Cars

[Garcia]

I am on the National Ski Patrol and they offer Subarus at 2% below invoice pricing. Twice I have contacted dealers about the program (different dealers) and both times I got a runaround with no straight answers. Just the other day I got quoted a price that was MSRP. In addition, the salesman was focusing on the monthly payment when I wanted to know the price.

The program should be simple - order the car, look at the invoice, and take 2% off. Subaru pays the 2% and the car is ordered instead of taken off the lot.

I hate buying cars. My strategy is is to figure out exactly what I want and come up with a price I am comfortable with. If they take it, fine. If not, out the door I go.

[MeredithMan]

Originally Posted by Garcia

I hate buying cars.

Totally agree with you. Unless you know someone that you trust who works at a dealership, you feel like you have to take a bath in witch hazel when you leave and double-check that you still have your wallet. My wife refuses to set foot in a dealership because she hates being spoken to as "the little woman" or "the dumb blonde". She's an engineer with an MBA and hates to infinity and back the stereo-typical condescending car salesman. Many years ago I once had a dealer refuse to give me my keys back from when they checked out my car as a trade-in until we actually bought a car...I literally had to threaten to call the police.

It's a horrible experience...

[Garcia]

Originally Posted by MeredithMan

It's a horrible experience...

I leased a car a few years ago (I'll never do that again, but that's a different story). I negotiated the price and mileage. They wanted me to take delivery before the first of the year so I rearranged my plans to get there on the given day. When I got there, the salesman said I needed to go talk to the finance manager. The finance manager said he was really sorry, but the monthly payment was going to be $20/month more "less than the cost a cup of coffee on the way to work each day".

I left without the car and have never been back.

[Merrymeeting]

I'm sure that most could post horror stories about a car buying experience.

But the good news is that the pandemic and related supply shortages have fundamentally changed the car buying experience...almost.

If you follow what Tesla had done, and Ford is now trying to do, in the future dealers (if they even continue to exist other than for service) will have little to no inventory. Buyers will select their configuration and place their order online or perhaps with some help from a salesperson, and take delivery once it's built. There will be little haggling on price as MSRP will now be the norm for pricing.

The bad news, MSRP will now be the norm for pricing. As painful as the haggling games were in the past, if you knew what you were doing, you could negotiate a deal better than the norm.

[Descant]

It appears too many people buy cars at the wrong time e.g. "It's about to die and I have to buy now" or "I paid the loan, so now I can afford another new car" etc.
I have a friend who used to sell cars. When I felt the urge, I'd call him and tell him to be on the lookout for 'X'. It might take a few weeks, or a few months, but he'd swing by the house and drop off a car for me to drive for a day or two. Never haggled over price. He knew I'd buy another car from him. I knew if anything needed a quick fix in the first few months, there wouldn't be a bill. He also knew that when people admired my new car, he'd get a few calls from prospective customers. Buying a car does not have to be adversarial. Doesn't that apply to most of our daily lives?

[BroadHopper]

Originally Posted by Descant

It appears too many people buy cars at the wrong time e.g. "It's about to die and I have to buy now" or "I paid the loan, so now I can afford another new car" etc.
I have a friend who used to sell cars. When I felt the urge, I'd call him and tell him to be on the lookout for 'X'. It might take a few weeks, or a few months, but he'd swing by the house and drop off a car for me to drive for a day or two. Never haggled over price. He knew I'd buy another car from him. I knew if anything needed a quick fix in the first few months, there wouldn't be a bill. He also knew that when people admired my new car, he'd get a few calls from prospective customers. Buying a car does not have to be adversarial. Doesn't that apply to most of our daily lives?

As I have noted. I am constantly looking for the perfect car. When one comes up, it will be my summer ride. The old car becomes the winter beater!

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by BroadHopper

As I have noted. I am constantly looking for the perfect car. When one comes up, it will be my summer ride. The old car becomes the winter beater!

Wait, didn't you get a sweet Corvette a year or two ago?!

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[TiltonBB]

Originally Posted by thinkxingu

Wait, didn't you get a sweet Corvette a year or two ago?!

