Speaking of new computers, I saw a basic, but nice E Machine desktop at Costco yesterday. Windows 7 Home premium and a nice 21 inch LCD monitor included plus lots of preloaded software...$299. They had a bunch of them so it was not a last item deal.
We had Andersen replace all our windows in our previous home. They did an excellent job and in the additional 5 years that we lived there we sure loved those windows. Never had a problem and Andersen was very easy to deal with.
Well, we bought our stove. It will be delivered and installed on Tuesday afternoon.
It's a Frigidaire. Five burners and the required self cleaning oven. Should be nice. Like so many other things they can up your price bit by bit by putting one more nice thing in there. This one is kind of in the middle but I like it a lot.
Amazingly none of the three places we went to look at stoves had any snow blowers. All had stocked them a month ago. You'd think there are a lot of people like me who are at the end of their rope with snow and realize it's not even February yet... What the heck. One can still order them but it wouldn't get here in time for the next storm.
Where the heck are the kids looking to make a buck? If I had an enterprising young dude here I'd be set.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
imid....thanks for posting Brown's letter regarding oil prices. High gas prices hurts nearly everyone, while very few (very, very few) make out like bandits. Plus, their price manipulations border on illegal (if not blatantly so). No one stops them (maybe Sen Brown actually is going to hold their feet to the fire), so they continue becoming bolder and bolder in their extortion.
It's all supposed to be just part of the free market so in theory anyone could be an oil speculator. In actual practice, however, the big players control the prices, both up and down, so the small investors are at their mercy. When the sheep get sheared it's the small guys who are the shearees.
I was just cleaning our glass top stove and noticed that it is Jenn Air, not Jenn Aire. I could have sworn that it had an "e" on the end. Funny what you get in your memory bank.
Your stove sounds nice. You'll enjoy having that 5th burner. Is it black, white, stainless, etc.? Did you use Jipster's method, gg's method, or just pay sticker price? Did you fall for any "Mop & Glo" such as cleaners, drip trays, burner covers, etc.? Was the salesman a greenpea? We need the details.
Ever so quickly because I am calling it a night....
I didn't haggle the price at Lowes where we ended up buying. I ahve to look up teh model number now and find someone else selling it cheaper.
No mop and glow - we declined two different extended warranties.
It's stainless. That cost more than the same thing in black or white but it looks way better. The broiler is in teh oven and it doesn't come with a broiler pan. The salesman said to save the one we have which we've already done.
More tomorrow...
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
What does working for a living have to do with calling you "sir"? When shopping, I often say "Thank you, Sir" to the clerk or salesman. I view it as a form of courtesy. I was just joking around with you. I didn't mean to offend you. When I was hiring young teachers, I noticed if they didn't say "Yes Sir" or "No Sir". After all, I was 40+ years their senior.
Will you have to give up the convertible? I know that you have enjoyed it. Is a used Benz possible? Perhaps you could luck up like I did with the SRX. Driver will want to put you in a GLK. :shades:
First unravel why. Then look at 09's or older with exceptional service maintenance history. Rule out cars that have been smoked in, flooded, have any traces of straw in the trunk, contained dead bodies longer than 24 hours etc...
What does working for a living have to do with calling you "sir"?
It is evident that you never served in the military.
Officers were called 'Sir", the workers (enlistees and NCO's) were not. Most NCO's don't want to be called an officer. Call an NCO "Sir" you will get either "Don't call me Sir, I work for a living" Or "Don't call me Sir I know who my parents were.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Nope, we will drive that car into the ground, rebuild it and drive into the ground again. Nope this will replace the second car which I envisioned would be something more economical since it will be used a lot for commutting.
Is a used Benz possible?
This is where it gets worse, she suggested that and said to check out Carmax. :sick:
Actually I did checkout the website of our local MB dealer and found a used Benz that was very well priced. I sent them an e-mail requesting more information.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Went to an Auto Show this AM at a community college. For the first time in many years, I walked away from an auto show WANTING a vehicle made by a domestic manufacturer (Besides a Corvette). The interior of the new Jeep Grand Cherokee is so nice, not just for a domestic, or for an SUV, but for any vehicle produced. I seriously want one.
The new 2011 Ford Explorer is really well done. The interior is also really impressive. Same goes for the newly redesigned Dodge Durango.
Each of these 3 domestic SUVs had a nicer interior than the Acura MDX.
