I've been in the market for a second car for the last week and a half. I can't afford a second brand-new car, so it has to be pre-owned. So you can only imagine how many of my gears have been ground down the last few days...
Sometimes, I don't think most people understand the most basic principles of good business advertising. Operating (and advertising) your used vehicle lot (I wouldn't call most of them 'dealerships') should be easy; put together an effective website with clean graphics, good info on what you have, testimonials, what organizations you belong to, etc. But proof that CT is....CT, noooo! Let's put an SL65 and a Ferrari F430 as our website banner, despite the most recent and new car we sell being a Xterra! People will think we're sophisticated and debonair. Right. Also, for the love of god, a Carfax costs a business with buying power a few bucks per vehicle. Not including a free one, for the customer to look at (with no strings attached) says to me, "I don't really care if you wind up with a salvage title, or a car with a million issues, frame damage, or previously deployed airbags, since I'm going to take your patronage absolutely for granted'.