Stories from the Sales Frontlines

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  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    Sure is quiet in here today. Come on! Some of us have to work....
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,594
    edited July 2011
    Sure is quiet in here today. Come on! Some of us have to work....

    Yup, it is quiet here today. I don't have much to add. We did go on that 180 mile round trip in the Cabriolet yesterday, and it does go nice on the highway.

    The only thing I was thinking was that 535 sounds a bit more attractive because roads are detiorating everywhere. It isn't the cars fault, it is deteriorating infrastructure which cities can't keep up with any more. I might need a Buick or TC if these roads get much worse.

    Traffic was very heavy on our Canada Day holiday Friday, and it was nice to have the extra horsepower just to stay away from bad drivers. Some people insist on driving in the left lane no matter what, and some like to weave in and out to get ahead. Saw a guy on a motorcycle doing that.
    Then about 15 minutes later there he was waiting next to me at the next stop light :confuse:

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • gogiboygogiboy Member Posts: 732
    "Now, Land Rovers? Whole other story, but 95% of the people buying them knew exactly what they were getting themselves into."

    That reminds me, I just saw a photo of the new Range Rover called the "Evoque". Great name, huh. To me it "evokes" images of $$$ disappearing from my pocket.

    It looks very, very similar to the Ford Edge, but with a starting price $25K higher. The design must be the result down-up cross-pollination from the Ford/RR marriage. Let's see, a Ford Edge clone that costs at least $25K more from a company with a long history of reliability issues--can anyone spell DISCOVERY! Maybe brentwood is right and the buyers know going in that it will be expensive to keep on the road, but the payoff is the RR logo. I don't get it, but that's what makes this forum lively.

    It does make you wonder how Hyundai and Kia can conquer many of the reliability issues in their modest (by comparison) lines of cars, but RR is still suffering through a second dark age of Anglo Saxon engineering. Is this 1011 or 2011? Hell, I bet those catapults were less trouble prone.

    Gogiboy
  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,594
    edited July 2011
    Evoque......a Ford Edge clone

    I see what you mean gogo. I like Land Rovers because of their square old style styling. This Land Rover looks to jazzy for me.

    I guess the idea is to appeal to a younger group of buyers. Camry did that successfully when they converted to the current edition, though I liked the previous model more.

    Accra tried it and lost big time. It might be the right decision for Land Rover, but I think it will just alienate their loyal customers.
    image

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,295
    edited July 2011
    "...to a local manheim sale..."

    I was wondering if you know anything about the manheim operation up in Clifton Park NY. They bought it out a few years ago from the long-time owner.

    I have a friend with a dealer's licence who can get anything I want there. The only problem is I've heard from a few former car salesmen that this particular auction is where dealers dump their real junk cars. Just wondering if there's any truth to that.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • jwilliams2jwilliams2 Member Posts: 910
    The dealer group I used to work for had stores that used Manheim in Clifton Park with no problems. And all auctions are where dealers dump rough cars they don't want to sell on their own lot.

    A higher amount of "real junkers" could just be due to the area they are in. And most dealers simply use the auction closest to their store.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 20,823
    It's great to hear that you are enjoying your trip and learning more about the features your SRX has.
    How about trying out the DVD player, while your wife drives?
    I would recommend a comedy that you watch using the headphones(They may need new batteries by now).
    That way your wife can't hear it, but will hear you laughing and guffawing.
    It will drive her nuts.
    We have different tastes in movies, so I can't recommend one.
    I'm sure someone can help out with that.
    2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,295
    "...used Manheim in Clifton Park with no problems..."

    Thanks. One of the reasons I asked is because about a week after a salesman told me about problem cars being sold there I was following a car that had just pulled out of Manheim with dealer plates and auction sticker still on the window. Within a mile the car started to smoke and a minute later the engine blew in a cloud of smoke and oil. :lemon:

    That dealer must have spit when he got the call from his transporter. :mad:

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • jwilliams2jwilliams2 Member Posts: 910
    edited July 2011
    Well, I suppose that could happen anywhere. And unless it was a "Red Light" car, the buyer could use the NAAA arbitration process Manheim uses.
  • sterlingdogsterlingdog Member Posts: 6,984
    I'll have to try out the DVD player at some point. The clear plastic cover is still on the screen, and the earphones are still wrapped up in the original box---never been used.

