Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations

graphicguy · September 2015

roadburner said:

graphicguy said:

RB....My son bought his Fiesta from Kings a couple of years ago. I did the negotiation for him (which was my typical "here's my offer...tell me if you want to accept it" deal). I didn't run into that kind of experience, which I hate. But, I was dealing with probably the most senior sales guy there, who was recommended to me by a friend. Maybe they've changed in the last couple of years. I would have hoped by now that type of "hide and seek" selling wasn't employed anymore, until.....
GG- let me clarify: Kings Ford was WONDERFUL- my only regret is that I didn't buy their Mustang on the spot. ANDY MOHR FORD outside of Indy is the one that played the dishonest games.

RB...sorry, I misunderstood the Ford dealer you were talking about.

Driver....thinking about a Fiat/GM merger, without knowing the numbers, I think it makes sense, too.

Fiat gets into the truck business....BIG TIME. GM gets Fiat's car platforms instead of messing around with their own car platforms that have been hit or miss for decades. Plus, the economies of scale would be tremendous.

The elephant in the room....reliability, quality, support. If there is anyone worse in those sectors than GM, it's Fiat.

driver100 · September 2015

dino001 said:

driver100 said:

roadburner said:
Well, I received another email from the "Business Development Manager" apologizing for the "misunderstanding."

Oh yeah, she still wants to sell me the car. That's definitely notgonnahappen.com.
I would ask her to email you a complete agreement, with an all in price of whatever you want. Take it or leave it.
You have nothing to lose, and they will get one last chance to sell you a car.
Yes he does. He can lose even more time. They can say yes again and then claim they "forgot" about XYZ fee or tax, or this was a different unit, not here anymore, or hundred other "reasons" the email is no longer good. You can't trust those kind of establishments even if it's written in blood.

Not if you get an actual invoice all written up and signed...by them.

I have had one emailed to me, I sign and it is binding.

andres3 · September 2015

suydam said:
As I said, sales of all brands of cars fell so GM has plenty of company. I see no signs that GM is leaving the car market. What they are doing is repositioning their brands. Buick is more upscale now so of course it costs more. In the next year or so they will introduce a more fuel efficient compact that will be much more attractive than the current Verano. Chevy has done redesigns of the Impala and Malibu. The Cruze was a good seller but is dated now and waiting a redesign. I've never been a GM customer until recently and it's because they had nothing to offer that interests me. Now they do. The Encore is very different from the Honda and Mazda CUV. Likewise the Verano is a much nicer car than either Civic or Corolla but it's lousy mileage rules it out for me at the moment.

Have you seen a new top of the line Civic lately? A colleague I work around just got a brand new top of the line Civic with leather seats and trimmings. Very nice looking little car. He totaled his 2012 Civic recently. That one gave him 110,000 problem free miles (I know; that's a lot of miles for a 2012 model). Even so, he let the dealer sucker him into an extended warranty for the new '15 Civic (he did mention he was a warranty kind of guy); though he didn't waste his money for one with the 2012. Some talk of computers costings thousands to fix when they go bad scared him into getting it this time. Honestly, I think extended warranties Honda dealers like to sell will eventually in the long run buy more ill will and contempt than it will goodwill. Most people will end up wasting all of that money, so unless they consider peace of mind worth it, they may hold that against Honda in the future. Or they may be adults, and realize it was their decision to say yes and blame themselves for the mistake; but how many these days take personal responsibility for anything?

I was impressed with the new Civic, inside and out. $21K out the door he said.

isellhondas · September 2015

ab348, I for one don't think GG has bashed GM. He is simply keeping all of us to date with his progress or should I say, lack of progress.

If you find his posts to be annoying, just use your scroll wheel and scroll through them.

I think he does need to dump and I for one am here to support him as he has in the past for many of us.

andres3 · September 2015

graphicguy said:

roadburner said:

graphicguy said:

RB....My son bought his Fiesta from Kings a couple of years ago. I did the negotiation for him (which was my typical "here's my offer...tell me if you want to accept it" deal). I didn't run into that kind of experience, which I hate. But, I was dealing with probably the most senior sales guy there, who was recommended to me by a friend. Maybe they've changed in the last couple of years. I would have hoped by now that type of "hide and seek" selling wasn't employed anymore, until.....
GG- let me clarify: Kings Ford was WONDERFUL- my only regret is that I didn't buy their Mustang on the spot. ANDY MOHR FORD outside of Indy is the one that played the dishonest games.
RB...sorry, I misunderstood the Ford dealer you were talking about.