The Ford Salesman that was there seemed very well informed about the features & specs of the new Explorer.
The Subaru salesmen were also very well versed. They had lots of and product knowledge and seemed genuinely excited about their product. I'm really thinking about getting rid of our Acura for a Forester for my wife maybe next year.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
I'm so old, I remember when applicances were white, and black cost extra money. Then, black became the standard color and white became an extra cost color. This just didn't seem right.
Also - sliding glass doors. A friend bought either Peller or Andersen, don't remember which. After installation he found out that the door would not stay totally closed unless it was locked. Not a good thing when you want to wander around in the back yard in 100 or 30 degree weather, which would be going into your house while you were outside.
After much discussion with the people that sold it to him, the company customer service people, etc, the result was "That's how they are made and how they work."
I suggest before buying you check to see if a sliding door stays closed unlocked, or does it slide open about a quarter of an inch.
I think that you missed the point that Keith was trying to make. He was holding up Brown's letter as an example of a self-serving blowhard politician up for reelection who's trying to feather his nest by looking for scapegoats.
Sure, there's speculation. But as I pointed out months ago, speculators almost invariably make their money by following existing trends. They almost never set trends themselves. There's an old, old saying among traders: "The trend is your friend." (I've worked on Wall Street, although not as a trader.)
In this case, the trend setter is Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, who has gutted the dollar's value. No speculator in his right mind will bet against the Fed. After all, another old rule of trading is "Don't fight the tape".
If you take the time to read the business section of a good daily paper, you'll know that Bernanke is doing all that he can to cheapen the dollar, hoping that this will make American exports cheaper. Unfortunately, he can't do this without making imports more expensive. Among those imports is oil.
Just a few years ago, the US dollar was worth almost 2 Canadian dollars. Now 1 USD = 1 CAD. Given that we get a great deal of our oil from Canada, how can this not make oil more expensive?
Well I have my heart set on one from the Victoria's Secrete catalog......
.....Oh you mean what Model Benz, sorry. Most likely a C class, I did find one low milage 2007 C230 at a local dealership thats a good price. however later today I am going to read through some of the forums and read some reviews to see if it is what I might want to get.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
My wife just dropped "Let's get a Mercedes Benz" just a few moments ago
Oh oh, you might have to wear a badge. Your wife has very good common sense. If you don't want to buy a Mercedes don't let her drive it...once she tries it she won't want to get out of it...and worse for you.....she won't settle for anything else.
Most likely a C class, I did find one low milage 2007 C230
I think Mercedes has special deals on pre-owned cars. In Canada they have really been pushing the used car program. I think the extended warranty is for 5 years and 100,000 miles.
That is very good for a used vehicle, so you can be pretty confident you will get a lot of service from a pre-owned car.
Blockbuster will disappear soon because you can order movies at home on your TV.
The book publishing industry has been hit in numerous ways. Bookstores are almost dead...you can order your books with a big discount, sent free of charge by ordering online. Or you can even download books onto an ereader.
Newspapers are on life support because people are getting all the information they need on a computer. Phone books will soon disappear and do you remember when you used to take a roll of film in to be developed?
It is nice to see someone who loves their work, but I think you should be prepared for big changes in the car business. Hyundai has a plan where the salespeople will drop a car off and do a presentation at your house for the Eqqus.
My guess is there will be depots...not dealerships.....you will be able to go for a test drive, and you will take your car in for repairs and maintenance. As I said yesterday about the Fiat 500, young people don't want to haggle over price. The consultant at the depot will put the information into the computer with the car you want, there will be one price given, and that is what you will pay.
The system is kind of archaic and crude the way it works now. Some people are better negotiators than others and that's not fair...and some dealers want more profit than others.......and some undercut!
It's a changing world...but I wish you luck and it is nice to hear from a real car salesperson.
hondasguy....I couldn't have said it any better than driver just did. We do welcome you here. And, we wish you well in your career. You'll probably glean a lot of insight around here about potential customers if you stick around.
That said, I always thought TMV to be high. CLoser to real sales prices in your area can b found here....www.truecar.com
It's a Frigidaire. Five burners and the required self cleaning oven. Should be nice. Like so many other things they can up your price bit by bit by putting one more nice thing in there.
We have had the self cleaning thing since we bought our first oven for the first house in ’69. That was a new feature then and it added about $65 to the price but it is a real time saver. IIRC, the price bump was about a third of the cost of that oven (Tappan) back then.
