Oookay... so I spent today wandering about this podunk town... ironically... I may have landed a job with a military branch as a civilian consultant (whodathunkit?)

Now then, my girlfriend came with me and we're shopping around for a car for her. We stopped at a dealership today and I have to admit, I've never met a worse salesperson... it was almost comical.

Salesperson: "So you new to the area?"
Me: "Yep."
SP: "where you from?"
Me: "Phoenix"
SP: "What brings you up here?"
Me: "Family stuff"
SP: "What kind of family stuff?"

I should have said, "My parents went on a homicidal rampage, so I'm feedin' the cat while they're dealing with legal issues."

Instead I mutter, "It's kind of personal."

Now then... we're looking at a 1976 Chevy Malibu... okay condition... 66,000 miles on her.

SP: "Oh... uh... so, you guys got jobs up here?"
Me: "No... not yet."
SP: "Well, shouldn't be too hard... Mcdonalds is hiring, and Taco Johns"
Me, irritated: "Yeah, that'd put my college degree to good use..."
SP: "Oh, what was your major?"
Me: "Computer Sciences"
SP, addressing my girlfriend: "So you're both into computers then?"
Girlfriend: "Oh sure" (sarcastically)
Salesman: "Are you liking it out here?"
Girlfriend: "I miss Phoenix... I REALLY miss Phoenix..."
SP: "Well, you don't wanna be a car salesman... there are times you don't get paid at all... I've had a few weeks like that."
Me: "I can imagine."

We walk over to the car.

Salesman tries to sell me.

"Yeah, tint the windows, throw on some 20" rims, chrome of course, and you'd be bling!'"
Me: "No way in hell... what's it leaking?"
Salesperson, "You don't like chrome?!?"
My girlfriend: " We have taste."

Salesperson, "You want me to start her up?"
Me: "Yep"
I pop the hood and I'm staring at the motor...
SP: "Paint looks good 'huh!"
Me: "Is that a 2 or 4 barrel carb?"
SP: "I think it's a 2... I think..."
Me: "We'll think about it"
SP: "Well, here's my card..."

I think if the guy had handled us a bit differently, it would have turned out a helluva lot different... it might have just ended in us buying a freakin' car... what an ass...

Haha the person in my head suggesting "bling" is hilarious

You need to meet the salesman I delt with recently. I had to inform him AND his manager I had enough reason and proof to have his dealers license pulled if they didn't just leave me alone and keep that truck I ordered. I really don't feel like typing the whole story out, but I honestly could've sued them by the end and I had one helluva case.

I remember when I traded in my 1995 Olds Cutlass Supreme with 160K, a loud engine knock, faulty EGR valve, and severe engine electrical problems back in 2002. I went to a Jeep dealership on the advice from a friend, not with the intent to buy but to see how much I could get for my car. Buying a vehicle at this point in my life was a non-option for me. Before I went, I had a list of 10 things that I wanted or else I was going to walk. Actually, I used this "impossible list" to find out just exactly how much they would give me for that piece of junk.

We found a Jeep with only seven of the 10 requirements on it. That's when they offered me $800 for my car. No deal. He said he could bump it up to an even $1K if we could work something out. Let's keep looking, I said.

Found another Jeep that nine of the 10 requirements and he could see the glint in my eye. I pointed out that it only had eight of the 10 requirements (over my budget price by $3K and color) and he was so sure that he could nail the deal by offering me $1,500 on my car but again, I said no deal.

That's when he started to get just a little huffy by saying that I would never find a Jeep like the one that I wanted. Guess what? The Jeep I had described was the next Jeep over and I didn't even know it. Here's the list......

