Stories from the Sales Frontlines

driver100

. I read the Cadillac story from his past, but part of me believes that is why it is remaining a secret - he is going there again.

I think you could be right! He did say it has been mentioned and that someone is going to fall out of their chair when they hear what it is. It is smaller than the GM SUVs and Flex.

Good thinking Thinker01

tjc78

I'm beginning to think you are right.

How can it be an SRX? The Equinox/Terrain are too small and the new SRX is more or less a clone of those?

verdugo

How can it be an SRX? The Equino/Terrain are too small and the new SRX is more or less a clone of those?

Maybe he got the old model? IIRC it's bigger and it would make sense why his color choice is proving hard to find. There aren't many of those left.

28firefighter

I've been lurking for sometime on this thread, and post occasionally. I've had my money on the SRX from the get-go as the mystery wildcard, and I'm the type of guy that doesn't gamble. The new SRX is actually larger inside than the Terrain/Equinox and even, to me, looks bigger than them. I'm not 100% sure but I believe it is larger than both, even in its current generation.

I think its a wonderful choice of car personally. Cadillac has come a long way in terms of design, build quality, and reliability.

fezo

I don't know about you but I am running out of candidates!

tjc78

The new SRX is actually larger inside than the Terrain/Equinox and even, to me, looks bigger than them

I looked it up quickly and I can't imagine the little difference in size making the deal but you were right. Remember, they are on the same platform, so must be pretty similar.

SRX L= 190.2 W= 75.1
Equinox L= 187.7 W=72.8

stickguy

If it wasn't in the bag, do you think I would have wagered my house on it?

The only other choice was Toyota (basing it on his past horror stories), and that has already been eliminated.

STX is high on my list, althought the size issue comes into play. But, the Escalade could be (thye like the Tahoe, and it is the same darned thing).

But don't discount the DTS, since the town car was in play at one point. All depends on how important the cargo area is.

unless of course he got real radical and is going with a CTS wagon, but that would probably fall into his "tiny" catagory (even though it is i nmy "full size car" catagory!)

tjc78

I don't know about you but I am running out of candidates!

There isn't many left! Taking everything into consideration, we know its a Ford or GM and I am heavily leaning toward SUV. Smart money would be on Acadia, Enclave or Traverse however, that really wouldn't be a big surprise to us given the other choices he has looked at.

driver100

The Equinox/Terrain are too small and the new SRX is more or less a clone of those?

What about a CTS wagon? it is 2 inches longer.

tjc78

I don't see Richard buying any Caddy after all the problems he had with one he owned.

chikoo

Depends upon who you ask.

Cruising the Mazda6 discussion forums, everyone was debating that same question. Some so-called insiders/tech gurus claimed it to be very likely.

Anyways, I will continue my tale later tonight. Just because you know what I bought doesn't mean you know how I got there!!!!! :shades:

jayrider

The old SRX was bigger. You can still find low mileage cpo's but getting the color could be problematic. Very good guess.

graphicguy

Driver......hmmmmm....the CTS Wagon. Never thought of that. Could explain why the dealer has to search for the preferred color as those aren't nearly as plentiful.

fezo

We seem to be reaching a consensus on Cadillac. If richard says that's not it we have to tell him he's wrong....

imidazol97

sterlingdog

I just love you guys. You've worked so hard at identifying the mystery car. It has been great fun watching you narrow down the choices. It shouldn't be long now. The wife's preferred color combination has been found. It's a couple of hours from here. We're going up to see it tomorrow. We have a deal. If she doesn't like it, we're going with the new Flex. Personally, I can live with either one. Just keep one thing in mind. If we purchase the mystery car, it was my wife's idea. I would never have done it otherwise. After all, this was her turn to have what she wanted.

Richard

verdugo

Thanks, but it was very much a group effort. :P

snakeweasel

sterlingdog

GG, just a couple of thoughts. Having been on three cruises, I would suggest an ocean view or balcony cabin. The interior cabins are a bit tight and not as pleasant. Also, I would definitely arrive the day before departure. Airline schedules are way to crazy to trust. As for travel insurance, I think it is a wise move. I would also purchase the $40 gratuity package. If not, you'll find yourself tipping the staff way too much.

Travelzoo is a great place to find cruises at good deals with a variety of cruise lines and destinations available. If you sign up with them (It's free.), they will send you travel specials each Wednesday morning---cruises, resorts, air fares, hotels, etc. If you don't sign up, you can still browse their site.

