Gosh, I don't live all that far from isell's store. I may have to drive up I-5 and 405 and buy my next Honda from him. But only if I can get a stick in the right color.
I'll vouch for you also - you've provided invaluable information and personally taught me a great deal about the car business. You've mentioned the metro area where your dealership is many times, but have never mentioned its name or solicited business on these forums. You've posted on these forums for a long time and continue to hang around - I'd be honored to buy a car from you
I'll 2nd that.....just pass the bottle please. :sick: :shades:
P.S. AFIK, Isell has never solicited business in our Forums and is a respectable contributor to our Forums.
The fact that his username (i-sell-hondas) had to be "grandfathered" in, shows that it was a form of solicitation and a violation of townhall rules. He's admitted to making a couple sales to members here. I just don't care for the double standard on rules. Glad to have him as a respectable member here though.
Yeah, Craig wears the name well - not like the long gone (Whatever happened to him? My guess is he isn't selling cars anymore) isellpotiacs. Note to Richard - that's not a misspelling. He sold Pontiacs but couldn't spell them.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
Any one in the market for a Ford Raptor? $40,000 plus. But sales have exceeded expectations, with over 5000 sold so far. Richard, maybe you should consider one of these instead of an Explorer?
"This post is for you and Isell. You both made good points. I have always heard that you should never get involved with friends or family in business deals. "
Richard--
I have a somewhat different perspective on your negotiations with Joel--at least different from isell. It may be splitting semantic hairs and it's filtered through my own warped prism of life experience, but I see your forum negotiation as one between friendly acquaintances as opposed to friends, which allows for much more benign "adversarial" back-and-forth interaction than would be typical between friends. It's not like you and Joel bowl or play chess or go camping together. You don't share history, geographic proximity or connection through family interaction.
This distinction does not in any way denigrate your high regard for Joel. I'm confident that neither party will suffer any long term, ill-will should negotiations fail to yield a satisfactory result.
Plus, there a thousands of Explorers out there...de Gama, Magellan, Drake, Cortez and Vespucci just to name a few. :P There's bound to be one looking for Richardoville right now.
I just checked my credit score the other day as I have not checked it in many years. I buy my cars outright with cash/personal check/cashier check ,so I never really looked at the score. But last week,my bank had a free offer for the Equifax FICO credit score offer. I said fine-get a copy.And the score was 758.The teller said that it was a good score. :P
So what do you folks think?? Is 758 a good score? I have never used my FICO score anywhere as I have rarely if ever even seen it. As I buy cars outright ,this would be meaningless but if I was leasing ,then I assume this would be important. Would this score be enough for good financing/leasing if I decided to go that way?? Or would I have to pay high APR rates??
For any folks that have been around here from the beginning we lost an old time poster. Marjoe passed this past week. He'd been famous for pushing the boundaries here when things were a load stricter. That's why he hasn't been seen here in years. Korean War vet with the Marines and one of those people who was a really great guy if you could get under the gruff exterior.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
Actually I think htings are stricter now than in the "old days"
I do remember Marjoe and I always liked him. I wonder about Floridian too, and bobst. Even though we didn't always agree, they never hit below the belt.
Too bad. Was he a personal friend Steve?
When did these forums start? I'm thinking 1996? Then the switched providers and we all got reset to 2001. I'm thinking I lost five years of seniority and probably a week's vacation when that happened!
Back then there was a lot of posts that got yanked (at the time they called it scribbled) for things like innuendo which Joe excelled at. He was very fond of pushing the envelope and eventually got bounced.
He started his own site and invited folks he liked over and I got to know him quite well over there. He became a good friend when though he wouldn't let people meet him even if you could conveniently do it.
He was quite a story. I'll miss him a lot.
2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
Tallman, if you want a stick you better not wait too long. They are a dying breed.
I know. So sad. And Honda makes one of the smoothest, most reliable in the mid-sized segment. I was depressed when they got rid of them on the EX-Ls for 2010.
fezo....I remember marjoe, too. Sorry to hear of his passing.
Like isell, I got reset too. I'm thinking I joined these forums right around the same time, or very shortly thereafter. '96? '97?
Onto quasi sales.....went to the local auto show yesterday. WOW.....no Nissan booth. Infiniti was there, but the sales person manning the booth said that neither Nissan, nor Infiniti was sponsoring it. It was on the dealership's dime. No brochures. No desk. Just a G covertible, a G coupe, a G sedan, an M sedan, and one of their SUVs, with the sales person just wandering around.
