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I send him an email with a few questions in regards to what he is looking for, no responce.
Next day I send him an email from my Gmail account, because sometimes our work email doesn't go through. He responds:
Price me out on a 2010 VW Golf 4 dr dsg with a moonroof. Already test drove, just need a price...
I write him back:
Jason,
Are you looking for a TDI or gas? I am asking because gas doesn't have DSG, just a regular automatic transmission...
Anhour later I get this email:
Dude, how long have you been working there? Gas automatics all have DSG! For the 3rd time I want Gas & DSG with a roof in gray... HOW MUCH??? Last chance or I go to Serramonte.
Now, since this goes to my Gmail - it picks up the name associated with the email address - Jason Pargeon, who is an Internet Manager at Serramonte VW, a dealer 10 miles away. It is normal for dealers to mystery-shop each other every now and then, but this rubs me the wrong way for two reasons: first, if you are going to shop me - at least don't use your real email, and second - if you don't know what you are talking about - you look like an idiot.
So now, since I know who I am dealing with - I find his cell, and call him. Here is the conversation:
"Jason, does gas Golf comes with DSG?"
Who is this?"
"I just have a question - does new Golf gas come with DSG?"
"Yes, it does, but who is this?"
"Jason, this is Mico from Royal Motor Sales. You just shopped me, and I think you should learn some product knowledge before you get into sales"
"F**k you"
Hangs up.
I call his Sales Manager, tell him the story, and he tells me he will take care of it.
Next day Jason sends me an email apologizing for cussing me out.
Richard
Don't be too concerned. Just reading about all of those products wore me out.
Richard
Richard
from now on, i will think of you as an evil twin. (evil winky emotorcon)
When I buy a new car one of my first accessories is a add EZ PASS.
Since you will be headed up the coast, this will improve your driving experience beyond measure. I'm sure the NY/NJ crew can chime in to evangelize it's benefits.
Yeah I know how did you find out?
Here’s my story and I think I told this before.
I put it on the light gray vinyl dash top of my ’80 Park Ave. during the mid ‘80’s. Around the late ‘80’s I noticed that there was a small crack forming almost in the center of the dash top (from the windshield to the inside edge) and there were purple spots starting to appear. Nothing I did could stop the purple from growing.
Fast forward to ’92 when I moved to South Carolina. That sun down there opened up that crack about a 1/4 inch and the purple was getting darker. In about ’93 I went to a local trim shop to have a dash cover installed. The owner said they didn’t make a cover for that car and he didn’t know how to deal with the “purple” other than to paint it but neither of us figured that would last. Someone I worked with gave me the name of a trim shop in Augusta GA (about 15 miles away) that he dealt with saying, “that shop will get you what you need they’re good”. I go to that shop and the owner says, “let me see what you have, I have an idea what happened”. We walk out to the car and when he’s about 5 feet from the front bumper he says, “just what I thought, you used Armor-All”. I asked how he could tell and he said, “IT’S PURPLE”. That junk has ruined more interiors than anything I can think of. I sort of figured this was what happened but wanted an expert to confirm it. The sad part was that he couldn’t get a top for it either. I had to live with that dash until I sold the car in ’97 after we moved back to the Burgh.
Needless to say I won’t go near anything that carries the name Armor-All. I’ve been told that they have some good products today but I’m not falling for that line. :mad: :mad:
‘Richard’...don’t you dare put that crap on your Caddy.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
...this will improve your driving experience beyond measure. I'm sure the NY/NJ crew can chime in to evangelize it's benefits.
While I'm not in NY/NJ I can attest to it's worth although I fought the idea for awhile but since I drive the PA Turnpike every day round trip to work, I broke down and got it. My protest was that I didn't like the idea of giving the state money up front.
It saves a lot of time not having to wait in the tollbooth line. Plus, on a good day if there isn't anyone in front of me, I can do about 65 through that gate.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
Delaware Memorial Bridge and north, it's worth it's weight in gold.
