Most clients find us through one of a few channels: through a Google search for βnational car buying serviceβ; through chat boards for car fans; and through referrals from Car Pal clients, friends, colleagues, and family members.
Believe it or not, in only six years of operation, our repeat business is already over 50%! Some clients have used our services three times already. I often become friends with clients and remain connected through Facebook and/or email.
Yes, often they want home delivery and a dealership will say they canβt do that, but we arrange it. Sometimes clients want to trade in their vehicle without going to a dealership but the dealership will insist they bring it in; sometimes they want to buy a car online and the dealership will insist that they come in. We handle those situations so clients donβt have to. Sometimes clients want to buy a used vehicle out of state but are concerned about the condition of the vehicle, or about their satisfaction once the vehicle arrives. For these clients, we offer the service of vetting vehicles that are long distance.
Oh, it was an impossible-to-find vehicle in Chicago for a client in Boston. Paul Bottino (who gave us permission to use his name) is the executive director of the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at the Harvard School of Engineering, and he was looking at a rare pre-owned 2011 Audi convertible S5 in dark blue. The dealership selling the vehicle was arguing with us on the phone about our taking the vehicle to a mechanic for a routine check. One of our team members went to the dealership and they still wouldnβt allow her to take the car to a mechanic—they claimed that other buyers were driving up from Tennessee to buy the car. Three weeks later, the car was still available at that dealership! When we asked the dealership about it, they confessed that there was a problem with the engine, and took it off the market. Of course, that was the end of our dealing with them. However, our client really wanted this vehicle, and we finally found another one in Miami for him.