Q. Does a new car dealer make more money with new or used cars? — P.S. (via Internet) 

A. It generally makes more money with used cars. 



Q. I have friends who bragged that they “got the better” of a dealership salesperson when buying a car. Are they just blowing hot air? — M.K. (via Internet)

A. Hot air. They may come to a dealer to buy or lease buy a new vehicle every three or four years while a salesman negotiates with a large number of customers every day and knows all the selling maneuvers. And they’re going to outsmart a salesperson? A dealership would go out of business if it allowed customers to get the better of it. That’s not to say that a person can’t get a lower price at one dealer than he or she can get at another. Such things as manufacturer incentives and dealer sales quotas sometimes enter the picture. 



Q. What contributes most to a dealership profits, besides its vehicle sales? — E.W. (via Internet)

A. Its parts and service department and its finance and insurance operations. The finance and insurance side of a dealer sometimes makes it more profit than it gets selling a car. 



Q. What do you think of auto dealer “extras? such as paint-protection plans, add-on devices and extended warranties. — J.M. (via Internet)

A. Most are a waste of money. 



Q. Maserati, the highly respected maker of legendary sports and racing cars, recently put its Levante SUV on sale. Has it no pride? — T.F. (via Internet)

A. Its all about making money. Did you know that even Rolls-Royce has come out with an SUV? 



Q. I’m thinking of buying a used Pantera sports car. Should I do it? Its sleek Italian body looks great and its Ford V-8 engine promises reliability. — G.R. (via Internet)

A. Have a mechanic check it over. The first Panteras sent here had quality problems. Quality of the Pantera, sold in the u.S. from 1971-74, gradually improved, so opt for the latest model you can find. Also, many Panteras that weren’t modified generally were given acceptable owner improvements as the years passed, thus eliminating many of the flaws of the earlier models. 

Q.  What do you think of the Detroit Auto Show being moved from Detroit in January to a new date in June 2020? — M.A. (via Internet)

A. Great move. I always found Detroit in January to be hell, with ice, snow, bitter cold and often no convenient place to park near the show’s downtown location.



Q. What do you think about sending my teenage kids to a good professional driving school that specializes in all sorts of training, from racing to learning just good control of ordinary cars? — M.W. (via Internet)

A. It’s one of the best things you can do for them. These schools aren’t inexpensive but could help save your child’s life one day. And what’s that life worth?



Q. What do you think about France’s Peugeot returning to the United States? — E.C. (via Internet)
 
A. Peugeot pulled out of America in 1991 after peaking here in the mid-1980s, with sales topping 14,000 units at one point. It has greatly improved since then, although its cars weren’t all that bad. But there were some quality and parts availability problems. The latest news in that Peugeot plans a gradual return to the U.S. in the next few years.  Many Americans don’t remember Peugeot—and certainly aren’t familiar with its early history. Peugeot victories included winning the Indianapolis 500 in 1913, 1916 and 1919.




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