Stories from the Sales Frontlines

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Comments

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,609
    I think if GM had this vehicle and Honda were to have the Aztek design

    That Honda is very ugly, now that you mention it. Look carefully and it looks like the rear quarter came from another car, and they didn't line it up right.

    It could be the Aztek was slightly ahead of it's time. Young people like that edgy non-conformist look. The Buick Rendezvous is actually fairly nice looking, but Pontiac was looking for that futuristic Star Wars thing.
    image

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 17,176
    You probably learned from that mistake and became more careful. Did you make the sale?

    Yes, I certainly did, I now know that many of our customers have bad taste in cars :P

    That particular customer was a really big account for us, that we now own!

    I agree, in Bermuda you can hop on a city bus that takes you right around the whole island

    Yes I looked it up and its something like $28 for 3 days of unlimited trips, sounds like a deal to me.

    2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart

  • im_brentwoodim_brentwood Member Posts: 4,883
    Got someone looking at the 56 Lincoln for me as we speak :D
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    That particular customer was a really big account for us, that we now own!

    You probably had to buy the company because of your comment about the Aztek! :D
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    Ooh! Ooh! Keep us posted!
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • sterlingdogsterlingdog Member Posts: 6,984
    edited July 2011
    Enjoy your cruise. Been there, done that. You'll have a great time. It's a beautiful place. Let us hear all about it. Happy sailing!

    Richard
  • im_brentwoodim_brentwood Member Posts: 4,883
    :(

    No deal. Guy off the H.A.M.B. went to check it out for me... need rockers, floors, etc...

    Looks like I'm gonna pass unless it's $7500.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    Dang! I already had myself in the driver's seat...
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 17,176
    Thanks Richard, we can't wait to go.

    2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart

  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 14,176
    kirstie....I used to tell people at the grocery store when my son was being obstinate that we were shopping at the store for a candy bar on the way to the hospital to get him a lobotomy.

    Some thought it was humorous. Some, by the looks in their eyes, thought I was serious, and they noticeably gasped.

    I remember at the time my son asking what a lobotomy was. I told him it's the procedure that would allow him to say "yes sir, or yes m'am" whenever I wanted him to. He didn't get it until he was a bit older. :P
    2024 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD Long Range
  • newguy53newguy53 Member Posts: 16
    Does anyone watch Breaking Bad? Anytime I see an Aztek my mind goes straight to Walter White- if nobody watches the show it's def worth checking out......wonderful show- a bit hard to watch for the first cpl episodes though.....

    Not my cup of tea- but I suppose to each his own- some people think you'd be nuts to drive a Camry......
  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,609
    it's the procedure that would allow him to say "yes sir, or yes m'am" whenever I wanted him to. He didn't get it until he was a bit older.

    That's a really cute story.

    It reminds me, once we went to a 50th birthday party for our real estate guy. He's bought and sold about 6 houses for us. One of his agents introduced himself as Joe Smith and these are my two (about 6 years old) illigitimate children Jonathan and Mary.

    I don't think he was serious though.

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    You've got kids of slave labor age? From your picture I thought you were only about 22 years old?
  • bolivarbolivar Member Posts: 2,316
    The huge, black plastic bumper and cladding looked much worse than the rear treatment. If the car had regular body color sheetmetal, I think it would never had the 'ugly' tag plastered on it.
  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 14,176
    Is it just on my end, or is anyone else finding these boards to be dog slow over the last week or so?
    2024 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD Long Range
  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,609
    The huge, black plastic bumper and cladding looked much worse

    I think you are right, the cladding doesn't help. Tim Horton's, famous coffee and donut place in Canada, was giving them away in a contest. They had one in sick pea green parked outside one location. I thought I would rather win 2nd prize, a large screen LCD TV than the Aztek. Probably the color choices weren't the best as well. I think they were trying to build a car that was really anti-establishment.
    image

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • mako1amako1a Member Posts: 1,855
    edited July 2011
    GG, These boards are flowing at their normal speed.

