Hello Good Buys

JD Power and Associates does a lot of studies and the latest one came out this week showing that the car buying experience has improved over last year for most car buyers.
The study credits the economy at least in part for that with dealers doing more to get customers in and to get them to buy a car at their dealership.
But there are some interesting findings that may have something to do with the Internet and also with the fact that consumers are perhaps not that inclined to go to five or six dealerships before they find the car they way. There may also be a little more decisiveness involved.
The J.D. Power study found that new car buyers on average visited less than three stores before buying their car. Half of those folks, visited only the dealership they bought the car from. And those customers who only went to one dealership were happier with the selling experience than those who went to several. The lesson, according to JD Power, is that buyers who have a good experience at the first dealership they go to, probably won't go anywhere else.
Again, online research may have a lot to do with this. Often times, the relationship with the online salesperson who contacts you will determine if you go to a dealership.
But for those of us in South Florida, this study essentially reaffirms what we already know. Relationships are critical when buying a car. If you trust the person you bought your last car from or if a friend told you to call Joe Doe to buy your next car, there's a good chance you'll get with them next time you're buying. There's also a good chance they'll work harder to get your business!