Only if our Plano location is a convenient place to meet. Otherwise, we will meet with you at a location convenient to you. We work evenings and weekends, also. If you are interested in hiring us to personal shop for you, it is best to make an appointment for our first meeting, since we are frequently away from the office during the day meeting with other clients, delivering vehicles, attending auctions, etc.

What geographic area does personalvehicleshopper.com^sm serve?

While we have no geographic limitations, because of the highly personal nature of our business we concentrate on Collin, Dallas, Tarrant, Denton and Grayson Counties in North Central Texas. Having said that, we also have clients in Chicago, Pittsburgh, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Midland (TX), Shreveport (LA), Oklahoma City, and Phoenix.

What are your sources for cars and trucks?

In order of importance, our sources are (1) Metroplex-based dealer auctions; (2) wholesalers with whom we have working relationships; and (3) private parties.

How many vehicles are auctioned in the Dallas area?

Each week, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, our Dallas-area dealer auctions run nearly 11,000 cars, pickups, sport-utilities and vans. Our selection is so great that dealers fly in from all over the United States to buy their inventories here.

Who are the sellers at these dealer auctions?

New car dealers (trade-ins), manufacturers’ finance companies (GMAC, Toyota Motor Credit, etc.), leasing companies, auto manufacturers ("program cars"), wholesalers, rental car agencies, and independent used car dealers.

Don’t the auctions only sell older or junk cars?

While there are always some “blue smoke specials” coming through, there are also many late-model lease returns and trade-ins in excellent condition. In fact, some 2004 models are beginning to show up! These are what we typically buy.

What is a "program car"?

A program car is one that has been previously titled, purchased directly from the manufacturer (not through a dealer), and typically used as a rental or short-term (less than 2 year) lease. Program cars may have also been sold by the manufacturer to one of its own divisions for use by company managers and executives.

I told a used car salesman at a new car dealership about your service. He just laughed, and said that only the cars they don't want go to auction.

We can assure you that on any given week, we are standing right next to his boss, the used car MANAGER, bidding against him as he tries to buy inventory. While it's true that the big dealerships will have access to "creampuff" trade-ins (so do we from time to time) and occasional closed factory sales, even those cars will wind up at auction if they sit more than a couple of weeks on the lot. A big dealership MUST turn its inventory rapidly to avoid a "stale" appearance.

How am I protected from getting a bad car?

We have experience evaluating and appraising cars that dates back to 1968, and we personally inspect EVERY vehicle we buy before we buy it for mechanical and body condition. We use a $500 electronic Elcometer coatings gauge to determine the thickness of paint in millionths of a meter, allowing us to accurately assess ANY kind of body repair! We concentrate on cars that still have remaining factory warranty (generally 3 years or 36,000 miles for most cars, 4 years or 50,000 miles for “high-line” cars). Also, the auctions have policies requiring the disclosure of frame or unibody damage. NO SALVAGE TITLES OR CARS ARE EVEN ALLOWED AT THESE AUCTIONS! All of these factors, while not totally eliminating all risk, certainly reduce it to a minimal level. Every client to whom we have delivered a car or truck has been anywhere from very satisfied to extremely satisfied with her or his vehicle! We have had NO cars refused when delivered. Period. (A list of references is available upon request.)

What warranties do you offer?

Because we only charge a reasonable fee in addition to the dealer wholesale price (rather than the traditional retail markup), we cannot offer warranties. However, most of the cars we purchase for our clients are still covered by the manufacturer for some period, and extended warranties are available.

Is there a general rule on where a car is the best buy in terms of initial depreciation?

The general rule is that the steepest depreciation curve for most cars and trucks is over between 2 and 3 years of age. However, as you can see in our testimonials page, we have saved significant amounts for clients even when purchasing used cars of the current model year!

Can you arrange financing?

While we do not finance vehicles ourselves, we have referral relationships with several lenders, including banks and credit unions. We have also have the ability to find lenders for clients with some blemishes on their credit histories.

Can I go to the auction with you to check out the cars?

Unfortunately, the auction companies do not permit our clients to accompany us to the sales.

Will you take my old car as a trade-in?

You almost always can do significantly better on price by selling your old vehicle yourself. However, we realize that many clients prefer not to be involved in car sales. In these cases, we can either take the old vehicle in as a trade, or consign it for retail sale. In either case, the client gets the benefit of the sales tax offset. While we must take trades at dealer wholesale prices, we will always beat an offer from a superstore!

Are you always cheaper than the dealers or the big superstores?

While we cannot guarantee lower prices, that has been our overwhelming experience. See our testimonials page for several actual examples.  We have saved clients anywhere from $500 to $2,000 or more than if they bought equivalent cars at the dealers or superstores! A recent survey of area used car dealers revealed that on a typical $15,000 used car or truck, the dealer's profit on the final selling price averaged $2,500! Compare that with our fee of $1,000 for the same vehicle.

Are the late model cars you locate in absolutely perfect or "mint" condition?

Any car that has been used on public streets will exhibit some degree of wear.  Our President's former national show winning Buick GSX had 3 paint chips and a parking lot gouge.  And it was only driven about 400 miles per year.  What we do for you is use our decades of experience to determine how much wear is appropriate for the car's age and mileage.  We are pickier than the vast majority of our clients!

What happens if I must see the car and approve it before committing to buy?

Then, unfortunately, our service will not work for you. In our non-traditional program, we are your eyes, ears and hands with respect to the selection. In fact, in over 90% of cases, we call our client as we are examining the car before the auction to describe condition, door dings, stone chips, etc. If after all of that you must still approve of the car in person before committing to buy, you will need to buy from a traditional dealer or a private party. Remember, though, the privilege of personally evaluating the car yourself might cost you $500 to $1,500 or more! And that's just in price. You also could buy for yourself a car that has had major accident damage, and was fixed very well, so well, in fact, that you might not know until it's too late!

Why should I do business with you?

Rather than a traditional dealership with inventory to sell, our primary job is to locate, evaluate and  buy what YOU want, and work with you in a consultative, professional and low-pressure manner while saving you time and money!