    Our five days here are being spent using a 2011 4Runner. My BIL rented it at the airport upon their arrival at Jackson Hole. It's a nice vehicle with the exception of height. I'm pretty tall and getting in and out of it is a bit tricky. It's really off the ground. It has a smooth ride, but is a little jerky on the turns and curves. The A/C isn't the easiest thing to operate---to many buttons and knobs to adjust. Cloth seats are nice enough, but the dash looks a little cheap to me. Overall, a pretty nice vehicle.

    We're off to Yellowstone in the morning. My BIL and I did a five mile hike in the Grand Tetons today. My wife had a fit and my BIL recommended that I not do it. Still, I just couldn't resist the temptation. I'm paying the price tonight---lots of leg pain. Who cares? It was worth every step. I was in hog heaven. I'll be on my cane tomorrow. Watch out Old Faithful!

    Richard
  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,594
    edited July 2011
    The A/C isn't the easiest thing to operate---to many buttons and knobs to adjust.

    I think you meant T-O-O. Finally, I spotted one of your mistakes (ha ha).

    Glad you are having a nice time. About the DVD player.....can you really concentrate on a movie while on a drive? I can see kids using it. What happened to watching the scenery and having a conversation with your significant other (and I mean wife)?

    There's a whole beautiful world out there you will probably only see one time, why watch a canned Hollywood movie?

    We'll look forward to hearing about the next leg (so to speak) of your journey.

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,356
    We have had our LX 470 for over 3 years...never used the dvd, don't even know if it works. I think my wife views it as competition. She takes her job of telling me every move to make veeerrrrrry seriously and nothing will distract her. :)

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    We've got DVD in out Ody but I never get to see it in use. Carrie and Claire, however are good for a movie on a long trip. To my relief they aren't the sorts that want to just watch while going through nice scenery. I still think it's the last car with a DVD that I'll have.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    I never understood why people HAD to have a DVD. Kids don't need to watch movies constantly.

    But, then, there were a lot of other things people HAD to have that I didn't understand especially when they were struggling to make the payments.
  • jayriderjayrider Member Posts: 3,602
    edited July 2011
    When my folks took us to Atlantic City from Pittsburgh in the 50's there was no need for DVD's. My brother and sister and I sat in the back seat of our 1958 Buick Estate Wagon and fought the whole way. My Dad was pretty good at reaching around smacking my little brother while doing 70 on the turnpike. I remember fondly the phrases: " Quit looking at me--stop touching me-- that hurt-etc" They had no clue on how to handle us and we knew it.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,700
    >I think you meant T-O-O. Finally, I spotted one of your mistakes

    Richard was using the Canadian spelling...

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • gogiboygogiboy Member Posts: 732
    edited July 2011
    Isell--

    Maybe you (or some of the other Honda owners) can comment on this. My brother and his family were traveling from Atlanta to southern MI yesterday. In KY their early 2000 era Honda Odyssey coughed up a transmission. To make matters worse they recently had a re-manufactured transmission put in to replace another bad transmission (don't know whether it was installed by Honda). :sick: They had to be towed from KY back to TN where someone else towed the van back to Atlanta. I think they left today in their other (Mazda) minivan.

    What's the story with those new millennium Odyssey transmissions? As I was surfing the net I discovered numerous and lengthy complaints. As someone who comes from a family where each of us have happily owned at least one Honda it was dismaying to hear about.

    Meanwhile, a father and son returned to my burg from a 1600 mile round trip to Chicago in a 1955 Chevy Bel Air that the Dad had bought new. It has 159000 miles and has had no restoration. I guess it won some kind of prize in the competition (most miles, maybe?). Apparently my brother and his family should buy 55 Chevy--probably almost as much storage as in the minivan.

    Gogiboy
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,295
    "...My brother and sister and I...fought the whole way..."

    I was the middle of three brothers and there was a least a decade where 5 minutes didn't pass that we weren't wrestling with each other on the floor. Car trips were better because one of us was usually car-sick, one was sleeping and one was watching scenery.