1. 2001 or 2002 Jeep
2. Had to be black in color
3. Had to be the Laredo 4x4
4. Had to have a tow package
5. Had to have a cloth interior
6. Had to have CD/Radio/Tape player
7. Had to have the upgrade Bose sound system
8. Had to have tinted windows
9. Had to have less than 35K miles.
10. All that for under $20K

Sounds pretty impossible, doesn't it? I know, buying a one year old Jeep (it was a 2001) for $20K with under 35K miles on it. Turns out that the Jeep was traded in by some grandpa who used it to run his grandkids all over Minnesota and wanted a vehicle with more leg room and had just been driven out from the detail shop to the lot about 15 minutes before I got there. I learned that when I walked into the office with him when he asked the manager about it. The manager said that he hadn't even gotten all the paperwork together on it and the keys were still laying on his desk.

We took it for a test drive and the salesman noticed a chip in the windshield. I still wasn't totally positive that I wanted to buy it but the deal was sealed when the salesman leaned forward and noticed a tiny chip out of the windshield. He then told me that he would have the windshield replaced at their expense by the end of the week.

Sold!

Got my 10 requirements, all for $20K.

Ever since then, this Jeep dealership has really taken care of me and gone the extra mile without the extra cost. I'd tell you who they are but I'm not advertising for them. If you live in the Twin Cities region and want to know, drop me a PM and I'll send you a link to their website.

I've been extremely happy with my Jeep ever since then and I won't buy any other brand from now on....unless it's on one condition. If any car manufacturer were to release a decent, reliable alternative fuel vehicle, I would go for that one instead. Not because of the price of gas, but at the expense of what we are doing to our planet.

I'd still keep my Jeep as a collector's item, though...

Rob

Edit: I'll post a pic of it tomorrow. Oh, and believe it or not, a person who lived next door to me bought the car!!! I lived over 15 miles away from the dealership and it winds up next door!!! I know because a certain scratch here and there matched up with my memory (and the VIN matched, too).

Rob - I've decided to completely redo my 1994 Jeep Grand oddly nuff. After this paycheck it'll probably see the body shop to fix a few things, then I'm rebuilding a 5.2L that'll be well warmed over and suitable for a 200 shot.

feel your pain there

Don't know why the guy thought I was a ricer...

I mean, 20" chrome wheels... workin' at McDonalds...

I was dressed all in black, with a Led Zepplin T-Shirt and a pair of hiking boots... guy should have thought I wanted a mullet and a Firebird!

On the other hand, I got my Cherokee/soulmate from a Chrysler dealer. It was listed at 7k but for us, 6K. Excited, I call my sister about our purchase. She fires up some internet, and sees on their site that it's their website special. $4,999! My Dad got all "What are you trying to pull?" on them, and 5K it was.

Still, it's a great car. And I prefer the style of an old Cherokee over anything Jeep has since put out (The Wagoneer was pretty classy too)

Here's a picture of my last Jeep

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I hear the new hybrid cars are bad news over 100k .... something about the battery pack going to hell, and insane replacement costs (ie. a new car)

...I hear this from a dealer guy who works on em: policy is once the warranty is up, get them out of that car ASAP. >.>

Yay for emerging technologies, eh?

Most car salepeople do suck, but I am fortunate that I know there tactics as well and I alwasy go armed when buying a car.
A couple years ago I bought my Superduty and got such a good deal that the manager wouldnt fill up the 38 gallon tank I didnt care, I got a steal and paid no tax or license.
Last month I drove around Stealerships told them what I wanted and gave them my card and call me if you can get a good deal.
ANyways in the end I found what I wanted, Lariat Superduty loaded but I said I want invoice price minus 1000.00
I walked away with a truck that was 10,000 under sticker when all was said and done.

When I was on the search for a new car, I drove all around the state looking at various Honda dealerships trying to find the car that I was looking for at the price that I was looking for. After the first one, spending 15 minutes listening to the guy babble on and on, I decided that I needed a new tactic. Now when I'm looking for cars, I never even get out of my car unless there's something that looks interesting. If it does look interesting, I park my car in between the car in question, leave it running, and look at it until I see a salesperson coming outside to talk to me. At that point, I hop back in my car and leave.