No Hummer. No surprise. No Mitsu, quite a surprise.
How far Hyundai has come. I remember when they were stuck in the back in a teeny, tiny space. Now, they were smack dab up front. Big booth. The new Sonata on the turntable (sharp looking sedan, BTW).
Most impressive was Buick. This was the first time I got up close and personal. The LaCrosse was impressive, indeed. Quality of build and materials was top notch. If it drives as good as it looks, GM has a winner. Regal was roped off. Looks like another winner.
Chrysler....just about the same cars as they showed last year (and probably the year before). They can probably dump every Dodge vehicle and just sell their pickup, Charger and Challenger, dump the rest, and no one would care.
The new 300 probably can't come quick enough. I'm sure any Fiat model can't come quick enough for Chrysler, too. Whatever happened to the leader in mini-vans? They certainly didn't make a very good showing among the likes of a Honda Ody.
For all the grief Acura has received with all of their new corporate styling, all of their cars and SUVs were swamped....even the RL.
A car that would be a very guilty indulgence (at least at my income level) would be the Jaguar XF. Just stunning, inside and out. And, if ebay is any indication, pick up a one year old example for a little more than $40K. Obviously, resale isn't one of its strong suits.
I think we're seeing the affects of Toyota's woes. While I'm not looking for a Toyota, or a Lexus, in both booths I strolled through, if I stopped for a second, I was greeted by a friendly sales person. While you're not supposed to talk price on the show floor, while I looked inside a Corolla (don't know why I did that), a sales person showed me a hand written note about the "deals" available. In short, for a new Corolla LE, automatic, cruise, power, A/C....sticker close to $18K....buy now for $14K. Still doubt I'd make that buy considering Toyota's current condition. But, can't say they aren't enticing people on price. Camry sticker at $22K....buy for $18K.
If someone dumped a cool $1M in my lap, I think I'd head to the local Maserati store. Just beautiful cars.
Camaros....they had no less than 3 of them. Can't warm up to them, even though I love American muscle. GM didn't do themselves any favors by using cheap interior materials in them.
Sat in a Taurus SHO. Looks nice. But geez, as big as that car is, it's really claustrophobic on the inside. I think it's because the windows are so high up and small....especially for a car that size. The one they had sitting on the floor had a sticker of $46K+ :surprise: I see big incentives in the SHO's future.
Mercedes? Having just been to one of their showrooms, nothing really surprising (or anything that would make me want to revisit them).....maybe an SLK.
Lexus? I try to like them. I just can't. Technical wonders. Just too much baggage, and not enough performance, at least for the price.
GG, to answer your $1m question, I would stop at the Aston store instead. Just find them to be more attractive, and somehow more "me", as much as any car I will never be able to afford ever will be!
let me repharase: More of what I could see myself in if I suddenly became wealthy. that, or a Ferrari California.
Really good run down of the show...I felt like I was there. Good comments that are meaningful. See any bmws or Audis? I probably would have skipped all the rest.
I can understand fiscal prudence, but of course within reason. You could, of course, just buy and drive a 2003 Elantra, and get where you are going just fine!
I say buy what you like that fits your budget. Even if it is a little "riskier" (meaning not a Honda or (in the old days) a Toyota!)
Get that XF as a CPO, and you will be covered for a good 5 years.
driver...shame on me. I most certainly did visit both BMW and Audi.
Audi had a tasty S4 on display. Extremely nice. Again, above the price ceiling I set for myself, but I could very well put that right at the top of my short list if I bumped up my price ceiling. I've already stipulated that if a coupe was in my future, an A5 would be at the very top of my list, too. They are just beautiful machines....in and out.
Spent a brief amount of time in the BMW booth. More interested in the 3 series than anything. I know they'll look the same, but they only had a 328i xDrive on display, and I would have been more interested in a 335i xDrive. I think they had one of their SUVs on display, too. Their booth was small, and as you would imagine, very crowded. Everybody loves BMWs.
If I was in the market for another SUV, I would look at Land Rover...something I never would have done in the past. I was impressed with the new LR2. Pretty big step up from their former entry level SUV.
Of course, sitting in these cars or just oggling them doesn't tell you anything about the way they drive. So, they could all look beautiful, and could drive like dogs.
