Stories from the Sales Frontlines

mako1a

I was 26 and now I'm 34
NY, when I was 34 (1984) I had a 1976 Blazer.
I pretty much had 8 or so year old cars until I was almost 50.
Everyone has priorities. Mine was upgrading/paying off the houses.
Don't get me wrong, I desired a lot of hot new cars, but waited.

The nice thing about cheap cars is you can only lose what they cost.(not much)
I also learned that a $3,000 car should not receive a $2,500 transmission.
New buyers need to learn to cut their losses on repairs on older cars.

imidazol97

>Sorry for the run on sentence grammar mavens

Errrr, that would be "run-on."

Sorry. I just couldn't resist after the little tickler about sentence grammar mavens!

isellhondas

I was thinking the same thing. Doesn't seem like a fun place to live especially in the summer!

isellhondas

The final series of Preludes really didn't sell well as that market segment was dying.

I liked them except for the rear visibility. Changing lanes on the freeway requires looking back several times.

The SH's were really misunderstood. The average driver would never feel the ATTS and the car magazines labled this as a "gimmick" just as they did with the 4WS models.

The shining years for the Preludes were the 1986-1991 models. After that, sales tapered off to the point they just faded away.

mako1a

I'm 32 and have already owned 10, and I want to keep that pace up.

tjc, don't feel all alone there. I've had the same experience.
(by the time a tank of gas was used-that was funny, but true).

I did make one mistake at 26. Bought a new Firebird, ($6,000)
minor body damage made me want to get rid of it.
dumped it after 4 months. Lost $2,000, but learned a lesson.

driver100

aobut sentence grammar mavens!

Speaks for itself (ha ha) wink

imidazol97

>Speaks for itself

My keyboard on the laptop doesn't keep up with my typing speed and senses letters in reverse occasionally!

driver100

The average driver would never feel the ATTS

What is ATTS? I like your analysis about why these cars were fading in sales. But, that segment seems to be coming back again with Camaros and Challengers.

Honda seems to like to keep a limited number of lines going, concentrate on the big sellers, and just be comfortable making good cars....no strategy to become #1.

I think that is smart, be good at what you do, and don't over extend yourself trying to be #1....as you can expand too quickly...which Toyota did.

driver100

My keyboard on the laptop doesn't keep up with my typing speed and senses letters in reverse occasionally!

I know what you mean. It is even more difficult with a Netbook.

isellhondas

I'm trying to remember what ATTS stood for and I can't.

It slowed down the outside wheels during hard cornering. I suppose on a track you might be able to notice a difference. Replacing a clutch on an SH was a miserable, time consuming and very expensive job because of the ATTS.

They handled quite well without it.

tjc78

Stored in the useless knoweledge section of brain: ATTS= Active Torque Transfer System

tjc78

did make one mistake at 26. Bought a new Firebird, ($6,000)
minor body damage made me want to get rid of it.
dumped it after 4 months. Lost $2,000, but learned a lesson.

Me too, my 98 Olds 88 had a chronic water leak. I lost a small fortune on that one trading it in after less than a year with 16K miles.

crkyolfrt

"It slowed down the outside wheels during hard cornering."

Was it the outside or inside wheels? Seems to me, outisde would be counter-productive, as exerting an extra force on an already dominate steering wheel hunting for grip, would just tax that grip further. While slowing an inside wheel would help 'pull' the car through the corner and ease the burden on the dominate outside tire.

Not saying you are wrong, just trying to wrap my brain around that.

crkyolfrt

That's a pretty tidy looking Prelude, NYCCG. My second thought tho, was how do you keep it from getting stolen?
edit - rhetorical question meant to be humorous, since your plate is showing, best to not say online.

isellhondas

OK, that's right. I could have looked it up but I suppose it's one of those things I no longer care about.

sterlingdog

It stood for Active Torque Transfer System.

Richard

sterlingdog

Oh, crap. He beat me to it. I was hoping to impress you since you know I'm mechanically challenged.

Richard

sterlingdog

Actually, you don't have a run-on sentence. Your additional information about the driver of the Honda was a parenthetical expression set off by commas. Though rather long, it is not an error. Pat yourself on the back. Remember to never admit errors until you are called on the carpet. (Joke)

Richard

isellhondas

So, did you guys "google" ATTS or did you really know?