    Who needed a DVD?

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • im_brentwoodim_brentwood Member Posts: 4,883
    Not all auctions... We generally go to two, Manheim NY Metro Skyline (It's been called Skyline auto auction for like 50 years) in Fairfield, NJ and ADESA New Jersey which is in Manville.

    Skyline is pretty much a junk sale, so is Manheim Albany (Clifton Park).

    Here's what I sent to Skyline yesterday:

    03 S500 rat, 157k
    02 Vue V6 FWD 85k
    00 Maxima SE 85k

    What is likely to end up at ADESA:

    09 Genesis 22k
    07 Grand Prix 26k
    10 Civic LX-S 7k
    07 Santa Fe 70k
    07 ML500 39k
    07 GS460 63k

    The Adesa sale does sell a lot of junk, but also a lot of nice stuff. They have a Mercedes sale twice a month, Toyota financial twice a month and a lot of banks like TD, Santander, Chase, Wells Fargo, etc.
  • im_brentwoodim_brentwood Member Posts: 4,883
    58 Buick Estate Wagon? NICE!!
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    The 1999-2004 Odysseys had a much higher transmission failure rate then what was typical for Honda and they really got a black eye for this even though they fixed most of the bad ones that were well past their warranty.

    As usual, the internet forums made this a lot lot worse than it really was. Most people had no trouble at all but a lot of others did. If we were talking about a Chrysler product it would have been deemed normal but not Honda.

    Misery certainly loves company and the "problems" forums tend to attract the affected people like a magnet.

    A lot of the affected Odysseys looked like they had had a hard life. Typical for any minivan. They would be thrashed inside and out, have Class 3 hitches mounted etc.

    Still, the failures were much higher than on any other Honda and a lot of people lost confidence as a result.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    No nice 9-3 drop top manual while you were there?

    Good to see the Genesis still at the lot....
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,295
    "...my brother...should buy 55 Chevy..."

    If your brother wants an old Detroit car with a bullet-proof tranny get an old Chrysler. That Torque-flight tranny was the only thing that didn't break on those cars. I used to take dad's Polara wagon and throw it in reverse at about 30 to see how fast I could stop and my Plymouth put up with well over 100K miles of drop-patching burnouts before it blew a gear. Even then I drove it around on two gears for weeks until I could save up the $199 to have it rebuilt.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    yeah, I agree. Nothing like an old Torqueflight.

    Funny how Chrysler went form building some of the best transmissions to some of the very worst.
  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,594
    She takes her job of telling me every move to make veeerrrrrry seriously and nothing will distract her.

    It's difficult for back seat drivers to concentrate on giving you valuable advice if they are watching a movie.

    The art of good old conversation and looking at the wonders of the world are going to disappear with portable DVDs and Gameboys.

    I read one hilarious article about how this guy went on a fantastic holiday with his family to Greece. They visited some of the most beautiful places in the world, including Santorini. He didn't remember any of it because he was doing work on his Blackberry the whole time.

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,594
    Funny how Chrysler went form building some of the best transmissions to some of the very worst.

    It always amazes me that Chrysler had some of the best cars in the business, the Dart, Scamp and Duster type cars...which were pretty much indestructable.

    Then replaced them with the Aspen and Volare which were among the worst cars ever built.

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • jayriderjayrider Member Posts: 3,602
    That 58 Buick was the car I learned to drive with in 1962. Didn't seem that big back then but what a monster. Put several nice scrapes on the rear passenger side parking the beast. My Dad was in city politics back then and had a body shop eager to comp the repair to get their street plowed early after a snowfall.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    The Aspens and Volares still used the slant sixes and the 318's coupled with a Torquflight in those days so the powertains were excellent.

    Everything else was bad and workmanship hit a new low for Chrysler.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Any "old time" Buick mechanic will tell you the 1957's were the worst cars Buick ever made closly followed by the 58's. The had horrible front suspension and great engines that were prone to overheating.

    Workmanship slipped quite a bit from the 1956's.
  • gogiboygogiboy Member Posts: 732
    "The Aspens and Volares still used the slant sixes and the 318's coupled with a Torquflight in those days so the powertains were excellent."