One word of advice. Don't select the cheapest cruise out there. Pay just a little more because you'll get more. Also, AAA is good at helping you book a cruise. Just drop by one of their offices and talk with one of the travel agents. They are very helpful. Don't feel that you have to rush. Some of the best deals come closer to departure time. Needless to say, make sure that everyone's passport is up to date. If something happens at home and you have to jump ship, your passport will make things much quicker and easier. Depending on your destination, passports are now required for many cruises.

Best of luck,
Richard

sterlingdog

That's it! If something goes wrong, that will be me in front.

Richard

explorerx4

Is that the right color horse?

jipster

Hope it's a smooth transaction with no hidden surprises. I tried to talk my wife out of a station wagon and minivan, for her, that we bought many years ago. They both turned out to be exactly what we needed and fine cars. Good luck.

sterlingdog

Well, not exactly.

Richard

sterlingdog

Thanks. I hope that it will go well. Guess I'll combine the Jipster Method and the GG Method and see what happens. All of you guys have trained me well during the last three years.

Richard

imidazol97

Don't let them distract you and schmooze more money out of you. That $100 means just as much in your pocket as it does in theirs! :P

deltheking

So we can summarize Richard's choices : Only GM or Ford
GM:
Chevy- no Equinox,no Traverse, Tahoe??
Buick- Enclave??
GMC- no Terrain,no Acadia,Yukon??
Cadillac-- SRX??-- highly unlikely

Ford motors;
Ford- no Escape[small],no Edge[small], Explorer??, Expedition ?? , thinking on flex
Lincoln-- Aviator??,Navigator?? :P

So the options left are :
Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon
Ford Explorer, Expedition
Linclon Aviator, Navigator

I am leaning on Ford Expedition ,Lincoln Aviator and Navigator. :shades:

verdugo

My wife was getting a haircut and the stylist (is that the correct term? I'm sure it isn't barber) next to her was saying how she bought a car, but because of her bad credit her interest rate was ... 25%. I don't know the term.

She knew it was very high, but she had no other options and actually seemed grateful to be able to get that rate.

:sick:

driver100

So the options left are :
Chevy Tahoe, GMC Yukon
Ford Explorer, Expedition
Linclon Aviator, Navigator

What happened to the CTS wagon or car?

stickguy

look, I already nailed down that it was a caddy. Keep up people!

so the options are Escalade (which I doubt, since the tahoe would be more likely). An SRX (favorite)/

dark horses are DTS (taking over the big sedan role from the TC), and the CTS wagon (real dark horse)

driver100

Having been on three cruises, I would suggest an ocean view or balcony cabin

random thoughts:

Excellent thoughts on Cruising. This cruise was found on Travelzoo. 12 nights, 3 stops Italy, 3 Greece, 1 in Turkey and Egypt for $1100 each. Outside cabin add $400, and balcony add $400, $2000 each not inc airfare.

I'll be off for a few days I think, depends on the cost of internet on the ship. Internet was not too expensive in Rome, but will be a lot more on the ship. I'll be waiting anxiously to see what happens next. Hope your wife and the dog approve of whatever you buy.

Seems we just landed at Leonardo De Caprio Airport (ha ha I know), 2 days just flew by. Will miss the crowds and the traffic and the gellato.

Good luck with the next step in the car buying process, I'll be anxiously watching.

This is an accurate video about parking in Rome (just 26 seconds long)
Parking in Rome - 26 sec.)

jmonroe

That's it! If something goes wrong, that will be me in front.

You should be so lucky. Although that doesn’t look like a jackass lugging that touring machine around it does look like that poor thing has taken a few hits over the years so you probably know better than we do. :P

jmonroe

jmonroe

look, I already nailed down that it was a caddy. Keep up people!

You’re probably right. Me, I just want to know already. :confuse:

Has anyone noticed that he hasn’t denied it or even commented on a caddy ?

jmonroe

deltheking

So now, Richard's choices are:

Ford Expedition/Lincoln Navigator
Cadillac SRX / Cadillac CTS wagon. :P

Jmonroe- Yes,Richard hasn't denied these Caddy's,so probably it must be a Caddy.
I hope Richard is planning to keep his new pup for a few years b'cos these things depreciate horribly especially in the first year or two.. :shades:

jayrider

Richard -- if you are buying new, make sure you have your "No Thank You" shirt on when you visit the finance office. Just listen and point to the shirt as you are offered each overpriced unnecessary product.

verdugo

I hope Richard is planning to keep his new pup for a few years b'cos these things depreciate horribly especially in the first year or two..

And we can't handle this much stress again so soon!

stickguy

Well, isn't the old joke that everyone's last car is a Caddy wagon?