I suppose I should have known but, honestly, I never sold that many 1997-2001 Preludes especially SH's.

sterlingdog

More than you know, I understand your mode of thinking. During all of the years of teaching and second jobs, it was very hard for us to save money. We both had medical issues while trying to buy a house, pay off college loans, and help my mother. My father had made some bad investments and cashed in his life insurance to cover some losses. When he suddenly died of an aneurysm, my mother was left with little. Like you, we tried to keep debt low, but we still had plenty.

Though my wife's family had plenty, I refused to ever ask for a dime. I would have starved first. They didn't want her to marry a "lowly" teacher. I wasn't the favorite SIL. Now that they are all gone and left my wife money, we can be comfortable. Still, we would have have made it without their money. I don't apologize for hard work and hard times. You shouldn't either. We are dealt a deck of cards in life. We play the game as best we can. It's our perspective and the way we treat people that is important. You treat others very kindly. That's why you fit this forum.

Richard

sterlingdog

You know that I did a "google" for it. If I looked under the hood of a car, I MIGHT recognize the battery. I had planned to have fun with you, and let you wonder how in the hell I knew that little fact. All those years that Dad stuck my head under the hoods of cars didn't produce many positive results. He finally decided that I could at least change a tire and wax a car. His efforts weren't a total loss. (Grin)

Richard

isellhondas

You would have been fun to mess with!

I could have "loaded" a condensor and you would have picked it up.

Funny...I could only get people to do that once.

oldfarmer50

"...I rather like St. George, UT..."

Isn't that the town that caught a lot of fallout from those nuke tests a long time ago? Don't you know what that will do to the finish on your car? Makes it easier to find at night though. :P

Oh yeah, that radiation probably isn't very good for you either.

nyccarguy

Thanks for the compliment. I still get asked to this day by random people if I want to sell my Prelude. It actually spent the better part of the 1st 2 1/2 years of its life parked on the streets of Manhattan at night (hence my handle, nyccarguy). If someone wants to get my plate number off the internet and try to track my car down to steal it, then by all means go ahead - make my day.

The car is still registered in NY to my parents' house (I live in CT). If they were to find that, they'd probably be more interested in stealing the 20" polished aluminum wheels on my Dad's 2010 LTZ Tahoe from the driveway. If they were to further investigate they'd be greeted by Mollie & Maddie, my parents 3 1/2 year old 130 lb Great Danes.

My car is parked in a lot right next door to where I work (South Bronx). The only time it is really vulnerable is when we go to Yankee games and I park on the street.

isellhondas - the cost of clutch replacement almost drove me to get rid of my car at 52,000 miles when it had to be replaced. I believe parts and labor came to a grand total of close to $2200. I actually had an aftermarket clutch installed because I didn't want to have the clutch done again and I didn't think the Honda Clutch was strong enough. I didn't know there was a widespread problem of ATTS equipped Preludes with clutches that wore out prematurely until way after I got it replaced. That was a number of years ago and I'm happy I spent the money and kept the car.

Truthfully there really is nothing out there I'm dying for right now that can give me the driving experience my Prelude does. Yes I want more torque. My next car has to be a sedan (I've got 2 kids). Stick shift. Incredibly well thought out and immacualtley finished interior, brilliant handling, an excellent ride (not too harsh and not too cushy). It has to be a unique car that I don't see all over the place. During the average month, I see more Porsche 911s & Aston Martins than Preludes.

ATTS does help if you take turns and corners on the aggressive side. My prelude does seem to "pull" around tight turns. It is seamless which is the impressive thing. The MDX, TL, RL, & RDX Acuras equipped with SH-AWD have a gauge that shows the power going to each wheel. I think it would be kinda cool to have that in my car.

fezo

I never had to worry about asking my wife's family for money because by the time I was in the picture they didn't have any. Wouldn't have made a difference. My folks noted I was the one who would either find a way to fund what I was doing or not do it. My brothers were more into the bank of mom and dad - but not like some of the cases we've talked about. All are doing well. I was pleased that both my folks commented in their later years how pleased they were with how we all turned out. I never even thought of being a drain on society. My brothers have been the same way. You certainly want to leave the world a better place than you found it.

crkyolfrt

More torque eh? Have you considered a blower or a turbo? Although I'm not familiar enough to say if the tranny and clutch would be up to it. Likely would once on the fly and for doing roll-on urge from 40 mph and up.
The blower will cost you a bit of umph to spin it but torque would come in super low rpms. You would be able to short-shift it. Not conducive really with Honda 4 cyl.
The turbo would be the better route to go. Use a small turbo that spools quickly (less lag) and is almost free torque cuz it's exhaust driven. They do create a lot of heat tho, so oil change freq would have to go up.
And torque steer might surface too.

