Tommy Gun Shop   Xssights   Mitch Rosen   Kahr Shop
Page 3 of 4 FirstFirst 1234 LastLast
Results 21 to 30 of 33

Thread: New car for Wifey.

  1. #21
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Jacksonville, FL
    Posts
    11,459

    Default

    USAF Retired '88, NRA Life Member. Wife USAF Retired '96
    Avatar: Wynn re-enlists his wife Desiree, circa 1988 Loring AFB, ME. 42nd BMW, Heavy (SAC) B-52G's
    Frédéric Bastiat’s essay, The Law: http://mises.org/books/thelaw.pdf

    Thomas Jefferson said

    “A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.”
    and

    "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading".

  2. #22
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Posts
    759

    Default

    Damn. All this drama with buying a new vehicle.

    I've been going to the same Toyota dealer since 2003. Not ONE complaint from me since then.

    Back in 2003, I searched for the truck I wanted online, and found one at a dealer about 45 minutes away. The local Toyota dealer didn't have one just like it. I called and asked if they still had that truck in stock. They said yes.

    Drove down there and barely opened the door on my vehicle when I was approached by a salesman. I had the web page of the truck I wanted printed out, and I asked to see it. Salesman said "Let me show you this one...". I said, no, I want to see THIS one.

    After we went to his desk, I finally found out they didn't have it - never did. I was pissed, and told the guy I'm not wasting any more time there. Got up to leave, and he said he wasn't gonna let me leave until we looked at another truck. I started for the door, and he blocked the aisle. I told him he best get out of my way before he gets hurt.

    On the way home, I stopped at my current dealership, got out of my vehicle and started walking around looking at the trucks. They had one exactly like I wanted, but in a different color. No salesman in sight.

    I walked up to the showroom door, and a salesman opened the door for me, and said "Welcome to Krause Toyota. Can I get you a cup of coffee?"

    They've always treated me like family, and they still do. This is my third Tacoma from them. Same salesman. Same service manager and assistant service managers. Many of the same mechanics.

    They're the oldest Toyota dealership in the USA - they opened in 1959. They're the only dealership I trust, and they've earned it.

    https://krausetoyota.com/

  3. #23
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    5,561

    Default

    In my younger days, I used to work at car dealerships. Dodge, American Motors, Jeep, Lincoln Mercury, Fiat, Lancia, and Alfa Romeo. Great places to work, some not so great to do business with. Dealerships can afford to give away the farm, and still make a decent profit, especially if you become a maintenance customer. I would think that the profit margin would be about the same as it was back then. If they sold a vehicle for the sticker price, the profit was between 8-15% minus their costs prepping the vehicle. They also have something called holdback, where the manufacturers give cash back to a dealer on certain models. Hard to sell models usually get a larger holdback payment. It can be anywhere from $ 0-5000. The place where I bought my Subaru has a sign on the wall. A few years back, they sold 352 cars in one month.

  4. #24
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Twin Cities MN.
    Posts
    5,746

    Default

    Ok....my wife looked at new vehicle and thought she would sit on it and see if she liked it....
    well she liked it and I got a picture. What do you think?
    Attached Images Attached Images
    "Life Member NRA"
    I am addicted to brake fluid...don't worry I can STOP at anytime!

  5. #25
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Wet & Wild Pacific NW
    Posts
    32,470

    Default

    You know what just happened a little bit in my mouth.
    In Memory of Paul "Dietrich" Stines.
    Dad: Say something nice to your cousin Shirley
    Dietrich: For a fat girl you sure don't sweat much.
    Cue sound of Head slap.

    RIP Muggsy & TMan

    "If you are a warrior legally authorized to carry a weapon and you step outside without that weapon, then you become a sheep, pretending that JOCKO will not come today."

  6. #26
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Twin Cities MN.
    Posts
    5,746

    Default

    Well we could paint it. Kinda fond of the Green/Black myself.
    "Life Member NRA"
    I am addicted to brake fluid...don't worry I can STOP at anytime!

  7. #27
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Jacksonville, FL
    Posts
    11,459

    Default

    Dang! The front wheels are still on the ground!
    Last edited by wyntrout; 09-05-2018 at 02:33 PM.
    USAF Retired '88, NRA Life Member. Wife USAF Retired '96
    Avatar: Wynn re-enlists his wife Desiree, circa 1988 Loring AFB, ME. 42nd BMW, Heavy (SAC) B-52G's
    Frédéric Bastiat’s essay, The Law: http://mises.org/books/thelaw.pdf

    Thomas Jefferson said

    “A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.”
    and

    "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading".

