Stories from the Sales Frontlines

explorerx4

Tell them their grille is a gross polluter but you can bail them out using the local recycling program in your area.
That means you can take it back home with you and put it on your deck.

oldfarmer50

"...Great, now I have to buy a grill and a car..."

Forget the grill, just do this....

http://www.wisebread.com/cooking-great-meals-with-your-car-engine-the-heat-is-on-

oldfarmer50

"...Tell them their grill is a gross polluter..."

Yeah, well they're down to earth but not wacky. They are thinking of trading the Hybrid in for a SUV.

Maybe I could tell them I'll recycle the Toyota for them and drive it home.

fezo

Very down to earth people, they drive a Camry Hybrid. I'm trying to talk him into an EVO.

When they get through laughing you can hit them with "then how about an $800 grill?"

Truth in posting statement - my two Webers put together didn't hit $800.

driver100

My mom is having a tough time adjusting to the color of her new Fiesta.

The Fiesta got a great write up in todays newspaper. The only complaint was the price. The car starts out at a reasonable $13k, but as soon as you add the extras you need, it comes to $18k. They said the Focus is the same. The writer wondered how the people looking in that market can afford these cars.

Red paint is a $400 option?

driver100

No, Craig. The car business gave you a doctorate in cynical.
However, we do enjoy your highly informative posts.

I'll 2nd that!

driver100

"...can you save me a particular book..."
I get that all the time at the market. Someone will ask if I can "hold it" for them. I say "sure, if you pay me first".

I understand....books aren't perishables. If the customer doesn't show up...60% of the time they don't, we will sell it next month.....doesn't work as well with tomatoes.

driver100

Forget the grill, just do this....
http://www.wisebread.com/cooking-great-meals-with-your-car-engine-the-heat-is-on- -

Funny....Manifold Destiny.

I have my doubts the food would taste that good. A good fast way to do road kill though. :P

murphydog

I went through 3 or 4 rust bucket BBQs before I sucked it up and bought a weber ~ 10 years ago now. It works like a charm and no rust. I had a problem with the connection freezing up, the local gas station overfilled the tank. Called weber to order (and I was planning to pay) a replacement and they sent a new one for free.

Every other year I pressure wash it on a light setting. I did have to replace the cast iron grills at one point, but the parts are simple to order and because the darn thing does not rust you can replace things pretty easily.

I tired to help my dad with his Char-broil when the burner tube rusted out, but the nuts and screws were rust welded together and we could not get anything apart. Hard to put new burner tubes in when you had to hack saw the old ones out..

oldfarmer50

"...Red paint is an option?..."

I think they all do that, take the popular colors call them "premium" and then nail you for a few bucks. On the wife's PT red was a premium as was the dark blue. Of course, those were the only colors she liked. :sick:

Same with my Eclipse. They had a copper/orange color in all their ads which cost more. I thought the two best colors were either red or black. Black would be a cleaning nighmare so I chose red.

oldfarmer50

OK richard64, I've done my best. I told you (post #71211) I would try to get your gas prices down 50 cents a gallon so you could afford to drive that new V-8 monster truck. Looks like my efforts are working.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-energy-economy-20110812,0,209270.story

Now it's up to you to get the truck before the dealers realize they don't have to give them away any more.

driver100

Now it's up to you to get the truck before the dealers realize they don't have to give them away any more

And what do you do when gas goes back up in price again?

Also, what's a farmer in New York State doing reading the L.A. Times?

canadiantoyota

Just be sure to get a Weber that is built in North America. Weber started to have some of their models built in China and they are a piece of crap. I should know, that is one of the things I do. My company assembles BBQ's for the big box stores, so I know crap when I see it.

I have a Weber, 10 years old but built in the USA. Great BBQ, highly recommended.

sterlingdog

My apologies to you, Snake, Isell, etc. I read your original post incorrectly. It still seems a bit strange to me. Had I been the salesman, I would have had the Mini detailed the very next day and given you a call. After all, you did indicate an interest in it. Perhaps the detail department was behind in their work. Who knows? I'm just surprised that some form of follow-up didn't occur sooner.

Richard

sterlingdog

"Besides, it's only Richard that I really hound..."

Well, at least you have discriminating taste.

Richard

sterlingdog

You were correct. Gas prices fell here day before yesterday---from $3.80 to $3.67. As for the truck, what good are low gas prices when the world is coming to an end?

Richard

snakeweasel

what good are low gas prices when the world is coming to an end?

Well he could enjoy the truck up until December 21, 2012.

driver100

Well he could enjoy the truck up until December 21, 2012.

Well this guy has written a big bestseller who says it will happen by 2013. He predicted the mortgage bubble and the current economic crisis. His book is number 28 on the Amazon list.


Aftershock

driver100

My apologies to you, Snake, Isell, etc.

I don't know about the others but apology accepted by me. Now you should be able to sleep at night.

