Stories from the Sales Frontlines

nyccarguy

Great car & a great color! Congrats on your new ride. I can't believe you bought a used car sight unseen! Good luck to you! You'll be much happier with the 3.0 as opposed to the 2.5!

mackabee

"hope whoever taught Mack how to post pictures into this forum realizes he has created a Monster! "

Mack about to chow down British Rover :shades:

cotmc

Colorado and San Diego will be playing a tie breaker.

Yep, I spoke too soon. Looks like the Padres had a bit of a melt-down in that last game against the Brewers. Isn't this tie breaker going to be played in Denver? Should be a great game, if Peavy is pitching. Otherwise, I think the Rockies are the better team right now.

What does "AC000000" mean? :confuse:

cotmc

"Mack about to chow down British Rover"

I think I'd rather chow down on your previous picture...

mackabee

I know how hot vinyl seats can get in Phoenix and Tucson in the middle of summer. My first Celica St had the vinyl seats and no a/c! I remember driving from San Diego to Las Cruces Nm to visit my mom. I had my wife and at the time my two sons since Mark hadn't been born yet. We had the windows rolled down, the fan going full speed and drank fluids every minute. We were thirstier than a dog!
Never bought another car without a/c!

cotmc

"I can't believe you bought a used car sight unseen!"

Glad you mentioned this! This was what I intended to mention as a follow-up.

When I enquired about this vehicle from the dealership's web site, I also asked if they had any other deals on '04 X3 vehicles. To my surprise, I received an email reply directly from their Used Car Manager. We ended up trading a couple more emails before I called him directly. To make a long story short, I worked with the Used Car Manager throughout the entire purchase process.

I truly appreciated that this guy knew his stuff, and he also openly provided a full detailed disclosure about this vehicle. He test drove it and thoroughly inspected it for me. In fact, he caught a small problem with the power folding mirrors, and he had that problem repaired immediately. He faxed me the CPO Inspection sheets, as well as the services performed. Hence, he earned a significant amount of my trust -- possibly enough to complete the purchase without any other data.

Thankfully, I was able to get more data. I found someone who worked about 30 minutes from that dealer who would perform an independent inspection for me. He was a friend of a friend! I offered him $100 if he would go out there, on short notice, and spend 30 minutes inspecting and test driving the vehicle. His report was extremely favorable, and it confirmed to me that my salesguy was honest with me.

The items I wanted both of them to inspect included:
- Any rattles or squeaks? (no)
- Any foul smells, or previous smoker car? (no)
- Transmission and engine response? (good)
- Any signs of body work? (no)
- Steering and brakes? (good)
- Interior condition (good)
- Scratches or chips in paint? (2 scratches on rear bumper)
- Panoramic moonroof? (All controls working good)

Why did I want an '04? Because I was going to need to finance between $15K and $20K, and BMW is offering 2.9% financing on the '04 models. They currently have no incentives on newer models.

Thanks to all for your well wishes!!

mackabee

I think I'd rather chow down on your previous picture...

I hear you, you mean where these came from?

mackabee

Well make up your mind soon! They're not going to make them after this year from what I hear.
Mackabee

snakeweasel

Yes I do believe that they will be playing in Colorado Monday.

There was a possibility of a three way tie, we were discussing how that would be handled.

What does "AC000000" mean?

If you have to ask you won't understand, but check this.

EAMUS CATULI

sterlingdog

Good for you---a man after my own heart! Love the picture of the pup.

sterlingdog

Sorry to hear that. Guess I could look at this two ways:
Negative: Buying a car that is going out of production
Positive: Buying a collector's item
Either way it is a sharpe automobile.

mackabee

It's strange. When we have them buyers don't want them. When we don't they keep looking for them. Same thing happened with the MR2 roadster and the Celica GT, GT-S.

Mackabee

epiney

All pooped out from EOM and EOQ? Anyone light up the board?

The guy I took delivery from last week figured he was going to hit 20. I just gave him all "5s" on the phone CSI.