This one is kind of in the middle but I like it a lot.
Didn’t you just have a birthday last week? So you’re old enough to know not to let the other half know you like a kitchen appliance, especially an oven. You could be the cook too on top of being the dishwasher. I don’t like anything in the kitchen and she knows it but she knows I like what’s in the garage. (had to get this on topic)
Where the heck are the kids looking to make a buck? If I had an enterprising young dude here I'd be set.
You’re in the wrong neighborhood. I have a front driveway that’s as flat as a table. For those of you who are not familiar with Southwestern PA, that is rarer than a wife that shovels driveways. Because of this I don’t snowblow the driveway as soon as the first flake lands like some of my neighbors do. Therefore, my driveway stands out like it needs attention. Just last Friday Mrs, j told me, when I got home, that different 2 kids with blowers running came to the door wanting to know if she wanted the driveway cleared. She said, “that oughta tell you something, right”? :mad: I said, “yeah, it tells me that you weren’t paying attention when I tried to show you how to start the blower”. She said, “the next kid that comes by here, I’m going to give him $25 to do it”.
That scared me, I did the driveway on Saturday. :sick:
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
My wife watches a home selling show where stageing is everything. It stars a pretty girl names Tanya Memme and some big burley dude named George or Roger. George/Roger looks like a pro wrestler but is the main stager. He just doesn't look like he would have the "delicate sensiblities" for such a task.
I will now think of you as having a lumberjack's build and an artist eye.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
"...give you his opinion about the French doors..."
Are there any French doors in that house you're about to burn. I bet the ole'Jipster could pry them out in a jiffy. You know that free is a price he'd like.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Wow, is that price for a white door? White vinyl inside and outside? That is really high for a 6 foot patio door installed including taxes. I have a window and door company here in Chatham, Ontario and a 6 foot, top of the line vinyl door, installed and done would be $1800 including taxes. I would look around, there are lots of companies that pretend to offer large discounts and despite the discounts, you still end up paying more. Champion sounds like a local company here, Centennial. Master of the "we'll give you an additonal discount but you have to sign the order today". If you are not going to stay in the house too much longer, then Home Depot may be your best bet.
I see the 800 lb. gorilla. For those of you that think it's horrible for Exxon, BP, Royal Dutch Shell to make enormous profits, take a little time to read the holdings of your IRA's, 401K's, mutual funds. Those same gluttons are probably held by most of your investments.
I agree and if you go to the store they should charge you $5.00 to try on a pair of pants.
I assume this is a joke, as I (and many others here?) certainly would not pay for a test drive. Of course, I wouldn't waste a salesperson's time driving something I had no intention of buying either.
LOL Honda buyers wouldnt go for that! I work at a family of dealerships that have Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and Ford and I can crossale from all of them. SO he wanted to compare EVERYTHING. I found out that he was here a few months ago and has 8000 neg equity with low beacon.
Sounds like he KNEW what he was doing....Im going to wear out his answering machine.
Nor would most of the posters on this board. We tend to have common courtesy. A lot of people do not and could care less if they are screwing with a salesperson's ability to make a living.
I once had a person interrupt my work in the field to tell me he had just purchased plants from my competitor and wanted me to take time away from my work to tell him how to properly grow them.
I bet every little mom & pop hardware store has stories of some clown asking for advice on a project and then leaving to go buy the materials at the big box store.
Charging for test drives is not practical because sometime people do have to drive several models to make up their mind. You couldn't afford to chase those people away.
I sure do understand the OP's frustration. :mad: :sick:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Yeah, the posters around here would not waste your time.
I did used to go at quiet times when there was something new out and say up front that I wasn't buying now but I'd love to see what car x is like. Invariably they took a copy of my license, handed me the keys and said "have fun."
One dealer got a sale or two out of me. Another didn't not because of anything other than not having what I wanted at the time.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
You may be good at dealing with cars, but she is great at dealing with you.
Since I was out there doing the driveway she got a bonus; I did the steps too. She comes to the door and says, “are you all right, doing more than what is expected? I didn’t say anything about doing the steps. You better not do those, you’re going to fall over shoveling like that”.
I wasn’t lifting that high because I had one of those ergonomically designed shovels that has an offset handle. It is pretty easy to shovel a little bit of snow like what lands on steps with one of those.