Driver....thinking about a Fiat/GM merger, without knowing the numbers, I think it makes sense, too.

Fiat gets into the truck business....BIG TIME. GM gets Fiat's car platforms instead of messing around with their own car platforms that have been hit or miss for decades. Plus, the economies of scale would be tremendous.

The elephant in the room....reliability, quality, support. If there is anyone worse in those sectors than GM, it's Fiat.

And then you have to live with all the ill will that a merger generates from previously burned customers. So someone like me that hates Chrysler, will not consider any company willing to merge with them. GM will be buying additional population that will dislike them by association with a merger with Chrysler/Fiat; so there is a downside to mergers.

I know I probably still need close to another decade or so of time to forgive Mercedes for merging with Chrysler, and seriously consider them on a future automobile, and it has been how long since they divorced?

Volvo still smells like Ford's remains too; I wonder how many sales they've lost due to the prior association. Whatever happened to Saab anyway? Didn't Ford also control part of Mazda; kept them from having a decent V6 for ages; and they still don't have one last I checked? I still can't get over that Mazda used to have longer bumper to bumper warranties similar to the luxury makes, but no longer does.

driver100 · September 2015

graphicguy said:

roadburner said:

graphicguy said:

RB....My son bought his Fiesta from Kings a couple of years ago. I did the negotiation for him (which was my typical "here's my offer...tell me if you want to accept it" deal). I didn't run into that kind of experience, which I hate. But, I was dealing with probably the most senior sales guy there, who was recommended to me by a friend. Maybe they've changed in the last couple of years. I would have hoped by now that type of "hide and seek" selling wasn't employed anymore, until.....
GG- let me clarify: Kings Ford was WONDERFUL- my only regret is that I didn't buy their Mustang on the spot. ANDY MOHR FORD outside of Indy is the one that played the dishonest games.

Driver....thinking about a Fiat/GM merger, without knowing the numbers, I think it makes sense, too.

The elephant in the room....reliability, quality, support. If there is anyone worse in those sectors than GM, it's Fiat.

lol. But, like you said, if you eliminate the weakest cars, keep and build on the best, cut duplication.....Fiat GM merger could be a good thing. Together they do about $10billion, if merged Sergio says they could do $28billion, but, not sure how he will do that!

driver100 · September 2015

dino001 said:

suydam said:
As I said, sales of all brands of cars fell so GM has plenty of company.
How did you get that? Sales are up almost across the board, with a few exception, Cadillac being one of them.

http://social.leasetrader.com/july-2015-u-s-auto-sales-by-the-numbers/

Yeh, I just read August has been a great month in the car industry.

andres3 · September 2015

dino001 said:

driver100 said:

roadburner said:
Well, I received another email from the "Business Development Manager" apologizing for the "misunderstanding."

Oh yeah, she still wants to sell me the car. That's definitely notgonnahappen.com.
I would ask her to email you a complete agreement, with an all in price of whatever you want. Take it or leave it.
You have nothing to lose, and they will get one last chance to sell you a car.
Yes he does. He can lose even more time. They can say yes again and then claim they "forgot" about XYZ fee or tax, or this was a different unit, not here anymore, or hundred other "reasons" the email is no longer good. You can't trust those kind of establishments even if it's written in blood.

There are ways around that.... tell them to show up at your house or workplace with the car and keys and contract ready for signature. Wasted time would be very limited then.

stever · September 2015

And this was the first August since 2012 that didn't include Labor Day sales in the monthly numbers. The gloom and doom crowd says to expect a crash in car sales five years. Too much product, too many lease returns.

dino001 · September 2015

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

dino001 said:
Try this one.

http://youtu.be/eOVpc4vQ1Bw
Too cute....hilarious!