Gold prices are way up there.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
That's what I thought... until I read the following from Mr. Shiftright over in the Paint and Body Maintence discussion:
I hand wash my cars frequently and never wax them. Even waxing is an abrasive process. I suppose if you are going to show your car or some such, or sell it, waxing might be a good idea but I can't say my cars don't look good just the way they are. I've very careful how I wash the car, though, and never let anyone "help" me
I usually wax my car 2 times a year. The wax is suppose to protect the paint, body, clearcoat, bead off water and bird poo.. and make the car nice and shiny. But, if washing only is good enough for a pro like Shifty... maybe we all are just wasting our time and money with this waxing thing? :surprise:
Don't you worry about that. Years ago, I ruined a Buick putting that junk on the vinyl seats every time that I washed it. They began to split open! I had to buy a set of seat covers until we traded the car. My wife was so embarrassed that we had seat covers on the seats. Back then, I didn't have the money to reupholster the seats. I've heard your tale from more than one person. At least you just did the dash. You might know that I would do the entire seats. On a trip home, my wife told my dad about it. He looked at me and said, "Boy, didn't I teach you a thing?" I felt like a child all over again. :sick:
Richard
I use "Eagle 1 Wax As You Dry" on my car. It was rated fairly high by Consumer Reports a few years back. Wash your car, spray some Eagle 1 on while the car is still damp, dry with a soft cloth. Presto! Saves a lot ot time and looks really good.
and if you travel in/around NY city, it is absolutely essential to have it.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
I have another question for you. Why are there no signs on I-95 in Connecticut to direct you to a motel. That is our usual stopping point for the first night on the road going to Boston or Maine. It drives us crazy trying to find an exit with a motel. From Connecticut to Florida it's not a problem---gas, food, motel signs at most of the larger exits.
Richard
Richard
Richard
This FAQ should answer your questions about E-ZPass.
It was a ritual....every sunny weekend. Cut the grass, wash/zaino the cars (married at the time so had to do the wife's too).
These days, I pay someone to do it. Plus, I don't use Z-2, Z-5, etc. I stick with Z-AIO and Z-CS (which I used for "touch ups"). If I notice tar, tough bugs, etc, I do keep a clay bar around. But, I've noticed over the last 10 years or so that claying didn't turn much up as far as embedded stuff in my paint. So, I don't do an entire clay.
Here's my routine (when I do it myself, which is usually once in the spring).
-Wash
-Dry
-Z-AIO
-Z-CS
-Zaino Tire shine
DONE! Takes about an hour.
I do vacuum when I think it needs it (once/month). And, I clean the glass when it gets streaky (every couple of weeks).
Aside from that, I'll probably take the Zaino AIO over to my "guy" at the dealership sometimes in the next few weeks to get him to do a detail to get the sled ready for winter.
I get it waxed 3 times/year.....Fall/Spring/Mid-Summer. He charges $80 to do everything....inside and out. The dealership lets him use their "bay" to do side work. He does them before and after his shifts. I give him $100 to keep him doing a great job.
He's always busy. I'd say he probably makes more than a master mechanic with no overhead.
As others have noted, black is a hard color to keep nice. But, when clean, black is great.
White pearl (as mine is) on the other hand is very easy to keep looking good.
I found your story interesting mico. Every business has its share of creeps, who think they are being clever. Over the long run, it just doesn't work, people see through them, like you did.
I am not sure what he was trying to prove, probably thought by giving you a hard time he would come out ahead. Maybe, he thought he would get a good story to pass around.
It's just me, but I would do all you can do be the best salesperson you can be, and you will come out ahead. I think in most businesses, 20% of the people will do extra and will really try, so if you are one of those in the top 20% you should come out ahead. Jason thinks he can get ahead by bringing someone else down, it's a lazy persons plan.
Good luck and stay on the high road.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
There was no charge for the transponders and since I linked my account to a credit card, no maintenance fee.
Basically, you fund the account initially and set a threshold when it account will be replenished and charged to your card. I think my account is set up to add $25 when the balance gets down to $15.
The only times I have had to access the account is when I we have gotten a new car, another time to update the expiration date information, and one time the card I had the account linked to got sold to another bank. My pass stopped working, so when I got home I called to find out what was going on. That's when I realized that the card used to bill the account had been closed. I paid a $15 fine and just set up my new information. Never got a ticket for not paying at a couple of the toll booths.