  8. #28
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    5,561

    Default

    I had a situation yesterday. The wifey needed a new battery in the Honda, and had a nail in a rear tire. We decided to go to the dealership and have the repairs done. They wanted $132 dollars to replace the battery, and $46.19 to repair the tire. Well, we were already there, so we decided to bite the bullet even though I thought the price they quoted was ridiculous. I didn't feel like wasting my whole day screwing around in 90 degree weather, and sitting in a waiting room. This dealership has recently gotten a new facelift, new facility, lots of people walking around getting paid to do nothing, which explains the prices. After 2 hrs. the service person tells me that the nail is too close to the sidewall, and I needed a new tire. I told him that about 6 months prior, the wifey had a nail in the tire, and I told her to just go to the dealership and get it fixed. Well, they told her the same thing. The nail was too close to the sidewall, and they couldn't fix it. I told her to bring the car home. I took it down the road and had it fixed in 15 minutes for $25. Then they tell me that the technician said that the cable ends were very corroded, and he was afraid that when removing them, they would crumble, so I needed new cables, which were $150 plus $65 labor to install. I said why don't you just put new cable ends on. All of a sudden that was an option for $4.00 a piece, but they still wanted $65 for labor to put them on and " clean things up" I asked, since it was going to be a new battery, and the cable ends were going to be new, what was there to clean up. No answer. I then said, so you can't fix the tire and you want me to buy a new tire, of which you won't have a match with the other tires so I'll have to buy at least 2 tires, and I will not drive my vehicle with 2 different sets anyway. Then you want $97 for a battery and $35 labor to put it in, and then you want $150 for new cables plus $65 labor to connect those. I was livid. The wifey backed away because she knew all hell was about to break loose. I asked him if the word turnip truck was written on my forehead, and I told him that I should have brought some condoms, because they were trying to give me a good, well you know. I told them that I have been a customer of theirs for 18 years, even bringing oil changes to them, knowing I could get them done cheaper elsewhere. I had purchased 3 new cars from them and this is how they treat a customer. I said I guess they've got this new building and all these people walking around with their thumbs in their arse, and I guess someone has to pay for it. Well it wasn't going to be me. I told them I also should have brought a rain coat, because while in their waiting room, I heard so much bull crap being flung, I felt dirty. I also felt sorry for the other people getting raped and not really knowing it, because they don't take the time to educate themselves on the workings of the automobile. I told them that they would never receive another dime of my money for any reason. Told them to get my car off of the lift. Took the wifey home. Went to the same place as last time to get the tire fixed. 15 minutes, $25, and they were busier than heck. I do all of my tire business there and these guys work out of a small shop. Then, I went to the Remy Battery Co. and got a new battery installed in 15 minutes. He had no issues removing the cables from the battery, brought out his acid bucket, dipped the cable ends in and voila, looked like brand new. Should have just done all of that from the start. It's all about convenience. Blow a bit of hot air, give you some free popcorn, and rake you over the coals. Go in for a tire repair and a battery, and end up leaving $345 lighter not counting the new tire/tires. Absolutely crazy. Never again for them. I told them that I would make sure and tell everyone to stay away from their dealership, and if per chance they went there, to bring a rain suit and plenty of condoms. They've already called me 3 times today. I know that they don't really give 2 dumps, but it made me feel better.

  9. #29
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Jacksonville, FL
    Posts
    11,459

    Default

    Wow! I guess y'all don't have a Sam's Club or Costco. I get all of that stuff done there and always get the Roadhandler Warranty on new tires... flats fixed, tired rotated and balanced for the life of the tire for like $15 a tire at installation. Battery installation free. Maybe Walmart, too?
    USAF Retired '88, NRA Life Member. Wife USAF Retired '96
    Avatar: Wynn re-enlists his wife Desiree, circa 1988 Loring AFB, ME. 42nd BMW, Heavy (SAC) B-52G's
    Frédéric Bastiat’s essay, The Law: http://mises.org/books/thelaw.pdf

    Thomas Jefferson said

    “A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have.”
    and

    "Peace is that brief glorious moment in history when everybody stands around reloading".

  10. #30
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    134

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by wyntrout View Post
    I have the Consumer Reports Buying Guides going back to before 2006 and tracked the 2006 through the 2013 guide. The Forester looks very good... better or much better than average. It dropped from the guide after that. They only went back so far.

    If the seller is upfront with any problems or at least not secretive that could be a good deal. It's only $1,500 but repairs can be a multiplier.

    Those Subarus have a pretty good rep for reliability.
    My son-in-law has an Outback near that vintage, and it needed new head gaskets, which is an expensive repair. This is a known problem that was addressed with a new design in production. On the older cars, the fix is to replace the head gaskets with the new design, and the problem is solved.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Tommy Gun   Magnum Research new   Crimsontrace   CrossBreed Holsters