The little Lexus Hybrid.....I just don't understand its purpose. Yeah....it's nicer inside than the Prius, but at a $20K premium? That's pretty steep. Someone really screwed up the business model for that car. Don't know what kind of marketing analytics were run or used to make the case for that model, but they were way off in my humble estimation.
Lessee...Porsche was there. I'm ambivalent about the Panamera. Maybe it's because of my own prejudice that all Porsches should either be coupes or convertibles. But, it's a bigger car than what I thought it would be.
SAAB (yes SAAB) was there. The local SAAB dealer thought he was going out of business, until the final reprieve from whatever company came along as a white knight to save them. He had a "crashed" SAAB on display, obviously touting safety. He also had one....just one....9-3 on display. I don't know enough about SAAB to make an informed judgment, except to whisper to myself "so what?" as I walked away.
Liked the restyled Mustang. Will like it even more next year when they drop the new 5.0 V8 in it. There was a sign in the Ford booth touting the 2011 Mustang with the new 5.0. Thought that rather odd, given they're trying to sell what they've got on the lots today. Lots of signs and displays for the Fusion, touting its "MT Car of the Year" status.
Lincoln.....just not my cup 'o tea with their current "big tooth" grill styling. Nice interiors, though.
IMHO....biggest show impact was Hyundai, Ford, and GM, in that order.
Biggest losers (those who didn't do themselves any favors) were in order...Nissan, Mitsubishi (both "no shows"), and SMART (dubious honorable mention goes to Chrysler....only saving grace for them was their Jeeps and the Challenger, which I surprisingly liked).
Yeah, I sat in a SMART while there. If I had a low opinion of those cars before, I have an even lower opinion of them now. I understand the intent for it to be a "city car", but I don't think I've ever seen a car more cheaply done than the SMART car. Maybe a YUGO when they were around, but I never had the good fortune to ever inspect one of those.
GG had th A4 on my list but for 6k less the passat is looking better and better. Haven't driven one -- may like the audi more but not 6k more. Longer warranty but no free oil changes for 3 years. Both lease ok. There are shared components in each although the audi is tweeked in some areas. Nicer interior for one but still 6k will buy a lot of crown royal and natchos.
Well, with a score that small you better go out and buy a Raptor. :P Just kidding, that's a pretty decent score. Last time I paid for my score it was 801 ( I forget what company but 850 was the top score). Like you, I pay cash for everything and hadn't done a car loan for over 20 years. I was surprised my score was so high.
After I had bought my Eclipse in 2008 I went on a free credit score estimator called Credit Karma and they said my score was only 720. I guess they figured that anybody who buys a Mitsu is poorer credit risk.
In the end it all doesn't matter because the sales guys use a different scale to rate you for car loans. I think they take into consideration the quality of your shoes and how much gold you are wearing, you know, important stuff.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Mitsu is just hanging on if I read the sales figures correctly. They have nothing new, although they started selling a hatchback Lancer this year. From what I hear, their USA plant is on the verge of being closed which means Endevor, Galant and Eclipse are done. I'm happy with mine but I seem to be the odd man out.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Isell has not used his brand in his name to promote his own sales. I don't know he's even promoted the brand. In fact, he may have taken heat because of the brand within his name.
GG had th A4 on my list but for 6k less the passat is looking better and better
That's surprising........ $6k difference! I'd consider the Passat too, but then again, it isn't an Audi. I can't believe the Passat would be as nice to drive, no turbo and no Quatro, I'll take the 4 cylinder manual Audi I think.
Mitsu is just hanging on if I read the sales figures correctly. They have nothing new,
Oh no! I liked the Outlander I once rented. We have a Mitsu place around the corner from where our warehouse is...they must have 200 new cars and the best range of used cars around. They also operate a Kia dealership from the same lot so maybe they saw the writing on the wall.
Too bad, they might be able to cash in on Toyota's problems.
While I have no love for most of the dealerships & salespeople I've worked with over the years, many have been quite helpful & competent. Most have not. The people on this board fall into the first category, so I've learned to pull my punches on this board when discussing "the industry."
No quattro on the passat that would make the audi 8k more. The engines are both 2.0 turbos. They are more similar than different but vw isn't audi but it's pretty close if you drive like me. Who knows -- haven't driven either but I really like the looks of the passat and the interior is pretty nice. Maybe you get what you pay for.
I think in this case you probably do. Nothing wrong with the Passat though, and at $6k less it should carefully be considered.