I wonder if those ads help sales...talking about buying and selling cars. I like them because they are pleasant to watch, the dogs are really cute, no talking down, very distinguishing....just simple cleverness. I suppose it would turn off people who don't like dogs. I know they had local ads on the TV in Tampa where a Suburu dealer talks about how they love their dogs and the dogs love being in a Suburu.
My thoughts are.....if I was looking for a car in that category....it may remind me to check out Suburu.
Subaru has done an excellent job of branding themselves as the car for the young hip socially conscience generation. The animal lovers are just icing on the cake. Bet they get together and watch those commercials over and over. Can't imagine there'd be a dog hater in the bunch.

Don't forget the safety message ("They lived" commercial). I have known couple of women who bought a Subaru for its safety. They are the only brand that has "Good" ratings across the board in IIHS safety tests.

The message is slowly getting through, although I think it's still ignored by the media.

andres3 · September 2015

driver100 said:
Just a positive GM story, but not a great ending.

One fellow (about 75 yrs old) at tennis yesterday said he got a new car, and he traded in his 10 year old Buick. He said the car had 120k miles on it, it was a really good car, and they never had a problem with it.

I asked what he bought.

He said a new Elantra. He found the price of a replacement Buick would be too much, and he and his wife wanted something smaller and sportier feeling.

He might be an example of even though GM can make good cars, people don't come back for one reason or another.

He must have missed the commercials where they say "this isn't your father's/grandpa's Buick anymore!" Or the recent commercials where they are basically trying to get the same message across.

suydam · September 2015

What I said was CAR sales are down across the board. The growth is fueled by crossovers and trucks.

roadburner · September 2015

dino001 said:

Yes he does. He can lose even more time. They can say yes again and then claim they "forgot" about XYZ fee or tax, or this was a different unit, not here anymore, or hundred other "reasons" the email is no longer good. You can't trust those kind of establishments even if it's written in blood.

My sentiments exactly. No way would I EVER do business with that dealership. I'm not about to reward them for their conduct. They had their chance to sell me a car and they blew it.

stever · September 2015

And that is hurting Honda and Toyota.

Toyota, Honda suffer from weak car deliveries (Automotive News)

imidazol97 · September 2015

driver100 said:
He said a new Elantra. He found the price of a replacement Buick would be too much, and he and his wife wanted something smaller and sportier feeling.

I am giving my _opinion_, but with the readjustment in models in GM Buick was left without a replacement
for a car size to replace the leSabre. The laCrosse is too premium for my tastes when I was shopping
to replace a leSabre. The laCrosse replaced the Park Avenue.

The Regal is agile, German feeling and sporty in its driving, but again too premium
in cost and features when adding on the ones I wanted. Perhaps it's the bundling pattern there that didn't garner me for another Buick, but to get the features I wanted was far too much money.

The Encore didn't entice me either, although
it drives very nicely and my wife liked it. Buick is holding the bag trying to sell premium automobiles to folks who
want practicality, while I was looking for a lower cost good car with options added on.

The Verano had the ride but was too much like a Cruze, despite suspension alterations that give it
a very calm controlled ride.

The Elantra I drove had a ride that I didn't care for. But that's my opinion
based on one drive.

To each his own.

dino001 · September 2015

suydam said:
What I said was CAR sales are down across the board. The growth is fueled by crossovers and trucks.

OK, got it. In three years we will have cheap trucks on the market again in another gas price hysteria.

berri · September 2015

I think all Chrysler has to offer is Jeep. I don't see any takers unless there is a fire sale.

As for dealers, my experiences have been it really just depends on the individual dealer. I don't think certain brands are always worse than others. But that's just my experiences over the years. Your going to be with that dealer for awhile, at least through warranty, so I look at the whole operation when buying a vehicle.

imidazol97 · September 2015

roadburner said:

My sentiments exactly. No way would I EVER do business with that dealership. I'm not about to reward them for their conduct. They had their chance to sell me a car and they blew it.

I'd suggest doing some reviews on Google and Yelp so that when others search for the dealer name or location they see links to reviews. Edmunds used to have a dealer review category. I couldn't find it when I looked a while ago.