There is a tale about that shovel. Someone stole that design from me:
I think it was in the late ‘80’s when I first saw one of those at a local building center as I was walking around. I did a double take when I saw that shovel because when I was in high school I had a machinist that lived down the street weld a 1 inch 45 degree black pipe elbow to a flat plate. I threaded a short piece of pipe to that elbow then added another 45 degree elbow (going in the opposite direction), to that piece of pipe and I added a longer piece of black pipe to that elbow. Then I bolted the flat plate of this contraption to an old coal shovel that had a broken handle. I’m sure everyone (in snow country) has seen, or has, the store bought version of the shovel that I’m trying to describe.
I remember having a conversation with my Dad about this shovel that went something like this:
Dad: Nice idea but who the hell is going to be able to pick it up let alone shovel with it?
Me: Maybe I’ll do another one but use 3/4 or 1/2 inch pipe with that one.
Dad: If you spent as much time doing the driveway as designing shovels you’d be done by now. :confuse:
So you can now see why I was surprised when I saw that shovel in the store. I bought it, it’s now made of aluminum and is pretty easy to use. When my brothers saw it they about rolled on the floor laughing and said, “it looks like you should have followed through with that design”. Then they explained the story to my sons. My son’s said, “gee, that’s not like the father we know. Why did you to give up on an idea like that? So, when did you acquire the attitude that we’ve seen”? I said, “about the time I gave up on that DAMN design”. :mad:
I could have been on easy street by now. Could have been buying up scale cars too, not throwaways.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
You would be surprised at the number of consumers who simply don't understand, and this is partially their own lack of education, and partially the number of screamer ads about paying off your trade no matter how much you owe (which causes the un-savvy consumer to think that the dealership eats the negative equity, which causes them to believe that this is always possible).
There's an appalling number of people who still believe that the value of their car is related to the amount that they owe, and that the payoff will always be less than or equal to the vehicle's value.
(welcome, lastbill)
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name. 2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h) Review your vehicle
Your story reminds me of what my grandfather did many years ago.
Look at how they make cans - especially cat food cans. See how they make the bottom of the can a little smaller than the top in such a way that when you stack the cans they don't fall over? My grandfather invented that concept. He made working models that my brother still has. Did he patent the idea or try to sell it to a major company? Of course not! If he had I'd be on Easy Street.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
robr2...if that is indeed the case regarding Mutual Fund and 401K managers using oil companies as part of their holdings, I'm going to fire off a letter to them demanding to withdraw my money. There is no correlation to their profits and the huge depreciation of my investments I've suffered at the hands of my Mutual Funds and 401K. I should probably sue them for malfeasance, too.
Oil id a commodity. If the price of oil/gas was tied so closely to the strength/weakness of the dollar, then there would be other, similar corresponding financial moves in the rest of the commodity markets. That's simply not the case.
We've heard the excuses from the oil companies and financial community, starting with the alleged oil shortage of35 years ago, all the excuses up until now. They are simply that....excuses. They have no reasonable financial basis in fact.
I probably write a couple of letters (not emails...actual letters) to gov't officials every month expressing my displeasure over these manipulations. Can you tell that's a sore spot with me?
It is unfortunate, but it seems as if we as consumers are chided because we have"too much" knowledge about the car sales business (as in knowing invoice prices and factory-to-dealer incentives, for example). Or, we're derided for not having enough information (as in the true worth of their used car).
It kind of puts us between a rock and a hard place.
Not sure I'd waste my time filling up this guy's voice mail box. That only takes your time away from someone else who is a more qualified buyer.
When my oldest got to high school, she wondered why only the town athletes had clothing in school colors. She made a proposal to make some logo tee shirts and it was approved. My wife and her got the original batch produced. They sold out immediately. Now there are school/team logo tee shirts, sweatshirts, baseball caps, decals and clings all over the place. A simple idea, but it helped build a bit of town pride and unity. She didn't make any money from it, though.
2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
It just goes to show that you can't judge a book by its cover. Actually, it's not so much "delicate sensibilities" as it is plain old organizational skills. BTW, you need to think of my lumberjack build as a beer gut wearing glasses for that artistic eye.
Comments
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
It's a Frigidaire. Five burners and the required self cleaning oven. Should be nice. Like so many other things they can up your price bit by bit by putting one more nice thing in there. This one is kind of in the middle but I like it a lot.
Amazingly none of the three places we went to look at stoves had any snow blowers. All had stocked them a month ago. You'd think there are a lot of people like me who are at the end of their rope with snow and realize it's not even February yet... What the heck. One can still order them but it wouldn't get here in time for the next storm.
