What exactly is an Auto Consultant? For me, I know what it means, but for others it means something else.
A consultant is an Expert or Professional that gives advice, guidance, etc., so that one can achieve a result with the least amount of grief, all the while being proficient and effective. Funny thing, they don't all operate the same in this sense.
If you look at the heirachy of the Auto Industry, there are a few positions. However, there is the retailer and the consumer, from the viewpoint as the consumer. As a dealer, the manufacturer is the wholesaler. That's right, dealers buy the vehicles from the manufacturer. That's why some of them get caught with their pants down at the end of the year and they have those blowout sales (mainly domestics). In terms of the manufacturer, everyone below is a customer. .
I recently had some "conversations" with one of the Big 3 here in the States; and it was actually painful dealing with them, whereas a similar situation with BMW, which I'm not afraid to say was a pleasure. One, The red carpet treatment...the other a nightmare. Night and day. Incidentally, the client had bought four vehicles in a row from them, which makes it really off. I wonder why most of my recommendations are foreign?
You are probably wondering how the two connect, the manufacturers and Auto Consulting. Very simply, will the manufacturer stand behind their product? Period. So, when I come across this type of situation it has to translate into confidence in the product and customer satisfaction/service goes a long way.
As the reliabilty happens to be a staple in what people need and want in a vehicle there has to be some backing from the manufacturer.
From my end, I have to see what the customer/client doesn't see. We go over a 30 question questionnaire, but in my space, there are hundreds of questions I'm asking myself. As a result, they have a tailor fit vehicle.
Sure, there are other Auto Consultants, but they may operate in different aspects of the heirachy or concentrate more so on the price. Not here. The right vehicle for the right person- for the right price.
I'll give you a great example. The Subaru STI...great product. One the best bang for your bucks. However, you will not get the frills, just the thrills. Sorry, I couldn't resist. What they don't realize with this particular vehicle, is that the tires have a treadwear of 140. What does that mean? Well simply, the lower the number (treadwear), the faster it will wear out. However, you will get the performance-that's for sure. So, what does THAT mean? That means that you will be replacing your tires every 6 months, with that treadwear. You see, the car was designed with those tires to maximize the performance and it would be best to have those tires. The manufacturers spend millions in the fine tuning of the vehicle. So, what turns into being the "Best bang for the buck" seemingly might get struck. Further, those tires are not cheap. You can count on paying two times more, at least than an average performance tire. What's the solution to this? Find the right combo. Maybe you spend a couple of grand more, but over the period of the car ownership you'll save a lot more. Lotus Elise, similar situation. Great performance, if you are munchkin (you can't be more that 5?9? in that car and sit comfortably). In fact, I had to take off my shoe so that the gas pedal and brake didn't hit. On a side note, the tread wear is 60, which means you'll be changing your oil with your tires, every 3000 miles. Not cheap. And you never want to go into a driveway/parking lot wrong or hit a pot hole. Both will be very costly. Another factor with the STI(Subaru) -it's all wheel drive AND Turbo. What does that mean in terms of insurance? Well, lets just say let's hope Daddy has a trust fund. Solution, find something without the Turbo or the AWD. Again, on a long term basis you will save thousands and possibly get a nicer/upgraded car.
Someone will undoubtly send me an email telling me I'm wrong or off saying that they are amazing vehicles. Well, I'll save you the trouble. They are both AMAZING vehicles, but they may be not for my clients. That's all.
Remember, there is no perfect car. There is only a perfect car for you!
I'm off to CES (Consumer Electronic Show) in Vegas , so I can better service my clients with cutting edge Automotive technology.
Lawrence Ribeiro
