What Is the Ultimate Customer Experience When Shopping for a Used Car?

1. Trust and Reputation: Reviews, Reviews, Reviews

62% of consumers shopping for a used car look at a dealership's Google reviews—specifically the star rating, how many reviews there are, and the most current reviews.

At Gerald Auto Sales we have over 800 Google reviews with a 4.7-star rating. Click here to see what our customers are saying about their experience →

2. Speed and Communication: Emails and Calls

61% of consumers are put off by slow responses, and 46% will leave if staff seems disinterested.

At Gerald Auto Sales over 90% of all communications are answered in under 5 minutes. Our staff is professional, knowledgeable, and 100% customer-focused—guaranteed.

3. Vehicle Presentation Matters

55% of consumers are deterred by badly presented or dirty vehicles.

At Gerald Auto Sales we take pride in our reconditioning. Every vehicle we sell receives a complete mechanical inspection and is fully detailed—front-row ready for retail.

4. Clean and Appealing Premises

49% of consumers disapprove of dirty or unappealing premises.

At Gerald Auto Sales our facilities are cleaned daily. Restrooms are always fully stocked with all essentials and smell fresh and clean.

5. Years in Business

43% of consumers look at how many years a dealership has been in business. Buyers want a proven track record.

Gerald Auto Sales is a family-owned and operated auto sales dealership for over 20 years, selling quality used cars in the Joliet, Crest Hill, Plainfield, and Romeoville area. We provide an honest and straightforward buying experience.

6. A Modern, Fast Website

38% of consumers hate slow, outdated, or hard-to-use websites.

Gerald Auto Sales has partnered with Overfuel—a high-performance, mobile-first website platform for automotive dealers. In 2026, Overfuel is highly regarded for its speed, AI-driven inventory management, and ability to pass Google's Core Web Vitals.

Browse our used car inventory in Joliet, IL today →

7. Transparency: No Hidden Fees

36% of consumers disapprove of a difficult or confusing buying experience.

The Gerald Auto Sales Promise: What we say is what we do. All of our prices are transparent with no hidden fees—only tax, title, and license.

All consumer statistics are from the AM-online article published February 17, 2026.