    You can say that again. I had a 75 Valiant and did just about everything, both intentional and unintentional, to kill the darn thing and it just kept plugging away. It succumbed not to mechanical failure, but to rampant and irreversible rust. In the end the sheet metal around the wheel wheels looked like lattice work and the floorboards had holes that offered a view and "feel" of the road--and not the kind preferred by driver.

    What was the nature of the transmission problem in the Odysseys? Honda seems to have corrected the deficiency or altered the design by 2003 because the complaints really drop off.

    Gogiboy
  • jayriderjayrider Member Posts: 3,602
    So it was the cheesey suspension that made it handle like a river barge and hanging it up on those concrete parking garage pillars wasn't my fault at all. Nice to know. I did love that toothy grill. My Dad would give me and my brother toothbrushes to scrub out the bugs and gunk before he washed the car. We would flick the stuff across the garage onto the wall to make the time pass. He caught us and grabbed a two by four -- I saw it coming so I took off but he got my brother. By the time he got to me in the bedroom, he cooled off and only gave a couple of whacks around the legs.
    Nothing like a little white pine justice to get the boys back on the path of righteousness. Never did that again and we were a lot more careful in future mischief. And trust me, there was a lot of future mischief.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    The nature of the transmission problems would be that they would simply start acting up, slipping, banging into gear etc.

    I've seen several that ere pushing 200,000 plus miles with nary a problem.

    Funny how we have come to expect cars to last forever.

    Back in the "old days" if a person got 60,000 miles out of a Powerglide, Cruisematic or Dynaflow that was expected and nobody griped.

    A Torqueflight was good for 100,000 miles and sometimes much longer but they too were often overhauled.

    At least we didn't have rust to contend with in So. California or here in Seattle etiher.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    1958 had to be the all time year of excess for the U.S. manufactures unless you want to count 1959 Cadillacs.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    An honest Craigslist ad!

    Instead of glossing over the car's problems for a change!

    http://seattle.craigslist.org/est/cto/2475725029.html
  • im_brentwoodim_brentwood Member Posts: 4,883
    I think that's a valid point. As you know I do mess around with the odd old car ;)

    I remember reading in a 1950s copy of Motor Trend that needing to replace rings at 50k was about right!

    Modern cars really have gotten us spoiled.. they just look so darn boring.
  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,594
    An honest Craigslist ad!
    Instead of glossing over the car's problems for a change!


    An honest ad...how refreshing. I like his Rover too...looks very nice.
    If I knew how to fix cars and keep them going I would be tempted, at that price.

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    The nature of the transmission problems would be that they would simply start acting up, slipping, banging into gear etc.

    Yes! That is exactly what happened on our old Ody! We were out shopping TVs. It ran perfectly all night and then on the last trip started slipping all over.

    Honda couldn't have been better about it and had the whole thing replaced in two days including a rental.

    We sold that van at about 135K because I was getting nervous and bought the 02 CPO Ody we have now. The folks didn't do a good CPO job on it and I had to do some initial work that I was really ticked about but has been flawless since and is at 88K. We were just down at my SIL's and they have the exact same car (04 Ody EX) with over 250K on it and still the original transmission.

    It was on odd thing. There were just a few bums in the lot. It happens.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    I like that ad. If I knew what I was doing and lived in the area I could see something like that.

    Right now I have all I can do to keep Bill from selling me a Genny (which would certainly not be the worst thing to happen to me....)
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • sterlingdogsterlingdog Member Posts: 6,984
    "I think that you meant T-O-O."

    I do know better. I hate typing on a lap top because of my fingers. Also, I'm pretty tired at the end of each day when I post. We go non-stop from early morning until late at night. No apologies for my posts while I'm on this trip.

    "Can you really concentrate on a movie while on a drive?"

    I didn't mean on this trip! We haven't even turned on the radio. We spend the time talking and reading to each other about the sites. I wouldn't dare watch a DVD in the car on this trip. Give me a little credit for having some sense.

