Six years and 46,000 miles. I bought my 1999 Regal in March 2004 when it had 54,000 miles. After adding them all up, I average about 6 1/2 years of ownership per preowned car.
Canadiantoyota, how did you like the Olds Aurora? We test-drove that one before we bought the Maxima. Sweet car but a weird trunk shape. We couldn't get two large suitcases in, so nixed the purchase of that one.
Also drove the Alero at the time. Not a bad car, but we just decided it wasn't for us.
Strange to think of Oldsmobile being gone now. Wonder if I would have gotten $3,000 for either of those cars come trade in time 10 years later!
tjc....that RX-V1 is a very nice piece. The electronics manufacturers' get a little snippy when people buy their gear on ebay. But, as long as it isn't "gray market" there's not much they can do about it.
I've sold some high(er) end A/V related gear on ebay (B&K, Pioneer Elite, Mark Levinson, etc), but never bought anything A/V related on ebay. I know some folks who are "in the biz" who work for distributors and usually get great deals from them.
A phenomena that's been going on over the last 10 years and growing, are the numbers of internet only companies making high quality A/V gear by cutting out the retailers entirely. I've bought quite a bit from those companies.....always thrilled with what I got for my dollar, too.
I would have liked the Aurora a lot more if I hadn't had so many problems with it. The steering rack went at 1,000 miles (locked in a right turn and would not straighten out). I had to fight with the dealer and eventually take it to the regional representative to get it replaced. GM wanted to disassemble and lube it to see if the problem would disappear. I had so many issues that I switched to Toyota (Camry) and never looked at another GM. When the car didn't have problems, it was a beautiful car. I loved the interior and my wife loved to drive it. I had problems with the fuel pump, air flow sensor, transmission leaks, and too many other issues.
del - that Alero is a good plan for a NY car. Some of those other things that went by before when discussing it were interesting but I think you've picked something just about perfect for what you have in mind.
Going through all the cars makes my head hurt but let's see...
69 Volvo 142 bought used in 7/73 56 Buick Special - a play around car taht I really liked 73 Saab 99 replaced the Volvo in 9/78 80 VW Rabbit bought new in 9/79 the single most trouble prone car I've owned (some people say don't buy used cars because they are "someone else's headache. This was my own personal headache.) 77 Chevy Nova (bought to tide me over after ditching the Rabbit late 81) 80 Honda Accord sedan 3/82 great car 78 Chevy Nova 6/85 wife was carless coming into marriage so we bought this for her 85 Nissan Sentra bought in 8/87 when the Accord finally hit terminal rust (I lived all that time on a barrier island so the Accord saw a LOT of salt!) 78 Volvo 244 - short lived purchase It's only good point was it had AC which the Nova didn't. trouble prone 85 Honda Accord around 6/90 replaced the Volvo. really nice car. Got T-boned by a geezer running a stop sign in 2/93 87 Maxima wagon - replaced the 85 Accord 3/93 87 Maxima wagon (yes! For a while I had two) Replaced the Sentra which drowned in a Noreaster 12/92 95 Ford Windstall - replaced Maxima #2. Dumb move 98 Chrysler Sebring convertible - replaced the other Maxima about 6/00 I had convertible fever. It was fine but more kids and we outgrew it 00 Honda Accord - bought new 12/99 Still have it 02 Honda Odyssey LX - bought new 10/01 replaced the Sebring. Sigh. 04 Honda Odyssey EX - CPO replaced 02 Ody Still have. We call it our LAST minivan 99 Toyota Camry 3/04 - daughter drowned it last month 99 Toyota Celica - convertible fever strikes again. unfortunately the top mechanism is now broken so it acts a a coupe. 07 Toyota Camry 4/10 CPO. Wife gets that and daughter gets the 00 Accord with 183K on it.
That may be it....
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
.. For me personally,it`s tough to be buying cars traditionally unless of course Ebay motors shuts shop
Thanks for answering about delivery. That is pretty good, and delivered from Florida for $600. You could go to Florida and come back in the back seat for less than it would cost to fly.
I have another question. Do you like to gamble, or bid on other items like art or antiques? I am wondering if those things make you more likely to buy this way.
Do you like to gamble, or bid on other items like art or antiques? I am wondering if those things make you more likely to buy this way.
I'm not Del, but if it helps any I use eBay a lot, never gamble, never buy a lottery ticket, don't even play cards. I've never had less than an excellent deal on eBay, and never paid more than I wanted to. I've bought everything from a $60K vehicle, to new tires, to new car and boat parts for pennies on the dollar. As I said earlier, I never bid until the last few seconds and I don't really understand why anyone else would. Why show your hand?
Since being in the business for almost 6 years I tend to average a car a year. Overall since I began driving it's been about a car for every 1.3 years.
Can't drive the memories...plus to add insult to injury the knucklehead I sold it to destroyed it within a few months. FWIW when he bought it you could eat off the carpets.
However, its just a car and there are plenty still around when I get the itch again. Something would have to give though. I certainly don't need three cars (not including my GFs). Maybe I'll talk her into getting an SUV, then I could sell my truck and make some room. :shades:
I meant to ask all of you why certain cars are considered "chick cars"? I can understand, say, a VW Beetle with a factory installed flower vase on the dash being labeled as such, but why is the Mini Cooper S (as per the kid's assessment) one? Why is driving a "chick car" a problem for some guys? Lack of testosterone? Too much testosterone?
I understand that some cars probably have a preponderance of female owners, but women do outnumber us. At my fine institution of higher learning I see young women driving pretty much every type of vehicle up to and including full-size diesel pickups, any SUV you can name and a broad spectrum of sporty, sports and "muscle" cars. One of my female students drives a Hummer H2 and her smaller vehicle is a mid-size Chevrolet SUV. Those rugged off-road jeeps are particularly popular with the gals.
About the only type of automobile I don't see the female students driving are minivans, but I see plenty of soccer moms in those.
Guys, would you not buy a car because it was marketed towards women? I'm willing to draw the line at anything painted pink, but that's because I don't really like the color. I'm also not fond of pastel tints or brown--at least as car colors.
Non issue for me--what I like I like. Be happy with a pink and black cadillac but my wife wouldn't. Jeep Liberty is classed a chick ride -- my wife loves it. Me too. The female mind is wired differently than the male. Certain things attract them and the car companies are spending big bucks to hone in. Ladies buy lots of cars. Good business. You can see it in the tv ads. The local audi dealer calls itself a boutique dealership. the volvo dealer has special ladies reps and consultants. Lots of women in sales as well. Before I catch stuff for commenting on brain wiring, it's my opinion that the ladies have superior synaptic capabilities. :shades:
We have a drunk that calls 3 or 4 times a year looking for "Sheila". Then he argues with you and gets very belligerent if you tell him he has the wrong number. (I think it is the area code that he has wrong).
