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Honesty, Integrity and Consumer Protection
The wheels section of November 16, 2002 was a confirmation that the articles previously appearing under the DEALERS CHOICE Column do in fact get read. The columns by Eric Lai 'Court fines unregistered Toronto dealer $ 18,000.00 and 'Dealer tricked into buying car built from salvaged parts' send a very clear message to the readership of Wheels, that car dealers in general operate under the premise of honesty, integrity and consumer protection.
In addition to these two articles, one by Bob Mitchell 'being ready for winter gives you peace of mind' and another 'winter motoring scares us: poll' by Gary Magwood, mirror articles that have appeared in DEALERS CHOICE. It's encouraging to be given such support as this further strengthens the industry's desire to put out information that will be of value to a large cross-section of consumers and provide information that may benefit them.
Today, however, the topic is highly explosive and will cause unrest with manufactures, dealers and consumers ' not to mention the advertising agencies that have to sustain growth through dull creativity. In an earlier article we discussed 'ADVERTISING GUIDELINES.' These guidelines are adopted by all registered dealers in Ontario and administered by OMVIC. They form the code of ethics\conduct for the industry.
It's not my intent to comment on either the guidelines or their enforcement. It is, however, my intent to bring some simple logic to what might otherwise be viewed as new car dealers wanting to sell vehicles To this I say, you are absolutely right, we want to sell vehicles. We need to sell vehicles at a profit. And when you, Mr. or Mrs. or Ms consumer, try to take advantage of a deal that looks to be too good, remember the protection that is afforded you when dealing with a new car dealer of choice.
As dealers, do we all embrace the advertising that is currently taking place' I can tell you, the answer is NO.
However, in the larger picture, when considering supply and demand, when considering the price/value relationship of the products, we know that as educated consumers, you see through the questionable benefit and are able to make an informed decision.
Is there, or has there ever been, a free ride' I believe the answer is categorically NO! Are there some of us that want our cake, our icing, our fork and plate, and after indulging on a rather large piece, hold the host or hostess responsible for the calories'
My question is a simple one ' at what point is a great offer also an insult to the consumers' intelligence' The offers currently running are truly great.
No interest for as long as you own your vehicle
No payment for a period of 1 to 6 months
And the latest ' food vouchers In addition to the many offers of 0.9%, 1.9%, 2.9% etc., you have large corporations that are attempting inroads into the retailing of vehicles. There claim is that, because of their large buying power, they can save you anywhere from $ 400 to $ 2,000 off the transaction price. Let's not for one moment forget that all vehicles are delivered through franchised dealers and third-party vendors are excluded from the interest rate and special pricing afforded to a retail consumer.
In today's heated market, the messages are wild and furious. Remember: when purchasing or leasing a vehicle, price alone should not determine the product. YOU should do your research and also factor in the reliability of the vehicle if you are buying, or the residual value at the end of the term if you are leasing. These factors are as important as the price and the offers out there.
Should the average consumer forget economics 101; the principal of supply and demand and its effect on the unit pricing' At the end of the day you owe it to yourself to make the very best informed decision which works for you and allows you to drive SAFELY in a vehicle purchased or leased from you new car dealership of choice.
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