    Your senses have been enhanced with "feel of the forums"

    How's the BMW working out? Still like it?

    2013 Mustang GT, 2001 GMC Yukon Denali

  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    From what she's posted, they're teenagers or older now!
    I've always thought the same thing, she looks so young and attractive and well, pretty stunning actually, that the above doesn't seem possible.

    However, not wanting to appear a suck-up I've never mentioned it before, but seeing as you brought it up.............. ;)
  • sterlingdogsterlingdog Member Posts: 6,984
    edited July 2011
    I'll get killed for this; but her picture could be 10 or 15 years old. :shades: :sick: :blush:

    Richard
  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 14,176
    Your senses have been enhanced with "feel of the forums"

    How's the BMW working out? Still like it?


    mako.....funny stuff there!!!! :P

    As an example, to reply to your message, it took 6 seconds from the time I hit the reply button until this box came up. This is the only site where that's an issue. And, it happens on both my MAC and my Windows machine. Go figure.

    Like the BMW...actually, more every day. It's fast, without even trying to be. Confident in its handling, too. More comfortable than I was expecting.
    2024 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD Long Range
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    edited July 2011
    Oooh Richard! You do like to live dangerously.

    What would happen if a visitor saw you wife's picture on the mantle and commented on how young and attractive she looked, then your wife heard you say " Well, that was taken 10 or 15 years ago!".

    With the implication that's she's now an old hag, missing out on her excellent home cooked dinners for the foreseeable future will be the least of your worries. :sick:

    You'd better hope Kirstie's in a good mood today or you may find your annual membership fees get doubled. :P
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,249
    Ha! Mac24 and Bolivar get suck-up points added to their earn-a-free-membership account. :)

    No, the pic isn't that old, but the one I had on CarSpace is probably 3 years old or so. The one on my FB profile is from last September. None of the ones on that page are more than 3 yrs old.

    I don't have kids old enough to be sweatshop workers, though. Sadly, they have all outgrown those "opportunities," since my youngest will be 18 in a few weeks!

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
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    2015 Kia Soul, 2021 Subaru Forester (kirstie_h), 2024 GMC Sierra 1500 (mr. kirstie_h)
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  • gogiboygogiboy Member Posts: 732
    edited July 2011
    Wow, 12 days of vacation and I'm 50 pages behind on the forum. Catching up after a short hiatus is a Sisyphean task!

    I'm happy to read the GG finally got his BMW and at a very good price. We just put about 2500 miles on my wife's Scion traveling to Grand Traverse Bay (Lake MI). Although it's no BMW or Cadillac (for that matter it's not much of anything) it did get the job done with minimal fuss and no mechanical issues. We left the heat and humidity of MI for the heat and more heat of OK. I see that one city in western OK has already had over fifty 100+ degree days and it's only the third week in July.

    On our return drive we were hit (or we hit depending on one's perspective) not once, but twice, by birds on the interstate. Once was in IL and the other in OK. My wife was driving the first time and I was driving the second. In close to 100 years of combined driving experience I think it's the first time either of us has hit a bird. It's almost like being hit by a rock at 70 mph. Shades of Hitchcock! Maybe it's the near upright glass of the xB.

    I got the followup on my brother's Honda transmission woes. He has the 2005 Odyssey with the rebuilt (2nd) tranny that he was driving from GA to MI. Turns out it didn't fail, but it did overheat and expel a ton of fluid and smoke. The transmission guys said this was typical for Honda Ody transmissions under load, which to me sounds like a "load" of a different kind. My brother was pulling a jet ski, but I helped him move it and it's certainly not heavy and in no way like hauling a boat or heavy trailer. The trans guy said that he shouldn't pull anything, but can the Honda V6 be any less capable than his Mazda MPV V6? He's hauled the ski/trailer with both vans and ended up bring the jet ski to MI with the MPV. Curiously, the Honda is newer by 2 years than the Mazda and has somewhere between 30 and 40 thousand less miles.