Quattro is standard on the Audi...they all have it, so the difference is still $5k, but the Passat doesn't have AWD as far as I know. Audi has those fancy headlights too!
Comments
Group hug, everybody!! Yeah, even you too, Jipst.
Gosh, I don't live all that far from isell's store. I may have to drive up I-5 and 405 and buy my next Honda from him. But only if I can get a stick in the right color.
I'll 2nd that.....just pass the bottle please. :sick: :shades:
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Tallman, if you want a stick you better not wait too long. They are a dying breed.
The fact that his username (i-sell-hondas) had to be "grandfathered" in, shows that
it was a form of solicitation and a violation of townhall rules. He's admitted to making a couple sales to members here. I just don't care for the double standard on rules. Glad to have him as a respectable member here though.
Yeah, right, sure you are.
Talk about a backhanded compliment.
I think he meant.........glad to have you as a respectable member here though.........to give you a rough time.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Richard, maybe you should consider one of these instead of an Explorer?
<img src="
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
More like they measure you "down there." If you need to over compensate, you can buy one. :P
I guess you and verdugo don't think real men need Raptors?
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Talk about a backhanded compliment
Why so surly? :confuse:
okay okay... maybe I should have joined that group hug thing you were involved in earlier, but don't hold that against me. There'll be a next time.
tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper
Richard--
I have a somewhat different perspective on your negotiations with Joel--at least different from isell. It may be splitting semantic hairs and it's filtered through my own warped prism of life experience, but I see your forum negotiation as one between friendly acquaintances as opposed to friends, which allows for much more benign "adversarial" back-and-forth interaction than would be typical between friends. It's not like you and Joel bowl or play chess or go camping together. You don't share history, geographic proximity or connection through family interaction.
This distinction does not in any way denigrate your high regard for Joel. I'm confident that neither party will suffer any long term, ill-will should negotiations fail to yield a satisfactory result.
Plus, there a thousands of Explorers out there...de Gama, Magellan, Drake, Cortez and Vespucci just to name a few. :P There's bound to be one looking for Richardoville right now.
Gogiboy
Good question.
I guess it's probably because I don't care for your jabs and your sense of humor.
You started this as soon as you arrived. I figured you would either stop or you would go away as many others have.
If I were to meet you face to face, I would probably feel differently but probably not.
I'll take the blame but I'm not the only salesperson here who you have rubbed the wrong way. Most have left, never to return.
So what do you folks think?? Is 758 a good score? I have never used my FICO score anywhere as I have rarely if ever even seen it. As I buy cars outright ,this would be meaningless but if I was leasing ,then I assume this would be important. Would this score be enough for good financing/leasing if I decided to go that way?? Or would I have to pay high APR rates??
I do remember Marjoe and I always liked him. I wonder about Floridian too, and bobst. Even though we didn't always agree, they never hit below the belt.
Too bad. Was he a personal friend Steve?
When did these forums start? I'm thinking 1996? Then the switched providers and we all got reset to 2001. I'm thinking I lost five years of seniority and probably a week's vacation when that happened!
Usually 730 and above is considered top tier at least with Honda and I'm sure everywhere else.
Good job!
He started his own site and invited folks he liked over and I got to know him quite well over there. He became a good friend when though he wouldn't let people meet him even if you could conveniently do it.
He was quite a story. I'll miss him a lot.
Love his stories and unless I've missed it, seems like he hasn't been posting recently.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
I know. So sad. And Honda makes one of the smoothest, most reliable in the mid-sized segment. I was depressed when they got rid of them on the EX-Ls for 2010.
This is a 1938 Bantam. Probably not many here ever heard of it.
This one my dad bought from the guy that did a full restore.
It is now in a car museum in Mooresville, NC.
2013 Mustang GT, 2001 GMC Yukon Denali
Sorry, I put in the "other" http thing
2013 Mustang GT, 2001 GMC Yukon Denali
Sorry to hear of his passing - he and I didn't see eye to eye, but with him being a former Marine, I can understand where he was coming from.
Like isell, I got reset too. I'm thinking I joined these forums right around the same time, or very shortly thereafter. '96? '97?
Onto quasi sales.....went to the local auto show yesterday. WOW.....no Nissan booth. Infiniti was there, but the sales person manning the booth said that neither Nissan, nor Infiniti was sponsoring it. It was on the dealership's dime. No brochures. No desk. Just a G covertible, a G coupe, a G sedan, an M sedan, and one of their SUVs, with the sales person just wandering around.
