Stories from the Sales Frontlines

jmonroe

I think there are human rights issues at stake here

We have plenty of “human rights issues” in the USA but that ain’t one of them. Anything that favors me is not an issue. :P

jmonroe

jmonroe

If we hit about 100 posts per day by Christmas we will hit 100K

Notice that the post count today is up already, although the site went south on me for a bit. Keep em comin folks. I may get the 100K pin just in time as a Christmas gift from Edmunds.

In those 20K posts someone may actually buy/sell a car or two.

I don't know about you guys but I’m taking credit for my two purchases since 2009. If I have to buy another one to get the post count up I’m all for it but Mrs. j ain’t gonna like it. I’m liable to have to pin placed somewhere I don’t want it.

jmonroe

stickguy

I bought one this past February. There were plenty of posts in that running saga!

and my wife is Jonesing for new wheels now, so we are on the prowl again.

So don't blame me for not doing my share!

tjc78

but I’m taking credit for my two purchases since 2009

I've had two as well. I also think a third (where I was a helper) is in here somewhere.

fezo

Funny thing - I'm fine to go see the shuttle but not OK to have a sub with all that raw vegetable stuff on it - also not meat from sources that I can't verify - no deli meat etc...

michaellno

but I’m taking credit for my two purchases since 2009

I've had two as well. I also think a third (where I was a helper) is in here somewhere.

I've bought two since 2009 as well - the daughter's MINI and the wife's CX-7.

michaellno

also not meat from sources that I can't verify

What, you have to be introduced to the cow?

Kirstie_H

That would be one of the restrictions most likely to make me obsess. I like vegetables, but I'm not one to go overboard. However, I do notice that after we've been travelling for a few days or camping and have no vegetables or just canned vegetables, I get to the point where I just HAVE to have a salad, or something green & crispy.

fezo

Yeah, salads are out until the t cells are back. Cooked vegetables are OK but not raw. I'm going to go crazy when all this is over. Have about a dozen Italian subs...

I don't know about personally knowing the cow. Heck, I don't even like meeting lobsters when they are alive only to eat them....

driver100

not OK to have a sub with all that raw vegetable stuff on it - also not meat from sources that I can't verify - no deli meat etc...

I wouldn't want to eat any meat I couldn't identify either!

I am going out to a cruise night with a friend tonight. I'll let you know if I see anything interesting.

I wrote that so we have about 20 posts today, just 80 more to make it to 100k for Christmas so you know who can get their pin.

I checked the Passat Forum too. Out of about 12 categories there was one new message last month. One topic has one message on it. If you ask a question it takes about 3 years to get an answer.

driver100

. Heck, I don't even like meeting lobsters when they are alive only to eat them....

And I like fish, but not having an eye still in it watching me eat it.

jmonroe

I wrote that so we have about 20 posts today, just 80 more to make it to 100k for Christmas so you know who can get their pin.

Thanks for the help. We’re allowed to mention names here. I’m sure everyone has gotten the word that ‘jmonroe’ will be the one to get the pin.

jmonroe

imidazol97

>If I have to buy another one to get the post count up I’m all for it but Mrs. j ain’t gonna like it. I’m liable to have to pin placed somewhere I don’t want it.

Maybe the discussion of the resulting divorce will run the post count higher fast!!! :grin

jmonroe

And I like fish, but not having an eye still in it watching me eat it.

A while back (post 73674) I mentioned about the time that Mrs. j had a seeing-eye-fish served to her like that. It came presented in a chrome dome. The fun started when the dome was removed.

One more for today’s post count.

jmonroe

jmonroe

Maybe the discussion of the resulting divorce will run the post count higher fast!!! :grin

Thanks anyway but I don't need that kind of help. That's the kind of ADM that I know I can't afford. :sick:

jmonroe

fezo

So.... where are they now?

driver100

Lots of interesting cars, a Javelin I really liked, a 57 T-bird, a 52 Mercury, a Ferrari, and a very interesting 2009 Mustang Shelby GT500KR with 540 HP. He says the new model has over 600 HP.
He can't drive the car in the winter because it has summer tires. He said it cost $40k more than a regular Shelby, so it must have cost about $100k new!
Also, a guy had a Holden Pontiac. They weren't sold in Canada, only in the U.S. It has a Corvette engine in it. Beautiful interior, redish seats and they were like individual bucket seats in the back, and black trim every where else.
Lots of Mustangs, seems to be the car of choice for these shows. A great evening!

michaellno

and a very interesting 2009 Mustang Shelby GT500KR with 540 HP. He says the new model has over 600 HP.

662, to be exact. Edmunds has a series of articles about driving one across country.

Also, a guy had a Holden Pontiac. They weren't sold in Canada, only in the U.S. It has a Corvette engine in it.

That was called the Pontiac GTO here in the US. Started off with the 5.7L engine from the Corvette (350HP), then was upgraded to the 6.0L V8 with 400 HP. Not a huge seller, unfortunately.

Sounds like you had a great time.

stickguy

and so do houses. So, a question for this August group.

I want to repalce some windows on my house (one thing to get out of the way before car shopping for real, so help here any you may get a real story!). I assume some of you may have experience here. Save me money, and my wife gets a nicer car, so do it for her.

Any experience with using Lowes to source and install? I had them out to estimate, and the guy was very thorough, and the windows seem fine. Price was about what I expected.

last night, a Renewal by Anderson rep came out. fancy pants windows it seems (probably overkill), but he was a ful 3 times more expensive! I do have a Pella store guy coming Monday, and am waiting for my contractor (that did all the interior work for me) to get me an estimate.

So a couple questions.

1) any opinions on who to use/stay away from? I like the contractor, but it is real easy to go with a store and not have to be involved, plus if a few years down the line a problem crops up you just call lowes vs. hoping the contractor did not retire to Florida. or still cares!

2) what the heck should a window cost? they are big (I think about 6' with a circle top). 5 years back, the guy who did the upstairs windows ballparked off the cuff about 1K per window installed. Lowes was right about spot on (for 4, $4,500 - a $400 rebate gift card). The Anderson dude, even after "negotiating" some sales discounts wanted $13,400 to replace 4 window units!

3) finally, any particular features to search out or avoid?

so, opinions overall? For criteria, it is a nice house but not a luxury estate, and 10 years is probably the outside range of how long we will stay here. I want something that looks nice and work well, but don't need every last ounce of insulation value. The double pane ones currently in there are 20 YO builder grade (with barely functional spiral balances), so anything will be a major stop up!

driver100

662, to be exact.

Thanks for the information, I enjoyed finding out that fact about the Mustang, although I wonder, if you have 540 horses do you really need 662? And who really buys these cars? I would like to know. The guy with the 500KR seemed like a very nice guy, was probably retired, had $100k on hand, had always dreamed of owning a Mustang, and that car is a big part of his life.

I liked your material about the Holden Pontiac too. I was puzzled when I saw it because it had a Pontiac badge...it did say GTO, but, I had never seen one before. It is definitely more European looking than American, and that was part of it's downfall.

I really enjoyed seeing the cars, and the owners were very friendly and were willing to explain their cars too.

Also there was a Taurus SHO with a Yamaha engine. I thought those would be fast but only had 200 hp....don't know what that was all about. I am not crazy about those years of a Taurus...or any year in a Taurus, but that one looked really nice in a dark red color.

Yes, I highly recommend going to a cruise night if you have one around, and ask a lot of questions.

robr2

$1K a window installed is about right.

Windows are tough to recommend because there are literally hundreds of companies making them and what I can get here in New England won't be available anywhere else.

The big three - Anderson, Pella and Marvin - are the best known and typically the most expensive. But keep in mind that they all own lesser brands so they can be price competitive.

I'd go to a couple of local lumberyards - not HD, Lowes, Menards - and see what they are offering. Most will have one of the big three but then will offer a couple of local brands that you will probably find to be great alternatives. The reason I suggest a lumberyard is that the door and window folks there know the product inside and out and the lumberyard doesn't have the luxury of selling junk. The HD's of the world can absorb the cost of switching brands if it means they can increase their profit by a couple of points. Lumberyards have to find a product they can trust won't be a problem. Also many lumberyards are now offering installed services just like the big guys.

5 years ago i renovated my home and put in Paradigm windows. They are based in Maine and sell in the northeast for the most part. They were a simple double pane with an inert gas vinyl and grid between the pane windows with a built in J channel for the vinyl siding. I have a basic Cape style home that didn't need much in the way of architectural detailing. Thus far, I'm very happy with them.

stickguy

Thanks. Problem is finding a real lumberyard/building amterials place these days! There was a good one about 2 miles from my office, but they closed recently.

If I just let my contractor handle it I assume that is what he would do (he already has the measurements, so all he has to do is order them, pick up and install).

robr2

Go to lmc.net. They are a buying organization made up entirely of independent lumberyards. I'm sure you can find one close by.

oldfarmer50

"...I'm taking credit for my two purchases since 2009..."

Since 2009? Wow, if we go that far back I can claim four! Never mind that all four didn't cost what one of yours did.

stickguy

Thanks. I called and thye do have a dealer not too far away. might give that a try, or ask the contractor where he goes. Might be the same place.

oldfarmer50

"...Holden Pontiac..."

I think that was based on the Holden Comodore, an Austrailian GM car.

kyfdx

Marvin seems to be a good value for a quality product... We have the "builder" line (cheaper).... wood windows, fiberglas clad... New with the house in 1998... no issues..

michaellno

I think that was based on the Holden Comodore, an Austrailian GM car.

Half right .. the Commodore is the 4 door model, the Monaro was the coupe. Yes, both were designed and built Down Under.

The Commodore is now coming to the US as the Chevrolet SS. Not sure if it's going to be built here or not.

driver100

...Holden Pontiac..."
I think that was based on the Holden Comodore, an Austrailian GM car

Actually a Holden Monaro became a Pontiac GTO in the USA. I think the Commodore was used to make a Bonneville and the last Pontiac G6
Holden Monaro:


Here's the Pontiac USA GTO (interior looked like this):

driver100

$199 - Toronto: Drive a Formula Ford Race Car up to 175 kmh or about 100mph

$399 Value

50% Discount

Pay $200



What do you think?

jmonroe

The Commodore is now coming to the US as the Chevrolet SS. Not sure if it's going to be built here or not.

Here we go again with coincidences on this site.

Last Friday Son #1 was telling me that GM had just made an announcement that they are going to bring the Australian version of the Pontiac G8 to the US and it will have a Chevy badge. He wasn’t sure what they are calling it but, like you said, the Aussie’s call it the Commodore. When it gets here it will hit his timing about right because he plans to buy in a couple years so he’s definitely going to look at it. He likes the idea that it is a 400 plus HP 8 cyl. sport sedan.

jmonroe

tjc78

I looked at the G8 before I got the Genesis. It was a nice car with a hell of a powerplant, but it just wasn't for me.

I'll probably give the RWD Chevy a look when the LaCrosse goes back (or I get tired of it).

I'm a Ford guy at heart (well the old full sizers anyway) and would love it, if Ford came out with something big, powerful and RWD.

michaellno

I'm a Ford guy at heart (well the old full sizers anyway) and would love it, if Ford came out with something big, powerful and RWD.

Gee, sounds like you'd be a good candidate for an Aussie Ford Falcon. Not sure if there will be a new one, however, since Mullaly is all for the "One Ford" product line and the Falcon is an Aussie only vehicle.

Picture for reference:

driver100

and would love it, if Ford came out with something big, powerful and RWD.

Aren't those big new Taurus's RWD? Or, aren't they powerful enough?

What about a Mustang, or are you looking for a 4 door car, and something bigger?

jmonroe

I want to repalce some windows on my house...

Another coincidence.

I’m not replacing our windows but I am in the process of painting them. I haven’t done that since 1999, a year after we moved in. This will be the last time one way or another. I’m not going to do it again, my ladder days are over when this job is done. I would replace them but they aren’t that bad. They are the Anderson double hung type that are the originals when the house was built in the mid 70s. Good in their day but not as good as most that are on the market today. I don’t buy into all the hype about recouping your costs in energy in a couple of years but if I sold windows that’s what I’d say too. If/when I do it; it will be for aesthetics and resale value not energy savings.

As far as the price you’ve gotten for the Anderson Renewal, you heard what I heard a few years ago. I got a quick price for a sliding door (and windows since I was there) that I put in that leads to the deck from the dining room. Those people are nuts they must think that the name will sell the window/door but they are still in business so they are probably right. Just didn’t work for me and you don’t sound all that thrilled with their prices either.

Oh well, a couple more swings of the brush and I’m done.

jmonroe

mako1a

The Aussie GTO of 2004 had the 350 HP and the 2005/6 had the 400 HP detuned Vette engine. Not sure why, but there was a hefty gas guzzler tax (over $1,000) on the GTO. All the while, Corvette was getting 28 MPG with no such tax.
I weighed all the options and chose not to buy into the gas guzzler even though the stereo and interior were very nice. Above average handling as well.

student22

Didn't the Corvette have a skip shift feature that forced a first to fourth gear shift unless you really dipped into the throttle. Maybe that satisfied the EPA.

mako1a

A/T only here. Don't know about shifter cars. Mine was 28 average over 16k miles.

tjc78

Aussie Ford Falcon

I've seen those, I doubt we will ever get it here.

Driver,

The current Taurus is FWD or F/AWD. Plenty of power in the 3.5. If you need more the SHO is much more powerful (and quite pricey, IMHO).

A Mustang? Me? Great cars but never for me. At the moment I am perfectly happy in all respects with my LaCrosse. I'm just thinking ahead.

explorerx4

Way back, I had one of those SHO's. My first sedan.
It probably was 200 'wink wink' horsepower.
They were good for 140 mph, although I never ran it up the last 500 rpm to get there.
1989 Mustang GT 0-60 6.2 sec, 1/4 mile 14.8
1989 Tuarus SHO 0-60 6.6 sec. 1/4 mile 15.2
1989 BMW 535i 0-60 8.5 sec, 1/4 mile 16.3

jmonroe

Didn't the Corvette have a skip shift feature that forced a first to fourth gear shift unless you really dipped into the throttle.

Son#1 had that in his '95 Trans Am track car. It drove him nuts. A week after he bought it used in '09 his track buddies put him onto a site where for about 30 bucks it was quickly defeated with and inline thingy that looked a lot like an inline fuse holder. About 15 minutes of work and that problem was solved.

jmonroe

driver100

I’m not replacing our windows but I am in the process of painting them.

I don't know anything at all about fixing things, but isn't it hard to see out of windows after you paint them?

driver100

Way back, I had one of those SHO's. My first sedan.

I think you are my hero if you had an 89 Taurus. I didn't think much of them at the time...I mean I liked them but it was way out of my price range at the time. In fact at that time I had a Corsica :sick:

The one I saw would make a great car today, and looks better than any Taurus built since then. The one at the show was this color of red. The interior was really nice too, much nicer than the last Taurus.
P.S. Your other cars weren't too shabby either.

jmonroe

I don't know anything at all about fixing things, but isn't it hard to see out of windows after you paint them?

I guess that explains why new ones cost as much as they do. :P

jmonroe

js06gv

My father in law had a 91 SHO and I got my dad to buy the slightly restyled 92 SHO. The Yamaha engine was good for a published 220 hp, but like you I suspected there was a bit more. First four years were manuals only. Killer heavy clutch. Torque steer was wild in these cars too, but they were a hoot to drive. After the automatic was offered in 93 most of the cars were equipped this way and the fun was all but over.

driver100

First four years were manuals only. Killer heavy clutch.

Good comments.......I wish I could have owned one at the time. What exactly is a heavy clutch? (I assume it means it requires a lot of pressure when you push on it, if that's the case why do they make it that way?) The first time I heard the term used was when I talked to the guy with the Shelby Mustang.

That Yamaha engine looks pretty nice too;

28firefighter

My dad had a White 1990 SHO (older body style) and then a Green 1993 SHO, both manual.

As he put it, the engine and transmission on them were amazing, but the car sounded like it was going to fall apart with all the rattles.

driver100

but the car sounded like it was going to fall apart with all the rattles.

Guess that is a big downfall of many of the cars of that vintage, and one reason why the D3 lost so many customers. It almost seems that the car companies knew they could sell anything they put on the market, the bean counters were trying to make cars for as little as possible and charge as much as possible....quality and care just didn't matter.

My friend that went to see the cars with me has a 1994 Chev Blazer...he bought it when they were clearing them out. He thought for $16000 he would get a good solid car that could last him for 20 years since he only does about 8k miles a year. He says he will make it last, but basically his Blazer is really garbage. Everything on it is made as cheaply as possible, many parts and seams are not straight or there was no care or pride in making it alll fit together well. Some things such as door hinges just weren't made strong enough for an SUV. He thinks it will last because it is made out of pretty heavy metal with a strong frame. It serves it's purpose, but it isn't a car he can really enjoy.

I liked that SHO and that idea of using a Yamaha engine was ingenious, but the execution just wasn't done properly. You've shattered my dreams, but it is probably for the better. Now I can get on with real life and just enjoy my solidly built and well engineered bimmer.

tjc78

liked that SHO and that idea of using a Yamaha engine was ingenious, but the execution just wasn't done properly. You've shattered my dreams, but it is probably for the better. Now I can get on with real life and just enjoy my solidly built and well engineered bimmer.

There is no way in this world you can compare a first gen SHO with a new 535. Its like comparing Angelina Jolie to Betty White. The SHO was a screamer for its time and I believe one of (if not) the fastest 4 door sedans on the market at the time. The 5er is over 20 years newer, and three times as expensive. Naturally, its going to be better.

As for the Blazer. I have a 99 S10 pickup (same thing as Blazer) and the interior is really bad. The recliner lever has broken off, the center console is loose as heck, the defroster vent has cracked in several pieces... but it can sit for a month and fire right up.

jmonroe

Now I can get on with real life and just enjoy my solidly built and well engineered bimmer.

Really? Aren’t you the one that doesn’t want your bimmers when they are out of warranty? While my XG350 blew up under warranty with 42K miles, or thereabouts, it was 7 years old. How many of your bimmers were kept that long? I’m not the one knocking them, although they are not known for their reliability, but it sounds like you’re the one with some doubts.

The ‘judge’ doesn’t seem to have a problem with his, so what’s your problem with yours?

jmonroe