Stories from the Sales Frontlines

snakeweasel · December 2010

It's a bit more contrast than it used to be, plus the background around the post is also a bit pale so it is a bit more harsh than before. So no it's not really your eyes.

Personally I don't like it as it appears more sterile and bland than before.

isellhondas · December 2010

I just find it hard on my eyes. Maybe they can tweak it and tone it down a bit?

mako1a · December 2010

I hope they made it easier to add pictures.
Picture...thousand words, you choose.

Kirstie_H · December 2010

Since I knew Forums would be down, I headed out to see my friends in St. Louis. Took a good portion of the day Wednesday to go learn how to play craps with a friend - we did well! He won a few hundred, and I came out a little more than even after 4 hours.

However, the trip back wasn't as joyful. A young man on the expressway decided to make a very wide left turn at an intersection when he didn't have the right of way (green light on both sides, no green arrow for him). There was nowhere for me to go but straight into him, so that's what I did. Good news - none of us were hurt beyond sore muscles and a few bruises. The car performed exactly as it was designed to in a crash, and everything crumpled and fell to bits apart from the passengers.

So, I guess the good news is that I don't have to worry about a trade-in now. I did tell the insurance company (before they'd seen the vehicle) that I figured a little bondo, touch-up paint, and some Turtle Wax, and you'd hardly notice the damage. :shades:

imidazol97 · December 2010

I think you need Zaino instead of Turtle Wax and you are going to need some stop leak for the radiator. Otherwise, looks like an easy repair.

driver100 · December 2010

So, I guess the good news is that I don't have to worry about a trade-in now.

I tried to do a reply but it wouldn't let me, I had to start a new thread. I am sorry to hear about your accident, that is always an unpleasant experience. Great that there weren't any serious injuries. Did the airbag go off?

Now what's the plan...go back and look at that car you were looking at before? Guess the insurance company has to find you a vehicle so you can go to look around.

Kirstie_H · December 2010

Nah, I'm waiting til after the New Year so I don't get hit with property taxes on the next vehicle for the whole of next year - they tax you here on whatever vehicle you owned as of January 1. I'll be driving my boyfriend's 1998 Chevy pickup til then - it's an extra vehicle.

I have rental coverage at $25/day for up to $600, but you can imagine what vehicle I'd get for that, and really, I don't need one. Just gonna sit & wait for the repair or total offer, then figure it out from there. Taking the process one step at a time.

sterlingdog · December 2010

sterlingdog · December 2010

This is insane. I've tried three different ways to post a message. I give up.

Richard

isellhondas · December 2010

No Reply!

It won't let me reply just start a new thread.

I am so glad you weren't hurt but don't be surprised if the soreness increases over the next few days. This is a prime example of how a modern car sacrifices itself while protecting the people inside.

I guess you should have stayed at that craps table awhile longer than you did!

You be careful now!!

crkyolfrt · December 2010

I had a reply box, right until I tried to click on it.

Glad you are ok, kirstie. Will the next ride be rear wheel drive or more? I sorta know you want AWD, but assuming you were going to buy another 2 WD, would it continue to be rear drive? My guess is yes.

What was he driving? What part of his car did you hit, looks like it mighta been right front corner.

And how fast do you think you slowed to till you hit him? Judging by damage and assuming he has a similar sized car, my guess is about 20 to 25 mph.

mako1a · December 2010

I tried to open the picture car.jpg, but no dice.
Seems everyone else sees it but not me. Hmmm

mako1a · December 2010

OK got the pic now. Holy crapatelli.
That will NOT buff out. I think it's totaled.

jmonroe · December 2010

This is insane. I've tried three different ways to post a message. I give up.

So much for a seamless transfer !!!

richard...Yeah, you're right about some posts getting lost. 'houdini' was talking to me about a pong game. That post is out in cyber land somewhere.

kirstie...That's a bummer about your ride. I hope you were driving a throw-away because it sounds like more damage than you should have to settle for. Glad everyone is ok though.

jmonroe

isellhondas · December 2010

Let's see if it lets me "reply" this time.

Another thing that is broken is it's ability to remember my username and password when I check in. That part has always been spotty but now, it's every time.

oldfarmer50 · December 2010

"...Glad everyone is ok though..."

I agree. It looks like kristie's luck was out on the road and not at the craps table. That's the G that got smashed? You can't even tell. That brings a tear to my eye just thinking about a nice car like that getting smacked.

isellhondas · December 2010

You know, it's funny how life works.

A life can be changed instantly or even end if someone's timing was off by even a few seconds.

Once, I was on my way home from work. It was late, around 10:00. I was driving my old VW Bug and I had stopped for a light.

I was sitting with one foot on the brake pedal and the other had the clutch depressed. The gearshift was in 1st gear and I was ready to go.

