Millennial Buyers Compare Car Buying Experience with Going to the Dentist

[Joe Marconi]

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[Gonzo]

I found this article in Dealer Magazine (a trade publication for New Car Dealers), and thought is was interesting....

 

 

Millennial Buyers Compare Car Buying Experience with Going to the Dentist

 

Dealers have to be ready to deal with every kind of buyer that is going to walk into their dealership. These include the buyer that doesn't have a clue what they want, to the buyer who knows everything. One buying group dealers need to keep track of is the Millennial buyers. These buyers are the tech-savvy generation of consumers that have grown up with the internet and are very comfortable with technology. Microsoft recently conducted a study of more than 1,100 Millennial (those aged 18-29) buyers and found this generation is disappointed with the technology capabilities of their dealers and potential vehicles.

 

The research was conducted to get a feeling for how the Millennial generation feels about the technology features and options offered in cars and how they use technology to research potential cars for purchase.

Here are some results of the study:

 

• Two-thirds (67 percent) of Millennials believe buying a car is one of the most intimidating purchases a person can make, and more than half (56 percent) classify negotiations with a salesperson as more painful than going to the dentist.

• Eighty-four percent of Millennials agree that having convenient Internet access in the dealership during the car buying experience would make the process seem more transparent and fair.

• More than a quarter (27 percent) say the technology they would most associate with cars today is a 1980s desktop computer or a typewriter, indicating that there is plenty of room for improved in-car technology in auto maker's future lines

 

The survey was conducted between April 6 and April 12, 2010 by Wakefield Research. About 1,100 people were surveyed via the internet.

 

Interesting to say the least. I have my doubts about the tech side of things. I would say the tech side of the electronics are far more than an 80's PC. These techie generation people also are the type to read something on the net and take it as gospel. That makes me believe that some of this story is hyped up for purposes of research and not actual general public interests.

 

The part about buying a car is like going to the dentist... well, I could see that. If you look at it from the stand point of the consumer who is dealing with a salesperson who is out to sell you a car (or selling any other product) is only there to encourage you to buy. They may steer you to a vehicle that better fullfills your needs but in the long run... it's SELL, SELL, SELL.

 

I'd like to see a dealer have a veteran tech sell the car... now lets see what happens.

 

Here's a good example... The new "HEMI" dodge... it's fast, it's roomy, it's cool looking... it's got all the bells a whistles and it might be the car that you just gotta have. Oh but, did the salesman bother to tell you that the tuneup is costly, and that it doesn't neccessarly have platnium plugs... and on some models the tuneup is only good for 30k miles... I'll bet they ddn't tell the consumer that little fact.

 

So what sells the car... in my book it's the bells and whistles and the styling... along with a good sales staff.

 

Internet techies or not.... it's still the car that the consumer wants... that is until the truth of the designs come out during the maintenance and repair part of the purchase.

 

It would be different if the new owner had to sit down and was required to understand and follow the requirements involved in keeping their new ride in perfect shape. I find more and more people only want to start it up and drive... and don't even think that maintenance is something they shoud be concerned about.

 

But, as I've said before.... repairing and maintaining cars is counterproductive to the manufacuturers ability to sell cars.

 

It's something to think about.