Why?
Because we went car shopping today.
And I feel dirty. lolz
I may not have mentioned this but I HATE shopping for cars.
We went to see if I couldfit my fat ass in drive
a Chevy Spark.
I haven't driven a compact car in years!
My timeline of cars Hubs and I have owner so far in our lives......
Chevette(new), Dodge Omni(new), Ford Escort(used), Chevy Caprice(used), Chevy Lumina APV(new), Ford Tempo(used), Kia Spectra(used), Dodge Caravan(new), Chevy Malibu(used), Toyota Corolla(used), Buick Century(used), Hyundai Elantra(used).
My cars have been the Chevette(1981), Caprice(1991), Lumina APV(1995) and the Caravan(2003).
I haven't driven/owned a compact car since 1990.
So we hiked over to a local dealer.
The Good news-I can fit in the Spark and can reach the pedals and everything.
Rah.
The Bad news-they only have 2.....a pale yellow one with a manual tranny and a black one with a automatic tranny.
I am not doing manual tranny here in the mountains and I don't want a black car so both of those are out.
We found out that no, you can't order one in a different color(a color they make it in)and no, they don't do dealer trades(find a car at a different dealer and they trade it to your dealer for something else that dealer needs for a customer).
Now I don't know if he was handing us a line or if this is how they do things in 2014.
We haven't bought a new car since 2003 so we are unfamiliar with standard practices nowadays at dealerships.
So I can't get my "Grape Ice" Spark, at least not from them.
But this dealer does have the next car up(in size), a Chevy Sonic in stock in a limited release color of Magenta.
It's no Lavender but it's close to Purple but on the pink side.
So we look at that one.
A bit roomier inside(not much)but there are lots more features to adjust the driver's seat and steering column. There is more room in the backseat and the hatchback trunk area.
Same size engine, same number of cylinders and the gas mileage is marginally less than the Spark.
I could drive this one too.
But it does have a sun roof, which I don't like.
Those are just another electronic thing to break and somewhere the car can leak(and with my luck, it WILL! lolz)
I crinkle my nose at the salesman as he goes on and on about the sunroof.
Get a clue guy....you are losing me the more you go on about this "feature".
Here is the Sonic in question.....I think I would have to name it "Hedgehog" even though it's not royal blue.....lol
Then they started the ol' hard sell back in the office.
2 trips out to "confer" with the manager and we get a bottom line price of $18,445 cash out the door with tax and tags.
We walked out of there without a new car.
I just wasn't sold on this one.
He kept saying it's the only one and they don't make this color anymore trying to get me to take the deal NOW.
Nope.
So we get home and I go on the dealers website and guess what I see?
A Grape Ice(lavender) Spark for $14,445(before t&t).
Either they lied about not having the car in the color I wanted or they seriously need to update their website.
It was too late to call them on it since they were closed for the day by the time we got home.
So I went on the Chevy dealers website in a city 45 minutes from here and they are showing a Grape Ice Spark for an internet special price of $14,070(before t&t-which should add another $1300 or so).
I'll be calling them tomorrow morning to see if this car is actually on their lot.
If so, we'll be riding down there to see what we can get it for.
Or I could just buy this little number I found in the model showroom at the local dealer.......
This Camaro Convertible just screams ME, doesn't it?
Not a very frugal price though at $36K+ and with horrible gas mileage........ouch.
But oh, wouldn't I look HAWT driving this thing?
Did I mention how I HATE buying cars yet?
Sluggy
Because we went car shopping today.
And I feel dirty. lolz
I may not have mentioned this but I HATE shopping for cars.
We went to see if I could
I haven't driven a compact car in years!
My timeline of cars Hubs and I have owner so far in our lives......
Chevette(new), Dodge Omni(new), Ford Escort(used), Chevy Caprice(used), Chevy Lumina APV(new), Ford Tempo(used), Kia Spectra(used), Dodge Caravan(new), Chevy Malibu(used), Toyota Corolla(used), Buick Century(used), Hyundai Elantra(used).
My cars have been the Chevette(1981), Caprice(1991), Lumina APV(1995) and the Caravan(2003).
I haven't driven/owned a compact car since 1990.
So we hiked over to a local dealer.
The Good news-I can fit in the Spark and can reach the pedals and everything.
Rah.
The Bad news-they only have 2.....a pale yellow one with a manual tranny and a black one with a automatic tranny.
I am not doing manual tranny here in the mountains and I don't want a black car so both of those are out.
We found out that no, you can't order one in a different color(a color they make it in)and no, they don't do dealer trades(find a car at a different dealer and they trade it to your dealer for something else that dealer needs for a customer).
Now I don't know if he was handing us a line or if this is how they do things in 2014.
We haven't bought a new car since 2003 so we are unfamiliar with standard practices nowadays at dealerships.
So I can't get my "Grape Ice" Spark, at least not from them.
But this dealer does have the next car up(in size), a Chevy Sonic in stock in a limited release color of Magenta.