The last time he called I finally told him that Sheila was in the bedroom with some other guy and did not want to talk to him.
Despite what you might hear, it's those fairly small, easy to handle frying pans that are the most dangerous. Anyone can evade a big heavy one (unless you get snuck up on). A small one can be whipped out and a blow delivered while you are just standing there looking dumbfounded.
This is a tough one to tackle. Obviously the VW New Beetle is one example. Pretty much every Lexus RX & ES I see is driven by a woman. I wouldn't not drive one of those because it is a "chick car," but wouln't drive it because I can't stand Lexus cars/trucks. I pretty much only see women driving X3s & TSXs, but when I drive one of our family haulers ('07 Montego Blue X3 & Black TSX) I don't feel like any less of a man :confuse: People say the Miata is a "chick car" - It is probably one of the best balanced true sports cars on the planet.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Driver, I never gamble nor bid a lot on other antiques or art. I buy electronics on ebay mostly through the buy it now/best offer price option and rarely if ever use auction or bidding for them . B`cos the savings are very minimal maybe $15 on a $300 item and not worth your time and effort. :shades:
I know folks think that buying a car unseen from 1000 miles away seems like a gamble / risk- but to me I think that is the safest option. Even safer than buying traditionally . Why?? b`cos the seller is a reputed seller-he has sold hundreds of cars online to satisfied buyers. And these buyers are not someone who can just register and post feedback or review an item . In car forums or dealer review forums , anyone can register and post anything about any dealer. the dealer himself can post great reviews on himself and badmouth other dealers. :P
But Ebay buyers are actual real buyers--Their personal info and credit card info is on file.They buy and pay a deposit by credit card/paypal.These are actual legitimate buyers. The seller also has an account with Ebay--His business id, License #,his credit card info and other needed info.The feedback the seller gets is actual real feedback from folks who have bought from him. The cars that they bought from that dealer and their feedback on that transaction is posted. This is very important as even 1 negative review on a big ticket item like a car can be damaging. Say a buyer posts that the car he got was defective and the seller is not recommended and or is deceitful,then potential buyers can look at that and avoid him. So dealers take extra special care to see that the car is very accurately described and the transaction goes smoothly. Feedbacks are his lifeline. That`s why Ebay photos and descriptions are so detailed.. And a seller has lots to lose by lying or gross misrepresentation. :shades:
Obviously, you avoid dealers who have very minimal feedback say like 1 0r 2 cars or is a new seller with zero car sales --not b`cos they are frauds but b`cos they just have inadequate transaction history. More like unknown.. Also Ebay has a buyer vehicle protection program for upto $50k if the vehicle is damaged,has salvage title,gross misrepresentation or is inoperable.This does not cover transactions wherein you go personally and buy it from the dealer b`cos then you would have had the option to check the car out and you are liable to have noticed any defects. That`s why getting the item shipped is the safer option. As then the burden is on the seller. And obviously -it does not cover minor scratches occured during shipping- but big dents/body damage is covered. And this is the case for shipping a car to any dealer anywhere in US.The shippers are bonded and licensed. Best to go with the shipper suggested by the seller !!
Also if you are unhappy about the cars-you contact the seller first before filing a complaint---most sellers just take back the car as they dont want a negative feedback.This is a very very rare scenario. The car`s description is given in detail in the ad in order to avoid this.You pay for shipping though--this is in the worst case scenario. Ebay sells roughly a car every minute. So for me, I feel it is safer than buying traditionally with no stress,haggling or looking or driving around. Plus you get the car with your options-color,packages etc etc which may not be available locally !! Hope this helps !! :shades:
You make some good points about buying cars on eBay, but you still need to sit and test drive an example before you commit to buying on eBay. The Camry you bought along with the 2 others, did you buy them without ever test driving them, or did you actually go to a local dealer, check them out, compare them, and THEN decided to buy one on eBay?
I had an 03 Camry -- so I like those quiet,comfy rides. And I always prefer Toyo/Lexus.I know brand image is just a belief,still I prefer only Toyo/Lex. Tough for me to buy something like Hyundai even though they make some really really good cars now with good reliability.They still dont have that brand image.Sadly,it doesn`t mean they are of poor quality--rather they are up there now with quality [certainly better than the Det 3 and Nissan] but it`s just that they have a poor brand image.Definitely,it will change with time as they improve. :shades:
And no, I did not test drive any Camry or a Lexus at a dealer before I bought them.Infact the only Toyota I test drove at the local dealer was the Prius --just wanted to check out and drive a Hybrid. :P Reliability,brand image,materials quality and quiet rides are the most important for me and that leads me to Toy/Lex and ruling out other brands !!
Sorry but it wasn't until the 1890's that the US and the UK started to realize that they had common interests and started being friends. Things like the UK supporting the South during the Civil War and the US almost letting the Irish invade Canada in the 1870's wasn't a sign of us being good friends.
Apologies for the late reply - I'm catching up after a fairly long absence - but it is simply not true that the Brits supported the Confederacy. Foreign Office policy during this time was that the American Civil War was an internal affair, & the British government adhered to this policy for the most part, & with good reason. For one thing, popular opinion within the UK was overwhelmingly anti-slavery & thus pro-Union. For another, too much was going on in Europe (notably, the rise of Germany under Bismarck), & the Foreign Office didn't want to divert resources to a distant sideshow.
It also helped that the Royal Navy, which planned to blockade enemy ports in times of war, supported the right of the Union Navy to impose its own blockades.
All of this might have changed if Southern troops had prevailed at Gettysburg, in which case the Brits might have decided that the Confederate government was viable & should be recognized, but that didn't happen.
The Brits certainly did stuff that angered the Union - allowing UK shipyards to build warships & blockade runners for the South - but UK policy overall was one of neutrality. After the Civil War ended, the UK agreed to pay & apologize for the damage done by these ships.
I think that if you go back & read your history books, you'll find that once the US & the UK settled the outstanding Canadian border disputes in the early 1850s, relations between the 2 countries were reasonably friendly.
I guess if you're familiar with the brand then this method works for you. I'd personally not do that because I wouldn't want to spend $20k + on something I wouldn't be comfortable with that I had no recourse of bringing back.
. Plus you get the car with your options-color,packages etc etc which may not be available locally !! Hope this helps !!
That explanation of the EBay process helps a lot. I have a few more questions for you. *How do the dealers on EBay get cars to sell? Any idea? Do they go to an auction, or put ads in papers. Their costs are low, no dealership, warranty etc., so they can definitely sell for less. I suppose they could make a good living selling a car or two a week.
