I hate car salesmen.

[elsol]

I seriously had one try to convince me today that I was going about it 'all wrong' because I went to different dealerships and priced out different possibilities.

He stated and I quote "How can you even begin to decide without test driving the car?"

Maybe I should wear a sign... Grew up poor

How else does one buy a car when they are of healthy financial means than to organize the possibilities by price point?

I can't be the only one because after my wonderful experience today, my girlfriend agreed with my decision (I was vetting cars for her to buy.) A $200 dollar a month car payment for a car with everything except four-wheel drive and space trumped a car with everything and a $350 dollar a month tag.

Has everyone lost their fuckin' minds?!?

 

[Stella_Omega]

I seriously had one try to convince me today that I was going about it 'all wrong' because I went to different dealerships and priced out different possibilities.

He stated and I quote "How can you even begin to decide without test driving the car?"

Maybe I should wear a sign... Grew up poor

How else does one buy a car when they are of healthy financial means than to organize the possibilities by price point?

I can't be the only one because after my wonderful experience today, my girlfriend agreed with my decision (I was vetting cars for her to buy.) A $200 dollar a month car payment for a car with everything except four-wheel drive and space trumped a car with everything and a $350 dollar a month tag.

Has everyone lost their fuckin' minds?!?

Well, if you don't fall for his pitch, his kids will be wearing the grew up poor signs...

So of course he is going to try for emotional appeal.

 

[elsol]

Well, if you don't fall for his pitch, his kids will be wearing the grew up poor signs...

So of course he is going to try for emotional appeal.

That's the annoying part... I went out specifically looking for someone to say

"This is the car for her!"

How much easier can I make it... "She wants moon-sun(whatever)roof and heated seats... I would prefer AWD or 4WD... we'll put 10K down in two weeks if I like your numbers and you'll have until mid-january to deliver the car of her choice."

I actually went back to the dealership who sold me my car because the salespeople were annoying me.

The only words out of his mouth were:

Salesmen: Got it... rough number 19K for the car, low $200 for the monthly; if the credit company comes back with a good rate 200 even. Here's my card, do you want me to call you or maybe call her to set up a test drive?

That's how you fucking sell a car!!!

 

[HeyNonnyNonny]

The one and only time I've had to give a group an official warning that I would stop a tasting was when I was working for a group of senior execs from LandRover. They had a couple of drinks, and all their racism, sexism and other assorted evil little prejudices came out. The astounded thing was that the black man, 2 white women and asian woman, who were copping all this shit, didn't seem to care (or presumably had a professional requirement not to care). As soon as I said it wasn't cool, they clammed up like naughty school boys. Of course, I was already prejudiced, because as I poured the first glass, someone proposed a toast, "to global warming," which received the practiced response "fuck it!"

Throw in lack of prospects for a better job, allied with abyssal IQ and with that kind of soulless, heartless corporate mentality, and you have the perfect car salesman. Sigh.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I'm glad I knew the exact car I wanted when I bought it. I walked in, told them what I needed, and came out a few weeks later (it was near the end of the model year, took some time to find one that fit my needs) with a brandy new car. They didn't try to sell me anything I didn't want becuase they already knew they had me sold.

 

[FallingToFly]

I actually initiated the search for my new car last night, by telling my brother in law what I want.

67 or 68.
coupe.
must be in good running order- I can replace belts and hoses, but I want a solid engine and tranny.
body doesn't matter- I'm restoring the bitch anyway.
interior- ditto.
I'd prefer a 302 will settle for a 200/6.

I love my Mustangs.

 

[Liar]

That sounds like when I was going to banks a few years ago to apply fo a housing loan. They go about it all backwards.

I went to the bank to ask them how big a loan I can afford, based on my salary, so that I know how expensive apartments I can begin to look at.

I say exactly that to a small man in a big tie behind the counter. And he, just like everyione at every bank, asked me: "What size of loan do you have in mind?"

"Um...as big as possible? What can I borrow if my monthly budget for interrest and mortages is X?"

"I see. What's the price of the object you're interrested in?"

"There is no object. Not yet."

"Then I don't understand. What do you need a loan for if you aren't about to buy an object?"

"I told you, I don't want a loan, I want an asessment on how big a loan I would get, if I was to borrow from you."

"That depends on the object, doesn't it?"

"No. No it doesn't. It depends on my income. I don't have a specific object in mind yet. I just want to know what price range I can afford."

"Oh, a cost calculation?"

"Isn't that what I've been saying?"

"Well, I thought that you were about to buy an object."

"I am. But I don't know which object yet, and I can't know which until I know how much money I can pay for it. So yes, I want one of those calculation thingies, please."

The man perked up. "Right! We have this great little sortware for that. We just give it the numbers and it prints a temporary grant. Then you can take the grant to the seller..."

"...which I don't have yet..."

"...oh...right. Anyway, here we are."

His computer said bleep. I said nothing. The man said "Ok, what's your current income?"

