Thinking about buying a used car? Here's how dealers prep them for the sales lot
May 5, 2008, 12:09
By Kristen Beason
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So, what do the dealers do to make sure it is in top shape before putting it on the sales lot? Many have the same checklist that they follow, but different ways of doing some things.
At Warrensburg Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep, they use the same order with every trade-in they get. According to Scott Thurn, parts and service director, the very first thing the dealership does is drive the vehicle. This is an initial inspection of the vehicle and looks at any issues on the surface. They check the engine and how it runs, idles and starts. If there are any hesitancies, misses or the idle speed is not right, this initial evaluation will catch it.
The initial inspection also checks wipers, the clock and radio, horn, all switches, air conditioning, heat and defrost, lights, brakes, and the overall look of the body. After the service department gets all of this information, they go under the hood. This inspection looks at everything. In the engine, all valve covers, seals, gaskets, belts, vacuum lines and filters are carefully checked, along with valve cover contamination. The cooling system, air conditioning, power steering and all electrical items and fluids are checked and added to the list that needs to be done.
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These are the steps Warrensburg Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep take with every car that comes onto its lot for trade. After the tuning and fixing occur, the car is detailed. The paint and dents are also fixed, but by an outside source. An outside source is also called to fix any interior damage, glass chips, etc.
They aren’t, however, the only dealership that follows these procedures. Lotspeich Automotive also follows a similar path. They first drive the vehicle to diagnose any problems, and then they send it to the service department to do a more thorough check. Like the others, if the vehicle costs too much to fix, they won’t and will sell it to wholesalers. Some of the things they could do to a vehicle to get it ready include a tire rotation, brakes, and replacing a battery, to name a few. Jake Lotspeich said that there are more than 100 items that the service department checks off before the vehicle is placed on sale.
“On a used car, the average cost for a reconditioning can range from $800 to $1,000,” he said. “It really depends on the condition of the vehicle (when it comes to us).”
Some of the jobs the detail shop does are removing the smoke smell and shampoo carpets. Because they are included in the GM Certified Program, they have to produce the “cream of the crop” because it gives buyers longer warranties and a better interest rate. It usually takes about one to two weeks to complete one vehicle.
“(We want to) ensure that no problems occur down the line,” Lotspeich said.
At Premier Auto Group, which only sells used cars, they have their fix-up process down to a science. Premier has a different first step on its checklist. The first thing they do is a background check of the vehicle. They check for any major problems and verify that the car is actually in the condition it appears to be. The background check would tell them if the car’s odometer had been messed with, if it had been in a wreck, airbags deployed, or flooded.
Owner Brandon Phelps said the next step is to send the vehicle to be serviced. While there, they look for major mechanical, electric and safety problems. They also check out luxury items, like DVD players and other features. They don’t fix anything during the process, because more may be found.
“Once you’ve gotten to a certain point, you can’t stop,” Philips said.
The final cost of the fix is determined by the vehicle’s value, compared to the amount it could cost to fix it. Phelps said that a typical length of time it takes to fix a car is five days.