Given they kept the Explorer for a long time, and don't appear to be putting extensive miles on it, entirely possible that the mystery machine (scoobey doo!) lasts a long, long time.

fezo

My money's on the SRX but if richard reads the comment about everyone's last car being a Caddy wagon he might quickly switch to the Flex...

jmonroe

I know I'm a little late with this post but I feel I must comment.

She says that I'm the one that is crazy about cars and that I know better than she does what we should purchase.

I’ve always heard this as far back as I can remember. For the most part I make the decision as to what is best, with her chiming in on the color only. However, when I bought my first Hyundai in ’05, she is sitting at the table with me and Son #1 while the salesman and I are finalizing the number on a blue Sonata V6 with cloth seats that I THOUGHT was what WE had agreed on after we test drove it and the more upscale gold/beige XG350 with leather seats. I’m ready to say lets write it up when she jumps into the conversation and it went something like this:

Her: What car are YOU talking about?

Me: The one you said you liked the color of, the Sonata, the blue one.

Her: I like the car with the leather seats better; I thought you KNEW that. :confuse:

The salesman has this weird look on his face.

Salesman: They are both ready to go just tell me which one and I’ll get the paper on the one you want.

Me: Yeah, sure, you’ll like that alright; the XG350 is almost 3 grand more.

Salesman: Don’t worry, I’ll get you a good price on it, stay put.

He’s off to the tower. While he’s off getting me a “good price” (I already had a number on this one too but I let him do his thing) the conversation continues:

Me: It’s only money, right? :surprise: So is that what you think we should buy.

Her: Well, you know cars better than I do but I like the one with leather seats better.

Did you get that? She doesn’t even know the name of the car. All she knows is, ”it’s the one with leather seats”.

I don’t worry about a salesman trying to bump me anymore. Why should I when I have a housemate that does it better !!! :sick:

jmonroe

stickguy

I did the decide/pick out/make the deal deal once for the family (OK, wife's) car. I did show her the brochure before dragging her down to sign the final papers.

although we had looked at the car (nissan Quest) and she was OK with it at the time, turns out she really wanted the new odyssey instead. Although she didn't actually say that until after the fact!

I now know that we buy nothing (for her, I just come home at random times which cars that strike my fancy for me) unless she signs off on it being the one. and the color.

after that, she lets me handle the dirty work.

jmonroe

Just listen and point to the shirt as you are offered each overpriced unnecessary product.

If it is a Caddy, opting for the extended/lifetime everything might not be an unwise decision after all.

I’ve heard that Caddy (GM in general) has come a long way but I’m not so sure that I want my money on that without some back up.

jmonroe

graphicguy

driver....richard...thanks for the cruise info. You know me....no way I'm buying trip insurance. I've flown over a million miles on one airline (Delta) and just hit a million miles on another (American). In all those miles, I think I've been stranded twice. I like my odds.

Getting to the port city the day before the cruise? This is a guy who hates doc fees. No way I'm spending an extra night's hotel charges just to make certain my fight gets there on time to catch the ship. Airfare alone, for me and my son, to say Fort Lauderdale is going to be in excess of $2K just to get us there since they're holiday flights. And, I wanted to use frequent flier miles but good luck with that given I can't get the flights I want/need. Funny how I can get the flights I want if I pay for them. But, reward such a good customer by throwing him a bone for a usable vacation flight? They won't.

Anyway, I don't think I can please everyone. So, figuring that the food is going to all be good, the ships are all really nice, and the ports are all relatively the same, I'm going with the one that fits our wants. It's a Carnival cruise on the Freedom. I booked 3 suites. One for me (and possibly the on again/off again girlfriend). One for each of my sisters. My son will either stay in my suite (if I'm solo), or with one of my sisters (if I'm not).

richard....I'm 99& certain you're getting the Caddy. I'm thinking it's the Caddy wagon, given those may be tougher to come by in the color you want vs the SRX. You said we'd be shocked with your choice. A Caddy would qualify given your former experience with Cadillac.

So, I'm going with the CTS Wagon.....final answer. Although if I ever walk into a Caddy showroom again, (which I won't) I'd be looking at the CTS-V and/or the CTS coupe.

isellhondas

I wouldn't buy trip insurance either but I definatly would get in there the night before.

I too used to be a very frequent flyer but my success rate isn't as good as yours.

I mean, why stress it?

jmonroe

Anyway, I don't think I can please everyone. So, figuring that the food is going to all be good, the ships are all really nice, and the ports are all relatively the same, I'm going with the one that fits our wants. It's a Carnival cruise on the Freedom.