Where the heck are the kids looking to make a buck? If I had an enterprising young dude here I'd be set.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
I was just cleaning our glass top stove and noticed that it is Jenn Air, not Jenn Aire. I could have sworn that it had an "e" on the end. Funny what you get in your memory bank.
Richard
Richard
Richard
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Oh what to do?
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Richard
I didn't haggle the price at Lowes where we ended up buying. I ahve to look up teh model number now and find someone else selling it cheaper.
No mop and glow - we declined two different extended warranties.
It's stainless. That cost more than the same thing in black or white but it looks way better. The broiler is in teh oven and it doesn't come with a broiler pan. The salesman said to save the one we have which we've already done.
More tomorrow...
Richard
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Richard
Then look at 09's or older with exceptional service maintenance history. Rule out cars that have been smoked in, flooded, have any traces of straw in the trunk, contained dead bodies longer than 24 hours etc...
It is evident that you never served in the military.
Officers were called 'Sir", the workers (enlistees and NCO's) were not. Most NCO's don't want to be called an officer. Call an NCO "Sir" you will get either "Don't call me Sir, I work for a living" Or "Don't call me Sir I know who my parents were.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Nope, we will drive that car into the ground, rebuild it and drive into the ground again. Nope this will replace the second car which I envisioned would be something more economical since it will be used a lot for commutting.
Is a used Benz possible?
This is where it gets worse, she suggested that and said to check out Carmax. :sick:
Actually I did checkout the website of our local MB dealer and found a used Benz that was very well priced. I sent them an e-mail requesting more information.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Dead bodies? Not sure about the mob where you're at but here in Chicago the mob drive Caddies.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
The new 2011 Ford Explorer is really well done. The interior is also really impressive. Same goes for the newly redesigned Dodge Durango.
Each of these 3 domestic SUVs had a nicer interior than the Acura MDX.
The Ford Salesman that was there seemed very well informed about the features & specs of the new Explorer.
The Subaru salesmen were also very well versed. They had lots of and product knowledge and seemed genuinely excited about their product. I'm really thinking about getting rid of our Acura for a Forester for my wife maybe next year.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
I remember when applicances were white, and black cost extra money.
Then, black became the standard color and white became an extra cost color.
This just didn't seem right.
Also - sliding glass doors. A friend bought either Peller or Andersen, don't remember which. After installation he found out that the door would not stay totally closed unless it was locked. Not a good thing when you want to wander around in the back yard in 100 or 30 degree weather, which would be going into your house while you were outside.
After much discussion with the people that sold it to him, the company customer service people, etc, the result was "That's how they are made and how they work."
I suggest before buying you check to see if a sliding door stays closed unlocked, or does it slide open about a quarter of an inch.
Sure, there's speculation. But as I pointed out months ago, speculators almost invariably make their money by following existing trends. They almost never set trends themselves. There's an old, old saying among traders: "The trend is your friend." (I've worked on Wall Street, although not as a trader.)
In this case, the trend setter is Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, who has gutted the dollar's value. No speculator in his right mind will bet against the Fed. After all, another old rule of trading is "Don't fight the tape".
If you take the time to read the business section of a good daily paper, you'll know that Bernanke is doing all that he can to cheapen the dollar, hoping that this will make American exports cheaper. Unfortunately, he can't do this without making imports more expensive. Among those imports is oil.
Just a few years ago, the US dollar was worth almost 2 Canadian dollars. Now 1 USD = 1 CAD. Given that we get a great deal of our oil from Canada, how can this not make oil more expensive?
Richard
Richard
Well I have my heart set on one from the Victoria's Secrete catalog......
.....Oh you mean what Model Benz, sorry. Most likely a C class, I did find one low milage 2007 C230 at a local dealership thats a good price. however later today I am going to read through some of the forums and read some reviews to see if it is what I might want to get.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Oh oh, you might have to wear a badge. Your wife has very good common sense. If you don't want to buy a Mercedes don't let her drive it...once she tries it she won't want to get out of it...and worse for you.....she won't settle for anything else.
What made her decide she wanted a Mercedes?
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I think Mercedes has special deals on pre-owned cars. In Canada they have really been pushing the used car program. I think the extended warranty is for 5 years and 100,000 miles.
That is very good for a used vehicle, so you can be pretty confident you will get a lot of service from a pre-owned car.
