What the Femme Drive

In this episode, Dawn and Lillie discuss car buying and service tips with special guest, Elli Lane, Affiliate Program Manager for Informativ.

Some highlights from this episode include:

Elli's Tips for Car Buying

 ◦ Get the Carfax 

◦ Ask as many questions as possible 

◦ Put money down 

◦ Get the ESP 

◦ Only buy used if the rate is more than another investment vehicle, or you’re in a bad situation with your car and need the rebates to get out of it.  

◦ If the dealer switches you to another car, it may be the best deal possible, not necessarily trying to sell what they want.  

◦ Don’t give out your SSN until you are ready to purchase.  

◦ Don’t flip out over rate if you’re happy with the rest of the deal, it’s simple interest. (Don’t pay the minimum) 

Things women should know when it comes to servicing your car...

◦ Keep up maintenance at recommended intervals.  

◦ Make sure that you are given otd price on repairs before work is done, and make clear whether you consent to repair at the quoted price or not.  

◦ Know how to add gas, change a tire, and never check your oil while the car is running.  

◦ Read. Your. Manual.  

◦ Make sure you have a dealer you trust, as well as an indie mechanic you trust. 

About Elli's Journey in Automotive...

"I started out as a divorce’ and when it was time to go back into the workforce, instead of returning to welding I went to school for auto service. I started running parts for Auto Zone in school, then went to work for a Dodge dealership as soon as I was able to change oil. I learned everything I could between school and OEM resources, and by the time I decided to leave the shop, I was skilled. I went into service writing to learn to apply my tech knowledge to an area that would put less wear and tear on my body. From the Ford service department I was hired into, I got heckled into sales by the owner. As soon as I accepted his offer, I trained on the floor and was tasked with improving overall store CSI, as well as floor sales. As I progressed in those areas, I was asked to build a BDC, which I did. This started me on the path towards digitizing out service processes, then auditing other areas of the store and implementing digital solutions there as well. Finance, etc. I left my home store to do finance in Powersports before I was offered the position with my current company, which was my credit provider and favorite vendor. I work now to educate dealers and provide digital solutions for credit and compliance.  

The biggest challenge I’ve faced is myself. A lot of progress is learning how to get out of your own way. In every instance I’ve felt challenged, I realized that if I work harder, study more, and see things from a different perspective, I’m able to push forward. A lot of people automatically assume that men in this industry will stand in their way. I think maybe that was the case when I was in trade school with a lot of younger, insecure people. Buying large the old timers in the shop that see you carrying your own weight become allies. You remind them of their sisters, their nieces, and their daughters and when you take yourself seriously, they do too. They are a WEALTH of knowledge. 

My biggest drive is probably my daughter. I need her to know that she can be whoever she is deep down inside and that her interests don’t have to make sense to me or anyone else. I need her to know that she can accomplish anything she’s serious about and that the fear she’s going to feel on her journey is just that, fear. It’s not real and shouldn’t stop her from getting where she wants to go.

I would tell any woman/girl thinking about going into cars, whether sales or service to take the jump, without hesitation. There are so many different areas and so many things to do and see in this industry. There’s a place for everyone. "

Connect with Elli Lane on LinkedIn (Elli Lane, Affiliate Program Manager for Informativ)

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