Stories from the Sales Frontlines

sterlingdog

LOL! Neither is this forum entitled "Guess What kind of Car This is by Using Letters and Numbers Front Lines".

Richard

graphicguy

burner....good luck!

You just gave me an opening for this segue....

At a nice shopping area near where I live, they have a combo music, oper air produce market and car show every Thursday in the Summer. Due to my work schedule, and the oppressive heat this summer, I hadn't been there yet.

Last night it was nice, I was in town, with nothing to do, so I went for a stroll. Came up with these at the show....

sterlingdog

"...you've NEVER seen a motorcycle cop??"

Does CHiPS count? :P I loved that program.

Richard

sterlingdog

Love those pictures! Is that Mary of "Peter, Paul, and Mary" fame? Looks just like her.

Richard

fezo

Is that Mary of "Peter, Paul, and Mary" fame? Looks just like her.

If so it would be an old picture since she's been gone almost two years now.

Scary that when going through her medical treatment she started looking like Jabba the Hut. Given that was from prednisone and such I'll probably acquire the same look for a while.

qbrozen

I haven't seen that ad, but it doesn't sound very positive for Nissan, either. I mean, they are stating their cars are rotting away on the lot while Honda can't keep theirs in stock. Go figure.

isellhondas

We saw Peter Paul and Mary at a concert in a local park about six years ago.

I felt bad for them. Mary looked quite ill and it was clear that they were well over the hill. Made me wonder why they would lower thrmselves to perform in such a third rate venue.

And they were SO political. Talk about liberals!

Even sadder (to me) is the fact that Peter and Paul continue. They perform at state fairs and second rate venues.

They were once so vibrant and full of energy.

And, I can't imagine how they can perform without Mary's voice.

I guess they must really need the money.

Too bad, I really liked them when they were in their prime.

mako1a

You just gave me an opening for this segue....

Ohio guys don't talk like that. You learned that in

California didn't you? segues should be left in Ca.

Nice car pics! I swear that Baby Blue Chev was at my

last car show. He or his brother sure gets around.

oldfarmer50

"...I wouldn't answer me back either..."

LOL! Now don't screw this up, ever since Fezo got all richard64's money tied up you've been my best hope of driving a car like that! :mad:

oldfarmer50

"...They were once so vibrant and full of energy..."

Too much puffing on that magic dragon. :sick:

oldfarmer50

"...came up with these..."

In the first picture what is the blue car? I want to say Challenger? :confuse:

fezo

Actually even well into their 60s they put on a good show and had more energy than I ever will.

They don't need the money. They are born performers who have been doing this all their lives. It's what they do. I've actually seen Peter and Paul while Mary was in treatment and they were fine even though the absence of her was huge.

Of course complaining about them being liberal is like complaining about the sky being blue. They have always been that way. It's why they were on stage the day Martin Luther King gave his I Have a Dream speech.

graphicguy

OF....if you're talking to the left of the red 'Vette, I think it was a Mustang coupe.

That 'vette was all original, 350, 4 spd, in really good shape for being 40+ years old. It was for sale for $26K. Guy didn't have any paperwork on it, though. I could have checked numbers on the frame, block, etc. But, I'm not in the car buying mode right now.

gogiboy

"I won't even get undressed in front of the computer out of fear that somehow you people are able to ogle me."

Just when you though porn couldn't get anymore disgusting we now have folk's going online to ogle old farmers. Yikes! I guess there's a perversion for each and every person.

Gogiboy

gogiboy

"I take it you did that where you normally would sign. If you did your card is not valid and the merchant is not supposed to take it."

Snake--

It takes small lettering, but I did both. Interestingly, the one place where they always checked the back and asked for ID was in Europe.

Gogiboy

gogiboy

"Cop sees an expensive car that he knows he would never be able to afford and they will cut ZERO slack. They take satisfaction in giving what they perceive to be a "rich" person a ticket."

Finally, the silver lining in our ownership of the Scion xB and Mazda3. Maybe Richard should get rid of the Caddy and get something more pedestrian--say a Toyota Corolla. Or at least your could rough up the Caddy so it looks like you are the third or fourth owner.

