What Savvy Car Shoppers Know

At Journey Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, we have some of the best customers in the business. Through our years of experience, we’ve come to know what our friends and neighbours expect from us – top-quality vehicles and customer service. We work hard to provide both! 
We also think you should know what savvy shoppers do before they even walk through the doors of a car dealership. That way, you’ll feel confident in communicating what you want so that our team will be able to exceed expectations. 
Research 
Knowledge is power. The more you know about the process, the better. Do a little research ahead of walking into a dealership and take time to think through your wants and needs about the make and model vehicle in which you are most interested. 

Are you looking for a commuter car, or do you need room for a growing family? 
Do you take lots of camping or fishing trips or like to go off-roading? 
Are you in high school or about to start college? 
Are you an empty-nester, and it’s time for your dream car? 

All of these questions are good starting points for thinking through priorities. Once you begin eliminating vehicles from your list, it’s easier to settle on some makes and models that make the most sense for your lifestyle. 
It may be easier to start on the appropriate Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, or RAM corporate website to narrow down all your options. Once you choose the vehicle you’re most interested in, there are still features like seating and trim packages, technology, and safety features to think through. 
Alternatively, you can go straight to the Journey Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram website to click through our inventory of both new and used vehicles to help in your search. 
No matter where you are in the process of buying a car, you should feel confident about calling to ask a sales team or finance team member any questions you may have.  
Financing 
The next step in your research should be sharpening your pencil and thinking through your financing. Customers tell us that financing can be the most unnerving part of purchasing a new car. We understand! It’s always a little awkward talking about your finances with a stranger. 
At Journey Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, our finance team consists of some of the best number-crunchers in the business. We want to work with you to find a financing agreement that works with your budget, not against it. We know if your financing agreement puts you in a bind, your car will never bring the kind of pleasure it should, and we don’t want that. 
One of the most important steps you can take in your car-shopping research is determining the amount you can afford per month to spend on your new vehicle. There are many online resources; however, a good rule of thumb is to start with your take-home pay. 
If you are buying a new car, your car payment should not be more than 15% of your monthly take-home pay. If you’re planning to lease or purchase a used car, your monthly payment shouldn’t be more than 10% of your take-home pay. 
If the car you’ve got your heart set on doesn’t appear to be within your budget, don’t be discouraged! There are several incentives, specials, and even certified pre-owned vehicles that may get you well within your budget. 
Before you come into the dealership, you can use our online financing tools to apply for credit and even value your trade-in. 

Customer Service 
Savvy shoppers know that excellent customer service should be every dealership’s top priority. We work for you, not the other way around. If you go into a dealership and feel the sales team members don’t have time to answer your questions, help you think through your priorities, or aren’t giving you the kind of thoughtful, knowledgeable answers you need, you should find another dealership. 
At Journey Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram on Christmas Way, we take the time you need to find the car for you. We know that purchasing a vehicle is a significant investment that takes time. We respect both your time and space. We won’t hassle you or follow you around the dealership trying to make small talk. 
We know the best relationships start with professionalism and courtesy. We are here to give you good advice based on brand knowledge and years of experience. Savvy shoppers know that’s the kind of relationship that works best and that keeps them coming back. 
Explore all your options – both new and pre-owned vehicles. Take the time for a test drive – or two. Sit down with our finance team. We want you to feel at ease with us. At Journey Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, savvy shoppers keep coming back to find top-quality cars and top-quality people. Come see us TODAY!