*If they are private individuals, what makes them different from a curbsider? Do they have a license for buying and selling cars?
*How do you feel about cars? You said you like certain models and you expressed your thoughts about the driving experience of different models. I guess what I am trying to find out is, would you think of a car as being a convenience and should be reliable and comfortable, pleasing to look at etc., AND/OR is the feel and looks of the car important to you? Are you passionate about the car you buy or is it a dollars and sense practical decision.
I appreciate your explanation of the buying experience and you have convinced me it is an excellent way to buy a car...for some people. I still think I would miss the thrill of trying out cars, and then getting it from a new car dealer. There must be a difference in what people want from buying a new car....and I can't figure it out.
Hate to break it to you but Nissan quality has passed Toyota. How would you even know what the quality is in any other automaker since you only get Toyotas and Lexus?
If anything, the events of the last few months have lowered the brand image of both Toyota and Lexus and its going to far a long time when the media, comedians, etc make a mockery and joke of Toyota at every chance they get. If anything, the brand image of Ford, Nissan, Hyundai, and Honda have risen past Toyota due to their current misdeeds and safety issues.
When I test drove the Camry and RAV4 I heard rattles up the wazoo and had console pieces detach into my hand. Couldn't say that for the Hyundai, Nissan, Ford, of GM I drove! Says a lot for how Toyota has fallen in quality. If you think they are still the best then you live in la la land.
Problem is, and most Toyota owners are still in denial and think that Toyota is number one but its not, Ford, Nissan, Honda, and Hyundai are on the same level of brand image as Toyota now and offer much better quality, handling, interesting designs, features, and RELIABILITY. When you trash talk Nissan, Hyundai, and Ford I think your still thinking of those companies aka 10 years ago. They no longer are in the trash and have come a long way in just 10 years compared to the less then stellar almost stalled/blah product designs Toyota is coming out with now a days.
When I test drove the Camry and RAV4 I heard rattles up the wazoo and had console pieces detach into my hand.
Some good points. I was very disappointed in my RAV4 rental a few months ago. Uncomfortable, numb steering, noisy,....basically no fun or enjoyment driving it. Not to mention an ugly interior.
I heard GM is paying back loan money to the government...sooner and more than expected this early. It seems to be partly at the expense of Toyota. Some people are looking to brands they think they can trust. :confuse:
Isn't Eos the Greek Goddess of the dawn? Maybe VW was trying to tell buyers something about the intended audience. It is just a name, though. I don't think the name Saturn stopped any parents from buying their cars despite the fact that the God, Saturn, devoured his children--probably because they wouldn't keep quiet in the back seat. If the Eos somehow was mated to the Saturn we would have, what, "Clash" or "Crash of the Titans"?
driver....I'm not an avid ebay shopper. But, every once in awhile I'll look at ebay motors to see what a particular brand or car is selling for.
I kind of lump them into a few categories....
1. Highly desirable car (or even an alleged collectible) that the seller is trying to get maximum dollar for by expanding past the local market for
2. Cars (even relatively new ones) that have title issues (odo problems), manufacturer buybacks, rebuilt/salvage titles, etc. I see a lot of BMWs in that category for sale. They're relatively cheap, and all claim to have been "fixed" by the manufacturer.
3. The "hot" new car that people have to have, will travel to get one, and pay a premium for the priviledge. For example, you'll see a lot of new Camaros on ebay for sale. That will taper off when production catches up with demand (which looks to be happening already).
The rest are just cars that an individual or dealer wants to move quickly so they open up their marketing area for it by posting it on ebay. Dealers especially try to do that.
General rule of thumb, the more the dealer wants out of the car, the more media info (like mini-movies) they'll include in the listing.
I have to agree with del. I have owned just about every type of auto there is but the last 4 have been Lexus and the last 2 before that were Toyotas.
I have liked and enjoyed many different brands but, for me, Lexus is my current favorite, despite some recent bad publicity. I read and pay attention to blogs like this but, for me, my personal experience is still my most important yardstick.
Re: Eclipse. Certainly the trim lines that are less performance-oriented. The same was true for the Nissan 240 in the early 90s. Really pretty much any sporty-but-not-sports cars. At one former employer we referred to them as "secretary cars", which was OK then but somehow strikes me as not very P.C. today.
Sedan-wise, I'm not so sure. I think women tend to favor compacts over full-size. (Insert bad joke about "size matters" if you must) I see more women driving Civics, Corollas, Elantras (includes my wife), etc. than I see driving Avalons, Impalas, and current-gen Tauruses/Taurii. I'm not sure why that is. While it could reflect the modern woman's ability to be more practical on average WRT transportation than the average man, it could also be that men are usually larger and want a larger vehicle accordingly.
SUV/CUV-wise, they seem to be either reasonably sized but bland, i.e. practical (CR-V/RAV4), or "compensating for something" (Excursion/Suburban). I see relatively few women driving mid-size SUVs like the Explorer. The Highlander/Pilot duo may be exceptions but to be honest I see fewer of them on the road than in years past.
But, every once in awhile I'll look at ebay motors to see what a particular brand or car is selling for.
When you check out ebay motors is it to possibly buy, or to dream?
I get travelzoo every week just to dream about going on some of these trips. We have used travelzoo about 3 or 4 times in the last 3 years and it has worked out very well, but mostly I can just check out some great trips, and then dream (saves me money and time).
It`s not that quality is uniformly bad for Nissan or Ford. Rather it is the inconsistency in quality across the board.Actually Nissan's quality for the sedans Altima,Sentra,Maxima,Rogue was better only from the 2007 redesigned models.The previous gen sedans had teething problems-electrical problems,brake issues ,emission system problems.And none of the previous gen sedans are CR recommended. Their SUV and truck line up is a total disaster and this is what really pulls Nissan down of late. The Quest,Titan ,Armada,Pathfinder were some of the most disastrous vehicles Nissan produced. I have an 04 Quest and so I speak from personal experience. The Quest and Armada were designated the worst vehicles sold in US for 06-08. Their reliability,quality, -everything -- was horrible.they had brake and rotor issues,electrical CEL problems,horrible squeaks and rattles,emission and fuel system problems,electronics issues and very poor fit and finish And even now these models are rated very poor.
So this inconsistency across the line up was what I was referring to . So half of all Nissan models are way below average.Only the Altima,Maxima,Rogue are above average. The Sentra and Murano are just average.And all these are the newer redesigns-07+ onwards--not the previous gen`s.The previous gen Murano had below average reliability as were the Altima, Sentra. The Quest, Armada, Titan, Pathy are at the bottom in their class with pathetic reliability. Even the Versa is poor.So yes, Nissan is improving but by no means has it`s quality overtaken Toyota. :P
Same for Ford- in sedans,only the Fusion is good. The Focus is a 10 yr old platform as also the Escape and Ranger.The Explorer and Expedition have average to below average reliability-- with poor fit and finish,noisy engines and horrible fuel economy.Again these are the newer models-not the previous gen.F-150 has average reliability.The Edge and Flex have average reliab-- so again Ford is improving but inconsistent. And not by any stretch is it better than Toyota.
