Setting a standard for Broker use of rebates in advertisements

Suggestions
#1

I know that I’m new to brokering here, but I am a longtime member and this has always annoyed me. It’s become even more of an annoyance since starting to broker.

I see other brokers posting prices for cars with a monthly that is very low because they are stacking in a ridiculous amount of incentives of which almost no one would qualify for all of them.

I view this forum as a place to be free of annoying dealer like tactics. We’re all here to add transparency to the leasing process. Incentive stacking and then playing the “you don’t qualify for this” game is dealership nonsense that I think has no place here. Especially not when it’s an unrealistic stack.

Personally, I think all brokers should be advertising monthly’s only with incentives that there are no qualifications for, and then simply list what people can add if they qualify. I kind of get it with the BMW crowd, it might be safe to assume loyalty there, but elsewhere, it’s not as easy to assume what people would qualify for.

It is very annoying as a broker to have to explain to a newer user why the $350 price they saw on someone else’s spreadsheet isn’t actually going to be $350 for them.

That’s my .2c for this evening.

16 Likes
#2

Like most in the business, there’s a domino effect where if one broker/dealer offers a car at a very low rate, inclusive of all available rebates, the rest need to follow suit in order to appear competitive. So it’d have to be a situation where everyone adheres to the same standard of posting, or some sort of hybrid where something like loyalty alone may be included, but not VPP/Corporate or a 1st responder discount, etc.

1 Like
#3

Yes, including first responder discounts as standard is a bit ridiculous.

Personally, I refuse to do it.

I used to include conquest, I don’t even do that now.

My deals only show incentives that anyone would qualify for, and if we can make it cheaper, that’s great. It might lose me a few low effort people, but I think it’s overall better.

4 Likes
#4

I am not a broker and don’t engage in any fleetmanship however have been able to make a lot of deals by creating custom quotes with this email:

Hi <{TitleCase}><{CustFirstName}><{/TitleCase}>,

Thank you for reaching out about the <{SoughtYear}> <{SoughtMake}> <{SoughtModel}> <{SoughtTrim}> .

So that I can provide you with the exceptional service and best price possible may I ask you a few questions?

  1. Please confirm, for tax purposes, what zip code this vehicle will be registered to?

  2. Do you belong to any large groups such as USAA, AAA, or Costco?

  3. What current vehicles are registered in your household and what year? (no trade-ins are required for great pricing!)

  4. Do you prefer 10K miles, 12k miles or 15k miles on this lease?

  5. How much money, if any, would you like to put down on this lease?

  6. If you like the competitive quote I obtain for you then would you be ready to do business within the next three days?

  7. Might you qualify for the Recent College Grad Rebate or Military Rebate?

Curious about your trade-in value? Please click here for an Official Edmunds True Market Value.

Thank you and be well,

1 Like
#5

While I’d prefer things to be standardized, at bare minimum, included rebates should be called out. Saying something like “includes all available rebates” does no one any good.

7 Likes
#6

I agree that would also be a good move.

#7

I like the brokers that have a spread sheet that breaks everything down, and even better, some include a link to the calculator. If your deals or you are not transparent, I doubt you’ll have much success here( and you will get roasted on your thread and memed)

3 Likes
#8

The low price doesn’t bother me to each there own but the constant bumps for every life event gets annoying…My neighbors dog had puppies, oh and i have cars to sell. All business related updates should go in review pages.

4 Likes
#9

I wouldn’t go to far down this road, a lot of the “brokers” on here are far from being actual brokers.

6 Likes
#10

I think broker fees should be included in lease calculator links.

5 Likes
#11

Oh you don’t like how they slip it in that it’s in addition to whatever the DAS. Most of the wannabes need it up front because they are selling phone numbers and aren’t actual brokers

1 Like
#12

I like this energy, expand on it. What qualifies a broker in your eyes. This is the second time today I have read this.

#13

Are you licensed? Do you have relationships with multiple dealers? Do you sell phone numbers? If one dealer cuts you off are you out of business? (Full disclosure, I was on the dealer side for a long time so my perspective might be jaded)

7 Likes
#14

Not all states require “broker” license, FYI

1 Like
#15

On a related topic, I think I’ve found a BMW dealer that brokers use, and could share it with users. What are thoughts on the ethics around posting the dealer’s name?

Is there reason to protect brokers’ ability to charge people $400 - $700 for something that I and possibly others are willing to give away for free on a “leasehacking” site? Should non-brokers try to help out people to get deals without paying for brokers? I think we are too respectful of brokers honestly.

2 Likes
#16

If you’re literally trying to out a specific broker, thats just kind of a dick move.

If you got a car from a broker and then go to tell people, thats a dick move.

I wouldn’t even trust that you found a dealer, if you’re going by images, because almost no one uses actually photos from their dealer.

Now, if you, on your own, got a hackr worthy deal, and you want to share that, then thats fine. Anything else is, as I said, a dick move.

2 Likes
#17

Yes, on my own, I found a dealer that matches the deal a broker is offering.

I think its a dick move to charge people $400 to forward a lead to a dealer.

And I think the constant insinuation that non-brokers are doing “dick moves” if they actually help folks with pricing information is a dick move.

2 Likes
#18

I would tend to agree, although I can tell you, as I have started doing this, it’s a lot more than that for me at least. It’s my job to get that lead fully qualified before sending them on to the dealer.

I spend a ton of my time dealing with people who ask ridiculous questions, try to negotiate on an already bottomed out deal, ask for quotes on 3 cars and then ghost me, etc.

I’m a low level broker and I spend hours and hours dealing with people. I have answered over 100 inquires since i started a few weeks ago and 90% of them are a waste of time.

#19

I don’t think it’s a dick move but be ready for the dealer to shut you down when you ask for the deal. Brokers get specific pricing based the amount of leads generated and promise in some cases a specific amount of vehicles a month. The intent is to save a client thousands, while making hundreds. Dealers rely on brokers to hit bonuses.

1 Like
#20

I don’t think non-brokers helping folks with pricing info is a dick move. Post your deal. You got it on your own. It happens all the time. Tell people where you got it. If you got it from a broker and then tried to out them, that would be somewhat unethical in my opinion, almost anything else is fair game.