But, I got a cramp in my left leg so I put the VW in neutral and took my foot off of the clutch pedal so I could rub it.

Then I stepped back on the clutch and waited for the light to change.

When it changed I revved up the engine and eased out the clutch.

I had accidently left it in neutral so it went nowhere. At that instant, a large truck ran the red light. He wouild have hit me in the driver's door and more than likely I would have been killed.

Funny, how life works. I think someone was watching over me.

driver100 · December 2010

Richard, this post was nice and short and sweet. Read it in a fraction of a second.

Just try reply and if that doesn't work you have to start a new thread.

bolivar · December 2010

It lives. Again.

snakeweasel · December 2010

Oh that will buff right out.

Anywho, glad you weren't hurt. Funny how life works, you play craps then you end up yelling it on the way home.

Let us know about the replacement car when you start looking.

Oh and since you're a host could you tell us why the reply box is now showing up to the right? Earlier today when I replied to isell it was under the post i was replying to.

Edited to add that maybe the position of the reply box was due to the size of your post as I tested a much smaller post and the reply box was under the post I was replying to

driver100 · December 2010

These are from an actual car sales manual made for dealers in the 70s;

*Should a woman approach you to purchase a car, ask her where her husband might be. If she agrees to purchase a car, make sure she has permission to make a car purchase decision , and make sure that her husband has also agreed to foot the bill.

*Offer the buyer a small price reduction, say $250 on the price of a $7000 car - then praise him for his hard bargaining skills. "I don't run up against many tough cookies like you Mr. Smith - and I have been in some hard fights! Please don't tell anyone how badly you beat me up on this!"

There's more, but you get the idea!

jayrider · December 2010

Just checking to see if I can reply. Did take a ride to West County -- there is a mega store complex with MB-BMW-Lexus_Infiniti-Cadillac-Audi. Just strolled around -- the BMW and Lexus stores had buffet's with all kinds of hot food -- seems they have every saturday. Since I wasn't really shopping -- passed on the food in spite of the offers from the sales staff. If I lived close enough I might buy a car --- free lunch every weekend.

Kirstie_H · December 2010

You hit the nail on the head when you said I'm a host - that's all I do here. Host. I don't get to touch the guts of the system, nor do I know why it behaves as it does. Right about now, I'm kind of glad I'm not in charge!

Slide over to the redesign discussion here:
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f21ab4f/10

state what you're seeing and what and when things go wrong for you. It will be most helpful if you can state what browser/version you're using. If it is Explorer 6.x, that may be a problem and you'll need to upgrade your browser.

I'm on the latest version of Google Chrome and everything looks and works as it should for me.

jwilliams2 · December 2010

Yes, total for sure. Glad you are OK. But at least we will get a good sales story from you some time in the future.

tidester · December 2010

This is a test reply - please ignore.

tidester, host
SUVs and Smart Shopper

jmonroe · December 2010

It lives. Again.

YEAH...go try spell check and you lose your text when it returns for viewing.

You guys with perfect speeling wouldn't know that, would ya.

jmonroe

isellhondas · December 2010

Don't know. Never used the spell check not that I have perfect spelling as Richard would attest.

tallman1 · December 2010

Ahhh.... all caught up now. Having that little break allowed me to wade though 400 messages (300 of which were about dipsticks) without any more being added for a couple of days.

Now, about my colonoscopy...

driver100 · December 2010

400 messages (300 of which were about dipsticks)
Now, about my colonoscopy...

Too bad they can't just use a dipstick.

In a way it is easier than a prostate exam, you are out of it. It's just drinking all that liquid that's the hard part.

When I went for a prostate exam I told the doctor that now I know what it feels like to be a muppet.

tallman1 · December 2010

It's just drinking all that liquid that's the hard part.

Yes, the test was easy. It was drinking that awful stuff (I didn't mind the aftermath) and being so hungry that was the hard part.

28firefighter · December 2010

To me it isn't the actual taste, since the prep I got was just taking an over-the-counter in a much higher than typically recommended dose. It was drinking that sheer volume of liquid.

All-in-all its not such an awful test.

venture · December 2010

You know, it's funny how life works.

A life can be changed instantly or even end if someone's timing was off by even a few seconds.

Boy! Ain't that the truth?

About 6 weeks ago I left my garage during a rain storm and was driving along the road my house sits on. I was about 500' from the house when a big branch fell off a tree, broke the windshield, crushed the hood, and dented the trunk to the tune of $3,200. A few seconds either way and I would have either ran over the branch or it would have landed behind me.

bolivar · December 2010

It lives. Again.

YEAH...go try spell check and you lose your text when it returns for viewing.

You guys with perfect speeling wouldn't know that, would ya.

jmonroe

Ok, so it walks with a little stagger, has a bolt in its neck, and an inferior brain.

