Adrian Helps In Car Shopping, Round 2

Aug 14, 2010

Current mood:argumentative

After the great argument I had with the scumbags at Veterans Ford, I could not get to sleep.  I went to bed at a reasonable time, and kept the fight going over and over in my head.  I was lying in bed for over three hours just trying to get to sleep.  I ended up sleeping for all of hour hours that night.  It all came down to the fact that I had not had a serious argument like that in over nineteen years.  That is true.  Now to be perfectly honest, most of the time I would go straight into a fight, and never verbally spare with anyone. 

 

But this was different.  My sister didn’t understand this, but at a car dealership a bit of insulting, cursing, and threatening is acceptable, if not expected.  The funny thing is I don’t think they knew “the rules.”  Dad and my sister pointed out that all of them were very young guys.  I didn’t even think of that.  I don’t know if they’ve ever worked on the used car side either.  You see, I’ve never bought a new vehicle.  Mom and Dad have, and I’ve dealt with new car dealers that way.  But I personally have never bought a new car.  I have dealt with the used car salesmen, and if you want slime, you will never find a more slimier, egotistical, bunch of assholes than used car salesmen. 

So I don’t think they knew who they were dealing with.  Between Dad and myself, we had plenty of experience in working deals.  I have worked at music stores where used music sales made up more than half of all sales.  I know how the game works.  Frankly, I would describe it as the salesmen were a bunch of amateurs, and got into the ring with me.  As a professional, I kicked their collective asses.  Again, Dad had mentioned just how young all of them were.  I wonder how long they had worked in car sales?  Had they not run into someone who knew how the game worked?  Dad thought that if there were that many young guys working there, Veterans Ford must have a high rate of turnover. 

 

Then something funny happened.  The fat, effeminate salesman Sean called to, and I quote, “ask if we were still interested in the car, and if we would like some advice?”  My Dad was the one who had answered the phone, and told Sean, “No, but I have some advise for you.  Start looking for another job.”  Then Dad hung up on him. 

 

After test driving the Fiesta (I called it by the right name this time,) and doing some research, my sister decided to hold off on buying a car.  The 2012 Ford Focus models will have all the updated technology, and also be a lot roomier than the Fiesta.  So she will wait six months for them to come out.  I’m completely okay with that.  I felt like a sardine in the Fiesta. 

 

So she told the salesman at Elder Ford (I got that name right this time around) that she would contact them in six months, and told them why.  They were pretty good, and gave her some info.  So I look forward to haggling and insulting them in the future. 

Melanie

Yeah, it was like when I go into antique stores and they won't deal.  I understand having a few items "firm" or not haggling anything under $10, but for the most part you are expected to deal.  The last place I went in that didn't haggle went out of business about six months later.  Those Elder Ford guys came in way under and that was just through me sending an inquiry email! 

 

FYI, other folks reading this, when we got home the Veteran's Ford people had already emailed me quoting Edmunds.com and showing how they were right in line with the offer they gave me.  I also had an email from Elder Ford with an offer for the exact same model (different color) that was already $500 less and that was BEFORE accounting for my trade-in.  Naturally, I sent that over to Veteran's Ford.  The people I've talked to at Elder are very nice.  I told them I test drove a Fiesta over at Veteran's and then assured them that they didn't have to worry as "there was no competition" after the experience I had.  The customer service guy was like, "Oooh" and I'm sure he passed that around the office.

Like I told my family, I may drop $20 on some impulse lip gloss at Sephora, but I'm not gonna drop $20,000 without doing some comparison shopping.  My credit score is 797!  And the bastards didn't even offer a special APR on the car!  Arrrgh!