Armed with some decent pricing information from Phase One, Cat and I take a ride to the Sansone AutoMall in Woodbridge to take a look at a particular car from a particular year (I won't reveal what car and what year until the car shopping is complete-- I don't want one of you numbskulls swooping in and buying it) and this time I didn't forget my clipboard . . . although Cat forgot the checkbook and we had to turn around and get it-- and although there weren't as many bizarre fees tacked on, this encounter didn't go all that well . . .
--let me go get the car
twenty minutes later
-- we had to jump it, we're going to have to replace the battery . . . a light was left on
--this car smells like cat pee
--someone also left the window cracked and water got it
Cat feels the front passenger side floor
--it's all wet
--we'll detail it again, of course . . .
test drive, and the car drives fine, despite the pee smell . . . then back to the office
-- ok this car has been in one accident, it needs a new battery, it smells, and it's got more miles on it then the other car we looked at . . . we got them down to around $21,500 . . . so you'd really have to make a much lower offer to offset all this negative stuff . . .
--ok let me see what I can do . . .
the salesman leaves for a few minutes and comes back with a $22k out-the-door offer . . . what?
but there was no more bullshit and we parted amicably-- I think he knew with the water and the smell and the clipboard that this wasn't going to happen unless he knocked five grand off the price . . . so now we enter Phase Three.
8 comments:
The clipboard does not help you. Have you called the guy you bought your Mazda from and seeing if he's interested in some repeat business? You also need to chisel these guys down by saying "The guy at the other dealership offered me $X, what can you do for me?" The last time I bought a car I did this to chisel them down on the price and up on the trade-in value.
is phase three when you drive to orange and weenie does you up? he'll throw in lunch at the diner next door, too.
Phase three is profits? Weenie = profits?
I didn’t get lunch at the diner!! I guess I’ve only bought two cars from him.
What is the story behind the clipboard?
i've been writing down information on the clipboard because i hate screwing with my phone-- prices and carfaxes and such . . . i don't really want to drive to orange, va either-- we only have one car . . . but lunch at the diner does sound appealing
we got a subaru from weenie year ago and it was a great deal, but it's a long ride
A man with sandals and a clipboard is an easy mark for used car salesmen. You'll never get a good deal unless you go to Weenie (or just let Cat take care of it).
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