When is the concert, tonight?

fezo

That truck is almost in your driveway. I can see the convertible in mine any day now. Be sure to have it detailed and filled with gas.......

Off to the ocean for me....

driver100

Weber started to have some of their models built in China and they are a piece of crap.

It's too bad Weber has gone to producing their barbeques in China, they have such a great reputation for quality. I guess market forces make it necessary to compete, even at the lower price points.

We were in the grocery store and I saw Weber frozen hamburgers for sale.
I can just imagine the cooking instructions. Warning: Only cook on a Weber barbeque unit!

snakeweasel

As one of the "other guys" I will say that the apology isn't really needed. No harm no foul.

isellhondas

That's a nice Fairlane except it's a 1964.

isellhondas

Certainly no need for an apology!

isellhondas

Oh, this car is SO typical BMW.

So, yesterday I had to get it smogged before I could register it. Naturally it failed because of a bad gas cap. Ran all over town and finally found one. All the way back to the smog place to get it passed.

The bad brake light wasn't bad but it had a bad connection. Fixed the connection and it still won't light.

The smog place made me turn off the radio. After punching about 40 different buttons on this BLASTED Sony radio it finally shut off. Now, it beeps at me and won't turn on. It'll probably take our son ten minutes to get it working again.

I found out why it needed washer fluid. The floor of our garage is now blue from the fluid that ran out of the leaking washer tank.

And, the "low coolant" light is back on and, sure enough, it is a tiny bit low.

But, at least I do have "the feel of the road".

im_brentwood

This past week at Skyline auto Auction...

2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS 4G 4DSN 24,989 RED $14,125
2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS NON NONE N NO 26,590 SILVER $14,125

Last week...

2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS NON NONE N NO 27,615 NONE $13,925
2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS 4G 4DSN A PS PB AC 9,858 GREY $13,900
2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS NON NONE N NO 22,285 BLUE $13,800
2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS 4G 4DSN 8,839 GRAY $17,800
2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS NON NONE N NO 6,221 WHITE $18,575
2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS NON NONE N NO 12,900 BROWN $17,875
2011 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS 4G 4DSN 7,113 BLACK $18,750

The 2011 Elantras were GLSs WITHOUT the preferred package, ex rental cars.

Compare that to MSRP on a new one.

sterlingdog

"When is the concert, tonight?"

The concert was last night. We started for the beach yesterday but never made it. My wife has been having blood pressure problems since we returned from our trip out West. Her new medicine isn't working correctly. She got sick, so we had to turn back and head for home.

Richard

im_brentwood

It's a 6 cyl BMW.

Replace:

Thermostat, thermostat housing, upper and lower hoses, water pump, radiator and expansion tank.

If ANY are date coded 5 years old or older.

I used to work on these.... you can buy all the parts online for $500ish.

isellhondas

All of those items look like the've been replaced.

Are you saying that five years is the life on these items??

Groan...I should have known better.

driver100

But, at least I do have "the feel of the road".

Yes, like wiping up washer fluid that is all over it.

You are getting to know your bimmer better now. It isn't just an appliance like a Corolla, it is a living, breathing, tempermental creature that requires patience and understanding.

You are now going through the bonding process. You will come to appreciate your new found friend as you become more intimate with the mechanical and electical systems in your new purchase.

It's more than just a car, it is a life experience.

driver100

She got sick, so we had to turn back and head for home.

Very sorry to hear that. As we get older traveling really takes a lot out of you.
We just went for the one hour drive to watch the tennis on Wednesday, and one hour back, and it was very tiring.
A lot of people say they want to travel all over once they retire.
The reality is, two or 3 trips a year is probably enough, it is very stressful travelling these days. Airport searches, traffic, lining up, having to be on time, finding descent hotels, strange food, and over eating (at home you have some control over what you are eating).

(I rarely use spellcheck but I did this time and it said there were no errors. Not sure how that is possible because I spelled "travel(l)ing 2 different ways).

I hope your wife is feeling better very soon.

im_brentwood

Yup!

The radiators snap the neck where the upper hose goes in and that can be disastrous. The date code on the rad should be under the upper hose neck.

driver100

>Anyway, I spied a '63 Ford Fairlane. Was it anything like this one?
1963 Fairlane:


1964 Ford Fairlane:

gogiboy

Like murphy I have a 7 or 8 year old Weber Silver Genesis A (their smallest gas grill at the time. They are well built and backed up by the company. If I recall they have something like a 5 year warranty on parts. My gas regulator developed a pinhole leak around the 5 year mark. Weber replaced it for free (it must have been 5 years in).

Although it would be too small for many of you the two-burner unit works well for my wife and I and I have also used it regularly when my folks visit. I would say that cooking for 4 is pushing the capabilities and 6 or more would require a lot of staggered rotation. Mine was around $300. I will likely have to replace the "flavorizer" bars beneath at some point because they are losing metal. I also bought another igniter when the regulator was replaced.