Have you considered a GLK?
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
The book publishing industry has been hit in numerous ways. Bookstores are almost dead...you can order your books with a big discount, sent free of charge by ordering online. Or you can even download books onto an ereader.
Newspapers are on life support because people are getting all the information they need on a computer. Phone books will soon disappear and do you remember when you used to take a roll of film in to be developed?
It is nice to see someone who loves their work, but I think you should be prepared for big changes in the car business. Hyundai has a plan where the salespeople will drop a car off and do a presentation at your house for the Eqqus.
My guess is there will be depots...not dealerships.....you will be able to go for a test drive, and you will take your car in for repairs and maintenance.
As I said yesterday about the Fiat 500, young people don't want to haggle over price. The consultant at the depot will put the information into the computer with the car you want, there will be one price given, and that is what you will pay.
The system is kind of archaic and crude the way it works now. Some people are better negotiators than others and that's not fair...and some dealers want more profit than others.......and some undercut!
It's a changing world...but I wish you luck and it is nice to hear from a real car salesperson.
hondasguy....I couldn't have said it any better than driver just did. We do welcome you here. And, we wish you well in your career. You'll probably glean a lot of insight around here about potential customers if you stick around.
That said, I always thought TMV to be high. CLoser to real sales prices in your area can b found here....www.truecar.com
We have had the self cleaning thing since we bought our first oven for the first house in ’69. That was a new feature then and it added about $65 to the price but it is a real time saver. IIRC, the price bump was about a third of the cost of that oven (Tappan) back then.
This one is kind of in the middle but I like it a lot.
Didn’t you just have a birthday last week? So you’re old enough to know not to let the other half know you like a kitchen appliance, especially an oven. You could be the cook too on top of being the dishwasher.
Where the heck are the kids looking to make a buck? If I had an enterprising young dude here I'd be set.
You’re in the wrong neighborhood. I have a front driveway that’s as flat as a table. For those of you who are not familiar with Southwestern PA, that is rarer than a wife that shovels driveways. Because of this I don’t snowblow the driveway as soon as the first flake lands like some of my neighbors do. Therefore, my driveway stands out like it needs attention. Just last Friday Mrs, j told me, when I got home, that different 2 kids with blowers running came to the door wanting to know if she wanted the driveway cleared. She said, “that oughta tell you something, right”? :mad: I said, “yeah, it tells me that you weren’t paying attention when I tried to show you how to start the blower”. She said, “the next kid that comes by here, I’m going to give him $25 to do it”.
That scared me, I did the driveway on Saturday. :sick:
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
LOL! You may be good at dealing with cars, but she is great at dealing with you. :P
Richard
My wife watches a home selling show where stageing is everything. It stars a pretty girl names Tanya Memme and some big burley dude named George or Roger. George/Roger looks like a pro wrestler but is the main stager. He just doesn't look like he would have the "delicate sensiblities" for such a task.
I will now think of you as having a lumberjack's build and an artist eye.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Are there any French doors in that house you're about to burn. I bet the ole'Jipster could pry them out in a jiffy. You know that free is a price he'd like.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Randy
thanks guy
That's an easy one. Charge for test drives. $50 or $100.
If they buy, it gets deducted from the price. If not, consider it a spiff.
2013 Mustang GT, 2001 GMC Yukon Denali
I agree and if you go to the store they should charge you $5.00 to try on a pair of pants.
I assume this is a joke, as I (and many others here?) certainly would not pay for a test drive. Of course, I wouldn't waste a salesperson's time driving something I had no intention of buying either.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
just to make up for the last 16 test drivers that didn't buy.
2013 Mustang GT, 2001 GMC Yukon Denali
Sounds like he KNEW what he was doing....Im going to wear out his answering machine.
Nor would most of the posters on this board. We tend to have common courtesy. A lot of people do not and could care less if they are screwing with a salesperson's ability to make a living.
I once had a person interrupt my work in the field to tell me he had just purchased plants from my competitor and wanted me to take time away from my work to tell him how to properly grow them.
I bet every little mom & pop hardware store has stories of some clown asking for advice on a project and then leaving to go buy the materials at the big box store.
Charging for test drives is not practical because sometime people do have to drive several models to make up their mind. You couldn't afford to chase those people away.