Richard, since you seem to be a "fuzz magnet" why not get something that really pushes the envelope like a Lotus or Ferrari. I'm glad you and your wife didn't get into a shootout with police like the Dougherty Gang. Didn't Clyde Barrow send a letter to Henry Ford extolling the virtues of the Ford V8? Maybe you should email a brief compliment to the CEO of GM regarding their fine powerplants.

Gogiboy

gogiboy

isell--

I saw that commercial as well. I have to admit that the earthquake angle hadn't even occurred to me. I just though Nissan was touting their broader range of models and option packages. If you are right, that really is pretty crass.

Gogiboy

oldfarmer50

"...there's a perversion for each and every person..."

Anyone who'd want to see my bare backside has some REAL SERIOUS problems! :surprise:

I'm actually more worried about someone who might want to see my bank account. I read about some of the ways hackers can steal data and I'm not confident that I have the ability to stop them.

kyfdx

GG: Is that the Streets of Westchester?

andres3

A lawyer for $385 to fight my ticket! Sign me up, I'll sign a lease to have him fight my next 10 tickets at that rate! Heck, I'll pay in advance! TEll him to get licensed in CA and come on down.

Lawyers here want $1,500 to retain their services and give you the "bazooka" speeding ticket defense. Sounds good, but pricey.

verdugo

Then how would they get to work? Probably drive illegally, get caught and do jail time which would cost them their job. Life pretty much ruined in other words.

All because the politicians can't stop spending.

I'm not defending politicians, but I disagree with you. In this case, they got speeding tickets because they were driving faster than the speeding limit.

You don't want a ticket? Obey the speed limit. Don't blame the politicians for getting a ticket.

Heck, the less disposable income they have, the more they should obey all traffic laws! :P

andres3

You don't want a ticket? Obey the speed limit. Don't blame the politicians for getting a ticket

WRONG! In this great country, you traffic enforcers might like to ignore the constitution, but it holds meaning nonetheless:

You are innocent until proven guilty. Being issued a ticket/citation proves nothing. You do not have to speed to receive a speeding ticket! I'm living proof. Officers routinely make mistakes.

Getting a speeding ticket and speeding are not related.

oldfarmer50

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_hFW3Pp3sJ4

cdnpinhead

Too bad, I really liked them when they were in their prime.

You and I both, but that's been, what, 40 - 45 years ago?

I have every song they recorded back then.

oldfarmer50

"...don't want a ticket? Obey the speed limit..."

That's very easy to say but as a trooper once told me "There are so many traffic laws on the books that you can't start your car without violating at least 3 of them". Humans are imperfect and I object to the government using that imperfection to extract money from them. Tickets to promote safety went out the window and has been replaced by tickets as a revenue generator. Of course you shouldn't speed, my last ticket was in the 1980s. The other day however I was thinking about something else and when I looked down I was doing 65 in a 55. I immediately slowed down. Should I have gotten a ticket? Legally, yes. Would it have made things safer? I doubt it.

Do you really want a world where a cop is hiding at the end of your driveway waiting to slap a fine?

bolivar

You said "That 'vette was all original, 350, 4 spd, in really good shape "

Can't be both all original and a 350 because that is a 'big block' hood, and a 350 isn't a big block.

The blue car might be a Couger?

8sparkplugs

That's not completely the case. I don't remember whether my brother's 69 vette, 350 hp 350 cu in, has that hood, but my dad's 70 LT-1 vette, 370 hp 350 cu in, does have the big block hood. I know they used those hoods on some of the hotter small blocks.

snakeweasel

Also, I'm amazed that more people don't either know or use an attorney for speeding tickets.

Here in IL you can request court supervision, pay a fine and if you don't get another ticket in the specified amount of time the case automatically gets dismissed and your insurance company never sees it.

snakeweasel

If you relly want to impress one, just ask him..." Hey, weren't you one of the Village People?"