I went on a cruise once and it was OK but I’m in no hurry to go again. It was with Carnival on the Triumph in November 2001 (the ship was pretty new then). I gave myself (us) every chance to be overwhelmed by a cruise since we had heard so many good things about them, even had a balcony room which was very nice and if I ever do it again I’d do the balcony thing again but we’re still not ready. Maybe we’re not cruise people.

We were seated at the dinner table with a couple our age that retired to Tampa from Chicago that had been on 27/28 cruises (really, they lost track, who wouldn’t?). They have the advantage of going at the last minute. All they need is a couple hours to get to a port in Florida. They always have a bag packed and have travel agents looking for last minute knock-you-over-deals. When one nosy couple at the table heard that they ask, “how much”? The response was, “you don’t want to know, it will just ruin the rest of your trip”.

I will probably go on another cruise someday with my Brother/SIL who live in Del Ray Beach now. We will go visit (we’re always being invited) and try Princess Lines, he likes them best because he also wasn’t impressed with the first cruise they took either (don’t remember what cruise line).

FWIW, we didn't get trip insurance nor did we leave the day before. From what others are saying I guess we got lucky.

Glad you have your health back and can think about enjoying yourself again.

jmonroe

isellhondas

Our first cruise was on the Nordic Prince with Royal Caribbean. Little did we know that was to be it's last cruise. Still we were not disappointed with anything.

Our last cruise was to Alaska ( 3rd time) and we went on Norwegian. It was just fine but not up to the standard of RCL or Holland America. Still great and we would do it again.

Some friends took the same boat on the same cruise last year and had unfavorable things to say afterwards. Seriously, I think some people look for things to not like.

That's how these people go through life so I wasn't surprised.

Carnival has the reputation for attracting a younger, "party" crowd.

Holland American has the opposite reputation and, to an extent, it's true.

I wouldn't hesitate booking with any cruise line.

bolivar

About the Cadillac talk...

I don't remember any details about your previous Caddy ownership, just that you were not happy about it.

Since the choice of auto seems to be 'somewhat' still open, even though you are searching for the secret one, I would again suggest you look at the Ridgeline truck/SUV.

This is coming from someone that has owned a 95, 97, and currently a 2005 Deville (purchased used from lease returns), and also currently owns a 2006 (purchased new) Ridgeline.

If you buy a Caddy, I would surely purchase used. Let someone else take the MSRP pricing inflation. And, I strongly would urge you to buy an extended service contract on one. MY last one was from Black Cadillac in Massachuttes???

I've had the 2005 one in about 5 times in the last year for work. I'm going in again this afternoon. It has about 53,000 miles.

The Ridgeline has never been back to the dealer for work.

If your wife would be open to change at all, I think you should definitely consider the Ridgeline. It carries 4 people in comfort, carries 2 people and plenty of luggage on trips, and has the truck bed available at any time for hauling reasonably sized things. And has available 4 wheel drive if the snow flies.

Our Ridgeline has about 33,000 miles, has never had oil added between changes. It rides almost as smooth as the Caddy. The chug holes in our nations collapsing highway structure do not faze this thing. In the Caddy, I recently hit one coming off the end of an overpass and thought I was going to need to replace two tires. The Ridgeline just ignores these things, and it's Michelin tires look like they will last another 33,000 miles. The only negative about the truck, is you should expect about 14mpg in city driving and about 19mpg on highway. It (along with all 3 of my cars) does not like ethanol mixed gas and it's mileage has dropped about 2mpg across the board since ethanol came to my location.

If the model structure is the same, get the next to top of line, the one without the navigation and sunroof - unless you really want these things. And, as I've said before, buy at invoice, or less, because these things are not selling. But, I have just read that they are not going to be orphaned, there will be a redesigned 2012 model from Honda.

It's an Escalade (almost) with Honda reliability.

jayrider

No pick up for Richard and wife. He made that clear. I join those who feel it is a DTS [maybe cpo] or the older version of the SRX -- plenty of deals on both. Big savings on depreciation for either.

deltheking

But he's buying new.. Boy,on new Cadillacs that's taking a beating. They depreciate like a rock ! :shades:

crkeehn

I noticed a while back that while Richard was strongly denying most car models he was being very coy about the Cadillac.

jayrider

I'm not sure he was absolutely commited to new as in brand new. May be wrong but if you have the funds, then depreciation is a non issue. You get what you want and that's it. Also, there are substantial discounts available on Cadillac DTS/ Older model SRX. Who knows ???

explorerx4

so it could be something completely different than we are trying logic out.