Does it call for premium fuel? It would if you turbo'd or blew it.

verdugo

I rarely wax my vehicles anymore.

I hope jmonroe didn't faint when he read that post. :P

tjc78

So, did you guys "google" ATTS or did you really know?

Just to make sure I was right... couldn't post bad info.

isellhondas

Teh SH's didn't wear out clutchs more often than the non SH's.

52,000 miles ins't very many miles unless you hare hard on a clutch or live in a hilly area or do a lot of stop and go driving.

The ATTS unit makes changing the clutch a miserable job. I think it calls for 14 hours and most shops charge 100.00/hr or more.

A fun car that I would hang on to.

driver100

Remember to never admit errors until you are called on the carpet.

Yes, I forgot that basic rule that I should know better than most. Thanks for giving me a pass.......I was getting scared to write anything (ha ha)

houdini1

It continues to amaze me how much we have in common. My wife's parents were not that crazy about her marrying a guy who was waiting to go into Marine Corps flight training in 1967. That never panned out as marriage changed everything for me.

I was always able to make a good living and hardly ever missed a days work in my entire career. The wife's parents came around later on and treated me more like a son than a son-in-law. I felt the same about them.

When my mom passed away in 1999, we kids (I was one of 8) got together and determined that my younger brother should inherit everything because he had been my mom's main caretaker for years. Only one sister grumbled a little bit, but it was the right thing to do.

When my wife's dad passed away in 2006, she inherited quite a bit. It did not change our lives at all but certainly gave us some added security. I had already been retired for some time and we were very comfortable. We just invested the money and plan to watch over it, help out family if needed, and then pass it on to our two boys and their families. You only need so much and we have been truly blessed.

snakeweasel

I rather put up with the hot dry summers and mild winters than hot humid summers and shoveling snow in 5 degree weather.

snakeweasel

Yeah but that was a long time ago. Pretty sure radiation levels there now are pretty much what you would find anyplace else.

Kirstie_H

OK, so I said I'd share my shopping adventures. Today was a gorgeous one here, about 75 degrees and sunny, and I got up at 4am and thought I'd enjoy the best part of the afternoon mostly outdoors.

Having not been shopping in nearly 5 years, I wasn't ready for any high-pressure, especially since I'm not sure I'm ready to buy anything. So, out to Carmax I went. I know what they're about and I knew I wouldn't make my best deal there, but they have a huge inventory, and I'm not an "absolute lowest price" shopper anyway. Plus, I figured 2pm on a Tuesday afternoon wasn't likely to waste a salesperson's best selling time, and I was completely up-front about my waffling - on which vehicle and whether to trade now or not.

I was overwhelmed by the inventory there, though the vehicle I had my eye on had a "sale pending" tag on it. Not a big deal - still plenty of vehicles to look at.

They evaluated my trade and it was on the low, low, LOW end of trade-in value. I didn't take it personally as they were evaluating a vehicle, not one of my children. But it was... low. $5,000 - below any "rough condition" rating. It's not unblemished, but it's very clean (now) and has been well maintained. However, I do know that it's going straight to auction with 100K miles on it.

Problem was, the only vehicles in the Carmax nationwide inventory that I was interested in were pretty overpriced compared to similar offerings in the area. When I got home and did all of the math, it appeared that by the time I traded in my vehicle, paid the "no haggle" price, and financed the remainder, I'd be financing nearly the amount that the "new" car was really worth - within $1K - meaning I'd be losing the benefit of having a paid-off vehicle as my downpayment (It'll be paid off at the end of this month).

So... no vehicle for me, which is fine. I now think I'll hold onto it til Spring, giving me about 6 months with no car payment, during which time I will save monthly the same amount (if not more) that I was paying. My car is mechanically perfect and I'm currently putting around 500 miles/month on it. If that continues, I can't imagine it losing a significant portion of value in 6 months.

One major positive note - the salesman there was fantastic. African-American guy, about 55, really low-key and took a lot of time with me even though I told him I didn't want to waste his time as I was not a "today" buyer. He made me really, really want to buy from him, and maybe it'll work out at some point. I'll keep an eye on their inventory, and if I find a vehicle that's decently-priced that I want, I'll take the hit on the trade-in. He told me some stories of his own, both on the selling end and on his personal purchases, and I felt like he's just the kind of person I'd like to do business with.

fezo

Only one sister grumbled a little bit, but it was the right thing to do.

