One of the biggest pain points for most car buyers is the length of time it can take to complete a vehicle purchase at dealerships. A recent study by the Deloitte financial-analysis firm found that a majority of U.S. consumers spend more than 10 hours, mostly at home, researching a purchase before they even get to the shopping part. Clearly, there?s a comfort level to that part of the process, largely because it happens in familiar surroundings within easy reach of the refrigerator. But when it comes to the inevitable visit to the dealership, most consumers change their attitude markedly.
A solid majority of car shoppers have said they want to spend an hour or less in the showroom, according to the Deloitte study. But, sadly, reality hasn?t been living up to their desires. Instead of a quick 45 minutes or so to finalize a deal, research shows the average car buyer spends more than three hours at the dealership?three hours filled with indecision, waiting, and irritation. Shrinks call it cognitive dissonance. We all know it as something that sucks. So is this something you just have to go through, like childbirth or your daughter?s dance recital" No. The good news is that, with some smart planning, you can cut that three-hour dealership ordeal down to an efficient 45 to 60 minutes. It still won?t be as easy as buying a gallon of milk, but the process doesn’t have to be as time-consuming as binge-watching a season of House of Cards.
To do the deal in less than ...