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Sweet Corvette? We got that covered! (Sorry, I couldn't resist)

[fatlazyless]

Corvettes: Did you know Joe Biden has a dark green 1967 Stingray convertible 4-speed manual that he's had for over 55-years and as president he does not get to drive it.

It has something this new TiltonBB vette ain't got ....... a manual stick shift! A real Corvette has a stick shift and a clutch pedal!

You know there is probably NO speed limit out on the Lake Winnipesaukee frozen ice surface for driving a snowmobile or a car.

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

Corvettes: Did you know Joe Biden has a dark green 1967 Stingray convertible 4-speed manual that he's had for over 55-years and as president he does not get to drive it.

It has something this new TiltonBB vette ain't got ....... a manual stick shift! A real Corvette has a stick shift and a clutch pedal!

You know there is probably NO speed limit out on the Lake Winnipesaukee frozen ice surface for driving a snowmobile or a car.

I loved sticks, and stuck with them till very late in the game, teaching my now 20-something kids to drive them as well. But the new computerized transmissions beat them on both acceleration and fuel economy. I'll take Tilton's

[TiltonBB]

With the dual clutch transmission there is no lag between gears, typical of an automatic transmission. There is just a click and it is immediately in the next gear. This car has no torque converter. For the first 1,000 miles I was amazed every time it shifted.

I did plenty of shifting in an earlier life! 10, 13, and 15 speed Road Rangers, even Quadboxes (Two sticks, a 5 speed and a 4 speed transmission that worked together to give you 20 forward speeds and 4 in reverse.) Now playing with those is just a hobby.

I am fine with letting the car shift itself! It shifts a lot faster than I could with a manual transmission!

FLL: There is most likely a reason that Joe Biden is not allowed to drive his manual transmission car anymore, but it has nothing to do with Presidential security!

[John Mercier]

Originally Posted by FlyingScot

I loved sticks, and stuck with them till very late in the game, teaching my now 20-something kids to drive them as well. But the new computerized transmissions beat them on both acceleration and fuel economy. I'll take Tilton's

I'm actually waiting to see some of my father's friends start talking electric conversions on their classics.

[FlyingScot]

Originally Posted by John Mercier

I'm actually waiting to see some of my father's friends start talking electric conversions on their classics.

My dream car

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/ele...will-ever-need

[Merrymeeting]

Originally Posted by TiltonBB

Sweet Corvette? We got that covered! (Sorry, I couldn't resist)

Yes, but do you have the white New Balance's to go with it?

[trfour]

Originally Posted by Merrymeeting

I'm sure that most could post horror stories about a car buying experience.

Never had one of those, bought a few to over my time.

Bought a 1993 4 wheel drive Toyota when I lived here on Paugus Bay and folk's would come up to visit with their camper's towing a boat, I'd use my pickup and take it across the street and put it in the lake for them.

Had it for about 11 year's and when I moved to Texas I gave it to my Brother whom lived in Salem NH at the time.
He called me about 2 year's after and just behind the cab, the frame let go!! He had gone out to get parts for something he was working on, hit a bump in the road, and walla!! The good news is that he was going slow and was OK.

[SailinAway]

Originally Posted by Garcia

I leased a car a few years ago (I'll never do that again, but that's a different story). I negotiated the price and mileage. They wanted me to take delivery before the first of the year so I rearranged my plans to get there on the given day. When I got there, the salesman said I needed to go talk to the finance manager. The finance manager said he was really sorry, but the monthly payment was going to be $20/month more "less than the cost a cup of coffee on the way to work each day".

I left without the car and have never been back.

I bet you wouldn't do that today---walk out on a car over a difference of $240 a year. You could end up carless.

[thinkxingu]

Originally Posted by SailinAway

I bet you wouldn't do that today---walk out on a car over a difference of $240 a year. You could end up carless.

Would probably depend on what he went in with, right?

I walked away from a dealer over $500 when I was buying my 4Runner, but I had a paid-off vehicle to drive...to the next dealer with.

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[Garcia]

Originally Posted by SailinAway

I bet you wouldn't do that today---walk out on a car over a difference of $240 a year. You could end up carless.

I probably would. The way the agreed upon deal changed at the last minute told me enough about the business manager, salesman, and dealer that I knew I would never trust them.