I never trashed Hyundai--infact I said Hyundai is the most improved car maker in US--almost exponentially within just 1 gen and for pretty much all of its line up.The Accent, Elantra, Sonata, Genesis, Santa Fe, Tuscon all are average or above average.You have to really applaud them -from the butt of all jokes to reaching way up in such a short span of time is remarkable.The [non-permissible content removed] 3 fear Hyundai more than Det3 or other makers.
Toyota meanwhile has a slip in quality ,yes-- but nowhere what the media frenzy is showing. Their present and past models are still above average.And it`s not 1 model that is reliable--all Toyota models across the board have been very reliable and not a few selected ones.Yes--they have too many models now that need chopping but not even by a long shot are they unreliable. In a way it`s really good this recall issue happened- Toyota was getting lazy and greedy and incessant cost cutting.This was a good kick up the backside. And this will make Toyota strive to work even further and not sulk about it. Rest assured , the upcoming models will strive to make up for these recent mistakes.They will be back to the drawing board and you can bet they will really be smarting by these quality slip issues. So they will be back even better. Good for the buyer.
Honda again has been very reliable--both present and past- again with some recent glitches like brakes in Accord and Odyssey.They are again consistent across the line up with good reliability,quality and materials. Just that they are for a different buyer than a Toyota buyer.
All said,no intention to trash any car maker--just the facts. I am not a brand loyalist and if Toyota quality slips up real bad like Chrysler, I certainly am buying a different make.Even with its woes, Toyota is up there in quality and reliability. quality has slipped ,but they are way up and still better than the competition.But other makes are catching up fast and Toyota has to be more careful and vigilant now. I always think competition is good--that`s why it`s good to see so many good cars out there now-- good for the buyer and prevents any carmaker from getting lazy or stagnate as like GM and Chrysler.That`s why Hyundai is crucial . It is putting pressure on Toy/Hon both in price and quality.Toy/Hon cant charge a premium for their sedans as they have to be wary of Hyundai..But it will take time for it`s image to change. Maybe another 5 years . But they have made rapid upstrides. I hope Nissan,Ford ,Hyundai improve even further.Competition leads to innovation and improved quality !! Win win for the buyer !! :shades:
When cruising ebay motors it is interesting to check the completed listings which shows what did and didn't sell. The vast majority of listings are from used car dealerships -- some small and others dedicated to ebay exclusively. Lots of new car dealers as well. You can use the service to search for cars near you. That gives you the option of checking out the car at the dealer -- buying it there or going back on line to bid or make an offer. If you live near a large city -- easy. If you live in the boonies then the ebay service could be the best way to find the car you want at the price you want [never easy.]
I personally would not buy a Rav4 or Corolla.Too small , too much plastic ,inadequate engine power . But all models in that class seem to be having the same now. But Honda CRV and Civic have much nicer materials though compared to others !!
I'm sorry I must have misinterpreted some of the comments you were trying to say. I do agree with you that Nissan's SUVs and Pickups are below avg on quality and reliability but there bread and butter models (Sentra, Altima, Maxima, Rogue, and Murano) are, since 2007 of high quality/reliability and you can't go wrong with any of the those models. They had problems with the Quest but they completely scrapped it and a brand new model is coming out for 2011. I think Nissan will need to scrap and completely redesign their pick-ups and SUVs in the coming years, just like they are doing with the Quest. Even there ultra cheap Cube had a excellent material quality/fit and finish for a vehicle in its price range. The new Leaf and Juke at the NY Autoshow also had a very high quality interior for their price ranges. Its nice to see that Nissan finally has addressed their interior issues because you are right, pre 2007 they were pretty awful. Hyundai had very good material quality and fit/finish and felt it was on the level of Nissan and Ford in regards to quality. I still feel Honda has the best quality/fit and finish of the mainstream divisions.
I do agree with you that competition is good between the automakers when you have it because its beneficial for us consumers. I think the brand image of Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, and Subaru is all finally on par with each other that you can't go wrong buying from any of those brands and they all over steep competition to each other!
I agree that the media has hyped up Toyota's quality problems but when you have console pieces detach into your hand during a test drive, that doesn't exactly show top notch quality in my opinion and it happened on more than one model.
I mean Lexus is very good in quality but there product designs and interior's are just a little blah to me and I like something more sporty/aggressive looking; Lexus is one of those divisions where its a set it and forget it luxury vehicle. Many people like that and there is nothing wrong with that but I tend to gravitate toward Acura, Infiniti, and Audi to get my unique, sporty, good handling vehicles!
Don't get me wrong, I don't think Toyota is a piece of crap and I'd be in any one of their products over a Chrysler or GM any day but I do cross shop them because they do make very comfortable riding vehicles. I am really interested to see what Toyota does for the redesign Camry next year because quality is definitely a area they need to improve on this 7th Gen Camry. Toyota is going to have to hit a grand slam with the 8th Gen Camry if they are going to ever keep on top of contenders like the new Sonata, Fusion, and the redesigned Altima due next year as well.
Despite what you might hear, it's those fairly small, easy to handle frying pans that are the most dangerous
Agree. The wife just received the Titanium Non-Stick XL 5000 Supersport model about a week ago. The power and control is just unbelievable... makes a great cheese omelet too. :sick:
Took my Buick Regal in for an oil change today. Looking around the showroom at the Enclave and LaCrosse. I guess I looked like a tire kicker/ice cream licker as no salesman approached me despite the showroom being dead.
Dealership suggested a tune-up. Fine I say, how much? "$189", service tech says. Whats that include I say. "plugs", he says. Pass, I says. :sick:
1.The dealers are just regular car dealers--both new and used car dealers. And they get their inventory just like any regular car dealer does--from the auction,lease turn ins etc. Some of them are huge mega dealers with hundreds of cars in stock--some even have thousands. Some of them have mostly Ebay sales, but I would think still a majority of their sales would be the regular traditional way. :P
2.The seller`d id,contact info,DL #,license # ,credit card # are all on file with ebay. So a private seller say sells 1 or 2 cars --that`s OK. But if he starts selling 3 or 4 or more--- it is really suspicious and Ebay investigates that. No regular private seller will be selling more than 1 or 2 vehicles. So a curbstoner will easily get caught!!
