Nasty, tricksey car salesmen...
Posted on 01/03/2008 6:35:58 PM PST by HairOfTheDog
Did you do the Kelly Blue Book thing? Input everything about the car and let them tell you what it’s worth...
That’s what I did with my van. It gave a pretty accurate asking price and what I could expect to get for trade-in vs selling private party.
It even gave me a flyer I could print up.
www.kbb.com
That’s what I did.
I actually mentioned that in my Craigslist ad...and in my posts a few up here.
I guess I should probably put a sign in the van itself, too.
oops...I wasn’t payin’ very good attention!
~sheepish~
Well, carry on then!
Oh, I didn’t mean it like that! Especially since I hadn’t noticed the option for printing a window sticker...maybe I’ll give that a shot.
Part of my problem is that in a lot of ways, I just want this whole thing over with, without worrying about dealing with strangers and having to dicker with potential buyers and all...so the impractical, impatient side of me is sayin’ it doesn’t matter if I get all that it’s worth. I could go down as soon as the bank calls back and drive away in something shiny and small and efficient.
But then there’s the Scots side.
So which side would you like us to talk to? :~)
Heh...I dunno!
OK - well, I think I’ll just let your sides argue until you figure it out :~)
They may break me first... :-\
I know exactly what you mean...I’ve been in that position before.
Whenever I’ve traded in my car, I’ve felt like I got ripped off and shoulda sold it...and when I’ve sold my car I’ve felt like I shoulda asked for more!!
But that kelly blue book is what most folks go by and if you’re asking a fair price, they shouldn’t dicker too much. Just stick with your guns, say “It’s a fair price according to the blue book.” and let them decide.
And make sure they understand the car comes with “No warranties, expressed or implied.” Make sure that’s on everything.
It’ll go fast...remember how fast my van sold? Seemed like forever then boom. It was gone.
I saw it the other day on the highway. Guy musta worked on it because I NEVER drove it on the highway! Heh heh!
Just would be nice if after three days, I’d at least gotten a nibble - even just folks asking questions. I haven’t had a single response.
On the bright side, the bank *finally* finished my pre-approval stuff for a loan, so I know exactly how much they’re willing to give me. It’s more than I want to spend, so I should be all set, whatever I choose.
My sister’s pushing for a Toyota of some sort. We all loved my old car...
But then, she also was going on and on about how much she loves their Ford Focus coupe/hatchback/thing, which has been in the shop three times in the last week and a half for undetermined issues that keep making it die a sudden death in midstream, upon which dashboard lights up like a Christmas tree. The dealership can’t seem to figure it out. And yet she still loves the car. So maybe I shouldn’t altogether trust her judgment. ;-) Or at least not think of it as logical.
Nasty, tricksey car salesmen...
Speaking of tricksey, how come it still feels like Monday morning??
2 much Guinness?
Can't complain, really. I've lived out here for almost 10 years and this is my first spring time allergic episode. I've concluded that I'm a wuss, however.
Which car do you feel more comfortable in on your test drives, the Fit or the Yaris?
LSA
There haven’t been any Fits to test drive - only manual transmission ones. And honestly...my brief dealings with the Honda dealership here in town left a really bad taste in my mouth, when all was said and done. I wanted to get a chance to try one without committing, and said that several times and thought it was understood (I didn’t sign anything, for goodness sakes!), but they got really ticked off afterward when I clarified that I was still researching. As they understood it, I was ordering one, even though I kept stressing that I wanted to drive one before actually saying I’d buy. Hence nothing signed. Ugh. So...I dunno. I know I could drive elsewhere in hopes of finding nicer Honda folks, but aren’t you supposed to go to a dealership if anything goes wrong with the car when it’s under warranty? Makes me nervous.
I’ve not test driven a Yaris - yet. Only looked at them. But in contrast to the Hondas, they’re around to be demoed, now that I know I’ve got funding lined up. The one thing that immediately stands out is the way they stuck the instrument cluster (speedometer and all) in the middle, as I know I keep saying. That’s just weird. And it seems scary. Also I’d have to actually pick sedan vs hatchback (or “liftback”, to use their terminology). They also seem very small...but a big part of that is just that I’m coming from the van. On paper, they’re about the same as the old car.
I haven’t completely ruled out the Hyundais...I’m just still not totally sold on their longterm reliability. And yes, the lack of resale value scares me.
Honestly, I kinda just want my old Corolla back. Only brand new.
Buying a car is really, really hard, I know that. I spent many a late night trying to find the “perfect” vehicle. You’re doing a great job prioritizing, don’t let the dealer psych you out! They have all their ~acts~ down pat, you just allowed them to use one of ‘em. Of course, you have to drive a car before you buy it! OB and I test drove a Matrix, and the seat angle, accelerater, etc. was such that it wouldn’t work with my replaced hip. Didn’t matter if it fit the other requirements, I wouldn’t have ever be able to drive it!
Long term reliability and resale are valid concerns too. You need to buy something you are comfortable with, now and in the future. We tend to keep vehicles long enough that they have no resale value, but that’s just us. LSA
Heh...like I've done with the van, pretty much. ;-) I guess I'm just still thinking about what could happen if I needed to sell in a hurry someday...which might never happen.
And long term reliability comes into play, too. If the Hyundai really lasts well, it'd be a bargain, no doubt about it. It comes with everything included, too - no prioritizing needed. But if I end up having to use that long warranty a lot, it'd be rather a drag... It does sound like the new crop Hyundais may be like buying the first of the really good Hondas...and who knows, if they continue to do well, the resale value may not drop as much as predicted. And I might be able to drive one for 150k miles or more (which, based on my current yearly mileage, could be over fifteen years!). But it's an unknown factor right now. A gamble.
Which one is Smeagol and which one is Gollum, though?
As for the salesmen...I think some of ‘em are Shelob’s descendants...
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
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