Let's make a deal

RATHDRUM — “Excuse me sir, that’s my truck,” student Alek Jackson said to his friend who moved closer to the Hummer he just “bought” from Dave Smith Motors. 

Jackson and other students at Mountain View Alternative High School got to walk through the motions of buying either a Corvette, Hummer or a Ram Laramie during a sales simulation Tuesday morning. 

Vice Principal Mark Gorton said their goal is to keep financial literacy practical and hands on.  

“One of the things we’re doing is walking them through the process of buying their first car,” Gorton said.  

In the past, the school has hosted a bank day to learn about finances, but the fun and flashiness of the cars adds a memorable element.

Jackson said he learned a lot about negotiation tactics from interacting with Chandler Day, who was his salesperson for the mock sale.  

Plus, he picked up a few tips about buying a car. 

“You can take money off for the smallest things,” said Jackson, who drives a GMC but his dream car is a 1976 Ford F-250 Highboy. 

Students learned to look for imperfections on the vehicle and, while the car is still on the lot, to make sure any damage they noted will be repaired before they drive away. 

Glen Nelson of Dave Smith said they are hoping students become better negotiators because of the experience. 

“This is a step in the right direction,” Nelson said. 

Students learned they should look into car financing before they set foot in a dealership so they have a baseline of what they can afford and also scrutinize borrowing rates.

One of the salespeople, Kendra Brown, was a returning Mountain View alumni who was proud to show what she had learned in the real world. 

As Jocelyn Richardson asked about whether she could test drive a vehicle, Brown said the increased likelihood of a sale is what fuels test drives. 

“We don’t make a dime until you sign and drive off the lot, so you don’t want to waste the time they could be working on another sale,” Brown said. 

Teacher Cody Hutchins, who instructs students in financial literacy, said students need to learn how to balance a budget and understand the relationship between money and time so they can live comfortably and enjoy retirement.

“Personal finance is the most important subject and having a couple of extra years of learning about it can make a big difference,” Hutchins said. “It’s the habits that you use.” 

    Emily Davis and Jocelyn Richardson negotiate on the car sale paperwork as part of a car-buying simulation for students at Mountain View Alternative High School.