3.For me it`s about reliability,comfy/quiet rides [less road feel/noise ,absorb bumps smoothly ], brand image and fit and finish/materials quality : So I tend to use these criteria to filter out. So here for example -for mainstream brands ,using my criteria to filter out :
Reliability: Camry/Accord/Sonata/ Fusion,Altima, Malibu ?? Comfy quiet rides: Camry/Sonata/Malibu /Fusion?/Altima?[filtered Accord] Brand image and resale value : Camry / Altima?? Fit and finish + material quality : Camry
So the most reliable,comfortable,good resale ,good brand image :: for my criteria Camry comes out tops. But if what I wanted was a better handling car or sporty with taut steering -- would have been the Accord/Altima with Accord the winner for better image and resale.
So I decide on the Camry -the best vehicle for my needs. And the looks should not be too polarizing or ugly-like the Accord.But reliability trumps looks any day.
4. I am both passionate and practical about my cars. I want a good quality looking and feeling sedan with me getting pampered and no trips to the dealer for repairs or other non maintenance issues. I just dislike that--waste of time,money,effort -- and hence reliability is trumps. But say the only reliable car is not comfy/quiet and has very taut steering and road noise-- I would always take the reliable car. For me reliability trumps everything.. :shades:
5. Also I dont like paying stupid money for luxury cars like Lexus. Let someone else take the hit and then I prefer the 2 or 3 yr old car with less than 30k miles. I got a 3yr Lexus GX on ebay with 30k miles for $27k --all loaded with every option available--Navigation,Camera,Premium audio,Dynamic cruise,heated seats etc etc. A brand new with those features would be $70k. And also I got it in 2008 when gas was hurling towards $5 and big SUV prices dropped alarmingly !!
Yes Isell, that would be very rude and inappropriate. If you have no intention of buying from that dealer--then dont test drive and waste the salesman`s time. Imagine if someone wasted a customer`s time in his personal profession. He would be very annoyed.
But if you are there for an oil change or still want to test drive a car with no intention of buying -- my advice would be to go the manager and tell him that you want to test drive the car but absolutely have no intention of buying and do not want to want to waste the salesman`s time. Some may allow you to take the car alone,some would still send a salesguy especially if the showroom is empty or he himself may volunteer to come with you. :shades:
Also if a buyer just wants to test drive--he should go when showrooms are empty--like on weekdays. Not on saturdays or Friday evenings --that is just plain rude. :sick:
If I were the manager and such a request was made-I would politely tell the customer that it`s really busy now and I would be more than willing to accommodate his request some other time on a weekday . And frankly, personally if I was the manager and such a request was made, I would refuse it or maybe not b`cos I would want the customer to come back regularly for service. It`s just about weighing the options, I guess !!:P
I've done the test drive with no intention of buying (though not in some time now) but am always upfront that that's what I'm doing and always leaving the sales person with the option of telling me no. I try to take the absolute minimum of the sales person's time.
I've never had a problem with this though to be fair I have to say that these really didn't result in a sale down the road but really that has to do with the fact that I tried out things that didn't fit my tastes. I did OK with one guy. I married his daughter.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
Last summer, on a busy Saturday I had a nicely dressed woman in her 60's walk up to my desk she had a guy in his 30's with her who I caoorectly assumed was her son.
" I would like to test drive an Accord, A Civic and a CRV"
This is never good but I said " Sure, let's do this"
She handed me a Florida Driver's Lic. to photocopy.
I took them to an Accord and I got in the back seat.
" Did you just move to Washington"
" Oh no, I'm just visiting and I'm out test driving every kind of a car I can think of so I'll know what to buy when I get back"
About that time, my cell phone went off and I broke my rule of never answering the phone when I have a customer. I had a customer waiting for me that was in a big hurry. Respecting that other customer's time, I told the receptioninst to find another person to help him. He ended up buying and I lost a half deal.
And my woman test driver was one of those people who wanted to take it on the freeway, back it into a parking space, make circles in a parking lot etc.
Finally we headed back. I asked her how long she was going to be in town and she told me she would be there all of the following week.
When we got back, the place was slammed. I very nicely let her know we were very busy and could she please return the following week during the week to drive the other cars. I could tell she was miffed but they left.
They came back, thankfully on my day off the next week and she wasted the time of a brand new sales person for three hours driving four different cars.
He didn't keep her on as tight of a leash as I did and as I understand it, the test drives were long and "creative".
Comments
Six years and 46,000 miles. I bought my 1999 Regal in March 2004 when it had 54,000 miles. After adding them all up, I average about 6 1/2 years of ownership per preowned car.
Also drove the Alero at the time. Not a bad car, but we just decided it wasn't for us.
Strange to think of Oldsmobile being gone now. Wonder if I would have gotten $3,000 for either of those cars come trade in time 10 years later!
I've sold some high(er) end A/V related gear on ebay (B&K, Pioneer Elite, Mark Levinson, etc), but never bought anything A/V related on ebay. I know some folks who are "in the biz" who work for distributors and usually get great deals from them.
A phenomena that's been going on over the last 10 years and growing, are the numbers of internet only companies making high quality A/V gear by cutting out the retailers entirely. I've bought quite a bit from those companies.....always thrilled with what I got for my dollar, too.
Going through all the cars makes my head hurt but let's see...
69 Volvo 142 bought used in 7/73
56 Buick Special - a play around car taht I really liked
73 Saab 99 replaced the Volvo in 9/78
80 VW Rabbit bought new in 9/79 the single most trouble prone car I've owned
(some people say don't buy used cars because they are "someone else's headache. This was my own personal headache.)
77 Chevy Nova (bought to tide me over after ditching the Rabbit late 81)
80 Honda Accord sedan 3/82 great car
78 Chevy Nova 6/85 wife was carless coming into marriage so we bought this for her
85 Nissan Sentra bought in 8/87 when the Accord finally hit terminal rust (I lived all that time on a barrier island so the Accord saw a LOT of salt!)
78 Volvo 244 - short lived purchase It's only good point was it had AC which the Nova didn't. trouble prone
85 Honda Accord around 6/90 replaced the Volvo. really nice car. Got T-boned by a geezer running a stop sign in 2/93
87 Maxima wagon - replaced the 85 Accord 3/93
87 Maxima wagon (yes! For a while I had two) Replaced the Sentra which drowned in a Noreaster 12/92
95 Ford Windstall - replaced Maxima #2. Dumb move
98 Chrysler Sebring convertible - replaced the other Maxima about 6/00 I had convertible fever. It was fine but more kids and we outgrew it
00 Honda Accord - bought new 12/99 Still have it
02 Honda Odyssey LX - bought new 10/01 replaced the Sebring. Sigh.
04 Honda Odyssey EX - CPO replaced 02 Ody Still have. We call it our LAST minivan
99 Toyota Camry 3/04 - daughter drowned it last month
99 Toyota Celica - convertible fever strikes again. unfortunately the top mechanism is now broken so it acts a a coupe.
07 Toyota Camry 4/10 CPO. Wife gets that and daughter gets the 00 Accord with 183K on it.
That may be it....