Those make good reading and with a little intuition folks can tell when a good or bad review is valid from the language used in the review. The good ones written by someone employed there often stand out. LOL

imidazol97 · September 2015

graphicguy said:
Right out front, there was a young guy, probably barely 21, who was waving his arm like Pete Townsend playing the guitar, to pull in right next to him. I got sort of a charge out of it because that was a first.

The tactic of directing you to park there may have been a technique for taking control of the interaction by taking charge of the fresh contact. That comes across to me like bullying or someone who's authoritarian. I don't do well with being told how things have to occur. I picture the salesman's taking control much like calling someone into my office and not rising or greeting them but just motioning to have a seat before I started talking.

suydam · September 2015

I don't know, since I'm new to GM, but it seems that the lower cost/ practical choice is Chevy, with Buick being more upscale but not as expensive as a luxury car. For me it means I'm looking at Buick for the first time in my life. I'm just one buyer too. What the car companies have to guess is which segment is likely to provide the greatest likelihood of future buyers for them.

berri · September 2015

Had a Ford salesman once keep telling me where to turn on a test drive, so I did it opposite each time until he shut up. Didn't buy from him! I've also had to tell salesmen to be quiet on test drives on several occasions. I prefer when they just let you take it out on your own. The salesmen seldom seem to add anything of value on a test drive, so I always get the feeling they are trying to just divert your focus on the car.

stever · September 2015

@imidazol97, we have the most trusted dealer reviews in the business.

I'm sure some slip by us, but unlike Google and Yelp, we review the reviews before we publish them.

Dealer Ratings and Reviews

imidazol97 · September 2015

stever said:
@imidazol97, we have the most trusted dealer reviews in the business. I'm sure some slip by us, but unlike Google and Yelp, we review the reviews before we publish them.

Dealer Ratings and Reviews

Thanks for posting the link.

I had looked at them before and they matched what I thought of certain local stores.
Some stores have only a few reviews.

imidazol97 · September 2015

Checked Andy Moore Ford (46168 zip code) and of the first 5 pages of reviews only
one was NOT 5 stars.

http://www.edmunds.com/dealer-reviews/?zip=46168&make=&query=

henryn · September 2015

quoted:

"In August, the Honda brand sold 140,178 vehicles, down 7.5 percent from a year earlier. Accord sales fell 20 percent; Civic sales, 5.9 percent; and Fit sales, 52 percent."

52 percent decline for Fit? WTH? Oh, I get it, everyone heard that Qbrozen was dumping his Fit, and that started a panic, and ...

stever · September 2015

imidazol97 said:
Checked Andy Moore Ford (46168 zip code) and of the first 5 pages of reviews only
one was NOT 5 stars.

Is that good or bad?

imidazol97 · September 2015

stever said:

imidazol97 said:
Checked Andy Moore Ford (46168 zip code) and of the first 5 pages of reviews only
one was NOT 5 stars.
Is that good or bad?

Andymohrford is the store where Roadburner got burned on the
Mustang GT. Plainfield, IN.

http://www.andymohrford.com/inventory/2015-ford-mustang-gt-rwd-2d-coupe-1fa6p8cf6f5301815

5 out of 5. The reviews I read were fairly good. Some a little
oddly written. Either they keep people pretty happy or they
reward people for writing reviews.

When son was looking for apartment complex, on apartments.com
one complex had lots of great reviews but short. I found that they
rewarded cash off rent if someone wrote a good review. They all
were verified as renters--that meant someone who left and wrote a
negative review wasn't included because they were NOT verified by
management as renters.

abacomike · September 2015

I received an email this morning offering me a $50 gift card if I would go into a local Cadillac dealer and test drive any of their vehicles. So, I said to myself, what the heck - $50.00 is $50.00.

So I drove over there at noon and was greeted by a salesperson. He seemed like he was sort of new to the car selling game because he was somewhat hesitant in his questions and even asked several questions twice even though I had answered them. I said that I got an email inviting me to take a test drive in any of their vehicles and that for my cooperation, I would receive a $60.00 gift card. He said yes, they have had many customers come in for the gift. He then led me over to a new CTS. I sat in the car and as I had mentioned to him prior to our walking over to the CTS that I had sat in a CTS before, but it was too snug for me. I guess he thought I lost weight or something because it was if he wasn't even listening to what I was saying. So, I sat in the car and, of course, it was too snug for me. He then suggested an XTS. I had told him I did not want a front wheel drive car - that I was only interested in a rear wheel drive vehicle. What can I say - I guess they hire anyone these days to sell cars.