I give him my monthly salay figure. He briskly punch in the numbers. "Now, that's the price of the object?"

"Is this Monthy Python?"

"Pardon?"

"Never mind. Goodbye."

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Liar, he was jsut messing with your head! Don't you know that banks only lend money to people who can proove that they're so rich that they don't need to borrow money?

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Begin your car search here. Do not buy a new car unless you are independently wealthy and money is no object.

 

[Weird Harold]

Liar, he was jsut messing with your head! Don't you know that banks only lend money to people who can proove that they're so rich that they don't need to borrow money?

Swedish banks must be different from English and American banks. Here, you can't get a loan unless you can show you're too far in debt to be able to afford more debt.

 

[Misty_Morning]

When I buy a car I go in to the dealership with all my info that I researched. I tell them exactly what I want and exactly what I am going to pay. If they start their little asshole salesman shit with me I just tell them bye and that someone else will get the commision.

I was even offered a job selling cars from the dealer I bought a car from in 1997. I just looked at him and laughed.

I think Edmunds has one of the most informative sites regarding cars, both new and used.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

I think Edmunds has one of the most informative sites regarding cars, both new and used.

What I like about that KBB.com used car listings site is the advanced search tool - you can enter type of vehicle or a specific model, year, price range, mileage range, and how far from your zip you want to look, an voila' - there are lotsa cars for sale (assuming you're search parameters are realistic.)

I like to combine that with the library of reviews from different sources on this site: http://www.cars.com/go/crp/index.jsp

 

[Misty_Morning]

What I like about that KBB.com used car listings site is the advanced search tool - you can enter type of vehicle or a specific model, year, price range, mileage range, and how far from your zip you want to look, an voila' - there are lotsa cars for sale (assuming you're search parameters are realistic.)

I like to combine that with the library of reviews from different sources on this site: http://www.cars.com/go/crp/index.jsp

Good sites. Thanks. Hopefully I won't need them for a while. Generally I keep a car for as long as it lasts or till I total it out in a wreck. Unfortunately that has been the case for the 3 cars I've owned.

Also, I find that calling the dealership and making an appointment with the salesman in charge of online sales cuts out much of the bullshit. They tend to handle larger accounts and don't waste your time giving you the run around.

The last car I bought I hadn't really made the final decision to finance or just pay cash up front and avoid the payments and interest. I calculated what may payments would be and wrote it down on a piece of paper. The salesman calculated the payments too and was only different by less than $1. He was a good, honest man. Samething you don't normally see in car salesmen.

 

[SeaCat]

LOLOLOL

When I went in to buy my car it was on a fluke. My wife and I were thinking about replacing our aging Minivan but hadn't yet decided on a car. We stopped at a car dealership just to see what they had. We were met wit a salesman who immediatly tried to hit us with a hardsell. We left, but I did some research. Two days later we returned, only to be met by the same salesman. This time I was ready.

We dickered, we argued. I threatened to leave on more than one occasion. This went on for a couple of days. I had fun even though the dickering disgusted me. Finally we bought the car.

I had talked them down $2000.00. I received credit for my turn in that equalled more than I had paid for it. I also received a free, new grill to replace the damaged one. I received four new tires as well as other minor repairs. I also got a five year service agreement, all of this for $1000.00 less than the blue book valuation of the car.

It takes knowledge and a will to dicker to get a good deal.

Cat

 

[elsol]

Begin your car search here. Do not buy a new car unless you are independently wealthy and money is no object.

Won't do used car ever again.

Girlfriend got a used car and I got a new car... she spent as much as my car payments on her car by the time we were done... including a brand new engine at 5K.

I'm sure that's not the normal experience, but seen it the "If I'd paid 4K more for a new car, I wouldn't be dealing with this shit..." about three times too often to go through it myself.

 

[FallingToFly]

Won't do used car ever again.

Girlfriend got a used car and I got a new car... she spent as much as my car payments on her car by the time we were done... including a brand new engine at 5K.

I'm sure that's not the normal experience, but seen it the "If I'd paid 4K more for a new car, I wouldn't be dealing with this shit..." about three times too often to go through it myself.

I occasionally have bought a new car... they're nice.

The two best cars I ever drove were used, adn well-used at that.

I had an 86 Subaru GL station wagon that was a wonder.
I had an 86 Dodge Ram Charger 1500 that was a beast, and I loved the hell out of it.

I cried when both of them had to go to the big scrapyard in the sky.

Now, I want a project car, something to work on and make perfect. Since I gave up my Mustang years ago, I want another one... but I want a coupe this time, not a fastback, and I don't need the drag-racing bit. Eventually, my kids will be driving it, and I refuse to put them in a drag car unless I KNOW they can drive it... which means sending them North for a suimmer to learn from the same people I learned from. Not gonna happen, so...

Pretty granny-stang is the safest bet. I even have the paint colors picked out... it won't be worth anything to a collector when I'm done, but I don't plan on selling it, ever.