There is a state police district headquarters in the ground floor of the building where I work. One time I came on 4 or 5 of them standing outside and I told them that the Village People convention was down the street.

nyccarguy

Sounds like you ran into a string of bad luck with the fuzz. Kist importantly you DID NOT let it ruin your truly amazing vacation.

Had my surgery this AM. Got to the hospital @ 6 am. On my way home by 11 am. Procedure was perfect. I've got a bit of soreness (feels like I did 1000 sit ups). Doctor was fantastic. The nurses were amazing too. Very caring.

sterlingdog

So glad to hear that your surgery went well. A good medical staff can make all of the difference. Be a good young man and follow the doctor's instructions. Go easy for a while and let thngs heal properly. I know that you work and play hard, but a little rest is in order here. I know how glad you must be to have this behind you.

Richard

sterlingdog

"I want to say Challenger?"

I thought that perhaps it was a Camaro.

Richard

sterlingdog

"Maybe you should email a brief compliment to the CEO of GM regarding their fine powerplants."

I think that I should email each of the four police departments with this brief message: I did a "fast" fix on your ticket. "Catch" you later.

Richard

sterlingdog

$1,500 to retain an attorney for a speeding ticket??!! You do have a way of making me feel better.

Richard

sterlingdog

And you want me to buy a truck?! :P BTW, the cop didn't have much sense either. :sick:

Richard

sterlingdog

I like that way of dealing with speeding tickets. At least they give you a second chance.

Richard

bolivar

"70 LT-1 vette, 370 hp 350 cu in, does have the big block hood"

Yes, and the LT-1's had decals down both sides of raised the hood saying 'LT-1'.

Lt-1's were 1970 thru 72. The plate on the car says '69'.

It's not 'right'.

oldfarmer50

Mako1a's pursuit of a Mustang got me looking at Ford's website. I clicked on their "inventory" section to see what was available locally. I was shocked to find that the three closest Ford dealers had ZERO Mustangs in inventory (2011 or 2012). As I went out further and further I would find a dealer who had a few but they were all loaded models. The V6 models stickered in the high $20Ks and all the GTs were $35K to $40K. Way beyond my comfort zone. All were premium trim levels.

Almost every dealer that had ANY Mustangs also had at least one Shelby with a sticker in the upper $50K range.

So what's the deal? Is there a shortage? Do dealers only stock loaded models? Does every dealer have to take a Shelby as part of their allocation? :confuse:

driver100

Did anyone mention an F150 with the Harley Davidson option. Snakeskin trim and a nice snakeskin decal on the side.
I don't think it will help you with the law problems though........

driver100

I went for a test drive with my wife this time. The salesman very shrewdly put me into a 335ix (x means all wheel drive) with a Sport Option. You press a button and it changes the dynamics of the car, now it shifts faster, suspension becomes stiffer, steering is different. The car is fine, but this really changes the car dramatically. It is an incredible experience driving this car...lots of power from the turbo, and 300 horse power. I love the big wide hood and the way the hood is low so forward vision is excellent.

I was surprised he let us take it out on my own, though I think having my wife with me makes a difference, probably says that on their insurance policy.

Here is my problem and I invite comments;
The dealer who sold us our last 3 BMWs has never given much of a discount. Call him A.
My friend says this dealer will do a discount and work with you...Dealer B
The new ones will be out in November probably, so I might as well get a 2012, the savings
on a 2011 are just $2000 and the fact it will be one year old wipes that out pretty quickly.
I might wait until the Spring, he said my convertible will probably get a better price then.

Here's the problem,
Lets say the car lists for $Xs.
Dealer A was 20 minutes away, this one is 45 minutes away.
There are no other dealers to work with, and if I walk out I might as well keep walking about
50 miles.
I think the amount for the trade in is reasonable, it has lost half it's value in 4 years.
How much of a discount (in percentage terms) can I expect?
I don't think there will be too much bargaining power here.
I think he will come up with a good price, my friend said this dealer doesn't mess around.
I might try my, if you give me $1000 or $2000 more for the trade in trick at the end, but
I can't just give him a final price and put my cheque book (I know check book) on my
knee....or wave my debit card.
Any ideas.....the Jipst Method won't work too well with these guys.

mako1a

oldfarmer, I haven't given up on Mustangs, but as you found out

it is hard to locate one you like (not all loaded up and pricey). They

go quickly. I'm glad you posted as I thought it was just in Virginia.

mako1a

I don't think there will be too much bargaining power here.