The memories might be better than the real thing.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Thanks for answering about delivery. That is pretty good, and delivered from Florida for $600. You could go to Florida and come back in the back seat for less than it would cost to fly.
I have another question. Do you like to gamble, or bid on other items like art or antiques? I am wondering if those things make you more likely to buy this way.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I'm not Del, but if it helps any I use eBay a lot, never gamble, never buy a lottery ticket, don't even play cards.
I've never had less than an excellent deal on eBay, and never paid more than I wanted to.
I've bought everything from a $60K vehicle, to new tires, to new car and boat parts for pennies on the dollar.
As I said earlier, I never bid until the last few seconds and I don't really understand why anyone else would. Why show your hand?
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
Can't drive the memories...plus to add insult to injury the knucklehead I sold it to destroyed it within a few months. FWIW when he bought it you could eat off the carpets.
However, its just a car and there are plenty still around when I get the itch again. Something would have to give though. I certainly don't need three cars (not including my GFs). Maybe I'll talk her into getting an SUV, then I could sell my truck and make some room. :shades:
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
I understand that some cars probably have a preponderance of female owners, but women do outnumber us. At my fine institution of higher learning I see young women driving pretty much every type of vehicle up to and including full-size diesel pickups, any SUV you can name and a broad spectrum of sporty, sports and "muscle" cars. One of my female students drives a Hummer H2 and her smaller vehicle is a mid-size Chevrolet SUV. Those rugged off-road jeeps are particularly popular with the gals.
About the only type of automobile I don't see the female students driving are minivans, but I see plenty of soccer moms in those.
Guys, would you not buy a car because it was marketed towards women? I'm willing to draw the line at anything painted pink, but that's because I don't really like the color. I'm also not fond of pastel tints or brown--at least as car colors.
Gogiboy
That is what my car was in college.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
The last time he called I finally told him that Sheila was in the bedroom with some other guy and did not want to talk to him.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Why is it that convertible VWs always get called chick cars? What's chick car about an Eos?
I know folks think that buying a car unseen from 1000 miles away seems like a gamble / risk- but to me I think that is the safest option. Even safer than buying traditionally . Why?? b`cos the seller is a reputed seller-he has sold hundreds of cars online to satisfied buyers. And these buyers are not someone who can just register and post feedback or review an item . In car forums or dealer review forums , anyone can register and post anything about any dealer. the dealer himself can post great reviews on himself and badmouth other dealers. :P
But Ebay buyers are actual real buyers--Their personal info and credit card info is on file.They buy and pay a deposit by credit card/paypal.These are actual legitimate buyers. The seller also has an account with Ebay--His business id, License #,his credit card info and other needed info.The feedback the seller gets is actual real feedback from folks who have bought from him. The cars that they bought from that dealer and their feedback on that transaction is posted. This is very important as even 1 negative review on a big ticket item like a car can be damaging. Say a buyer posts that the car he got was defective and the seller is not recommended and or is deceitful,then potential buyers can look at that and avoid him. So dealers take extra special care to see that the car is very accurately described and the transaction goes smoothly. Feedbacks are his lifeline. That`s why Ebay photos and descriptions are so detailed.. And a seller has lots to lose by lying or gross misrepresentation. :shades:
Obviously, you avoid dealers who have very minimal feedback say like 1 0r 2 cars or is a new seller with zero car sales --not b`cos they are frauds but b`cos they just have inadequate transaction history. More like unknown.. Also Ebay has a buyer vehicle protection program for upto $50k if the vehicle is damaged,has salvage title,gross misrepresentation or is inoperable.This does not cover transactions wherein you go personally and buy it from the dealer b`cos then you would have had the option to check the car out and you are liable to have noticed any defects. That`s why getting the item shipped is the safer option. As then the burden is on the seller. And obviously -it does not cover minor scratches occured during shipping- but big dents/body damage is covered. And this is the case for shipping a car to any dealer anywhere in US.The shippers are bonded and licensed. Best to go with the shipper suggested by the seller !!
Also if you are unhappy about the cars-you contact the seller first before filing a complaint---most sellers just take back the car as they dont want a negative feedback.This is a very very rare scenario. The car`s description is given in detail in the ad in order to avoid this.You pay for shipping though--this is in the worst case scenario. Ebay sells roughly a car every minute. So for me, I feel it is safer than buying traditionally with no stress,haggling or looking or driving around. Plus you get the car with your options-color,packages etc etc which may not be available locally !! Hope this helps !! :shades:
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
And no, I did not test drive any Camry or a Lexus at a dealer before I bought them.Infact the only Toyota I test drove at the local dealer was the Prius --just wanted to check out and drive a Hybrid. :P Reliability,brand image,materials quality and quiet rides are the most important for me and that leads me to Toy/Lex and ruling out other brands !!
Apologies for the late reply - I'm catching up after a fairly long absence - but it is simply not true that the Brits supported the Confederacy. Foreign Office policy during this time was that the American Civil War was an internal affair, & the British government adhered to this policy for the most part, & with good reason. For one thing, popular opinion within the UK was overwhelmingly anti-slavery & thus pro-Union. For another, too much was going on in Europe (notably, the rise of Germany under Bismarck), & the Foreign Office didn't want to divert resources to a distant sideshow.
It also helped that the Royal Navy, which planned to blockade enemy ports in times of war, supported the right of the Union Navy to impose its own blockades.
All of this might have changed if Southern troops had prevailed at Gettysburg, in which case the Brits might have decided that the Confederate government was viable & should be recognized, but that didn't happen.
The Brits certainly did stuff that angered the Union - allowing UK shipyards to build warships & blockade runners for the South - but UK policy overall was one of neutrality. After the Civil War ended, the UK agreed to pay & apologize for the damage done by these ships.
I think that if you go back & read your history books, you'll find that once the US & the UK settled the outstanding Canadian border disputes in the early 1850s, relations between the 2 countries were reasonably friendly.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
That explanation of the EBay process helps a lot. I have a few more questions for you.
*How do the dealers on EBay get cars to sell? Any idea? Do they go to an auction, or put ads in papers. Their costs are low, no dealership, warranty etc., so they can definitely sell for less. I suppose they could make a good living selling a car or two a week.
*If they are private individuals, what makes them different from a curbsider? Do they have a license for buying and selling cars?
