One Stop Motors - Platinum Package endorsed by NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace

Kenny Wallace talks about the features and benefits of listing your used vehicle with One Stop Motors. Those features include financing, shipping, insurance and warranties for your potential buyer. See more at the One Stop Motors Youtube channel.

One Stop Motors On Facebook

One Stop Motors has embraced the social media revolution!  Now you can interact directly with customer service via our One Stop Motors Facebook page.  Whether you're a customer selling a vehicle with us, or a person interested in one of our listings, or simply want to be a part of our dedicated car community, don't hesitate to contact us on the page.  Alternatively you can call at 877-566-6686 and someone will gladly assist you.

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The Four-Square Scam

Who’s involved? – New and Used Dealerships

What is it?  - The four-square scam is a common tactic used by dealerships to convince you into making a bad deal.  The trick is, they do all of this right under your nose.  With a single sheet sectioned into four squares, they can manipulate you to the point where you are paying them exactly what they want, maybe more and you come out thinking you’ve gotten everything you’ve asked for.  By breaking the sheet up into the four sections (value of trade-in, price of new car, down payment amount and monthly payment) the salesman can get a good gage for your concerns and re-work the numbers to reflect this.  If you’re worried about over paying monthly, they’ll find a way to adjust this to your liking, but sublimate this price on one of the other three squares.  They play this game in rounds, constantly taking the “new” numbers back to the sales manager for approval.  In the end, you’ll be locked into a contract and you’ll feel good, but you will have been squeezed like a Florida orange on a Sunday.

How to avoid? – If you walk into a dealership that uses the four-square method, you should highly consider walking out.  Even if you play the game, there is too much time and effort spent and not nearly enough result.  If you really must play, the best thing is to start by leveling with the salesman.  Tell him you know how the method works and then lay out the price you do want.  Make him work around you, not pretend to.  You won’t get the exact deal you want, but you can find common ground.  Either way, make sure you pay attention as the salesman powers through his routine.  Don’t let him act as if he is there to be your friend, he’s there to make a deal.

Terms & Trigger words to avoid? – “Let me take it to my manager” is the primary trigger term to keep an ear open to.  When a salesman says this, they don’t have to take it to their manager because the manager already knows.  It’s a shadow game and the manager is the one calling the shots from a back room.  They already know what you want and what they’re going to give you, it’s a matter of you taking control back without them realizing.

Take it from One Stop Motors.  Don't let them play their mind games on you, your pocketbook will appreciate it!

One Day Only Scam

Who’s involved? – New and Used Dealerships

What is it?  -  The one day only scam isn’t as much a scam as it is carefully orchestrated tactic used by car dealers.  The idea of offering a “sale” for one day on a lot vehicle is simply set up to nudge potential buyers into actual buyers.  By only offering the sale at that current time, they put a sense of urgency on you into making you believe if you walk you will miss out.  The truth is, if you walk you can probably find a similar or better deal.  If you can’t, don’t worry, incentives and promotional cycle through a dealership like a revolving door.  Odds are, you will make a much better purchase, with a better deal, if you do your homework and don’t submit to impulse.

How to avoid? – The best way to avoid this is by simply understanding that the one day sale is a strategy.  If you know this, then you won’t feel the pressure of having to make a quick decision.  You can wait it out, you can seek out other dealerships and offers.  If you’re bold enough to call a salesmen on his bluff, do so and flex your comprehensive car buying knowledge.  This might get the dealer to rethink any dastardly devised ways to squeeze money out of you.  After all, if they know you’re keen on them, they won’t have much play at all. 

Terms & Trigger words to avoid? – The trigger words here is “one day only”.  No dealership is only going to have a sale for one day only.  That’s just bad business.   Proposing that you do, however, is a good way to catch those uninformed consumers that don’t realize this.  If you hear the trigger words stumble from a salesmen’s mouth, take a walk, see how they enjoy that. 

Take it from One Stop Motors, the #1 car advertising company online.  

Disappearing Trade-In Scam

Who’s involved? – New and Used Dealerships

What is it?  -  This scam happens when buyers bring their current car into a dealership with aspirations of making a good deal to get top value for trading in their old for a new one.  Dealers can very easily alter text and phrases to make your trade-in disappear from your contract.  Another way this works is when they advertise that they will take any trade-in, even if the vehicle doesn’t work.  The reason they implement this strategy is because they can buy your car from you for almost nothing.  While this doesn’t seem so bad, it’s the fact that the money they paid for your car is money you are already entitled through a rebate or incentive.  Most dealers don’t want you to know that and so they advertise accordingly by appealing to your willingness to get a deal on your beat up car.

How to avoid? – Avoiding any trade-in scam is easy; don’t trade your car in.  Sell it privately or through a selling agent.  Take the profit you made of that car and put it towards payments on your new car.  If you must trade your car in, do not expect to get the best value for it.  No dealership will offer you top dollar for a trade-in.  If you do go this road, make sure you see the savings from your trade-in in the contract before you sign it. 

Terms & Trigger words to avoid? – “Push, Pull or Tow”  This is the type of advertising slogan dealerships use to convince you to trade your car in with them.  While not all dealers who do this are out to rob you, a vast amount more than you may think know this trick and use this ploy to play consumers.

Please be sure to check out our One Stop Motors Facebook page for regular updates!

The Straw Purchase Scam

Who’s involved? – New and Used Dealerships

What is it?  -  The Straw Purchase is a crafty scam which tricks cosigners into assuming responsibility for a loan.  They do this when someone with bad credit needs a cosigner in order to purchase a vehicle.  Really what is happening is that the buyer’s credit is so bad, that there would be no way to be approved for a loan.  Somewhere in the paper work signing, they will have the cosigner sign a separate document from the actual buyer.   What is actually happening is that the cosigner is signing to become the primary borrower on the loan.  This is a very tricky and dangerous trap to fall into as many state laws are ambiguous when addressing such issues as straw purchases.

How to avoid? – Avoiding this is somewhat simple.  Read your paperwork before you sign and never allow the cosigner to sign a separate document (that has not been properly inspected).  For the most part, however, if you do not have the credit to even get a loan, you should consider building it up before making a big time purchase like a new car.

Terms & Trigger words to avoid? – “You’ll need a cosigner”; As soon as a salesman mentions to you that you need a cosigner, you should either already know that based on your credit history.  Hearing the word “cosigner” should immediately kick up your guard.  While this is a general term in the automotive world, it is because it is so widely understood that dealers can get away with the straw purchase scam.  Be alert to what is happening.

And please be sure to check out One Stop Motors for the latest vehicle listings.