No Hummer. No surprise. No Mitsu, quite a surprise.
How far Hyundai has come. I remember when they were stuck in the back in a teeny, tiny space. Now, they were smack dab up front. Big booth. The new Sonata on the turntable (sharp looking sedan, BTW).
Most impressive was Buick. This was the first time I got up close and personal. The LaCrosse was impressive, indeed. Quality of build and materials was top notch. If it drives as good as it looks, GM has a winner. Regal was roped off. Looks like another winner.
Chrysler....just about the same cars as they showed last year (and probably the year before). They can probably dump every Dodge vehicle and just sell their pickup, Charger and Challenger, dump the rest, and no one would care.
The new 300 probably can't come quick enough. I'm sure any Fiat model can't come quick enough for Chrysler, too. Whatever happened to the leader in mini-vans? They certainly didn't make a very good showing among the likes of a Honda Ody.
For all the grief Acura has received with all of their new corporate styling, all of their cars and SUVs were swamped....even the RL.
A car that would be a very guilty indulgence (at least at my income level) would be the Jaguar XF. Just stunning, inside and out. And, if ebay is any indication, pick up a one year old example for a little more than $40K. Obviously, resale isn't one of its strong suits.
I think we're seeing the affects of Toyota's woes. While I'm not looking for a Toyota, or a Lexus, in both booths I strolled through, if I stopped for a second, I was greeted by a friendly sales person. While you're not supposed to talk price on the show floor, while I looked inside a Corolla (don't know why I did that), a sales person showed me a hand written note about the "deals" available. In short, for a new Corolla LE, automatic, cruise, power, A/C....sticker close to $18K....buy now for $14K. Still doubt I'd make that buy considering Toyota's current condition. But, can't say they aren't enticing people on price. Camry sticker at $22K....buy for $18K.
If someone dumped a cool $1M in my lap, I think I'd head to the local Maserati store. Just beautiful cars.
Camaros....they had no less than 3 of them. Can't warm up to them, even though I love American muscle. GM didn't do themselves any favors by using cheap interior materials in them.
Sat in a Taurus SHO. Looks nice. But geez, as big as that car is, it's really claustrophobic on the inside. I think it's because the windows are so high up and small....especially for a car that size. The one they had sitting on the floor had a sticker of $46K+ :surprise: I see big incentives in the SHO's future.
Mercedes? Having just been to one of their showrooms, nothing really surprising (or anything that would make me want to revisit them).....maybe an SLK.
Lexus? I try to like them. I just can't. Technical wonders. Just too much baggage, and not enough performance, at least for the price.
Those were my highlights (and lowlights).
GG, to answer your $1m question, I would stop at the Aston store instead. Just find them to be more attractive, and somehow more "me", as much as any car I will never be able to afford ever will be!
let me repharase: More of what I could see myself in if I suddenly became wealthy. that, or a Ferrari California.
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Then, the practical side of me takes over and I think....."I could buy 3 new Honda Fits for the price of a slightly used XF." :shades:
Really good run down of the show...I felt like I was there. Good comments that are meaningful. See any bmws or Audis? I probably would have skipped all the rest.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
I have a feeling some people just aren't meant to get along. Doesn't mean one is right or one is wrong, or one is nice and the other one isn't.
The fact is we get good, colorful comments and observations from both of you, so I hope you both will continue to contribute in your usual manner.
Try not to take anything too personal, it is just for fun, and no comments shouldn't be personal in nature. Play nice!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
but you can only drive 1 at a time.
and you would still be driving a Fit.
I can understand fiscal prudence, but of course within reason. You could, of course, just buy and drive a 2003 Elantra, and get where you are going just fine!
I say buy what you like that fits your budget. Even if it is a little "riskier" (meaning not a Honda or (in the old days) a Toyota!)
Get that XF as a CPO, and you will be covered for a good 5 years.
Not what I would buy, but to each his own!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
Audi had a tasty S4 on display. Extremely nice. Again, above the price ceiling I set for myself, but I could very well put that right at the top of my short list if I bumped up my price ceiling. I've already stipulated that if a coupe was in my future, an A5 would be at the very top of my list, too. They are just beautiful machines....in and out.
