A car-buying experience that met my specific MG needs
In praise of people who listen to what I want in keeping with my disabilities
I bought a car last week, and that’s not even the best part.
My sales rep is the star of this show.
I’d been looking at trading in my 2018 Dodge Grand Caravan for a few months. I loved that van for what it was. It helped us make the trek from Maine to Wisconsin. But it was time for something different. As with mobility aids, needs can change over time.
I started looking at a local dealership in November. After filling out a survey to figure out what I could get as a trade-in value for the van, I was entered into the dealership’s marketing system. They called. I didn’t answer. Then they sent a text message.
My sales rep was on the other end of that text message. I explained that I have myasthenia gravis, that it affects my vocal cords and ability to speak sometimes, and that I don’t talk on the phone so I can save my voice for in-person interactions. For the following three months, I didn’t receive another call. My sales rep texted me to check in and get updates.
Then came the day to visit the dealership and buy my new car. I had a couple of nonnegotiables and must-haves that my salesperson was aware of.
My new car had to have “butt warmers” to help ease the constant pain in my lower back and hips. It had to have a remote start so I could better control the climate of the vehicle — its heat in the winter and air conditioning in the summer. It had to easily accommodate my wheelchair. And it needed to get better fuel efficiency than my van because of all my travel to medical appointments.
When plans have good results
One vehicle met all those requirements. My sales rep had it ready to go when I arrived at the dealership. But that wasn’t the best part.
He remembered the little details of all our past conversations. The one that especially impressed me was when he acknowledged that he’d love to sit and chat but didn’t want to wear out my voice.
He made a difference in my car-buying process. So if you’re in sales and reading this, here are a few tips so you can be like my car sales rep:
Keep your customers needs and wants in the front of your mind. It may seem frivolous or silly to you, but trust me when I say that your disabled customers have valid reasons for requesting those features.
Acknowledge their disability. It’s an integral part of how they live life and what they need. Let them be the guide when it comes to what they want or need from you. Rather than sit in an office, for example, I was allowed to sit at a bar-height table and chair set to do most of the paperwork because I could get into and out of it more easily. My sales rep and his manager came to me.
Don’t push, dismiss, or hustle. My salesperson never pressured me into any decision. Neither did his manager or the finance guy. Everyone was transparent about every step of the process and continuously checked in with me to make sure I was good with where we were in the process. I didn’t have my husband with me and never once felt taken advantage of in the whole car-buying process.
So be like this sales rep and see your customer satisfaction soar. He now has another loyal customer, ensuring that I’ll always go to him for any of my vehicle needs.
Note: Myasthenia Gravis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Myasthenia Gravis News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to myasthenia gravis.
About the Author
Brinda Diebel
My husband and I are looking into a new car , this was so helpful , I never thought of it , hope I find good customer care this was exceptional.
Shawna Barnes
Best of luck Brinda! I ended up getting a 2022 Chevrolet Equinox and love it so far.
Jonathan Autore
Thanks for your automobile shopping information. For 8 months, not a single doctor or the first two of my five hospitals in 2020 could diagnose my MG disease. I had two cars at the time, one was a low 2002 black Thunderbird convertible and the other was a 2004 red Chevy SSR. So, I found I had MG problems, to get around with both cars.
1) The SSR was higher off the ground ... so easier to get out of the driver seat, stand and walk. I had my MG symptoms appear in July 2019 and was finally diagnosed correctly by a third floor nurse at my second of five hospitals of 2020 ... on March 20, 2020. My father died earlier, undiagnosed by his doctors and the hospital, on 7-10-2016. He had all the MG symptoms that I would later have ... so I drove him to many doctors appointments. For dad, my Tbird convertible worked better for him, as I could lower my ragtop roof ... so he would have less trouble getting his body and head into the passenger seat ... and I could more easily have him swivel to the door opening and I could easily pull him out and on his feet, without the car roof in the way.
2) My big MG trouble was that both cars had a center console ... between the front seats... parking brake release lever. You pushed in the button at the end of the slanted brake lever, and gravity/weight would drop the brake lever to down position, releasing my parking brakes. But both times, I was pooped out, walking from car in and out of a doctor's appt ... about 5 months into my unknown symptoms. On both cars, I did not have the FINGER GRIP STRENGTH to push down the brake release button ... or even open a water bottle. Because I was so MG pooped out, I still had yesterday's canned food in my Tbird ... so a grabbed a can of Campbell's Chicken Soup, and really slammed my soup can into the knob end, and the brake lever dropped.
The second time with the Chevy SSR, same problem, too weak to push down its knob. I figured that I could not get someone in the parking lot to help me release my brake ... (if you can not even release a simple lever ... then WHY should you be out DRIVING at all ??). I did not have a soup can in that car ... but I had a couple of hard cover library books, so I grabbed a book at both ends and really slammed it into the brake lever button ... and the lever dropped with gravity, releasing my parking brake ... so that I could go home, lie down, and rest/recover my muscles ... so that I could have dinner, grip a fork, and close my jaw, with my left hand to chew my food.
Until you have my MG symptoms, you never stop to think about normal day to day activities ... and that at times, you needed to close one eye ... when your eyes seemed to be competing with each other. Five years on, I am fairly stable with CELLCEPT and MESTINON ... but have the MG issues of Onset Insomnia poor sleep issues, Hearing issues at the softer sounds, and gardening arm wounds that take weeks to heal, from all my blood thinner and immune suppression meds.
Shawna Barnes
This is all great information. Thanks for sharing Jonathan! I ended up getting a 2022 Chevrolet Equinox. I love it!
Marge Rob
I would love to know what type of car you purchased, so I can follow suit and find a vehicle that can accommodate my MG.
Shawna Barnes
Hey Marge. I ended up getting a 2022 Chevy Equinox. I really love it so far.