*How do you feel about cars? You said you like certain models and you expressed your thoughts about the driving experience of different models. I guess what I am trying to find out is, would you think of a car as being a convenience and should be reliable and comfortable, pleasing to look at etc., AND/OR is the feel and looks of the car important to you? Are you passionate about the car you buy or is it a dollars and sense practical decision.
I appreciate your explanation of the buying experience and you have convinced me it is an excellent way to buy a car...for some people. I still think I would miss the thrill of trying out cars, and then getting it from a new car dealer. There must be a difference in what people want from buying a new car....and I can't figure it out.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
If anything, the events of the last few months have lowered the brand image of both Toyota and Lexus and its going to far a long time when the media, comedians, etc make a mockery and joke of Toyota at every chance they get. If anything, the brand image of Ford, Nissan, Hyundai, and Honda have risen past Toyota due to their current misdeeds and safety issues.
When I test drove the Camry and RAV4 I heard rattles up the wazoo and had console pieces detach into my hand. Couldn't say that for the Hyundai, Nissan, Ford, of GM I drove! Says a lot for how Toyota has fallen in quality. If you think they are still the best then you live in la la land.
Problem is, and most Toyota owners are still in denial and think that Toyota is number one but its not, Ford, Nissan, Honda, and Hyundai are on the same level of brand image as Toyota now and offer much better quality, handling, interesting designs, features, and RELIABILITY. When you trash talk Nissan, Hyundai, and Ford I think your still thinking of those companies aka 10 years ago. They no longer are in the trash and have come a long way in just 10 years compared to the less then stellar almost stalled/blah product designs Toyota is coming out with now a days.
Some good points. I was very disappointed in my RAV4 rental a few months ago. Uncomfortable, numb steering, noisy,....basically no fun or enjoyment driving it. Not to mention an ugly interior.
I heard GM is paying back loan money to the government...sooner and more than expected this early. It seems to be partly at the expense of Toyota. Some people are looking to brands they think they can trust. :confuse:
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Fezo--
Isn't Eos the Greek Goddess of the dawn? Maybe VW was trying to tell buyers something about the intended audience. It is just a name, though. I don't think the name Saturn stopped any parents from buying their cars despite the fact that the God, Saturn, devoured his children--probably because they wouldn't keep quiet in the back seat.
Gogiboy
I kind of lump them into a few categories....
1. Highly desirable car (or even an alleged collectible) that the seller is trying to get maximum dollar for by expanding past the local market for
2. Cars (even relatively new ones) that have title issues (odo problems), manufacturer buybacks, rebuilt/salvage titles, etc. I see a lot of BMWs in that category for sale. They're relatively cheap, and all claim to have been "fixed" by the manufacturer.
3. The "hot" new car that people have to have, will travel to get one, and pay a premium for the priviledge. For example, you'll see a lot of new Camaros on ebay for sale. That will taper off when production catches up with demand (which looks to be happening already).
The rest are just cars that an individual or dealer wants to move quickly so they open up their marketing area for it by posting it on ebay. Dealers especially try to do that.
General rule of thumb, the more the dealer wants out of the car, the more media info (like mini-movies) they'll include in the listing.
I have liked and enjoyed many different brands but, for me, Lexus is my current favorite, despite some recent bad publicity. I read and pay attention to blogs like this but, for me, my personal experience is still my most important yardstick.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
1987 Chevrolet Caprice Classic
1989 Cadillac Brougham
1994 Cadillac DeVille
2002 Cadillac Seville STS
2007 Cadillac DTS Performance
New cars my wife bought:
1986 Chevrolet Sprint
1991 Mercury Tracer
2001 Chevrolet Impala
2005 Buick LaCrosse
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
Sedan-wise, I'm not so sure. I think women tend to favor compacts over full-size. (Insert bad joke about "size matters" if you must) I see more women driving Civics, Corollas, Elantras (includes my wife), etc. than I see driving Avalons, Impalas, and current-gen Tauruses/Taurii. I'm not sure why that is. While it could reflect the modern woman's ability to be more practical on average WRT transportation than the average man, it could also be that men are usually larger and want a larger vehicle accordingly.
SUV/CUV-wise, they seem to be either reasonably sized but bland, i.e. practical (CR-V/RAV4), or "compensating for something" (Excursion/Suburban). I see relatively few women driving mid-size SUVs like the Explorer. The Highlander/Pilot duo may be exceptions but to be honest I see fewer of them on the road than in years past.
When you check out ebay motors is it to possibly buy, or to dream?
I get travelzoo every week just to dream about going on some of these trips. We have used travelzoo about 3 or 4 times in the last 3 years and it has worked out very well, but mostly I can just check out some great trips, and then dream (saves me money and time).
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Don't give people any ideas or they will be coming to our stores, test driving cars that they intend to buy on Ebay??
We get enough wasted time test drives as it is now!
So this inconsistency across the line up was what I was referring to . So half of all Nissan models are way below average.Only the Altima,Maxima,Rogue are above average. The Sentra and Murano are just average.And all these are the newer redesigns-07+ onwards--not the previous gen`s.The previous gen Murano had below average reliability as were the Altima, Sentra. The Quest, Armada, Titan, Pathy are at the bottom in their class with pathetic reliability. Even the Versa is poor.So yes, Nissan is improving but by no means has it`s quality overtaken Toyota. :P
Same for Ford- in sedans,only the Fusion is good. The Focus is a 10 yr old platform as also the Escape and Ranger.The Explorer and Expedition have average to below average reliability-- with poor fit and finish,noisy engines and horrible fuel economy.Again these are the newer models-not the previous gen.F-150 has average reliability.The Edge and Flex have average reliab-- so again Ford is improving but inconsistent. And not by any stretch is it better than Toyota.
I never trashed Hyundai--infact I said Hyundai is the most improved car maker in US--almost exponentially within just 1 gen and for pretty much all of its line up.The Accent, Elantra, Sonata, Genesis, Santa Fe, Tuscon all are average or above average.You have to really applaud them -from the butt of all jokes to reaching way up in such a short span of time is remarkable.The [non-permissible content removed] 3 fear Hyundai more than Det3 or other makers.
Toyota meanwhile has a slip in quality ,yes-- but nowhere what the media frenzy is showing. Their present and past models are still above average.And it`s not 1 model that is reliable--all Toyota models across the board have been very reliable and not a few selected ones.Yes--they have too many models now that need chopping but not even by a long shot are they unreliable. In a way it`s really good this recall issue happened- Toyota was getting lazy and greedy and incessant cost cutting.This was a good kick up the backside. And this will make Toyota strive to work even further and not sulk about it. Rest assured , the upcoming models will strive to make up for these recent mistakes.They will be back to the drawing board and you can bet they will really be smarting by these quality slip issues. So they will be back even better. Good for the buyer.