Opps, after the text discussion, I should know better. EOM: End of Month, EOQ: End of Quarter

epiney

I meant IS250 like I said earlier in the post. I just had a typo there.

Ahh, now it makes sense. Big difference in the two. Something like 3 seconds in 0-60 time. The IS250 is approaching minivan fast :P

jescue

Just finishing deliveries- two today.

lrguy44

Well, now for the fun afternoon. I have to go downtown, 4 blocks from Coors field, and have a customer sign a contract. At least I will have a lot tot drive me down and circle the block while I do this. I might get home tonight. Go Rox.

michaellno

Oh, man. I am so glad that I don't work downtown anymore. Hope you don't get stuck in traffic too badly.

And, I agree ... GO ROCKIES!

Getting back on topic, is October usually better or worse for you salesfolk than September? I would think that for lrguy and br, the onset of cold weather might help traffic at the LR dealers ... what about the rest of you?

sterlingdog

Guess my experience just took the wind out of my sails. We can never second guess human nature.

lrguy44

October is a so so month usually. My biggest month is usually December thanks to accelerated depreciation on vehicles over 6000 lbs. Love the IRS (in December anyway).

houdini1

The hair color ad I like best is, "Make an extra batch and have a sn$#@ch to match!!

chikoo

I won't use it in a business situation like emailing back and forth with a customer as I consider it unprofessional.

me neither.

british_rover

October is good but November is better. December isn't usually very good for me.

epiney

Just finishing deliveries- two today

A GT3 RS and a Turbo Cabriolet?

chikoo

- Scratches or chips in paint? (2 scratches on rear bumper)

Lexus refinishes and takes off any scratches before certifying it as CPO. :shades: It is different story that they did not change the 4 year old screeching belts and about-to-die battery :sick:

chikoo

Mack, How many Celicas were sold in the last year of production?

jescue

01 Turbo coupe and 08 XJ.

mako1a

My buddy was out in his Vette and encountered a car that had a "lets play" attitude on the road. He took him up on the challenge and finally smoked him, but was astounded that a foreign car had the gull and the power to even give him a go. The last thing he saw while going by was an M something on the car. Would that have been a BMW or an Infinity? I'm just not that familiar with foreign cars that can give a Vette a run as he said. Anybody know what car that may have been?

isellhondas

Hmmm...maybe an old Metropolitan or a Miata?

mako1a

Ha Ha Very funny. BTW, I'll be in to test drive a Honda and here's how you'll know me. I'll be the one with my dog, Pookie and I'll be smoking a Cuesta Rey Cigar and wearing my gardening shoes. Don't worry about the dirt or the smells as they'll be sucked out the sunroof as we approach 90. :shades:

psorter

this reminds me of a friend who decided to race his vette against a innocent looking sedan that he encountered at a stop light, he never forgot the letters AMG after that.....

http://www.mbusa.com/models/body-style-overview.do?body=highPerformance

snakeweasel

Anybody know what car that may have been?

Might have been a BMW M class or a Benz AMG. Both can give a Vette a run for its money.

snakeweasel

I did a nasty little thing to an AMG in my Elantra a few months ago.

kiawah

I sped past a Corvette today as well, smoked it with my Camry.

It was stopped waiting to turn into a gas station!

lrguy44

What did you do, run a red light and broadside him?

greanpea68

Mack, How many Celicas were sold in the last year of production?

All of them...... :P

greanpea68

I did a nasty little thing to an AMG in my Elantra a few months ago.

did you break down in front of it? :P

mackabee

Just cleaning up after the weekend. I came in yesterday and sold an xB. The tC guy came by a little while ago to bring the title for his trade (92 Celica gt-s) clean, 104k miles, auto, power windows and locks, cruise, faded paint will buff out.

Will clean up and buff real good. Make a nice commuter car for someone. I thought about buying it for myself and passing the 93 Cambo to my youngest but when I tried to get in and out of it I nixed the deal. I'm not as flexible as I used to be. No wonder my knees hurt today! Hope October is better than September. I start chemo on the 17th. Not looking forward to the next six months. Taking this weekend off to go to MD and spend it with my grandson. Man am I tired! :shades:

houdini1

Good Luck Mack, and don't worry....you are too darn ornery to be down for too long!

jmonroe

What did you do, run a red light and broadside him?

