COVID Recovery Resource Center

Is it safe to purchase a car during the virus pandemic?

Covid-19 has quickly changed the way auto dealers and consumers interact while shopping for vehicles. Buying for a new car usually involves shaking hands, test driving cars, and sitting across a desk in close proximity with one, or more, sales managers before finally driving away breathing in that new car smell. What have dealerships done in order to ensure customers can still enjoy purchasing a new car without all of the risks associated with the shopping experience during the current pandemic?

White Glove Service

When you hear of businesses that deliver white glove service, you may imagine ultra-fine dining restaurants, luxury country clubs, or even high-end hotels where staff wear tuxedos, carry champagne on trays, and cater to guests needs before the guests even know what they need. White Glove Service, for the automobile industry, has been adapted to represent consistently deep cleaning all areas of the dealership and vehicles, as well as adopting new shopping experiences such as online sales and home delivery of test drive vehicles and new car purchases.

Employees, from the service department to offices, sales managers to mechanics, are all taking part to ensure that all ‘touch points’ are cleaned daily or after any use such as during a test drive. Steering wheels, key fabs, door handles, all buttons and windows, and chairs, are meticulously cleaned to make sure that every customer begins with a clean slate. Some employees have even adopted wearing white gloves in order to show their dedication to the mission.

The basics continue to be respected – wearing face masks, adhering to social distancing – but the extent that dealerships have been going to to ensure customer safety and health is nothing less than impressive. Combined with tremendous discounts and low loan rates, this really may be the best time in history to jump behind the wheel of a new car.