I then asked him about the CT6. He said they didn't have any at the dealership at this time, but urged me to test drive the XTS. So I agreed. I was not overly impressed with the car at all. Seemed a bit sluggish and had a fairly soft ride to it. He had me take it on the interstate, which I did, and it was a very nice riding car at higher speeds. The fit and finish to the car was outstanding, as was the CTS I sat in back at the showroom. I liked the leather - very plush compared to the Mercedes-Benz.

When we got back to the showroom, he introduced me to the manager. I shared with him that I currently drive an E400 Sedan, but was interested in the CT6 as it was a bit more roomy for me. He suggested that I return in about 4 weeks when they expect to have some in inventory.

He then thanked me for coming in and handed me his card. I asked about the gift card and he said, "...you know what, we are out of them and really don't expect to have any more for a few weeks." I asked him why that wasn't mentioned to me when I first walked into the dealership and told the sales person I was really only interested in the gift card. The manager said he was a new salesman and was not aware that they had just run out of the gift cards. I asked for a rain check, but he said they don't give out rain checks.

It would appear, from the experience I had this morning, that an upscale dealership like Cadillac should have been much more "UPSCALE!" I guess I would have expected the usual "run-of-the-mill" dealerships to play games with me, but I guess I was wrong. Too bad. Even though I at first thought the CT6 might be out of my price range (at least what I was willing to spend on a car), I am very intrigued by what I learned from my research of the new model. I am sure Cadillac wants to make sure this new entry to their line is handled correctly by dealerships. I am not turned off the new Cadillac as much as I am turned off by the dealership.

Live and learn, I guess.

stever · September 2015

imidazol97 said:
5 out of 5. The reviews I read were fairly good.

Ah, thought you may have had some dealings with Andy Moore to the contrary.

abacomike · September 2015

I just got a call from my son in California. He said he was in the middle of clothes washing and drying and getting ready to pack for his trip to Florida tomorrow morning. He and his SO have a 6:30 AM flight out of Palm Springs tomorrow morning with an hour or so lay-over in Dallas. Then, they have a flight to Ft. Lauderdale that is scheduled to arrive at 4:10 PM. Boy, that sure is a long day for them. I guess the lay-over is going to be more than an hour.

I like to pick up people arriving at Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood Int'l Airport at the Departure Level (main level of the terminal) rather than the arrivals level because I find that it is less crowded on the second level. I told him I would leave for the airport as soon as I know his plane has landed as it only takes 30-35 minutes to get there from where I live. His SO told me they are going to have checked bags, so that usually takes 25-30 minutes before they are ready to be picked up. If necessary, I will circle the airport if they are not ready on time.

I am getting really excited about seeing my son. It's a blessing that I can still enjoy having him be with me for a few days after what he's been through.

driver100 · September 2015

imidazol97 said:

driver100 said:
He said a new Elantra. He found the price of a replacement Buick would be too much, and he and his wife wanted something smaller and sportier feeling.
I am giving my _opinion_, but with the readjustment in models in GM Buick was left without a replacement
for a car size to replace the leSabre. The laCrosse is too premium for my tastes when I was shopping
to replace a leSabre. The laCrosse replaced the Park Avenue.

The Verano had the ride but was too much like a Cruze, despite suspension alterations that give it
a very calm controlled ride.

The Elantra I drove had a ride that I didn't care for. But that's my opinion
based on one drive.

To each his own.

Appreciate your views on Buick. I noticed GMs prices seemed to be coming up steeply since the possible bankruptcy days. I think some people who shop for a similar car...like trading in a Buick for a new one will get sticker shock.