    Though on my cane, we did Yellowstone today. Old Faithful did not disappoint us. It was great. Tomorrow is the annual pancake breakfast, July 4th parade, Music In The Hole by the Wyoming Symphony, rodeo, and fireworks at 10 PM. Jackson Hole has some of the most high end shops that I have ever seen. My wife and sister have been in several. :cry: My BIL and I have spent some time in the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar---great atmosphere.

    Happy July 4th to all of you!

    Richard
  • sterlingdogsterlingdog Member Posts: 6,984
    I doubt that I will ever use the DVD in this car. Like your wife, mine would also view it as competition. We have always done a lot of visiting during trips, as well as reading. Had the DVD player not come with this car, I would never have ordered it as an option.

    Richard
  • sterlingdogsterlingdog Member Posts: 6,984
    "Richard was using the Canadian spelling..."

    LOL! Imagine....Driver of all people! :D What can I say? At least I taught him to look for errors...from others. :sick: :P

    Richard
  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,594
    I do know better. I hate typing on a lap top because of my fingers.

    Typing on a laptop is more difficult than a regualar PC, but a Netbook is even more difficult.

    I would say we should call a grammar truce, but it is a good learning experience and it can be fun usually.

    It's great hearing about your trip and glad it is going so well.

    Talk about watching DVDs in the car. We were in a fairly nice restaurant a few weeks ago and a young couple were seated across the aisle. During dinner I would say he was on his cell phone about 80% of the time! Another time we were at a wedding and the fellow next to me was on his Blackberry for most of the dinner...his wife just looked at him and shook her head as if she had given up. I am wondering if todays technology is going to ruin society as we know it.

    Nice that you found out how to report in.

    Have a very Happy July 4th to you and everyone.

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,295
    This one is a double for my car except mine is dark red (nicer color IMO). I'm shocked that they are asking this much. Think they'll get it?

    http://albany.craigslist.org/ctd/2475551943.html

    PS I know there's another board for this but I'd like both pro and non pro opinions. :)

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,295
    "...Funny how Chrysler went from building some of the best ransmissions to some of the worst..."

    So true. In my youth Ford had the bad trannys and Chrysler had the good one. Now it's the other way around.

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • mako1amako1a Member Posts: 1,855
    It's a stick shift, so to me it's worth bupkus.

    What does Edmunds say it's worth?

    Do you agree with Edmunds estimate?

    2013 Mustang GT, 2001 GMC Yukon Denali

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,295
    "...What does Edmunds say it's worth..."

    Edmunds: Dealer retail, 'outstanding' cond.---$17,160 (add $750 for auto trans. which mine is).

    So Edmunds agrees which means exactly nothing for any individual car.

    Do I agree? Sure, I'd like to think it's worth that much. I don't think I'll be getting that Mustang until the year before they change the fuel standards but it would be nice to know that the Eclipse will bring some good money as a trade or private party. :)

    2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible

  • houdini1houdini1 Member Posts: 8,356
    In this day and age they could put almost any body they wanted on a modern chassis, etc. I have often wondered how successful a venture that would be for one of the major manufacturers.

    Just take a Focus chassis, engine, and interior then put a brand spanking new facsimile of a 1951 Ford body on it, or get as close as they could. Or maybe a nice little 50"s era pick-up.

    2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460

  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    ........the fellow next to me was on his Blackberry for most of the dinner...his wife just looked at him and shook her head as if she had given up. I am wondering if todays technology is going to ruin society as we know it.

    Blame the guys rather than the technology. They're the ones that before the invention of cell phone would have been reading and writing reports while their wives rolled their eyes.
  • robr2robr2 Member Posts: 8,805
    edited July 2011
    Just take a Focus chassis, engine, and interior then put a brand spanking new facsimile of a 1951 Ford body on it, or get as close as they could. Or maybe a nice little 50"s era pick-up.

    To a point. Today's platforms are flexible and can be scaled but they have to adhere to some common points. Things like windshield rake and weld points are fixed so the same manufacturing equipment can be use. Any facsimile of a 1951 vehicle would not be exact. It would have to be a modern interpretation of the original.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    So true!

    Chrysler proved this when they decided to mount a retro body on a dowdy Neon and call it a PT Cruiser!

    They had long waiting lists and people paying thousands over MSRP until the novality wore off a few years later!
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