02 October, 2010

Car Shopping Day is a Very Dangerous Day

How I love Rocko's Modern Life.  If you don't get the title of this blog, set your DVR to record some Rocko, and you'll soon see what inspired that title.

So, after a horrible night's sleep (don't ask), I went out and made friends with a 2009 Honda Civic.  I'm not a Honda woman, but for the right price, I could become one.  It's only just not the right price.  And possesses a bizarre accelerator pedal.  Outside of that, though, she's well-behaved on the freeway, easy to get to know, and reasonably roomy.  Immaculate inside and out.  Definitely worth considering.

Then, just for the hell of it, I drove a Toyota Corolla with a manual transmission.  We did not become friends.  It was better than the Bronco I once drove, the one whose clutch defeated my uncle, but it was a close-run thing.  Both the dealer and I knew we were just out in it for the sake of having something else to look at, and that was it.  All they had.  The manual transmission is fast going the way of the dodo, which is really too bad.

Not enough time to nose about elsewhere before work, so those were all I saw.  Tomorrow, it's on to a Sentra and possibly some other things, and Sunday I have an appointment with my stalkers.  Yes, the dealership I took my Nissan to for its 60,000 mile maintenance called, said they wanted to offer me my choice of 2010 Sentras for under invoice.  They'd discovered from some web form I'd filled out that I was shopping.  Well, why the hell not?  A brand-new car is out of my price range, alas, but they're nosing about to see what they can dig up. 

I appear to be spoiled for choice.

Tomorrow, I have to see my agent about an auto loan.  He's been begging me to apply for one since I started with him, so can do.  Within a few days, we should be set.

Chris has a comment up on a previous post that anyone in the market for a car should read.  Bookmark it for future reference.  You will thank him someday.  I shall thank him today.  Thank you, Chris!

And, finally, if any dealers are reading this (I know at least one dropped by earlier): if you want to be the lucky recipient of my money, make me an offer I can't refuse.  Just remember that my bragging right for my previous baby was that I'd gotten her practically brand-new for $2,000 under wholesale invoice.  That's right.  Wholesale.  And yes, I live within walking distance of work, so I can walk away from quite a few things. 

With that in mind, it shall be a pleasure doing business with you!

1 comment:

Suzanne said...

*rubbing hands together gleefully*

this is going to be fun dana -- you are gonna get a great for you car.

they hate that walk away attitude because they know if you walk out the door, odds are you are not coming back.

best car buying advise i ever got was to negotiate from a position of power. when the salesman slides that piece of paper towards ya with a price written on it (after speaking with his manager of course), push it back without saying anything -- force him to speak first. that sets the negotiations with you in the catbird seat.