Many seniors go to buy a new car and find the increased prices out of range, so they go with a car like an Elantra. I have driven a rental about a year ago. High content, low price, has everything you need on it for a very low price, and if you just need basic transportation to get around town it will do it at a good price. I was impressed with all the electronics and it's solidness....just not much room and not much fun to drive, but for around $20k, a bargain.

driver100 · September 2015

abacomike said:
I just got a call from my son in California. He said he was in the middle of clothes washing and drying and getting ready to pack for his trip to Florida tomorrow morning. He and his SO have a 6:30 AM flight out of Palm Springs tomorrow morning with an hour or so lay-over in Dallas. Then, they have a flight to Ft. Lauderdale that is scheduled to arrive at 4:10 PM. Boy, that sure is a long day for them. I guess the lay-over is going to be more than an hour.

I like to pick up people arriving at Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood Int'l Airport at the Departure Level (main level of the terminal) rather than the arrivals level because I find that it is less crowded on the second level. I told him I would leave for the airport as soon as I know his plane has landed as it only takes 30-35 minutes to get there from where I live. His SO told me they are going to have checked bags, so that usually takes 25-30 minutes before they are ready to be picked up. If necessary, I will circle the airport if they are not ready on time.

I am getting really excited about seeing my son. It's a blessing that I can still enjoy having him be with me for a few days after what he's been through.

Have a great time....you have all been through a lot over the last year!

btw...enjoyed reading about your XTS experience......I wondered whether you would get your $60!

abacomike · September 2015

Driver, I would have been happy with $50.00, but $60.00 would have been a surprise since $50.00 was what they "offered?"

oldfarmer50 · September 2015

dino001 said:

suydam said:
What I said was CAR sales are down across the board. The growth is fueled by crossovers and trucks.
OK, got it. In three years we will have cheap trucks on the market again in another gas price hysteria.

That's when you roll your collection of hybrids, that you bought cheap now, out on the lawn and sell them for double. Take SUVs in trade and store them for the next time gas hits $2.

oldfarmer50 · September 2015

berri said:
I think all Chrysler has to offer is Jeep. I don't see any takers unless there is a fire sale.

As for dealers, my experiences have been it really just depends on the individual dealer. I don't think certain brands are always worse than others. But that's just my experiences over the years. Your going to be with that dealer for awhile, at least through warranty, so I look at the whole operation when buying a vehicle.

I like the looks of the Dart which is based on a Fiat platform. I don't know if it's a good or reliable car but it looks nice.

thebean · September 2015

stever said:

@imidazol97, we have the most trusted dealer reviews in the business. I'm sure some slip by us, but unlike Google and Yelp, we review the reviews before we publish them. Dealer Ratings and Reviews

When I bought my Accord last year, I consulted the Edmunds Dealer Ratings & went to a Five Star Honda dealer that was a bit further away from my home. It was well worth it as I was really pleased with how they handled things. No games, no bait & switch, no hidden/exorbitant fees, and although I probably could have gotten a slightly lower price if I had "grinded" away at another dealer, I was very happy with the deal. The Finance office was also low pressure. I was thankful for the Edmunds reviews.

explorerx4 · September 2015

Some are of the opinion that FCA's pursuit of a merger with GM is misdirection. It's a ploy to put pressure on another potential partner.
I also saw a yellow Mustang GT on a dealer lot. It was a stick with upgraded wheels and performance rear axle. I'll admit... nope, nope didn't like it at all.

oldfarmer50 · September 2015

abacomike said:
I received an email this morning offering me a $50 gift card if I would go into a local Cadillac dealer and test drive any of their vehicles. So, I said to myself, what the heck - $50.00 is $50.00.

So I drove over there at noon and was greeted by a salesperson. He seemed like he was sort of new to the car selling game because he was somewhat hesitant in his questions and even asked several questions twice even though I had answered them. I said that I got an email inviting me to take a test drive in any of their vehicles and that for my cooperation, I would receive a $60.00 gift card. He said yes, they have had many customers come in for the gift. He then led me over to a new CTS. I sat in the car and as I had mentioned to him prior to our walking over to the CTS that I had sat in a CTS before, but it was too snug for me. I guess he thought I lost weight or something because it was if he wasn't even listening to what I was saying. So, I sat in the car and, of course, it was too snug for me. He then suggested an XTS. I had told him I did not want a front wheel drive car - that I was only interested in a rear wheel drive vehicle. What can I say - I guess they hire anyone these days to sell cars.