I did buy a cover since I leave it out all winter. The first no-name cover fell apart after a year or so. The replacement Weber cover has now made it through at least 5 years (and still looks good) so even their accessories are built to last. I fully expect to get another 5 or 6 years of use unless one of our many tornadoes whisks it away.

Gogiboy

gogiboy

No new cars on the horizon for us, but I did take my MR2 to the local Toyota dealership for the annual oil and filter change. I also had to have the AC recharged, no doubt a result of my infrequent use. It was last recharged in 2006. While I was waiting I overheard one of the service advisors say to another customer that they had about 75% of the BMW, infiniti and Nissan service business and all the Lexus service. We don't have any of those dealerships and the closest ones are 70 miles away in either Tulsa or OKC so it doesn't surprise me. he did say that they get no Mercedes work, but I could here his reason(s) for this.

As most of you know we lost both our dogs this year. We now have two new dogs (older puppies). The first was adopted in mid-February and the second was adopted from our city animal welfare a couple of weeks ago. They're both 8 to 9 months old and seem pretty well matched in size and energy. Richard take note: the second puppy is a Plott Hound. They were originally bred in NC by some German brothers back in the 1700s. We'd never heard of the breed, but I will say that she has the sweetest relaxed and gentle disposition. Her coat color is dark chocolate with light (yellowish) lines which makes it look just like root beer in the daylight. We call her Tildie. Why someone would have abandoned her is a mystery to me.

If I could figure out how to send a photo of the pair I would upload it. Maybe I should email it to driver and let him work his magic.

Gogiboy

sterlingdog

"It's more than just a car, it is a life experience."

If I knew how to work on cars, i might feel differently. The life experience that Isell is having with that BMW would be too stressful for me. Let's face it. BMW or not, it is a used car that has problems. The good thing is that he doesn't have much money tied up in the vehicle. At least it is a beautiful looking car.

Richard

sterlingdog

Traveling by car has both advantages and disadvantages. Some days we drove 400-500 miles a day. That can be very tiring. On the other hand, we were able to stop when we wanted and able to see what we wanted. We did find the trip very enjoyable. Still, as you get older, you do tire more easily.

I'll tell you something about the spellcheck here. It doesn't always work. I've tested it from time to time by intentionally spelling a word incorrectly. Some days it will catch the error and some days it won't. It's not a big deal, just worth noting.

Richard

sterlingdog

"...the second puppy is a Plott Hound."

They are fairly popular around here---and very pretty dogs. I'm so glad that you got two new puppies. You must really be enjoying them. Would love to see pictures. Driver would be happy to help you with that. I don't know if we'll ever get another dog at our age. If we do, it will be at least a year old and well trained. We do love dogs and miss them in our lives.

Richard

explorerx4

That '64 isn't just a Fairlane, it's a Thunderbolt.
Very famous and rare.

explorerx4

Gogi,
We have the same model grille. I got the replacement parts at Lowes, which is pretty convenient.

isellhondas

" Bonding process" ??

Actually I'm wishing I hadn't bought it.

I hate Money Pits and I guess I'm more into appliances.

But, hey, I knew better!

snakeweasel

You are getting to know your bimmer better now. It isn't just an appliance like a Corolla, it is a living, breathing, tempermental creature that requires patience and understanding.

Horse hockey, If it were a Ford or GM you would be calling it a POS with problems like that.

So tell me were Yugos living, breathing, tempermental creatures that requires patience and understanding?

driver100

The good thing is that he doesn't have much money tied up in the vehicle. At least it is a beautiful looking car.

Yeh, if he just parks it on his driveway the value of his house will go up and the neighbors will be impressed with his new bimmer. Forget about fixing it!

driver100

I'll tell you something about the spellcheck here. It doesn't always work.

So which is it, "traveling" or "travelling"?

snakeweasel

Don't forget the 1990 Ford Fairlane.

driver100

We now have two new dogs

It is nice to have two dogs so they have some canine companionship. On the other hand, it is more difficult transporting them and getting someone to watch them for you.

That sounds like an interesting breed, I have never heard of them before. Sounds beautiful.

I would love to help you post a picture, but I only fake my talent for doing such things. I can show a picture from a website, but I don't have the ability to post actual photographs you or I have taken. There are people around here that can explain that however.

I can post a picture from the internet of a Plott Hound, they do look pretty gentle and easy going;

driver100

Don't forget the 1990 Ford Fairlane.

That's funny!

On Dirty Rotten Tomatoes the critics gave that movie a 27%, and the audience 65%. Just goes to show you.....something!

mac24

I rarely use spellcheck but I did this time and it said there were no errors.

It doesn't catch small errors like this either: "finding descent hotels".
Presumably those are the ones you find as you go down the hill?

I'm sure you meant "decent"; and you're not alone, it's a common misspelling.

sterlingdog

One "L" for my country and two "L's" for yours.

Richard

cdnpinhead

on here who like cats?

Lots of dog people.

Just askin'.