Honda again has been very reliable--both present and past- again with some recent glitches like brakes in Accord and Odyssey.They are again consistent across the line up with good reliability,quality and materials. Just that they are for a different buyer than a Toyota buyer.
All said,no intention to trash any car maker--just the facts. I am not a brand loyalist and if Toyota quality slips up real bad like Chrysler, I certainly am buying a different make.Even with its woes, Toyota is up there in quality and reliability. quality has slipped ,but they are way up and still better than the competition.But other makes are catching up fast and Toyota has to be more careful and vigilant now. I always think competition is good--that`s why it`s good to see so many good cars out there now-- good for the buyer and prevents any carmaker from getting lazy or stagnate as like GM and Chrysler.That`s why Hyundai is crucial . It is putting pressure on Toy/Hon both in price and quality.Toy/Hon cant charge a premium for their sedans as they have to be wary of Hyundai..But it will take time for it`s image to change. Maybe another 5 years . But they have made rapid upstrides. I hope Nissan,Ford ,Hyundai improve even further.Competition leads to innovation and improved quality !! Win win for the buyer !! :shades:
I do agree with you that competition is good between the automakers when you have it because its beneficial for us consumers. I think the brand image of Ford, Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, and Subaru is all finally on par with each other that you can't go wrong buying from any of those brands and they all over steep competition to each other!
I agree that the media has hyped up Toyota's quality problems but when you have console pieces detach into your hand during a test drive, that doesn't exactly show top notch quality in my opinion and it happened on more than one model.
I mean Lexus is very good in quality but there product designs and interior's are just a little blah to me and I like something more sporty/aggressive looking; Lexus is one of those divisions where its a set it and forget it luxury vehicle. Many people like that and there is nothing wrong with that but I tend to gravitate toward Acura, Infiniti, and Audi to get my unique, sporty, good handling vehicles!
Agree. The wife just received the Titanium Non-Stick XL 5000 Supersport model about a week ago. The power and control is just unbelievable... makes a great cheese omelet too. :sick:
Took my Buick Regal in for an oil change today. Looking around the showroom at the Enclave and LaCrosse. I guess I looked like a tire kicker/ice cream licker as no salesman approached me despite the showroom being dead.
Dealership suggested a tune-up. Fine I say, how much? "$189", service tech says. Whats that include I say. "plugs", he says. Pass, I says. :sick:
2.The seller`d id,contact info,DL #,license # ,credit card # are all on file with ebay. So a private seller say sells 1 or 2 cars --that`s OK. But if he starts selling 3 or 4 or more--- it is really suspicious and Ebay investigates that. No regular private seller will be selling more than 1 or 2 vehicles. So a curbstoner will easily get caught!!
3.For me it`s about reliability,comfy/quiet rides [less road feel/noise ,absorb bumps smoothly ], brand image and fit and finish/materials quality : So I tend to use these criteria to filter out. So here for example -for mainstream brands ,using my criteria to filter out :
Reliability: Camry/Accord/Sonata/ Fusion,Altima, Malibu ??
Comfy quiet rides: Camry/Sonata/Malibu /Fusion?/Altima?[filtered Accord]
Brand image and resale value : Camry / Altima??
Fit and finish + material quality : Camry
So the most reliable,comfortable,good resale ,good brand image :: for my criteria Camry comes out tops. But if what I wanted was a better handling car or sporty with taut steering -- would have been the Accord/Altima with Accord the winner for better image and resale.
So I decide on the Camry -the best vehicle for my needs. And the looks should not be too polarizing or ugly-like the Accord.But reliability trumps looks any day.
4. I am both passionate and practical about my cars. I want a good quality looking and feeling sedan with me getting pampered and no trips to the dealer for repairs or other non maintenance issues. I just dislike that--waste of time,money,effort -- and hence reliability is trumps. But say the only reliable car is not comfy/quiet and has very taut steering and road noise-- I would always take the reliable car. For me reliability trumps everything.. :shades:
5. Also I dont like paying stupid money for luxury cars like Lexus. Let someone else take the hit and then I prefer the 2 or 3 yr old car with less than 30k miles. I got a 3yr Lexus GX on ebay with 30k miles for $27k --all loaded with every option available--Navigation,Camera,Premium audio,Dynamic cruise,heated seats etc etc. A brand new with those features would be $70k. And also I got it in 2008 when gas was hurling towards $5 and big SUV prices dropped alarmingly !!
I'm sure you found it amusing. I just hope it didn't cause Sheila to receive a beating.
But if you are there for an oil change or still want to test drive a car with no intention of buying -- my advice would be to go the manager and tell him that you want to test drive the car but absolutely have no intention of buying and do not want to want to waste the salesman`s time. Some may allow you to take the car alone,some would still send a salesguy especially if the showroom is empty or he himself may volunteer to come with you. :shades:
Also if a buyer just wants to test drive--he should go when showrooms are empty--like on weekdays. Not on saturdays or Friday evenings --that is just plain rude. :sick:
If I were the manager and such a request was made-I would politely tell the customer that it`s really busy now and I would be more than willing to accommodate his request some other time on a weekday . And frankly, personally if I was the manager and such a request was made, I would refuse it or maybe not b`cos I would want the customer to come back regularly for service. It`s just about weighing the options, I guess !!:P
I've never had a problem with this though to be fair I have to say that these really didn't result in a sale down the road but really that has to do with the fact that I tried out things that didn't fit my tastes. I did OK with one guy. I married his daughter.
" I would like to test drive an Accord, A Civic and a CRV"
This is never good but I said " Sure, let's do this"
She handed me a Florida Driver's Lic. to photocopy.
I took them to an Accord and I got in the back seat.
" Did you just move to Washington"
" Oh no, I'm just visiting and I'm out test driving every kind of a car I can think of so I'll know what to buy when I get back"
About that time, my cell phone went off and I broke my rule of never answering the phone when I have a customer. I had a customer waiting for me that was in a big hurry. Respecting that other customer's time, I told the receptioninst to find another person to help him. He ended up buying and I lost a half deal.
And my woman test driver was one of those people who wanted to take it on the freeway, back it into a parking space, make circles in a parking lot etc.
Finally we headed back. I asked her how long she was going to be in town and she told me she would be there all of the following week.
When we got back, the place was slammed. I very nicely let her know we were very busy and could she please return the following week during the week to drive the other cars. I could tell she was miffed but they left.
They came back, thankfully on my day off the next week and she wasted the time of a brand new sales person for three hours driving four different cars.
He didn't keep her on as tight of a leash as I did and as I understand it, the test drives were long and "creative".