Grumbling was the right thing to do? I'd fit right in with your family! (Yes, I got what you meant - I am just having fun.)

Did my weekly blood test and my hemoglobin came in at 7.1. This is not good. After a couple of years of bi-weekly transfusions I've gone 14 months without one. Right now we decided to put it off a week since I just started another round of treatment but if I feel tomorrow like I feel now that could change.

I'll bet my medical charts are thicker than the OED.

mako1a

Selling is way faster than buying.
Drove Avalon to dealer with my wife in the Denali as my ride home.
GM remembered me once I showed him the buy bid he'd written.
He took a quick look at the car (it's flawless) with 7591 miles on it.
Said I was 6 weeks past the bid date. A couple hundred less. OK
Gave him the title, signed, emptied Avalon contents, removed plates,
came back in with the remotes, he handed me the check. $27,000.
Total time 25 minutes. My only mistake was it had 7/8 full gas tank.

sterlingdog

I bet that your wife was thrilled beyond words to see it go. With the feelings that you have expressed, you did the right thing. Life is too short to keep a car that you just don't want any longer. Now what?

Richard

fezo

You're right! Too short to put up with a car yo don't want anymore. Send me $4K to pay off the Ody....

sterlingdog

Since your wife was an English teacher, you could let her proof all of your posts. They would be perfect. Then again, that may not be such a good idea. (Wink)

Richard

sterlingdog

Just what would I get for my generosity?

Richard

fezo

Just what would I get for my generosity?

My gratitude.

mako1a

Now what?
Tomorrow I'll try to exchange the 98 Explorer for a 2007 Escape I have been looking at. If not, there is a 2003 Infinity QX4 (near you actually Capital Ford in Raleigh).

That will get me through winter. Then I wait for spring and hopefully they'll have painted a 2011 Mustang Yellow for me and my garage will be filled again.

It feels funny only having 2 vehicles (and both having near 100k on the clock).
I'm used to having at least one vehicle with a warranty and roadside assistance.

sterlingdog

Well, I know for sure that we think alike politically---great minds and all of that.

"You only need so much and we have been truly blessed."

I totally agree. As I grow older, I see less need for many things---except for cars. (Grin) I can't imagine 8 siblings agreeing to anything. That is wonderful. Your parents did all of the right things.

I hope that your two sons are like their dad. They were very fortunate indeed.

Richard

fezo

I've got a nice 04 Odyssey to sell you.

Well, nice may be putting it too strongly. Let's say mechanically sound and has survived several year of kids....

explorerx4

A trip to India was offered to a group of us to assist our offshore partners. I view it as a possible career saver.
Our management has made a commitment to that relationship.
At this point, I don't even have a passport.
If I did go, maybe I could drive a TATA Nano.
I did just happen to see a segment of a program called E:60 on ESPN.
One of the stories was about kids playing Cricket in Bhopal.
It was tough to watch.

fezo

Hmmmm... I'd mail you a joke about such politics - it's totally unpostable here.....

I think houdini's folks did things well. I could tell you of all the lunacy my folks dealt with (and maybe created - especially my dad!) but they had great core values and none of even thought about turning out badly.

my dad couldn't believe all his kids had college degrees. He never got beyond high school. This should NOT be confused with an idea that he wasn't smart. He was plenty smart - and a real character!

sterlingdog

Yellow? That's my favorite color. It would look fabulous on a Mustang. Funny that you mentioned the Mustang. I told my wife today that I wanted to trade the Sebring convertible for a Mustang convertible after another year. Her response was, "We just traded cars and you're thinking about your next car? You are certainly your father's son." I said, "Yes, and since you were so crazy about Dad, I know that you will support the idea when the time comes." How's that for using psychology? She just rolled her eyes.

Richard

sterlingdog

If this trip to India becomes a serious possibility, you and I need to talk. Also, a trip there is one thing; living there is quite another. I understand about the career part when you work for a company. You do what you have to do. Keep us posted.

Richard

sterlingdog

"...and a real character!"

Now we know from whence it came.

Richard

driver100

I rather put up with the hot dry summers and mild winters than hot humid summers and shoveling snow in 5 degree weather.

What's that Chinese saying about beware, you might get what you wish for?

We were supposed to be in Florida for 4 weeks last year, but we were ready to come back after 2. It is nice there to get out of the cold, but all our friends and activities are back home.
We get about 4 bad snow storms during the winter, but a nice sunny day at 30 or 40 degrees is better than 114 anytime.