Buying for someone else is easier as emotional involvement is nil.

Stop being in love with the car. I know GG jumped in with both feet.

You'd like to get him by a year. Oneupmanship is expensive! Don't do it.

Take your time, buy for YOU on your terms and only when you're ready.

graphicguy

driver....nice car you're looking at.

You looking at a coupe or a sedan? Sedans change in 2012. Coupes don't change until 2013.

Just a general observation, as my BMW experience pales in comparison to yours.....BMW makes more radical engineering changes from one version to the next than they do for styling or interior changes. Plus, as you're aware, they're moving to turbo 4 cyl engines (something I'm not interested in). I know that they'll still make 6 cyl motors. But, I know the N55 6 cyl turbo was harder to track down than I thought it would be. I don't know if BMW limits their production or the dealers just don't order many. In either case, they aren't easy to find.

$2K discount? You're kidding me. That alone would make me flee my former dealer. I knocked nearly $5K off mine, and that was before I added the incentives from BMW.

Used car prices are strong. Therefore, trade-in prices are strong. Got to 2 or 3 dealers and get their "buy" price to see where you are. Add $500 to their offers, knock $5K off the MSRP on the car you want (assuming 335i xDrive), then subtract incentives (is there still an $1,840 factory incentive on xDrive cars?).

Put all of that on a piece of paper, deduct the trade figure......include tax, title, whatever you want to include as a doc fee. Present it to them. Tell them you want to make a quick and easy deal as much as they do. You're shopping until you find a dealer within a 250 mile area to get your deal. But, if it's agreed to, you'll drive the car away immediately.

kyfdx

Good luck with all that...

driver is in Canada.... :surprise:

graphicguy

bolivar....just telling you what the owner told me. I "thought" he said it was a 350. I could be wrong on that count, though.

He did say it was all original. Without number matching, I can't say if it was, or wasn't.

I can say that it "looked" original, except for the paint job. It had to have been recent as it was very shiny, no cracks, peels or drips.

I'm not as knowledgeable about 'vettes as you guys are, so I'll defer to your judgement.

I don't recall seeing any Cougars there (well, not of the car variety). That's why I think the car next to it was a Mustang coupe....probably late 60s early 70s vintage.

kyfdx

kyfdx

sterlingdog

"I can't just give him a final price and put my cheque book (I know check book) on my knee..."

If you're going to finance the balance after trade in, the check book touch won't work. Still, there is no reason not to negotiate to your best advantage in the same manner.

"...I might as well keep walking about 50 miles."

So why not? Even 100 miles isn't bad if you get a good deal. Besides, you can have it serviced at home. Why not research up to 100 miles on the net to see if you find something that you like? You and Mrs. Driver could take a nice road trip to look at possibilities.

"...he said my convertible will probably get a better price then."

Based on my experience with trading convertibles, he is correct. As we near October, the average person (unlike me and Snake) don't envision having the top down on a car.

"...will do a discount and work with you...Dealer B"

Isell will kill me but here's what I would do. Get the best deal from Dealer B and shop it around. There's no need to grind, however. If you think that Dealer B's offer is the best, simply ask 2 or 3 other dealers if they can beat that deal by $500 or so. If not, work with Dealer B. As GG says, get your spreadsheet ready so that your research shows the figures and the fact that you are serious about trading.

Richard

graphicguy

Good luck with all that...

driver is in Canada

Never mind!

http://www.hulu.com/watch/2364/saturday-night-live-weekend-update-emily-litella-- on-violins-on-tv

graphicguy

kyfdx....that is SWEET!

You have one picked out already? Where?