In my town, only very small signs for businesses are allowed.
Also, no drive up or drive thru's either, other than banks.
Does your SRX have a navigation system?
I used on interior and it was like using kitchen floor wax. It left a layer. And eventually that's layer dries out what's under it and leave destruction behind.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Or just put some Downy into your bucket of water and slosh it over the car after the rinsing with the hose. Or spray it on from a diluted solution in a spray bottle. Other companies make rinse agents; I do not particularly like Proctor & Gamble because of their predatory pricing techniques. So I usually purchase other brands. But everyone knows what Downy is, so I used that example.
All you need is something that has a detergency factor to reduce the surface tension of the water; then it sheets off more completely and is easily picked up by towels for drying.
It's amazing what they'll bottle as a special solution for things in automotive care at a high price!
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Richard
Richard
Richard
Me- "Yep, that Tacoma is really nice and fun to drive. Of course it is a 4X4 and has very stiff springs so it is not as comfortable as a normal car because it rides much rougher, etc. I might just get one some day."
Her- "Well, if you want to be uncomfortable why don't you just put a clamp on your B*LL$ and keep driving a normal car?"
I couldn't think of a snappy comeback, so that pretty much ended that particular gambit on my part.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
Richard
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
I remember this well.
The year was 1974. I was a very young manager working in the Automotive Dept for a very alrge Sears store.
One day, these two guys came in touting a wonderful new product tey were trying to get Sears to carry. It was called Armor All. Brand new on the market and none of us had heard about it.
They did a good job of touting the product and they even applied it to the vinyl tops and dashes of some of our cars. At that time, I was driving a 1967 Plymouth Fury that was like new inside and out.
One of the guys took a rag and smeared my dash with it. Very impressive! The dash just glowed and it looked better than new.
A week later, it was cracked in three places.
Of course, the AA guys blamed it on old age and the sunshine.
Detail shops hate it!
Kind of a not so funny story...
Years ago, a buddy had a motorcycle for sale. He decided to detail it before advertising it. He wasn't thinking when he applied Armor All to the seat!
It looked great but he almost became an eunich when he slid onto the gas cap when he applied the brakes!
I had friends who swore by Armor All back in the 70s. I never had any problems with using it but I put it on my seats and we all slid everywhere. I stopped using it shortly after that. They say it is better now but too many folks have had issues as described here lately.
Richard - if you are taking the Connecticut Turnpike to Boston let me offer a more attractive alternate route - ANY ROAD IN THE DAMNED STATE!! The Connecticut Turnpike makes the NJ Turnpike look classy. Hideous, obnoxious thing.
The Merritt Parkway, OTOH, is a lovely road that adds special excitement with on ramps that are maybe 50 feet long so people need to go zero to 60 in half a second. Worth it, though.
The other alternative is I-84 which is a wonderful stretch of road so attractive beyond Hartford that it is nearly impossible to believe that the Connecticut Department of Transportation actually built it.
Either though should be a wonderful cruise in your SRX, Richard - Congratulations and use it well!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Please tell us that you do not have first hand experience with that! :surprise:
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
Some things never change. I thought driving in NY would have been a lot better compared to 12 yrs back. Boy--it`s even more horrible now,,really pathetic and disgusting honestly.. Cant believe folks driving with no respect to rules-- no turn signals,left side overtaking on a single lane road,purposeful lane jumping,honking like crazy and my biggest pet peeve --rather,this was a gigantic shock for me-- ignoring the red light. For folks familiar with NYC Lower Queensboro bridge entering into Manhattan onto the 2nd Ave where you make a left--folks were driving through inspite of the red sign. Agreed,traffic was maddening and almost a standstill but this was a first ever in the US. It felt like a 3rd world country where no rules are followed... Boy ,you drive like that in TX -- can bet that a Texas ranger will be chasing you down cowboy style.. LOL !!
Boy,,you rarely if ever honk in Texas !!