    Much like GG, my brother has really lost faith in the vehicle post-incident and says that he plans to dump it next year, but has no idea what to replace it with. He hauls his wife, teenage son, two dogs and luggage so I wouldn't think he'd be in need of some V8 SUV. He said if it wasn't so old he'd have been tempted to throw everything into and old Bronco he keeps at his cabin.

    Gogiboy
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    Ha! Mac24 and Bolivar get suck-up points added to their earn-a-free-membership account.

    Yes!!! Suck-up points are the best of all points! :P

    What happened to CarSpace? I remember looking for it one day and it was gone. :surprise:
  • tjc78tjc78 Member Posts: 17,176
    The trans guy said that he shouldn't pull anything

    From what I've read, the Honda vans have a greater number of transmission failures because the tranny can't handle the abuse that the typical minivan driver produces. The inner working of the transmission are the same as 4 cyl models, once you add in the extra HP/torque of the V6, the added weight of the Van and then the people/luggage its not hard to see why they fail. If I owned an Odo the last thing I woud do is tow anything with it.

    We have a guy here at work who is on his 4th tranny is his wife's van (3 warranty, 1 on his dime) in 80K. The best part about it is he claims its a great vehicle. If it was a Chevy or Ford it would be a piece of junk.

    2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic / 2022 Icon I6L Golf Cart

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,609

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • graphicguygraphicguy Member Posts: 14,176
    gogi...welcome back Hope you had a great vacation. Thanks for the well wishes.

    I don't know what the story is with Honda auto trans in the Odys. Apparently those are the ones that fail the most. Maybe it is because of the extra weight that the minivans haul around. Towing just adds to the strain. But, if the manufacturer says it can tow, then it should tow, with no breakdowns.

    Transmissions are major components. When they spew out fluid, that's never a good thing and almost always a prelude to bad things about to happen with the vehicle. Being stranded with an immovable vehicle, with family, especially towing....well, I think I'd be more than a bit upset if the vehicle was under warranty....even more upset if the same thing had happened before.

    As far as heat, I'm trying to stay out of it as much as possible. Was talking to the GF on the phone last night (she lives in Nashville). It's hit 100+ there all week. Not fun. She's headed back up to OH this weekend to get away from the heat (to 95 degrees here with 80% humidity...some respite).

    driver.....you know, some people never learn. Even during good times, you should not be drinking/drugging on the job. Now, after everything Chrysler has been through, and put through (by the likes of Daimler and Cerebus), you would think those few workers would have got the message. It's do or die. They have to perform to the very best of their ability in order for the company to survive. That's an impossibility if you're on the sauce or stoned. Bye-bye!

    IF the UAW were smart (as they fight for their own survival), they should distance themselves as far away from these folks as they possibly can.
    2024 Kia EV6 GT-Line AWD Long Range
  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,373
    "...on his 4th tranny...his wife's van. If it were a Chevy or Ford it would be a piece of junk..."

    Anything that blows four trannys in 80K miles is a piece of junk. I guess sometimes brand loyalty makes Honda buyers blind.

    BTW, today I was doing 65 on the interstate when a Honda Insight flew by me at about 80mph. Kind of defeats the gas saving virtues of a hybrid.

    Maybe Fiat will become the next darling of the US auto buyer.

    Would you buy one?

    http://www.autonews.com/article/20110708/VIDEO/307089833/1237

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

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,373
    Fortunately, that story was from last year. I hope that old-school union behavior is a thing of the past.

    I remember back in 1974 when my then girfriend was buying my...err...HER Dodge Charger. I made the salesman look up the build date so we could be sure it wasn't built on a Monday or Friday.

    That was because the UAW workers would be drunk on Friday and hung-over on Monday. The story was that cars built on those days would smell like vomit. :sick:

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

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,373
    "...How's the BMW working out..."

