that class. You may copy this and the “RESOURCES” and leave with the teacher.
FOR THE SCHOOL
High school students sit in our classes everyday dreaming about the car they are going to buy, but few of them know the first thing about buying a car, especially a used car. This video was developed by the National Independent Automobile Dealers Association in partnership with Joe Lescota, Automotive Department Chairman at Northwood University in Midland, Michigan to present the following instructional objectives: The student will:
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gain knowledge regarding important issues concerning the purchase of a used vehicle, including shopping and researching, financing, fair pricing, Lemon Laws, warranties, evaluating the vehicle’s condition, and insurance;
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understand how to complete a credit application, read a credit report and what these documents mean to the lender and the buyer; and
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understand the responsibilities of the dealer or seller.
The instruction presented in this DVD is appropriate in any class that addresses citizens’ responsibilities,
gaining successful life skills, personal finance, computer applications or economics. It is an instructional tool and is not intended to promote any company or automobile dealership. It is to be used as a means to support consumer education, responsible citizenship and community involvement.
FOR THE TEACHER
As the classroom teacher, you may want to extend the information presented by this DVD and your local automobile dealer in your lesson planning. Although no one knows your class and students’ needs better than you, some of these ideas may helpful.
- Compare and contrast internet ads to local newspaper ads—dealerships and classified.
- Use www.carfax.com to check the car they or their parents are driving by it’s VIN #. Does the identification of the vehicle match the VIN?
- Draft a personal plan for buying a car or truck, using projected dates and specific activities to accomplish a successful purchase.
- Research insurance cost on their current vehicle or the one they would like to purchase.
- Write a short persuasive essay responding to a bogus contest for a car give-away—“Win Your Dream Car—Tell Us Why You Chose This One!”
- Calculate the “real cost” to drive in your community, including payments, gasoline, oil, oil changes, maintenance, tires, insurance, etc., for one year.
- Create a spreadsheet to demonstrate the results of internet shopping by state.
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RESOURCES |
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 Of course the best resource is a knowledgeable independent automobile dealer. He or she will be able to answer questions that this DVD may not address. Look for their membership decal. |
Special Thanks to Northwood University in Midland, Michigan and its Chairman of the Automotive Marketing Department, Joe Lescota.
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