But, it's alive.

driver100 · December 2010

and being so hungry that was the hard part.

I forgot about the hunger. I was dreaming about all the different foods I would have when I could finally be able to eat dinner. Then when the time was up and I could eat the thought of food made me nautious (I am not going to use spell check after all the warnings of what happens when you do).

fezo · December 2010

Gee, all this colonoscopy talk s exciting. Better than the old cataracts...

All this work on the site and still no rolleyes emotorcon...

Looks like I'm into alternate plans for the early afternoon as there will be no Giants-Vikings game to watch. First they move it to Monday so the Giants can actually get there and then the roof collapsed on the Metrodome so now they have to figure out where to play it. The game itself will be a letdown.

kirstie - I'm going to have to lower my bid on buying your car! Glad you are OK.

imidazol97 · December 2010

>I was dreaming about all the different foods I would have when I could finally be able to eat dinner. Then when the time was up and I could eat the thought of food made me [sick to my stomach].

I enjoyed what happened during the colonoscopy. I asked what drugs I was being given. One of them was fentanyl, the very popular drug on the street for abuse and it has caused deaths. The other must have been a twilight sleep or amnesia drug.

I remember watching the monitor as the process went on. I could remember that and the talk as they finished up very well at the time they were wheeling me back to the prep area. But the longer I was there the less I could remember. It was disappearing from my memory. But it was like I could remember the whole session and watched the monitor as they did it. I wonder if I was talking to them.

sterlingdog · December 2010

Trying for the fourth time to tell Kirstie that I'm glad that she wasn't seriously hurt in the accident.

Stay away from Spell Check and emotorcons---they will wipe you out.

Will try these short messages in hopes they get posted.

Richard

sterlingdog · December 2010

Colonoscopy Prep---terrible, couldn't stand the taste, and SO much liquid to consume. It gave the word "laxative" an entirely new meaning.

Test---don't remember a thing. Requested some of those drugs to take home as a sleep aid. No go on that request.

Result---come back in ten years.

The after meal---big steak and banana split. I was so hungry.

Richard

sterlingdog · December 2010

Thes is a tast of Spell Check. Plase ignoer.

Richard

oldfarmer50 · December 2010

"...a big branch fell off a tree, broke the winshield..."

Was there a scruffy looking guy named "Mayhem" hanging on to it?

sterlingdog · December 2010

It still doesn't work, but it didn't trash my message. That is a step in the right direction.

Richard

sterlingdog · December 2010

sterlingdog · December 2010

The blank message above indicates that my emotorcons test failed.

Richard

imidazol97 · December 2010

Yes, the spell checker doesn't work, does it?

:sick:

The emotorcons don't work. I guess the emotorcon sales rep hasn't been back to Edmunds lately. She should want to get there and earn her commission for Christmas that's coming up soon.

driver100 · December 2010

I enjoyed what happened during the colonoscopy. I asked what drugs I was being given.

To each his own.

I had sent this before, you have had a colonoscopy and want to relive it in a hilarious essay, that you will be able to relate to, go to:
Dave Barry's colonoscopy

Also, How to enjoy a colonoscopy:
How to Enjoy a colonoscopy

roadburner · December 2010

kirstie- I'm glad you weren't seriously injured.

roadburner · December 2010

I called the indie shop that works on my Mazda and told them to put the OEM(read:crappy) rear shocks on the Mazdaspeed. It's not long for my garage- it will be disposed of by either a private party sale or CarMax. And -believe it or not- I'm considering something new- specifically a 2011 128i, optioned to my specs(M Sport Pkg, Cold Weather Pkg, Harman-Kardon audio, keyless entry, and xenons). Manual leather seats and no hole in the roof. MSRP would be $36,050, but BMW has $1,500 bonus cash on the car and as a BMW CCA member I get another $500 rebate. Which means that I can get the sled for @$33,500 or less.
Maybe.

driver100 · December 2010

believe it or not- I'm considering something new- specifically a 2011 128i, optioned to my specs

I am sure you have thought this out so I won't say too much (cheers from the gallery) but you will probably need RF snow tires...put that in the budget. The back seat is pretty small, but I am sure that doesn't matter, as you would have noticed that.

You might know by now that I kind of like BMWs, all models but like the 1 and 3 Series the most.

Good luck, like to hear what happens to the trusty old Maxda and about your car buying adventure. The discounts sound pretty impressive.

28firefighter · December 2010

If you ever decide to sell it in 6-7 years (if you did decide to sell it) I'd buy it from you in 10 seconds.

That is exactly how I would order the 128.

Frankly, for you, it seems to make a ton more sense than trying to find something used the way you want it. Not to mention you'll get the 4 years/50k of maintenance on it.

isellhondas · December 2010

So who needs those wimpy emotorcons anyway?

Stories from the Sales Frontlines

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