'Wasted A Ton Of Time': Driver Wants $60K Car. Then The Saleswoman Calls Them Out For Not Answering Most Crucial Question First

A car salesperson is pushing back on one of the most common fears buyers have at the dealership.

Jessica (@jessica.at.dellen), who works in car sales, shared why salespeople ask customers about their monthly budget.

She says the question is not meant to pry into someone’s finances. Instead, it helps determine whether a vehicle is actually within a customer’s price range.

Jessica says there is little point in spending hours discussing a $60,000 vehicle if the payments end up being far outside a shopper’s budget.

“We just wasted a ton of time, and you got your hopes up,” she says.

She acknowledges that many buyers are reluctant to share a payment target because they worry it will be used against them during negotiations. But Jessica says her intentions are “pure” and that she is trying to narrow down the options and keep the process moving. As of this writing, the video has generated more than 3,300 views.

Should You Tell A Dealer Your Monthly Budget?

Jessica’s explanation reflects one side of a debate that comes up all the time in car buying.

From a salesperson’s perspective, knowing a customer’s budget can help narrow the search and avoid spending hours looking at vehicles that ultimately won’t work financially. If someone is shopping for a payment closer to $400 a month, there may not be much value in test-driving vehicles that would cost substantially more.

But many consumer advocates caution buyers against focusing solely on monthly payments.

That’s because the same vehicle can produce very different monthly payments depending on the loan length, interest rate, down payment, and other financing terms. A dealer can lower the monthly payment by stretching the loan over a longer term, even if the buyer ends up paying more overall.

For that reason, many car-buying experts recommend negotiating the vehicle’s total price first rather than starting with a monthly payment target. They also suggest reviewing the financing terms and the total amount payable over the life of the loan.

That doesn’t necessarily mean Jessica is in the wrong. A monthly budget remains an important factor in determining what a buyer can realistically afford. The disagreement is really about when that number should be included in the conversation. That’s why some buyers answer the question immediately, while others avoid it altogether. 

Viewers Cast Doubt On Saleswoman

Commenters who watched Jessica’s video were skeptical of her suggestion that buyers should disclose their preferred monthly payment, with many arguing that dealerships use that information to their advantage during negotiations.

“Sorry, but if I had a dollar for every dealership that doesn’t work like this,” one person remarked.

“So provide the out-the-door price and ask if they can afford [it] by [giving] the payment at different terms,” another suggested.

“If I arrive at your dealership, I shopped loans before you met me,” a third commenter wrote. “I’m not there to share what I can spend. I’m there to see what things cost.”

Others echoed that sentiment.

“Just give us the OTD price with no bs fees/packages, and give us the buy rate,” one person said.

“Thanks for the laughter,” another added, signaling they weren’t buying Jessica’s explanation.

Still, not everyone disagreed.

“At least 30% of people have no idea that 500 per month can’t get you a $70,000 car!! So asking can save a ton of time!” one commenter argued.

“As a former car salesman, I agree with you,” another shared.

Some viewers were more surprised that shoppers with relatively small monthly budgets would spend time looking at expensive vehicles in the first place.

“How many people look at 60-70k priced cars expecting a 300 monthly payment?” one commenter asked.

Jessica jumped into the replies to answer.

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“You’d be surprised, honestly. A lot of people truly don’t know what payments roughly line up with certain vehicle prices, and there’s no shame in that. Before I got into car sales, I had no clue either. Math was never my strong suit, and I know a lot of people can relate to that. That’s why I always ask upfront what someone is comfortable with monthly. I’m not trying to judge anyone, I’m trying to guide them and save everyone time while helping them understand the process better,” she wrote.

Motor1 has reached out to Jessica via direct message on TikTok. We’ll update this story if we hear back.

 

 

 

 

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