If the car was interesting, I call the dealer and check out the price and tell them what I'm willing to do. If their price seems reasonable, or they seem gullible, then I'll go on over and test drive the car. If they don't want to move to make a deal, then neither do I.

Hummmm, Taco John.

I haven't replaced my car since 94. But I've decided to retire the Mustang next year (gonna make it my project for the next few years).

I had forgotten how much of a pain it was to deal with these A$$hats.

On sunday, I was at the largest dealership in Ohio looking at a 1989 Chevy Silverado, with 79k miles. They want $7k, though bluebook value is $5k. On another car, the salesman told me he just took it out for a test drive twice that day with other dad/son combos, but I just look at him, and tell him to quit lieing to me. The car had 2 flat tires. Needless to say, when my family buys another car, probably atleast 2 in the next year, we aren't going back there.

God... I could clean up out here as a car salesman out here... a little professionalism, and I'd have every damn car shopper lining up just to not be treated like a fuggin' lower lifeform...

Bloody hell...

Ended up with some asshole with a deep south accent... asks my girlfriend, "Do you like the color?"
She's shrugs. Her interest in cars is somewhere near non-existent and nihl. Shopping for one is like how I feel about shopping for socks... not a whole damn lot.

The idiot looks at me and asks, "Is she always this disinterested?!?"
I just stood there with a dumb expression. WTF!
He says, "She hasn't hardly said a word to me!"

I was bitching about paying 4 grand for a car with almost 200K on it (yeah... Honda is a great car, but 200,000 miles is a bit much!)... I guess that's communication... or something.

I guess he was disappointed his southern charm and "elite sales skills" only managed to insult us. Didn't help when he mentioned drilling out my manifold to get the test-pipe installed on my 3000GT when I asked if he was part of the muffler shop next door. He'll touch my car when hell freezes over.

I fuggin' hate car salesmen...

yeah iv been doing research for the past month and a half and have decided on a focus. however i think i have looked at everysingle focus online in the area so now when i go to a dealership i know exactly what i want and what i should be paying

Quote: Originally Posted by me_john85 and have decided on a focus.

Please tell me you're joking, right? I've been around/driven dozens of these machines, even the SVT versions pretty much aren't great cars. They are expensive to insure (in MI, mind you: everyone I know of pays more on insurance than I do on my '98 regal, and I'm 18; I have full coverage- glass, 80% of vehicle value, etc.).

You're entitled to purchase whatever vehicle you'd like, I respectfully suggest you investigate further.

Here's my experience with my car salesman today:

Me: I need a car.
SP: What are you looking for?
Me: Well i had a 92 Ecplise but my timing belt decided to be an ass and go to sh1t on me, so it bent my valves. Something to that effect?
SP: How much down do you have?
Me: Bought 500 right now?
SP: What can you afford a month?
Me: Doesn't matter.
SP: Do you see anything you like on the lot?
Me: No.
SP: (at this point he pulls a piece of paper out) What do you want in a car?
Me: Stick, newish, sporty, fast, 2-door, something like my eclipse.
SP: Ok, give me one sec (makes a couple calls) Ok, well, i can get you a couple cars by friday, just give me sometime, let me get your number and when i get the exact specs on them, bring me in the down, and you can drive what you want off the lot.
Me: Ok, bye.

So yah, story behind my current car. Just pulled up to the stop light, the car dies. Nothing abrupt, just shuts off. Wont start, getting a little irratated at this poitn. I get a good samaratin to push me off to the side. And i start making phone cals, get it into my mechanic. Looks it over, timimg belt has gone.He says that it sometimes bends the vavles and they wont know until they replace it. i say ok go ahead. Next day, get a call, says yah you got 3 bent vavles. option a) repair it 1600 all together for all the work theyve done or b) he found a new motor 40k miles on it 2400 all together for everything done and in.
i make more phone calls, find it might be best to get a new car. didnt want to, but gonna have too. BTW, im going to keep the car and fix it when i got cash again.

I love my first-gen Probe. pimpest car evar.