I then asked him about the CT6. He said they didn't have any at the dealership at this time, but urged me to test drive the XTS. So I agreed. I was not overly impressed with the car at all. Seemed a bit sluggish and had a fairly soft ride to it. He had me take it on the interstate, which I did, and it was a very nice riding car at higher speeds. The fit and finish to the car was outstanding, as was the CTS I sat in back at the showroom. I liked the leather - very plush compared to the Mercedes-Benz.

When we got back to the showroom, he introduced me to the manager. I shared with him that I currently drive an E400 Sedan, but was interested in the CT6 as it was a bit more roomy for me. He suggested that I return in about 4 weeks when they expect to have some in inventory.

He then thanked me for coming in and handed me his card. I asked about the gift card and he said, "...you know what, we are out of them and really don't expect to have any more for a few weeks." I asked him why that wasn't mentioned to me when I first walked into the dealership and told the sales person I was really only interested in the gift card. The manager said he was a new salesman and was not aware that they had just run out of the gift cards. I asked for a rain check, but he said they don't give out rain checks.

It would appear, from the experience I had this morning, that an upscale dealership like Cadillac should have been much more "UPSCALE!" I guess I would have expected the usual "run-of-the-mill" dealerships to play games with me, but I guess I was wrong. Too bad. Even though I at first thought the CT6 might be out of my price range (at least what I was willing to spend on a car), I am very intrigued by what I learned from my research of the new model. I am sure Cadillac wants to make sure this new entry to their line is handled correctly by dealerships. I am not turned off the new Cadillac as much as I am turned off by the dealership.

Live and learn, I guess.

Wow, that's low. When I did a similar test ride at Lexus they mailed me the card a while later. That they told you they were "out" of cards sounds fishy. Last year Caddy was offering $100 dollars to get you to test drive.

PF_Flyer · September 2015

abacomike said:
I received an email this morning offering me a $50 gift card if I would go into a local Cadillac dealer and test drive any of their vehicles. So, I said to myself, what the heck - $50.00 is $50.00.
Live and learn, I guess.

Heh... I'm always sort of skeptical of anyone offering me something for nothing, or trying to "save me money"

roadburner · September 2015

imidazol97 said:

Andymohrford is the store where Roadburner got burned on the
Mustang GT. Plainfield, IN.

http://www.andymohrford.com/inventory/2015-ford-mustang-gt-rwd-2d-coupe-1fa6p8cf6f5301815

5 out of 5. The reviews I read were fairly good. Some a little
oddly written. Either they keep people pretty happy or they
reward people for writing reviews.

When son was looking for apartment complex, on apartments.com
one complex had lots of great reviews but short. I found that they
rewarded cash off rent if someone wrote a good review. They all
were verified as renters--that meant someone who left and wrote a
negative review wasn't included because they were NOT verified by
management as renters.

That's the thing; I did check Yelp, Google, and BBB. Most every negative review involved cheap used cars bought off their budget lot or else poor service- neither of which applied to me.

houdini1 · September 2015

stever said:
I read a lot of Dealer Reviews here. It's amazing how many people get run over at the dealer yet cave in because they have been at the showroom all day and they're tired and they just want to do a deal. Then they write a bad review after they review the contract the next day.

That is the same tactic that the police use to get an innocent man to confess to a crime he did not commit.

stickguy · September 2015

mike, not that bad of a trip. really only 6.5 hours, since they pick up 3 hours coming east.

Michaell · September 2015

stickguy said:

mike, not that bad of a trip. really only 6.5 hours, since they pick up 3 hours coming east.

I started traveling for business when I lived in California. Flying to the East Coast was always an all day affair, because of the time change.

of course, when I started traveling, there were more nonstop flights. now you almost always have to connect somewhere

abacomike · September 2015

stickguy said:

mike, not that bad of a trip. really only 6.5 hours, since they pick up 3 hours coming east.

To me, 6-1/2 hours is a long stretch of time. Coming east, the air travel time is about 5 hours and 10 minutes. Going back on Monday, it's close to 6 hours because of the prevailing westerly jet stream.

