It is no secret that I love checking out new cars. I go to car dealerships all the time just to look and see what they have even if I am not looking to make a purchase. Eventually months down the road I may have settled on a car or truck that I keep coming back to see. I am probably not the best customer for a car dealership. Most want to convince or pressure you into a deal the very same day that you arrive on their lot. I am obviously a little more methodical than that. So the question is, What makes a good car dealership?

I visited a car dealership in Birmingham, AL over the weekend. They were very friendly and not pushy at all. I hate it when a sales person shadows me and they did not do that. I was very pleased with that aspect because I generally leave quickly if I feel like I am going to get hounded. I am usually pretty knowledgeable about the vehicles before I arrive to the lot as I am always reading the latest reviews at Consumer Reports. Sometimes I like to test the knowledge of the salesman that I am dealing with by asking questions that I already know the answers to. The salesperson that I worked with had good answers to everyone of my questions. This is important for a car dealership. You always want your staff to have knowledge about the vehicles that they are selling. They definitely passed that test. The last thing I would mention is that they were very willing to work with me on the price. Some car dealerships make it sound like it’s an inconvenience to negotiate and almost act as if you are taking food directly from their kid’s mouth.  Those three things are what I believe makes a good car dealership.