He could have done half of what two old friends of mine did years ago.

We've all seen this, a Vette or some other high line car parks dead center on top of a parking spot line thereby taking up two parking spots. So, these two guys, in older type pickups, pull on each side of the Vette so close that they could have applied a finish coat of wax to that Vette if they only had attached a towel to their trucks.

Needless to say the guy was irate and wouldn't you know it he was a little punk at that. He starts screaming that he was going to call the police, but of course he was just a lot of hot air. This angered these two guys so they made him wait until after everyone finished dinner.

The funny part about this was one of these friends had a Vette that was nicer than the poorly parked one and he said, "I hate when Vette owners do that, they give the rest of us a bad name".

jmonroe

qbrozen

I always liked that generation celica.
too bad the trade-in is an automatic. ugh!

snakeweasel

File this under it is good to know the road your on.

I was sitting there at a light the road behind me was two lanes in each direction for as far as you can go, but going forward youl ose a lane right after the light. An AMG pulled along side me in the right lane and took off like a rocket to get in front of me. No problem for me,

Now this is where knowing the roads comes into play. About two miles down the road there is another light where the road expands to two lanes just for the intersection. The lights seemed to be timed that if you take a nice smooth acceleration taking about 12 seconds to get to 60MPH you will be about 20-30 feet away from the intersection when the light changes from red to green.

There is a certain point along the road that if you are at it when the light turns yellow you know you timed it right just keep it at 60 MPH. I did just that so when that light turned green I was about 5 to 10 feet behind the AMG in the right lane already doing 60 MPH and accelerating. He was standing still.

I ended up in front of him.

Now if I had my Caddy he most likely would not have gotten in front of me in the first place (unless I let him )

cdnpinhead

"The hair color ad I like best is, "Make an extra batch and have a sn$#ch to match!!"

Holy S*** batman!

On what planet did that ad appear? The Berkley Barb? I still remember an ad I saw in the Barb "back in the day" referring to a raspberry [non-permissible content removed], or something of the sort.

Gotta love it.

mackabee

I couldn't find a pic of a 92 when I posted the above message. Here's the actual trade:

mackabee

2008 Scion tC...

He's so excited he's helping the prep guys out! Now that is teamwork!

mackabee

Really nice guy. I couldn't believe it when he told me he is 65 years old! I told my wife that a 42-43 year old guy had bought a Scion from me and he had added just about every imaginable accessory. My jaw fell to the floor when he told me his age! :shades:

laurasdada

Given the injuries, for most of the game the Bengals D made it a challenge for the Pats O. Brady was harassed fairly well. The better team won, but it was probably the toughest W of the year so far.

Hope the Bengals can right the ship...

I wonder how the videotape of the game came out?

Next stop, Cleveland!

houdini1

LOL. I don't think it ever appeared anywhere! Just sort of a funny story going around. I got a million of em!

I think I first heard that one in college back in the 60s. One of the good things about getting old is you have a new audience coming up. Everything (well most everything) old is new again!

houdini1

The Bengals can be tough and they always hit hard. I remember a couple of years ago my Chiefs were riding high and went in to Cincy expecting to clean up. Instead the Bengals beat the crap out of them! :sick:

british_rover

Depending on what year Vette it was most M powered BMWs from the last three or four years would be able to keep up with him.

If it was a sedan it was a M5 as the last sedan M3 was about 10 years ago and they are kind of rare. A current Gen M coupe could have kept up without too much problem.



Looks like that and not an easy car to forget.

If it was a coupe then it was either a M3 or a M6 and they are easy to tell apart.

The M3 looks good and the M6 is ugly.

If he was in a fairly new vette then it was most likely a M5 or M6 as they both have 500 hp V10s.

jmonroe

I couldn't believe it when he told me he is 65 years old!

So, you believe everything a customer says now do ya?

How about when he says, "I got a better price across the street"? :P

jmonroe