I used to fly to California quite frequently to see my son and grandsons, however with my DVT potential and neuro-muscular problems, I just can't do it any longer except in an emergency. My legs swell if I sit in one place for extended periods of time. That's why I don't frequent the Casino as often as I used to. Sitting at those machines causes me quite a bit of pain.

When I flew more often, American Airlines had 2 non-stop flights a day from Ft. Lauderdale to Los Angeles where I would fly a puddle-jumper back east into Palm Springs. Jet Blue used to have a non-stop flight from here to Long Beach - again I had to fly a puddle-jumper back out to Palm Springs. Now, the only viable ways to fly to Palm Springs is the American Airlines flight to DFW and then a flight right into Palm Springs. Also, there's a Continental/United flight to Pheonix and a puddle-jumper into Palm Springs.

Miami is much too far from me to make it viable. And Palm Beach is more difficult to make connections from because of the lack of flights.

ab348 · September 2015

isellhondas said:
ab348, I for one don't think GG has bashed GM. He is simply keeping all of us to date with his progress or should I say, lack of progress.

If you find his posts to be annoying, just use your scroll wheel and scroll through them.

I think he does need to dump and I for one am here to support him as he has in the past for many of us.

[sigh] Never said he did.

driver100 · September 2015

abacomike said:
Driver, I would have been happy with $50.00, but $60.00 would have been a surprise since $50.00 was what they "offered?"

I thought you switched gears in there somewhere so I didn't know what the amount was. Did you switch or did I misunderstand what the dealer offered? Here is part of your post:

I received an email this morning offering me a $50 gift card if I would go into a local Cadillac dealer and test drive any of their vehicles. So, I said to myself, what the heck - $50.00 is $50.00.

So I drove over there at noon and was greeted by a salesperson. He seemed like he was sort of new to the car selling game because he was somewhat hesitant in his questions and even asked several questions twice even though I had answered them. I said that I got an email inviting me to take a test drive in any of their vehicles and that for my cooperation, I would receive a $60.00 gift card.

In any event, the $50 should have been sent to you if you fulfilled the terms of the ad. You should report them for false advertising. If they can't even get a simple gift certificate promo right then it does put into question their honesty.

Isn't that $50 certificate what got GG into a Cadillac showroom?

abacomike · September 2015

Sorry Driver - that last figure was a typo - it was $50.00, not $60.00. I was wondering how you came up with $60.00 - now I know - from my post. LOL!!!

abacomike · September 2015

One of the real technological advantages of my new iPhone is the "fingerprint" ID. My bank accounts, credit card accounts and several other Apps I use (including iTunes Store purchases using iCloud) are all accessible using one of two fingerprints instead of having to type in my passwords or user ID.

If I am not mistaken, there are other smart phones with that feature. Have any of you found this asset to be helpful as well as simple to use?

stever · September 2015

imidazol97 said:
Checked Andy Moore Ford (46168 zip code) and of the first 5 pages of reviews only
one was NOT 5 stars.

K, got confused and I didn't connect Roadburner with Andy Mohr. There seems to be another review up for that dealership. Maybe they'll offer a $60 gift card for the wasted time.

imidazol97 · September 2015

roadburner said:

imidazol97 said:

Andymohrford is the store where Roadburner got burned on the
Mustang GT. Plainfield, IN.

http://www.andymohrford.com/inventory/2015-ford-mustang-gt-rwd-2d-coupe-1fa6p8cf6f5301815
That's the thing; I did check Yelp, Google, and BBB. Most every negative review involved cheap used cars bought off their budget lot or else poor service- neither of which applied to me.

I was trying to hint that the reviews might be artificial because the folks were given some enticement, like the folks at the apartments had been. The apartment reviews were stilted and didn't flow. I haven't gone back and gone over the car dealer reviews to try "feel" how authentic they were, but I was surprised by how few complaints there were. People usually complain much more readily than they heap praise. Also, like a judge and jury measuring the truthfulness of a witness by watching body language, muscle tenseness, and eye movements, I want to look for hints of veracity in the wording in the reviews.

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