Every profession has a lingo that most people within that industry understand. For instance, the health field has medical terminologies that seem out of this world for many who are not aware, while lawyers can take your breath away during an intense discussion about their courtroom cases. They understand each other better and it serves to keep outsiders where they should be – outside. Sometimes these terminologies are innocent slangs words that come naturally with the job over a long period of time and have no ill intentions. However, many times these words have negative connotations that are applied if the customer does not do exactly as the dealers expect. Amazingly, they could say these negative terms as they smile warmly at you.
Such is the case with car dealership in which you will hear some words for the first time and wonder what they mean. If you want to buy a car, it would save you a great deal of time and money to know most of these terminologies before you set out to buy a car. It could also mean that you will know the true feelings of car dealers as they discuss the sale of a car to you. Being able to understand the slang at a dealership will give you an upper hand during negotiations as you will know if you are being ripped off or are too shrewd for the dealer.
Nowadays, you can easily find the terminology used by car dealerships online with a single click. Some of them are not too nice for the subject at the end of it. If you hear them talk about you in these phrases or words, get out of there quickly and take your money with you. For example, if they refer to a customer as a ‘rat’ or a ‘roach’, it is time to take a walk because they mean that the customer has a very low credit rating that is typically under the 600 score. If the terminology ‘flake’ reaches your ear and you are sure it is referring to you, do not bother with the pleasantries. They are simply saying that you have no money for a down payment and thus you are wasting their time. However, if they call you a ‘gold ball’ they are saying that you have the money to make a down payment and they would love you to stay put to get you to make that payment.
Be careful when they call you a ‘grape’ or a ‘lay down’ as they could be referring to a quality that you will most definitely not like. It means that, like a grape fruit, which is soft, you go along with everything they propose, good, or bad. This is the time for you to show them how tough you are and tell them, in no uncertain terms, to what you think about them.
If you decide to shop for a car and take along someone with you to do the negotiations, you will most likely hear the word ‘quarterback’ or ‘maven’. This terminology refers to the person who negotiates a deal while he is not the actual buyer.