    Is this Graphicguy getting "the feel of the road" in his BMW?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZPLjiekYYY

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

  • jipsterjipster Member Posts: 6,299
    edited July 2011
    Been busy the last 2 months buying a house (great success in using the Jipst Method) and now trying to sell my old house "By Owner." I've put in that sliding patio door I talked about a while back. It was a desert sand Jeldwen Door". Looks pretty good. What was suppose to be a 4 hour job took 8 hours, but ain't that how it usually goes? :P

    Been doing a lot of painting and other improvements. Keep pushing back our first open house, but hopefully will be ready next week.

    Had quite the experience with a carpet installer the other day. I thought he was going to stab me with a carpet knife. He was suppose to glue down a foam backed pre-padded carpet in our utility/ 2nd kitchen/4th bedroom. He gave me this bull first about how he didn't have the right kind of glue, then said this type of carpet doesn't need to be glued down. When he presented the bill, I questioned him about the finished product (bubbles in carpet, not cut the way I asked around raised doors) he flipped out. Yelled "Just forget it", grabbed the bill, stormed out of my house slamming the door. Have not heard back from him. He did half the work he was suppose to, so I wouldn't have any problems paying him 50% of the written estimate. This new Jipst method of obtaining free work was unintended, though I may include it in my next book with this caution:"To be used by seasoned pros only! Serious injury may occur." :sick:

    Daughter's been driving her car, still with permit. Ran onto the shoulder today while going to mall, kept cool and didn't oversteer. Makes me a nervous wreck riding with her, but she's improving.

    The Buyers are Liars title? Had 4 people look at the house, with just me having a sign in the front yard. Funny how 3 of them who had brothers or sisters out of state they were house hunting for... never heard back from them. An interesting story about a couple who did make an offer.... to be continued. ;)
    2021 Honda Passport EX-L, 2020 Honda Accord EX-L, 2011 Hyundai Veracruz, 2010 Mercury Milan Premiere.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Good luck with your FSBO but most FSBO's end up getting listed with a real estate agent.

    Buyers know you are doing this to save money and they will automatically deduct the amount you would have paid in fees.

    I do wish you well, it could work out fine!
  • murphydogmurphydog Member Posts: 735
    LOL we have had 78 MINUTES above 80 degrees here in Seattle so far this summer. Not much heat here in the Pacific Northwest...
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    OK, folks, I will be away most of the day getting two units of blood. Should be back before dinner.

    For all those who haven't done it (meaning all of you....) check out http://www.marrow.org/ and get yourself tested. It's just a cheek swab and if you turn out to be a match for someone it's not much more than a blood donation (as opposed to them digging into your bone which I will say is painful). The life you save could be mine.

    The more I look at this they are saying count on being out of the workplace at least a year. In a year from right now I'd be 62-1/2. I suspect in the next few weeks I am going to quietly slip into retirement.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    You will be in my thought and prayers.

    Slipping into retirement isn't a bad thing.

    I was going to work a few more years but one day I realized life has no guarantees. I lost a couple of friends and family members who never had a chance to retire.

    We will be waiting to hear from you!
  • mac24mac24 Member Posts: 3,910
    He gave me this bull first about how he didn't have the right kind of glue, then said this type of carpet doesn't need to be glued down.

    Sounds like the real carpet installer was sick/on a bender/in Vegas or whatever, and got his out of work brother in law to stand in for him. :sick:

    The Buyers are Liars title? Had 4 people look at the house, with just me having a sign in the front yard.

    I'm convinced that there's a certain type of person without much of a life of their own, that find it cheap and fascinating entertainment to wander around other people's houses. :confuse:
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,249
    CarSpace went the way of the dodo around December, with the redesign. Guess it wasn't worth the resources needed to maintain it.