The toughest part for me to get used to in NY though--was not making a right on a red light. It is legal in TX and so everytime I was at a red light , I instinctively was turning right when I remembered I was in NY and not TX. :P
Right turns on red are not permitted in New York and in Montreal - the only 2 places in North America. Drivers are pretty wild in Montreal too, if you lket them turn right on a red it would be chaos...cars with the green light would have to fight to get through. The same in New York.
When we were in New York 2 years ago I thought, why would you ever want to drive here? I saw a woman walking across the street against the light (happens all the time) with her head down talking on her cell phone, and cars were speeding by behind and in front of her as she walked and was oblivious to all.
It sounds like it is not much better than driving in China, although there aren't bicycles and scooters going in every direction.
There were crosswalks in Italy, but they seem to only work if you actually wave the cars down and don't cross until you know the drivers have actually stopped.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
A true waxing is not abrasive; it is a sealing process. Wax seals the “surface”. Note that I said surface, so it helps clear coat finishes too. Unless you want to get very technical here and say that passing anything over a surface is abrasive, I’d put wax on a car rather than leave it “natural”. If waxing is abrasive don’t even wash a car because until someone can develop a system for removing dirt from a car without touching the surface with anything, I think were stuck with putting up with this “abrasion” thingy.
Paints can take a waxing with no problem at all and unless you’re down to your last micron of paint, you can use a cleaner/polisher (AIO) product with no problem. Further, because wax puts a seal on the paint and good waxes do a very good job of this, when you wash a car you don’t touch the paint you only touch the wax. Now everyone knows my secret for multiple waxings. So, in a way, you can say I’m like ‘Shifty’ I don’t want to abrade the paint on my cars.
I usually wax my car 2 times a year. The wax is suppose to protect the paint, body, clearcoat, bead off water and bird poo.. and make the car nice and shiny.
Yeah, you’re right again. See above.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
When I see this it confirms my thought that people are like sheep especially when it comes to driving. If the guy in front just made it through the light, there is a decent chance that the driver behind him, driving along not paying attention to what is going on, will just follow the car in front and go though the light when it’s red. There is an intersection near me where a left turn lane has this happen with great regularity.
Then there are the people that just don’t give a sh**. :mad:
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
And as usual,,never ever ever pay a speeding ticket or any ticket.. Edmunds folks already know that I believe!! Just hire a lawyer and get it dismissed. Infact I just had one in TX when I was there a week back --probably just liberated driving there after driving in NYC ,especially with the huge wide roads and no traffic.. :shades:
But actually ,he gave gave the ticket for 72 in a 60 mile zone.. I drive that road daily and do know when the limit changes from 70 to 60 ,rather abruptly I must say
Everyone else: it's just another tax -- money maker. Instead of putting cops out to actually check the errant drivers when they stop, the camera just clicks on the $$$. The drunk, drugged, wanted on warrant drivers never get checked. So they go on to kill someone in an accident at the next stop sign or light they run!
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g6D64gik2o96hMXuBpzAOn3ZbdkQD9- IK1IOG0?docId=D9IK1IOG0
"After assuming that only wild creatures would witness her car roll through a remote stop sign, Wilson was stunned weeks later to get four tickets in the mail totaling $700. A hidden camera had captured her infractions on video.
""I was totally shocked," Wilson said. "I knew there were signs there. I didn't think they'd be that strict and be that expensive."
"The stop-sign camera is one of seven scattered in parks along the Santa Monica Mountains that have surprised Southern California road warriors used to seeing red-light cameras and speed traps on their daily drives. During an 18-month period ending May 31, nearly 35,000 citations have been issued and the parks have collected nearly $2 million.
"But the nation's first stop-sign cameras, introduced in 2007, have angered critics who think they're another aggressive government tactic to squeeze money out of motorists."
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
How communities get away with using redlight/speed cameras is something I can't figure. If anyone goes to the trouble to challenge them, it usually means a big mess for the community.
Like you say, the real traffic problems (texting-driving, sitting so low in the seat that you can barely see, etc) go unanswered. No wonder our driving communities are so screwed up. :sick: