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2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
We've all had those nights and days. But the salesman at Jaguar was way off base. He was wrong to assume I would not be interested in one. The sales manager agreed with me. When I told them I was a retired principal AND sales manager at a large dealership the both knew well, the sales manager said that he can't control all of what goes on in a dealership and to that I wholeheartedly agreed. But that salesman represents the dealer principal who would split a gut if he knew how customers were being treated. The dealer principal is the same dealer principal I worked directly for. Small world, isn't it.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
It is nice to see hockey catching on in the USA. It is a great game to play and can be very exciting to watch. Not a bad way to make a living too if you can do it.
It is a thrill seeing grandchildren playing most sports...especially when they are so good at it.
As for watching professional game, I'd rather put the $300 towards something else, and watch the game in the comfort of my own home....where I can watch it a lot better. And I can get my own snacks whenever I want them.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
I think this is the single funniest thing you've ever said! HA!
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Sounds like he played you like a fiddle. Got you to buy before you even got a test drive. :P
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
The XF is indeed a great looking car but way outside my price range. One Sunday morning I was admiring an XF at an I-HOP parking lot. I asked the driver how well he liked it overall and how well it handled. He said great! and nothing in that price range could compare.
Then I asked him if the car was a chic magnet. He looked at me strangely and said my wife wouldn't like that...and all this time I thought guys bought cars to impress women. At least men of a certain age.
Nah, this is a real chick magnet:
http://forum.gon.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=126504&stc=1&d=1205894338
Just like mine except mine has the extra rust package.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
My Dad runs his own business, but our store is in a bad neighborhood. He wears a uniform type outfit & walks around with a lot of keys.
He walks into the Saab dealership about 7:00 pm. It was their "late" night and they were probably open until 8 or 9:00 pm. Chats up with the salesman. Tells him about his Volvo, the other cars he's looking at...
He then asks the salesman to take a test drive. The guy kinda hesitates, then walks away like he's going to get a plate. Comes back 1 minute later & tells my Dad to come back another time because they don't test drive cars at night.
What did they end up with? A 1990 Mercedes-Benz 300E. Astro Silver/Grey Leather. That was an awesome car. Inline 6. Old school Mercedes bulletproof build quality. RWD.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
http://forum.gon.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=126504&stc=1&d=1205894338
Just like mine except mine has the extra rust package.
That's more of a "Free Candy Van".
Like I said, Grandson #2 is good maybe even very good but I doubt even he will become good enough for the pros.
The main reason we got a hotel room for last Saturday night when we were up in Erie was because the team was going to an Erie Otters game that started at 8 PM and none of the parents of the kids on the team wanted to drive back to the Burgh (2 1/2 hours) after the game. So, they reserved a block of rooms at a pretty nice hotel right on Lake Erie.
The Otters have a kid (from Canada) that just turned 16. He is said to be a phenom and has already been compared to Sidney Crosby and those on that level. Barring injury he is supposed to be a sure bet to make it to the NHL in a few years. I watched him and what little I know of hockey (never played it) he sure looked like a stand out to me. The Erie Otters are an entry level minor league hockey club that is a feeder team for the NHL. I saw at least 6 little kids from the Erie area that had an Otters team jersey on with this kids last name on the back, just like the pros. Man, a kid just starting out in pursuit of an NHL career and he already has his own jersey being sold. :surprise: They sure start them off very young today. Grandson #2, now 8 years old, better pick up his game a LOT if he wants to leave home when he’s 15/16 years old. Given that they start the kids off early today, maybe Son #1 should be starting his search for a host family somewhere.
Remember where you heard it first if you see an NHL player in about 15 years with a shirt on that says “my grandfather is jmonroe”.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
Now I was subjected to a reverse situation, when I had once an unpleasant encounter with a saleguy who made me to present a case why I was worthy his time. I was shopping for a car, planning to buy it within couple of months, three tops, depending on couple things. I'm usually thourough in market research, the car was new, just one year in the market (WRX), it was goig to be my first new car. So whe I showed up, I made it clear then to him that while I was in the market, I still needed some time to figure things out, but the car is really on the top of my list.
I was younger then and inexperienced (but not that young - about 32), I had a good professional job, but I obviously must have come across as a better candidate for a joyrider than a buyer. At the end he let me drive and all, but the bad taste of being treated like an interloper. The manners were just not there. BTW, it was Saturday morning, so not so busy time just yet, the place was fairly empty, so the guy literally did not have much to do at the time. But I guess some people would rather wait for a "real customer" buying today than spend a little time trying to build relationships.
Bottom line, I bought the car a couple months later, just as I told him, even from same store. I just used different salesman.
2018 430i Gran Coupe
Richard
The snow is a pain in the butt, but it is beautiful. Driveway already needs to be cleared again. Nice to be retired so we will just hunker down, read, play on the computer, and listen (read) to you guys tell one whopper after another.
PS. We are having "thunder snow" right now and it is coming down about 2 or 3 inches an hour.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
Richard
Richard
I doubt that many WWII vets are buying any type of car now. If you entered the war at even age 18, you're pushing 90 years of age now. Could it be that some people just don't like them?
Richard
Richard
A few years ago when I was in "buy mode", I was kind of interested in the newly released Taurus SHO (current gen). Went to the Ford store nearest me, and asked if they had any. They had 3 of them....one was a particular color I liked (pearl white). They asked how serious I was about it. I told them since I was standing in their showroom, I must be at least somewhat interested. And, that I was also interested in another color (burgundy) that I knew their competitor had on their lot (about 20 miles away).
Sales person said he had take a copy of my license and talk to his sales manager before offering a test drive. I was OK with that. Sales Manager comes out and asks for a downpayment before they could offer a test drive. Really?
I told him he wasn't going to sell too many cars if they needed a down payment just for a test drive. I told him I was on my way to his competitor to see if they'd let me test drive their SHO. He followed me out the door trying to explain about their policies, joy riders, how it's a $40K+ car, etc. I wasn't interested in the reasons/excuses at that point. Now, in fairness, this particular dealership has a reputation as being a little sleazy, at least in their sales tactics.
That's in stark contrast to my BMW or Audi experiences. They offered me the opportunity to take the car overnight, even for the weekend, before making a "buy" decision. All they needed was my proof of insurance and my driver's license. I even had a Cadillac dealer offer a CTS-V coupe for me to use overnight if I wanted (a $75K car).
Interestingly, I was watching CNET's Auto Show on TV last night (via ROKU). They stated that 20% of car sales are made without a test drive. Find that odd.
The company I work for has a few cars available for when we travel to Europe. They found it cheaper than renting cars when we travel there. One of them is a Jag XF....couple years old, maybe. Not a bad car. Kind of funky, with the "power" vents that open only when you start the car. It has a knob instead of a lever to shift with. It's the V8 version. It has plenty of pick up. It's a big car but not particularly roomy. Would I lay down $50K-$60K large on one? Nope....not even close. Maybe they're cheaper in Europe.
And so it starts :P
I say the MB dealership makes him an offer he can't resist and Mike will get another car.
That's because they were the lowest in the nation until the Governor
decided to discuss removing gas tax and raising sales tax thus
making moot, the low gas prices we had been getting.
That doesn't apply to California. We went from $3.65 a few weeks ago to $4.15 now.
You bring up an interesting statisic, graphicguy, that 20% car buyers buy/lease their car without taking a test drive. I am going to assume it was one of those companies that compliles surveys (of which I get three or four a year) regarding their choice of car. I remember one of the questions was, "...did you take a test drive of the car at the dealership while you were there, " OR "...were you offered a test drive at the dealership where you purchased your car...!"
I just find that statistic extremely troubling when considering the fact that when you plunk down 30 or 40 or even 50 thousand dollars on a new car, you would think you would be concerned about the ride and handling. It could be that the statistical data did not take into consideration that the buyer test drove the vehicle at another dealership so he/she did not need another test drive.
When I was in the business, during training I always INSISTED that each sales person gets the customer into the car they like prior to bringing them back to the showroom for negotiations. Many of my salespeople argued with me about that policy saying that some customers already drove the car at another dealership and know what they want. I always responded to them, "...unless a prospective buyer actually drives the car they are interested in buying or leasing, the emotional aspect of purchasing a new car is absent."
As an example - if a customer comes into the showroom and after looking on the new car inventory lot sees a car he/she likes but refuses to take a test drive in it, it is the salesperson's responsibility to get the key to that car, put the customer into the right front seat, and then drive the car off the lot, explaining features and benefits. Then, the salesperson was to pull over, get out of the car, and change seats with the customer. 95% of the time, there was no argument from the customer. The customer drove the car back to the dealership and once that happens, the customer has begun to take psychological ownership of that vehicle. If that is missing when the customer begins negotiations, the chances of selling that customer a car on that day have diminished 50%.
So, the test drive of the vehicle the customer likes is the single most important aspect of making a sale. The customer has gotten to "first base" with his true love - his new car!
I rest my case.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
It was 6:30 p.m. on a weeknight. So, with nothing better to do, I decided to see if he was a "General Sales Manager" at this particular Infiniti dealership. I stopped by and walked in. I greet the receptionist and ask if I could speak with the general sales manager. A few minutes later, out comes "Bob" (not using real names here due to Edmunds rules). He introduces himself, and I do the same.
"You don't by any chance post on the Edmunds site, in their Infiniti threads do you?"
Indeed he did...same guy.
We chat for a moment, I tell him where I'm from and that I've been an Edmunds member since they were only known as "ED".
I tell him I'm only killing some time, but have had a passing interest in the G in the past. He brings over a sales person, introduces us, and tells him to take me for a test drive. Understand, there was NO ONE in the dealership at the time. And, making a sale to me was not in the cards.
Still, the sales person spent about 90 minutes with me....throughly explaining the car, it's every function, and a great test drive. When we got back to the dealership, the sales person even gave me a printout of VSP pricing to take with me. I'll say that Sewell's sales people are some of the best trained I've ever come across.
I left thoroughly impressed with the dealership and personnel. "SEWELLGSM" has moved on to their Cacillac dealership (right next store to Infiniti). He's still posting, only in the Cadillac threads these days. If I were anywhere near Dallas, Sewell would be at the very top of my list of dealerships to visit when in the market for a car.
As *jmonroe would tell you, I'm ALWAYS IN BUY MODE!!! It's just a matter of when, where, how much, and where do I sign?
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
Well, we have had about 10 inches of snow so far this morning, so my wife really needed that LX 570 we just bought...Oh wait, she never drives in the snow, heck, she won't even drive if it is raining, nor will she let me drive it...never mind.
Also, our salesman practically made me take it home overnight, which I did when we were looking. I think one reason for that is to take a vehicle out of circulation to keep it from being sold by someone else.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
I think I told this one before.
Back in the 80’s I left it up to my brother to get us seats to see Neil Diamond at the Civic Arena in the Burgh (now torn down). Mrs. j wanted to go get the tickets at a department store near us first thing in the morning when they opened just like she had done a few years earlier when the two of us went to see Neil Diamond. Nope, my brother insisted that you can’t get good seats like that so he was going to get them at a downtown Pittsburgh ticket office since he worked not too far from that “main ticket office”. Yeah, you guessed it by the time he went over there at lunch time they were almost sold out and he said he was lucky to get any seats at all. He shouldn’t have bothered. The seats were far away and at a terrible angle. For all I knew that could have been a Chimpanzee up there playing a CD. That was the last time we ever relied on someone else to get seats for us. Mrs. j still talks about that experience.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
Keep in mind that as far as gas is concerned, the price of oil is only one factor. We are also constrained by refining capacity, winter blend requirements, etc.