Spent a brief amount of time in the BMW booth. More interested in the 3 series than anything. I know they'll look the same, but they only had a 328i xDrive on display, and I would have been more interested in a 335i xDrive. I think they had one of their SUVs on display, too. Their booth was small, and as you would imagine, very crowded. Everybody loves BMWs.
If I was in the market for another SUV, I would look at Land Rover...something I never would have done in the past. I was impressed with the new LR2. Pretty big step up from their former entry level SUV.
Of course, sitting in these cars or just oggling them doesn't tell you anything about the way they drive. So, they could all look beautiful, and could drive like dogs.
The little Lexus Hybrid.....I just don't understand its purpose. Yeah....it's nicer inside than the Prius, but at a $20K premium? That's pretty steep. Someone really screwed up the business model for that car. Don't know what kind of marketing analytics were run or used to make the case for that model, but they were way off in my humble estimation.
Lessee...Porsche was there. I'm ambivalent about the Panamera. Maybe it's because of my own prejudice that all Porsches should either be coupes or convertibles. But, it's a bigger car than what I thought it would be.
SAAB (yes SAAB) was there. The local SAAB dealer thought he was going out of business, until the final reprieve from whatever company came along as a white knight to save them. He had a "crashed" SAAB on display, obviously touting safety. He also had one....just one....9-3 on display. I don't know enough about SAAB to make an informed judgment, except to whisper to myself "so what?" as I walked away.
Liked the restyled Mustang. Will like it even more next year when they drop the new 5.0 V8 in it. There was a sign in the Ford booth touting the 2011 Mustang with the new 5.0. Thought that rather odd, given they're trying to sell what they've got on the lots today. Lots of signs and displays for the Fusion, touting its "MT Car of the Year" status.
Lincoln.....just not my cup 'o tea with their current "big tooth" grill styling. Nice interiors, though.
IMHO....biggest show impact was Hyundai, Ford, and GM, in that order.
Biggest losers (those who didn't do themselves any favors) were in order...Nissan, Mitsubishi (both "no shows"), and SMART (dubious honorable mention goes to Chrysler....only saving grace for them was their Jeeps and the Challenger, which I surprisingly liked).
Yeah, I sat in a SMART while there. If I had a low opinion of those cars before, I have an even lower opinion of them now. I understand the intent for it to be a "city car", but I don't think I've ever seen a car more cheaply done than the SMART car. Maybe a YUGO when they were around, but I never had the good fortune to ever inspect one of those.
I think that about wraps it up.
Well, with a score that small you better go out and buy a Raptor. :P Just kidding, that's a pretty decent score. Last time I paid for my score it was 801 ( I forget what company but 850 was the top score). Like you, I pay cash for everything and hadn't done a car loan for over 20 years. I was surprised my score was so high.
After I had bought my Eclipse in 2008 I went on a free credit score estimator called Credit Karma and they said my score was only 720. I guess they figured that anybody who buys a Mitsu is poorer credit risk.
In the end it all doesn't matter because the sales guys use a different scale to rate you for car loans. I think they take into consideration the quality of your shoes and how much gold you are wearing, you know, important stuff.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Mitsu is just hanging on if I read the sales figures correctly. They have nothing new, although they started selling a hatchback Lancer this year. From what I hear, their USA plant is on the verge of being closed which means Endevor, Galant and Eclipse are done. I'm happy with mine but I seem to be the odd man out.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
But you'll get only straight answers from Isell.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
That's surprising........ $6k difference! I'd consider the Passat too, but then again, it isn't an Audi. I can't believe the Passat would be as nice to drive, no turbo and no Quatro, I'll take the 4 cylinder manual Audi I think.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Oh no! I liked the Outlander I once rented. We have a Mitsu place around the corner from where our warehouse is...they must have 200 new cars and the best range of used cars around. They also operate a Kia dealership from the same lot so maybe they saw the writing on the wall.
Too bad, they might be able to cash in on Toyota's problems.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Sad, but almost certainly true.
While I have no love for most of the dealerships & salespeople I've worked with over the years, many have been quite helpful & competent. Most have not. The people on this board fall into the first category, so I've learned to pull my punches on this board when discussing "the industry."
Others haven't.
I think in this case you probably do. Nothing wrong with the Passat though, and at $6k less it should carefully be considered.
Quattro is standard on the Audi...they all have it, so the difference is still $5k, but the Passat doesn't have AWD as far as I know. Audi has those fancy headlights too!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250