The last days of car dealers.

It doesn't take a psychic to see the change.

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Let me check with your bank and see if they’ll be okay with switching brands before we buy out your lease.

Oh, they will, I replied. Everyone loves the green.

I was correct and received a fantastic number for a trade within minutes from one of the owners of a local dealership. The best I’ve received after a month of research, negotiation and patience. I still haven’t played all of my cards because I’m going back and forth with another dealership — but should have a firm offer by the end of the week and possibly a car in my driveway. We’ll see. I have plenty of time and a car I already love.

The days of Covid greed are over.

Car lots are filled with vehicles that very few are buying right now and if so, they are more than likely used. Between high interest rates, ridiculous MSRPs and intractable dealerships, the car industry is in for a rude awakening in 2024. The housing market is sure to follow.

We are in the last days of traditional car dealers. Good.

I love to negotiate and have only gotten sharper over the years. Car buying doesn’t scare or intimidate me — it merely irritates. However with excellent YT videos, CarFax, KBB and other ways to value vehicles, I enter negotiations with a sense of positive gloom. Or perhaps gloomily positive. I love shiny new things but when negotiating for a car, I feel the same level of joy when sweeping the house, going to the dentist or paying taxes. It has to be done and I definitely feel better after — but in the meantime . . .

Enter the b.s.

I refuse to go to car dealerships until the very last point of negotiation and even then, consider having the car delivered. All contact is through email, text or calls because it shows how much they want my business. It’s an easy psychic play. If they grow impatient, don’t answer specific questions or push a car I don’t want, I’m out. If they try to charm and flirt, I’m out. If they Let me talk to my manager and don’t get back to me, I’m out. If they lowball my car to an insulting level, I say Don’t insult me and then I’m out and don’t go back.

I’ve bought cars for decades and respect a certain level of play in the game. Everyone has families, bills and needs to make a buck. I respect that as a businesswoman and avoid the nickel and dime. Salespeople are the face and the manager the money. I get it. However, if you waste my precious time, I’m out. There are plenty of dealers who want my business — and I can always buy out my beautiful car if I don’t locate something better.

I don’t trust dealers. I trust my intuition to guide the way to my perfect car.

This is not a personal attack on human dealers. I’ve had many wonderful salespeople over the years and a manager in Portland who was literally my angel at a very difficult time when I needed a car. The generosity I’ve shown to others returns in the form of amazing car deals, if I have the patience to wait and not lose my temper over disrespectful, lazy and greedy salespeople but rather spend time refocusing my energy to attract the ones who will work with me to provide the end result I desire.

They want a deal. I want a deal. They want to make money. I want to save money on a great investment. It all works!

Sharp and clear.

I’ve been a loyal customer of a certain brand for 22 years, 7 cars and contacted every dealer in my state, expecting an easy deal. Loyalty matters. It’s part of their “brand”. At least I thought so. This is where I discovered just how far along we are in the bust stage of The Wheel of Fortune. Not only did they lowball ridiculous numbers, most of them gave up after one negotiation call, if they even called back. ONE! There are simply too many cars and not enough buyers — or they are simply lazy and don’t care about their customers.

So much for loyalty. It’s definitely not fun in that sandbox anymore. Bye.

So, I saw it as a sign and switched gears. Time to level up and try different brands. I don’t drive that much anymore but when I roll, I expect a certain level of comfort, luxury and reliability. I already have a high value trade and the foresight and patience to wait for the right deal. A respectable deal. One that is worthy of my time, beautiful car and money.

Three negotiation skills that always win: research, patience and the discipline to WALK AWAY.

That’s why I start the process a few months before my lease ends — so that I’m not rushed or panicked in a deal. It is a buyer’s market now and it will continue to crash with the glut of inventory later this year. Patience wins.

Do extensive research on the value of your car, hold a number in your head — whether buy out, trade or payments — and don’t sway from that number. Maximize negotiations and then go shop at another dealer until you get what you want. Do it all online if you’d like to avoid the pavement/front office dance. The deal may be even more than you imagine — especially for high-value trades like any Toyota, any Subaru, Honda Pilots, Sienna minivans etc. Walk away from any deal that doesn’t match your expectations. Get the money your car deserves, especially if you take care of it. Do not chase — attract. You can always hire a trustworthy broker but will pay commission at the end of the deal. However, it might be worth avoiding the hassle of a dealer!

My predictions for the future of cars and car dealers. It’s not pretty but kinda fun.

Let’s face it: we are rapidly entering an AI/android future on this particular plane of reality. I don’t resist — I think it’s kinda cool. Doesn’t mean I’m going to stay or return to this reality but view it with a sense of curiosity.

Within a few generations, we will see the last of the fully-realized human (well, we will all be dead but you know what I mean . . .) and that includes the fully human car dealership. By then, cars won’t even be around — but I’ll bring it back to 2024.

Here we go . . .

• In the next 5-10 years, gas cars will be fully outlawed or so highly taxed, they will be avoided by most and scorned and shamed by everyone as the dirty guzzlers they are — and yes, electric/lithium is also dirty energy, as well as the plastic pollution from electric car tires in the waterways. Genius human minds will eventually figure it out, discovering molecules or some type of bacteria that will eat plastic particles before plastic is fully outlawed around the world.

• Cars will go fully electric or hydrogen or some other form of clean energy in the next 10 years. They will be highly incentivized and the infrastructure will be fully integrated like gas stations into America society/consciousness. Resistance will be gone with the death of boomer/muscle car generations. Electric bikes and other modes of transport will be seen all over society, like living in Holland. Bike lanes and other safe ways of transport will be constructed all over the country.

• With that, no one will be driving. All cars/copters/planes/trains, etc will be robotic, self-driving within 5-10 years. No child born in 2024 onward will learn to drive a car. It will be smart car rentals (Portland, OR started this a decade ago) with robots or subscription models that luxury car dealers have now — with self-driving cars. There will be no such thing as drunk driving, even if you are drunk.

• Gone will be the days of dealing with registrations, DMV, inspections, car insurance and all that nonsense. There will be other creative ways for the government to track and tax us — but at least that will be gone. Small blessings.

• Egregious 10 lane highways, parking lots and horrible strip malls will be torn up for greenways, forests and other walkable smart cities (not necessarily the conspiracy theory ones) that they already have in Tempe, AZ and other places now. The 1950s model of schools, highways and car-centered societies will go the way of the Model T and we’ll look back and say, Ugh, how ugly and destructive.

• There will be no need for car dealers, enormous car lots and commuter nightmare traffic. These are the last days of car dealers, so enjoy the torture known as car negotiations. Perhaps we will look back with a quaint smile and say, Oh, how fun that was —but probably not.