Tying the local community into her lesson on purchasing a vehicle, Amy Keane’s Finance and Economics class welcomed Linda Grossman P ‘25, general manager of Grossman Chevrolet and Nissan and parent of Baker ’25, for a discussion on the car-buying process on November 14.
Grossman presented a comprehensive overview of the car-buying process, covering topics such as selecting a dealer, understanding market trends, and inventory management.
When asked why she wanted to present on this topic, Grossman explained, “I think the nature of what Amy is teaching is incredibly real-world, and it’s very important that students learn about finances in a way that directly affects their lives.”
With a room full of young drivers, the students had plenty of questions. Topics ranged from online vs. in-person car buying and dealer incentives to financing vs. leasing. The discussion also touched on brand image and maintaining a strong reputation in the industry.
Perhaps one of the most surprising things for Finn McCann ’25 was learning the true reason dealerships are placed near each other. “They are put closer together so that they can compete with one another. This creates an opportunity for people who didn’t have a great experience at their previous dealership to drive next door and check out the next one,” he said.
Grossman’s goal for the presentation was to help young drivers make informed decisions when it comes to choosing a car. “Hopefully, giving the students some knowledge about how it works and the potential pitfalls will help them and their families make their next purchase a little bit easier,” she said. “Now they are armed with a bit of information that will help them make a good decision.”
Bringing this real-world experience into the classroom is one of Keane’s goals for the year. “The students always love hearing experts talk about topics that we discuss in class,” she said. “Our guest speakers always give a great perspective on how things work in the real world!”
