Car Shopping, 12/31/02: Good Guys Win

COMF

A tale of two salesmen. Who's really a liar?

This is a long story, but I wanted to get all the details in. It was a roller-coaster ride of an experience.

Been there

Pretty Baby!

You sound like a good haggler, where ya going to put the kids?

I bet old Wayne was crying about the one that got away. I have heard Christmas time is the best time to get deals (end of year).

Have fun and be safe.

You did good! That is a beautiful car. Nothing like a little competition to get the price down. Since it was the last day of the year, they probably wanted to get the sale in 2002 figures for year end bonus calculations. They also may have saved a little on the inventory tax that Tarrant County charges. Over the years I have found that the best time to buy a car is when there is 2 ft. of snow on the ground, near the end of the month, and they haven't seen a customer all day. Unfortunately, that condition doesn't occur very often in Tarrant County, Texas. I hoped that you checked with your insurance agent re: the rates on Miatas. I understand they are pretty high for guys your age. I normally don't recommend that people take the extended warranty since most are overpriced and you may not keep the car that long.

Mackin

Man, a new car for $20,000, you guy's don't know how lucky you are. We don't have the exact same models over here but the Mazda MX-5 looks almost the same and it ranges in price from $NZ44,950 to $NZ47,950.

http://www.mazda.co.nz/models/newmx5.html

Mind you, our dollar is only woth 50 cents US or so but the buying power is not a whole lot different IMO.

I guess that's what comes from living in a big country. You're a lucky barstard COMF.

Mackin.

(Just so you 'mericans don't misunderstand, calling someone a "lucky barstard" is a compliment here. So don't y'all go off your trees, OK.)

Prisca

Congratulations! Not just for such a beautiful car, but also your haggling skills. I hate dealing with car salesmen

You're a lucky barstard[sic] COMF

Ditto.

Edited by - Prisca on 2 January 2003 5:48:13

ozziepost

It's spelt "bastard" actually!!

LovesDubs

I usually stop at the first LINE of anything that talks about car purchasing...I think I must have had a bad experience in a past life with that LOL! But that was well written! I always feel like I need to run home and take a shower after being around those guys...I know its their JOB but slicked and slimey is always how I feel after.

I figured out tho, that if you tell them what you WANT TO PAY they always ALWAYS work the numbers backwards to come UP to that number! So tell them something LOWER kids.

Englishman

These are all the rage over here at the moment:

Englishman.

unclebruce

Oozypost sayeth: "it's spelt bastard actually"

All depends on where you stand Ozzie Pedant. I mean, in Australia it's barstard, in America it's bassted and in New Zealand it's baaaastaaaad

Happy New Year ya ol' barstard lol.

ps: Jehovah knows what it is in England (poms only say it as soon as I'm outta range .. oops, speak of bedevilled .. in steps an englishman lol :)

***

Hey English, we got a rash o' those things here too bro trendsetter :)

me

ps: looks like the english are finally gonna make a game of it - 6/256 at tea on the first day - I'm impressed! Whoo Hoo .. a decent test at last. (might be able to stop feeling sorry for your lot and start baraking for the australians again

pss: would you mind asking the chaps at the MCC to sent the little urn home. if it's convienient of course .. or ya ain't gett'n yer son back! :)

***

Good one Capt'n,

Very nice motor car. has it a rotory engine has it eh? .. guess not :( My second car was a Mazda RX3 does it show?

I bought my first brand new car in 1999 (a Mitsubishi 4x4 pickup) I'm way too shy to play games with car dealers and real estate agents so I took my neighbour Big Wayne (a real hard negotiator) He basicly did what you did (played two dealers against each other till we'd screwed them down to the last $50US) So for $17,000US I drove away with a $20,000US bushbasher with air-con, front and rear crashbars and everything else that urban cowboys dream of. Saved $3,000US for an afternoon's bluffing liars with science and baffling bastards with bulldust.

happy cruising, unclebruce

ps: How come car dealers the world over are the same? It's cloning by space aliens I tell ya!

Edited by - unclebruce on 2 January 2003 11:6:40

LDH

Good for you COMF.

I'm always glad to hear someone stuck it to a car dealership. Those places are STRAIGHT UP rip offs.

I don't think we'll ever buy a new car again, maybe we just got a couple of lemons, but WHATEVER.

I think you made a good move with the extended warranty, and the whole pitting one sales rep against another.

Lisa