Mike,
Do you have any leftover electrolytes/IV's that you can lend to dino? :P
Just messing with you Dino. You're not completely wrong, but you're not completely right, and your tone wasn't very civil.
I disagree. There have been TONS of advances in drilling (not speaking about refining.) Dino touched on some of them (tar sands, shale, etc.)
I'm amamzed at the depths that oil can be drilled from. I also think it's amazing that they can drill sideways!
2018 430i Gran Coupe
Don't forget the most important - the price people are willing to pay. Refiners can set their wholesale price (as retailers typically cannot choose their supplier or keep their profit constant) up to a point where the consumer reduces their purchases. I'm putting that number at $6/gallon.
Yeah, but it only produces gas with half the octane rating. :confuse:
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
To heck with electrolytes - I'm still trying to get over the fact that we did't invent the wheel and that things do take place withot my knowing about them just three blocks away!
Dino, are you sure about this? Do you have facts to back up your rather radical comments?
Just playin' with ya, dino
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
I threw out my old electric lytes. I thought the gov'ment wanted to force us to switch to compac fluorescent bulbs.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
How does this effect me? When a pipe breaks, instead of calling the plumber in to repipe the whole building, they have their super or some jack leg that calls himself a handyman put a "band-aid" fix.
My business is extremely busy during the winter months (October - April) when city buildings are required to provide heat if the outside temperature is below 50 degrees. We've also always managed to keep busy during the spring and summer with rennovation work. A tenant moves out & the landlord gut rennovates an entire apartment by reinvesting profits and then can raise the rent. With oil prices so high, there is not as much rennovation work as there used to be.
The price of goods has skyrocketed because of the increase in raw material cost & the price of transportation (oil again).
I know a lot has to do with the increased demand & with speculators. Mike posted a link about the oil they've found in North Dakota, but has to be transported by truck rather than by a pipeline. The article basically said that the oil in ND would eliminate our need to do business with the Middle East and would bring the price of gas & heating oil down from the stratosphere.
I know gas will never be as cheap again as it was in the 1990's. I understand both graphicguy & dino's excellent, well thought out, knowledge. I think gas should cost somewhere between $2.50 per gallon. But if demand is high, then why lower prices? :confuse:
The gas station up the block from me is selling 93 Octane today for $4.319/gallon. not too long ago it was under $4.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
On my way home from my first physical therapy appointment for my right shoulder, I stopped off at a Shell station and filled up with premium - $4.19.9 a gallon - cheapest I could find around here. Two weeks ago, I paid $3.99.9 a gallon at that same station and 4 weeks ago, I paid $3.73.9 a gallon - same station. Up 46 cents a gallon in 4 weeks.
The physical therapist said he thinks I have a torn rotator cuff and that the therapy won't help - but they are requiring 5 visits before doing an MRI. Now that's a bit of news I was waiting for - the other shoe just dropped. I can't seem to get a break.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
After working in the business for nearly a decade I find that a little bit hard to believe.
There could be some variation to that question.
Maybe the question implied if they drove the exact car they ended up buying. If that's indeed the question then 20% of No answers would be probable because many dealers have designated Demo models for test drives only, as not to rack up mileage on new units. Therefore customers will try out an equivalent demo and then pick the color/trim level out of the new inventory that they will buy.
Sometimes the customer will test drive it at a competitive dealership, and then go price shopping and buy it from another dealer. So if the question implied if the car was test driven at that dealership then once again the answer can be a No.
2016 Audi A7 3.0T S Line, 2021 Subaru WRX
In some cases I would say the same. If you are going to pay $80 for poor seats may as well pay $20 or $30 more for much better seats.
Could be true of a hockey game but for me I just wanted to see and experience a real game while in Tampa. I don't know who the players are any more...I used to. So, for $28 I can strike it from the bucket list.....for $120, I can think of a lot of other things I would rather do.