    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
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    Review your vehicle

  • laurasdadalaurasdada Member Posts: 5,226
    Bon chance, amigo. I actually signed up for the marrow transplant list last fall at the auto show. Pretty girl in a bright blue wig caught my eye. Next thing I know I've got a Q-tip swabbing my cheek!

    '21 Dark Blue/Black Audi A7 PHEV (mine); '22 White/Beige BMW X3 (hers); '20 Estoril Blue/Oyster BMW M240xi 'Vert (Ours, read: hers in 'vert weather; mine during Nor'easters...)

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,373
    "...I thought he was going to stab me with a carpet knife..."

    So it's not just your Edmunds friends who you have that effect on? :P

    Good luck selling on your own. You might want to consider only showing by appointment and require some sort of credit check first. Weed out the lookie-loos.

    When I was building my house 30 years ago I would often show up at the site to find "visitors" crawling around inside the unfinished structure. After running a lot of them off I started showing them around figuring that those folks would be less likely to come back at night and torch the place.

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

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,609
    Had 4 people look at the house, with just me having a sign in the front yard.

    You should do what our nighbor once did. He waited until we had a sign on our lawn from a real estate company. Within minutes he ran into his house and put up a For Sale by Owner sign on his lawn.

    Cheap-------! He also waited until the 3 neighbors around him wanted to put in fences. Then he didn't want to contribute....but he got a fence out of it any way.
    That's even better than the Jipst Method!

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,609
    we have had 78 MINUTES above 80 degrees here in Seattle so far this summer.

    It was 38C today which is 101 Fahrenheit. Humidex was 48 which is like 120F!

    We played tennis for one hour instead of 2....but if someone wanted to stop we would.

    They said on the radio they cancelled the horse races in Toronto today. If the horses aren't running then I shouldn't be running. :sick:

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,609
    I suspect in the next few weeks I am going to quietly slip into retirement.

    Good luck today, check in when you get back.

    What kind of work do you do?
    Discuss thet "retiring" idea a bit before you do it.
    Retirement can be good, but it can also be a shock to the system.
    I am happy to be semi-retired. I would go crazy if I wasn't working at all, at least in the short term.
    It does take awhile for people to adjust to having a whole day to fill ahead of them, ....every day!

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • driver100driver100 Member Posts: 32,609
    These golf carts are really cool. They have Hummers, Escalades, Mustangs, hot rods and more........
    The Villages FL

    2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250

  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Well, I just got home after five hours busting my butt at our local Food Bank.

    We were shorthanded and served 105 clients!

    Like a five hour workout!

    That's one of the ways I spend my retirement time.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    I'm back in one piece.

    There was an item in the paper with folks selling their house the old FSBO way - some folks looking at it managed t sneak out several pieces of jewelry. I suppose that could happen with an agent as well but then you'd at least have someone to sue....

    Less tired than I was anyway. Manage to lose another perfectly good day.

    Tomorrow heading up to north Jersey and then driving up to New Hampshire with one brother to see another one.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • jayriderjayrider Member Posts: 3,602
    Big problem with selling homes now is that you need at least 20% down AND great credit. Most folks shopping for a 100k starter home don't have 20k plus closing costs. It gets worse as the price increases until you get into rich folks price range where $ is no object.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Where do you find a 100K starter home??

    Actually, the banks have wised up by (gasp) requiring a decent down paymnet and good credit but I do see what you mean.
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,593
    Well Good luck and Godspeed.

    I suspect in the next few weeks I am going to quietly slip into retirement.

    Well I hope that whatever happens it is the best for you and yours.

    Personally I am about 15 years from retirement and I am hoping that I will be able to enjoy it and that I won't be forced into it sooner.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,373
    "...These golf carts are really cool..."

    And with the US gov't handing out tax credits for electric vehicles I understand they are free. :sick:

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

  • oldfarmer50oldfarmer50 Member Posts: 24,373
    "...Where do you find a 100K starter home?..."

    Kansas. ;)

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

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