Yeah, Just Like the Dukes of Hazzard

Today I drove another Charger. For a few weeks I been thinking this would be the car that I replaced the truck with. Todays drive was different in that I was at a different dealership.

On two occasions I had been to visit the nearest dealership. On both occasions I announced that I would not be taking a car home that day. Both times I did ask what they would let me have the car for. The sales guy has called me a couple of time. I continued to ask how much for the car. I am curious why they would not quote me a price unless I was willing to take the car home that day. I did finally get a "we can probably come off the sticker a couple hundred dollars." Not good enough.

Why did I tell them I wasn't taking a car home that day? I have found that it helps the high-pressure sales guys take 'No' for an answer later when they ask me "Is there anything we can do to get you to take it home today?" I usually then tell them I want to sleep on it for a few days. It is amazing the stupid things they say to try to coerce you. "Best deals are at the end of the month." Well I can probably wait til the end of next month. "This color is hard to get." Well we can order one from the factory and then I won't have to pay for the options I don't want. "I need to sell one more to make my quota." Why is that my problem?

Nine years ago I ordered my Dodge truck from a dealer about an hour away. Why? Because when I asked him how much, the response I got was "$300 over invoice." Today I called that remote dealership and asked the same question. I got a similar response, but this time it was "$600 over invoice." This was a couple thousand better than the maybe a couple hundred off the sticker. Plus the tax rate is 1.5% less. That is $15 per thousand. That adds up pretty quick.

This afternoon I took my truck down to the dealer to let him look it over. They offered me $500 less than I wanted for it. I asked for $500 more. They agreed.

They didn't have the exact car I wanted, but I went armed with the information they needed. I told them where another dealership is that has the exact car on the lot, color, options, dead-on. The dealer with the car was closed so contact will be made Monday morning. Assuming one dealer can get the car from the other dealer, the car will be mine at a price I am happy with. If not, I will probably have them order one for me from the factory. The drawback there is 6-8 weeks of waiting, and we all know I don't have much patience.

This dealer did have a nearly perfect car, right color and most options. He sent me out for a drive while he finished up a sale with another customer. It is a smooth ride.

I suspect I will have a new car soon, though I suspect it will not be until next Saturday. I won't have time to drive down there again til next Saturday, though if they want to bring it to me, I am ok with that.

If they had the car on the lot today, I would have gladly brought it home. Unfortunately I can't get it in orange with a big 01 on the side. Ginger did offer to weld the doors shut for me though.


And tonight we will be sleeping on a new mattress. I tried it out for a few minutes this afternoon. It sleeps well.