We paid about $90 to see Cher at Ceasar's Palace a few years ago. She looked like an ant on stage...there was a large screen behind her. It is a huge theatre and we were in the top balcony 2nd row back. This woman in front of us was swaying all over and doing the pointing thing with her big fingers...being very obnoxious. I was going to tell her to cool it but my family therapist wife said not to start anything. Her 6 ft 6 boyfriend looked like a linebacker. I imagined it wouldn't take much to grab me and throw me over the balcony and it would be about 2 stories down.
Glad I kept quiet in retrospect.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
You all know me too well. If I was a psychiatrist, I would psychoanalyze my new car urges like this:
I never, ever cheated on my wife but that doesn't mean new "models" never went unnoticed. So I sublimated by buying new cars when I saw something I wanted. It has now become a habit - got to have the newest model under my control. As my deceased wife always said, "...better that he buys a new car when the urge gets to him rather than going after other women - both are expensive, but at least I can see where the money goes knowing he can't afford both!"
Case closed on my psychoanalysis.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
We have friends who are eccentric English people. I have mentioned them before...they are multi-millionaires but won't spend an extra penny if they don't have to. They like reading the newspaper but won't buy one, only read it if we take them our old papers at the end of the week. Then they burn them in their fireplace creating noxious fumes.
They are 84 now, which means they were born in 1929. So, he would have been able to go to war near the end of the war, but I don't think he actually fought in WWII. They love my car, but, they have said "We will not buy a German made car".
I may have said the wrong thing by saying war vet. These people went through a lot during WWII, and they haven't forgotten. If they were buying a luxury car they would probably buy a Rover or Jaguar because they love things that are British. In cars they only buy GMs and only Chev type models. They may buy a Caddie, but, I think they would feel too guilty driving in such a luxurious car. They love $2 Tuesdays at KFC. They have told me they can afford any car they could ever want, but, they drive an approx. 8 year old Uplander.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Down the road from where I work, right at the PA Turnpike and an Interstate, they are selling regular gas, 87 octane, for $3.85 9/10. At home about 20 miles away it’s $3.79 9/10. So guess where I get my gas.
Mike are you buying 93 octane? For some reason I think you are. If you are, the price around me may be the same for that. The Genny runs fine on 87 octane so I don’t even notice the price for the expensive stuff but I’ll look as I wiz by the stations on my way home tonight.
In any case it has shot around here too the last few weeks.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
Just to show how important a test drive is...and you all know the story;
We were $1500 away from signing for a 2013 BMW 335.
Salesman said they couldn't do better.
Stopped to price out Audi A4 on the way home.
Salesman said take the A5 manual for a test drive.
We came back...he said take an A4 auto for a test drive.
We loved the Audi more than the BMW and the differences were fresh in our minds.
The BMW should have been a slam, dunk, easy sale.
Instead we bought the A4.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Yes, *jmonroe. I would use midgrade but this is a direct injection engine and Mercedes requires premium fuel. Fo 10 cents a gallon, not worth playing games with DI engines. A friend of mine told me to only use premium in a DI engine like mine. That friend is head of 3 Mercedes Benz service centers as their "go to" man. He said I really didn't drive enough miles each year to make using midgrade gasoline economical while possibly doing se long term harm to the engine (like I keep cars long term).
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
http://www.wxow.com/story/21293076/oil-prices-drop-below-95-per-barrel
If it took 4 weeks for prices to rise 45 cents a gallon, it will take 6 months before they drop down to those levels again - assuming oil drops to $87 a barrel.
2024 Genesis G90 Super-Charger
Probably a lot cheaper too than having another woman on the side, as John Edwards and many others will attest to.
Did I mention the guy who got a call from VISA saying they thought the guys card had been stolen and the thief had run up $5000 a month in charges. VISA wanted to know if he wanted his old card cancelled and a new one issued.
The guy says no, keep the old one going, the thief is spending less money than my wife does.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250