What is it mean if a car dealer calls themselves “wholesale”?
Maybe nothing, maybe that they’re a higher-volume dealer with (possibly) lower prices, but don’t count on it.
Sorry first post, didn’t finish it. New here. Anyways, I’m hunting for a used car, possibly a Mazda 3. There is an entire 5-mile stretch of car dealers close to where I live, many of them shady-looking (including one with a billboard with a parrot saying “Even I was approved!!!”). I’ve noticed that a place that looks semi-reputable has cars that are somewhat cheaper than those sold at the dealers. They describe themselves as “wholesale”. Does this mean anything special, or are they just another used car lot?
Ask them and see what they say. On the other hand, as used car salesmen, you won’t be able to trust anything they say. Maybe they think they have a unique source of used cars but in the end all they have are used cars that they know absolutely nothing about. (Except for the fact that somebody no longer wanted this used car.)
Technically, an auto wholesaler is someone who sells used cars to retail dealerships. Typically, dealers buy used cars several thousands less than trade-in value and mark them up $2 - $5k. If a retail dealers says they are “wholesale to the public” it’s just marketing BS.
Twotone
When YOU buy a car it’s RETAIL…When a DEALER buys a car to resell, it’s WHOLESALE…
Most of these dealers buy their cars at Dealer-Only wholesale auctions. What YOU need to think about is “Why was this car sold at auction??” Why did some other dealer unload it?
The BEST used cars are found on the lots of New Car Dealers…Or from Geezers who drive very little or not at all…
Most cars I find sold at auction are rentals, with a smaller portion being lease returns (which are generally sold at auction by the manufacturer, not the dealer).
I generally do not see a problem with a car sold at auction if it comes from a rental fleet or a lease… its the one-owner car that someone bought outright that is back less than two years later and is up for sale again that I get suspicious about… The rentals and leases are generally cars that just hit an age where they were up for sale again purely because of age, not a string of mechanical problems.
Unless they’re sleling to only licensed dealers, it means they’re using the term in a way such as to intentionally mislead the buying public. It means they’re dishonest. You need look there no further.
And we have AutoWholeSalers here in NH. As far as I know they ONLY sell to the public (i.e…NOT A WHOLESALER. )
What is it mean if a car dealer calls themselves “wholesale”?
They know how to sell cars. It means nothing about price, service or the cars they are selling.
I think it means once you buy it it is yours, no matter what is wrong with it. No refunds, no returns.
I buy my tools and equipment at R&R Public Wholesalers in Hooksett. I highly recommend them.
But tools cannot have hidden secrets, disasters about to happen.
Interestingly, the only tool I’ve bought elsewhere in a very long time was a tensioner tool from Pepboys. I figured it’d give me better access in a tight spot. The stupid thing broke on me the first time I used it. I ended up using a breaker bar, like I’d originally planned.
It’s probably something along the lines where a store says it’s a “new low price”, when the sale price on the item is more expensive than what the normal price was 2 weeks ago.
I’d say go further than 5 miles to find a good dealership, you never know where you’ll find it.
Rather than Wholesalers, you might look up auto auctions and see what you find in that category. At least you’ll know upfront what you are dealing with.
Never heard of them. Have to check them out next time I’m in Hooksett…Last time I was in Hooksett was at the new(ish) movie theater.
You have GOT to check them out. They’re a few miles north of the new cinema on the right. They have everything you can possibly imagine including the heavy stuff like hydraulic hoists, sheetmetal breaks, gritblasting stations, welding equipment, and even small engines. And, of course, every hand tool imaginable.
They’re open Tuesdays through Sundays until 6:00.
Hey everyone, thanks for the advice. Looks like I’ll be going to an actual dealer!
I will thanks…They near Goodales???
North of Goodales. After Goodales you go by the cinema on the left, then the Kmart plaza on the right, then Shaws plaza on the left. Beyond that and just over the rise is R&R Public Wholesalers.