I sure do understand the OP's frustration. :mad: :sick:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I did used to go at quiet times when there was something new out and say up front that I wasn't buying now but I'd love to see what car x is like. Invariably they took a copy of my license, handed me the keys and said "have fun."
One dealer got a sale or two out of me. Another didn't not because of anything other than not having what I wanted at the time.
Well, I can certainly see your point. I can't believe someone with 8K neg equity would even be shopping for a car, but what do I know.
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart
Since I was out there doing the driveway she got a bonus; I did the steps too. She comes to the door and says, “are you all right, doing more than what is expected? I didn’t say anything about doing the steps. You better not do those, you’re going to fall over shoveling like that”.
I wasn’t lifting that high because I had one of those ergonomically designed shovels that has an offset handle. It is pretty easy to shovel a little bit of snow like what lands on steps with one of those.
There is a tale about that shovel. Someone stole that design from me:
I think it was in the late ‘80’s when I first saw one of those at a local building center as I was walking around. I did a double take when I saw that shovel because when I was in high school I had a machinist that lived down the street weld a 1 inch 45 degree black pipe elbow to a flat plate. I threaded a short piece of pipe to that elbow then added another 45 degree elbow (going in the opposite direction), to that piece of pipe and I added a longer piece of black pipe to that elbow. Then I bolted the flat plate of this contraption to an old coal shovel that had a broken handle. I’m sure everyone (in snow country) has seen, or has, the store bought version of the shovel that I’m trying to describe.
I remember having a conversation with my Dad about this shovel that went something like this:
Dad: Nice idea but who the hell is going to be able to pick it up let alone shovel with it?
Me: Maybe I’ll do another one but use 3/4 or 1/2 inch pipe with that one.
Dad: If you spent as much time doing the driveway as designing shovels you’d be done by now. :confuse:
So you can now see why I was surprised when I saw that shovel in the store. I bought it, it’s now made of aluminum and is pretty easy to use. When my brothers saw it they about rolled on the floor laughing and said, “it looks like you should have followed through with that design”. Then they explained the story to my sons. My son’s said, “gee, that’s not like the father we know. Why did you to give up on an idea like that? So, when did you acquire the attitude that we’ve seen”? I said, “about the time I gave up on that DAMN design”. :mad:
I could have been on easy street by now. Could have been buying up scale cars too, not throwaways.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
You would be surprised at the number of consumers who simply don't understand, and this is partially their own lack of education, and partially the number of screamer ads about paying off your trade no matter how much you owe (which causes the un-savvy consumer to think that the dealership eats the negative equity, which causes them to believe that this is always possible).
There's an appalling number of people who still believe that the value of their car is related to the amount that they owe, and that the payoff will always be less than or equal to the vehicle's value.
(welcome, lastbill)
MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
Find me at kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
Review your vehicle
Look at how they make cans - especially cat food cans. See how they make the bottom of the can a little smaller than the top in such a way that when you stack the cans they don't fall over? My grandfather invented that concept. He made working models that my brother still has. Did he patent the idea or try to sell it to a major company? Of course not! If he had I'd be on Easy Street.
Oil id a commodity. If the price of oil/gas was tied so closely to the strength/weakness of the dollar, then there would be other, similar corresponding financial moves in the rest of the commodity markets. That's simply not the case.
We've heard the excuses from the oil companies and financial community, starting with the alleged oil shortage of35 years ago, all the excuses up until now. They are simply that....excuses. They have no reasonable financial basis in fact.
I probably write a couple of letters (not emails...actual letters) to gov't officials every month expressing my displeasure over these manipulations.
Can you tell that's a sore spot with me?
It is unfortunate, but it seems as if we as consumers are chided because we have"too much" knowledge about the car sales business (as in knowing invoice prices and factory-to-dealer incentives, for example). Or, we're derided for not having enough information (as in the true worth of their used car).
It kind of puts us between a rock and a hard place.
Not sure I'd waste my time filling up this guy's voice mail box. That only takes your time away from someone else who is a more qualified buyer.
For your efforts you are probably flagged for "extreme grope" by the TSA at the airport. :surprise:
Lucky you know a couple of Edmunds hosts or you'd be on the no-fly list.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
She made a proposal to make some logo tee shirts and it was approved.
My wife and her got the original batch produced.
They sold out immediately. Now there are school/team logo tee shirts, sweatshirts, baseball caps, decals and clings all over the place.
A simple idea, but it helped build a bit of town pride and unity.
She didn't make any money from it, though.
Richard