The Review Words That Separate Good and Bad Car Dealers

The review words that mark a bad dealer are about the car failing and the money, and the words that mark a good one are about pressure, fees and honesty.

How to Read These Numbers

We looked at which subjects come up in the public reviews of each dealer. Then we compared A dealers with F dealers. Each number below is the share of dealers in that grade whose reviews mention the subject.

One thing to keep in mind. A mention means the subject came up. It does not mean the review was happy or angry. A buyer might write that there was no warranty problem, or that there was one. So we say a word shows up in the reviews of a group. We do not say what every buyer felt.

The grades themselves are explained on our grading page.

Words That Show Up Around F Dealers

These subjects show up far more in the reviews of F dealers than A dealers.

• Lemon shows up for 7.7 percent of F dealers and 0.1 percent of A dealers.
• Scam shows up for 7.7 percent of F dealers and 0.1 percent of A dealers.
• Money shows up for 17.5 percent of F dealers and 0.3 percent of A dealers.
• Mechanic shows up for 10.2 percent of F dealers and 0.6 percent of A dealers.
• Warranty shows up for 12 percent of F dealers and 3 percent of A dealers.
• Title shows up for 2.5 percent of F dealers and 0 percent of A dealers.

Read that list again and a story comes out. The car broke. The buyer took it to a mechanic. The warranty did not help. They want their money back. Some had trouble getting the title. That is the path a bad deal tends to follow.

Check Engine Light and Transmission

Two words matter a lot to anyone who fixes cars. Check engine light shows up in the reviews of 5.5 percent of F dealers and 0 percent of A dealers. Transmission shows up for 6.3 percent of F dealers and 0.1 percent of A dealers.

These are not small things. A transmission job can cost more than some used cars are worth. A check engine light can be a loose gas cap or a failing engine part.

Here is the catch. A light that is off on the lot may not stay off. Codes can be cleared right before a sale, and the light can stay dark for days. We wrote about how sellers hide a check engine light. A full scan that reads the readiness monitors can show if codes were wiped recently.

Words That Show Up Around A Dealers

The good words are about how the buyer was treated.

• No pressure sales shows up for 50.4 percent of A dealers and 8.3 percent of F dealers.
• Honest staff shows up for 13.6 percent of A dealers and 5.2 percent of F dealers.
• No hassle shows up for 9.6 percent of A dealers and 1.2 percent of F dealers.
• No hidden fees shows up for 4 percent of A dealers and 0.3 percent of F dealers.
• No upselling shows up for 2.8 percent of A dealers and 0.1 percent of F dealers.
• Transparent pricing shows up for 1.1 percent of A dealers and 0.1 percent of F dealers.
• Video inspection shows up for 2.4 percent of A dealers and 0 percent of F dealers.

No pressure is the big one. It shows up for 50.4 percent of A dealers, more than any other subject. Buyers remember when they were given time to think.

What the Pattern Tells You

Good reviews talk about the sale. Bad reviews talk about what came after it. That is worth knowing, because the sale is the part you see. The car trouble shows up weeks later, when it is harder to fix.

So when you read reviews, skip past the praise for friendly staff. Look for words about the car itself and about money. If you see lemon, transmission or title in more than a few reviews, take it seriously. Our guide to the signs of a bad car dealer has more to watch for.

Use Words to Guide Your Questions

The words in a dealer's reviews can tell you what to ask.

• If warranty keeps coming up, ask what is covered and get it in writing.
• If title comes up, ask to see the title before you pay.
• If money comes up, ask for the out the door price in writing.
• If mechanic comes up, plan to have the car checked first.

A Scan Before You Sign

Most of the bad words above start with a car problem nobody caught. Our used car inspection includes a full OBD-II scan with readiness monitors, a road test and a 122 point check, with photos of what we find. We go to the car, and the report comes the same day.

Common Questions

Get the Car Inspected