It's no Lavender but it's close to Purple but on the pink side.
So we look at that one.
A bit roomier inside(not much)but there are lots more features to adjust the driver's seat and steering column. There is more room in the backseat and the hatchback trunk area.
Same size engine, same number of cylinders and the gas mileage is marginally less than the Spark.
I could drive this one too.
But it does have a sun roof, which I don't like.
Those are just another electronic thing to break and somewhere the car can leak(and with my luck, it WILL! lolz)
I crinkle my nose at the salesman as he goes on and on about the sunroof.
Get a clue guy....you are losing me the more you go on about this "feature".
Here is the Sonic in question.....I think I would have to name it "Hedgehog" even though it's not royal blue.....lol
Then they started the ol' hard sell back in the office.
2 trips out to "confer" with the manager and we get a bottom line price of $18,445 cash out the door with tax and tags.
We walked out of there without a new car.
I just wasn't sold on this one.
He kept saying it's the only one and they don't make this color anymore trying to get me to take the deal NOW.
Nope.
So we get home and I go on the dealers website and guess what I see?
A Grape Ice(lavender) Spark for $14,445(before t&t).
Either they lied about not having the car in the color I wanted or they seriously need to update their website.
It was too late to call them on it since they were closed for the day by the time we got home.
So I went on the Chevy dealers website in a city 45 minutes from here and they are showing a Grape Ice Spark for an internet special price of $14,070(before t&t-which should add another $1300 or so).
I'll be calling them tomorrow morning to see if this car is actually on their lot.
If so, we'll be riding down there to see what we can get it for.
Or I could just buy this little number I found in the model showroom at the local dealer.......
This Camaro Convertible just screams ME, doesn't it?
Not a very frugal price though at $36K+ and with horrible gas mileage........ouch.
But oh, wouldn't I look HAWT driving this thing?
Did I mention how I HATE buying cars yet?
Sluggy
I would say to go to a different dealer. It sounds like they used the bait and switch tactic.
ReplyDeleteI hate care shopping too!!! Hate, hate, hate, despise it. It too makes me feel dirty, uck. The "grape ice spark" just sounds so delicious. You absolutely NEED to find one. Fingers crossed :)
ReplyDeleteYou can totally pull off this Camaro :) It even matches some colors on your shirt :) But I'm with you - car shopping sucks.
ReplyDeletegood luck with your car shopping.
ReplyDeleteSluggy you totally keep me smiling with your car posts. Love reading about your adventures even though the shopping is a pain. Read every post you write.
ReplyDeleteJoy
Heh, I have heard very few good experiences with car buying... glad I didnt have to go through that myself. And you know what, I'd call or have son call (so they dont recognize you) and ask them about the one you see on the website... that bait and switch was awful all in all.
ReplyDeleteWHOA! change the camaro color to red and I would be all up in its business! but $36K? OUCH!
ReplyDeletecar shopping sux. do you have AAA? we bought spouse's car with the AAA auto buying service; 2 hours max at the dealer and todd had a car! with no price haggling! and no bait & switch!
I am with you on the sunroof. 1) I would never use it. 2) don't want the sun on me. 3) Don't want air in car because of allergies. 4) Someone, someday would leave it open and it would rain in my car. 5) Then I would have mold or mildew. 6) The motor will quit working. 7) It will leak eventually.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter ordered a car from another city, Then they found the same thing closer and cheaper and cancelled the order. The dealer threatened to sue her for cost of car even though it had not left the lot. She told them to go ahead and she would post it everywhere and call the tv and newspaper...lol...spunky like her Mama. She never heard another word. But, somewhere there is a site where you can find the car you want and have it delivered.
I just don't fit in small cars. I am too tall and get claustrophobic. In 1966 when I barely weighed 130 lbs. A Volkswagen was just too small for me. Plus, small cars make me carsick. Especially riding in the back seat makes me ill. I am doomed to never buy a compact car.
One care salesman went on and on about the lighted mirror behind the visor even after I told him that was no draw. Of course, you know we women must be concerned first and foremost about our makeup. Hey, I just figured out I might have been insulted since I had on no makeup. Was he saying I should put some on?
I hate purple, but that little grape ice was cute. I would drive a car that color.
We just went through the car (van) buying experience and my hubby stood his ground about how much he was willing to pay and was ready to walk out when they said they just couldn't make the deal happen. But eventually they caved and he got what he wanted at the price he was willing to pay. The whole game totally sucks, I agree. Good luck in finding the car you want!
ReplyDeleteBig liars....they can order any car from the factory or work out a trade deal with another dealer. When there was not one on the lot that I liked, I ordered a Camaro EXACTLY the way I wanted and it was "created" and shipped to the dealer from the factory in Canada. Took a long time, but worth the wait. My husband wanted a Tahoe that the dealer didn't have and they got it from another local dealer. I bet you can even go online to the Chevrolet website and create the Spark you want and pick it up at a local dealer. They just want to get rid of the cars sitting on their lot, I guess. Dealers are just a mixed bag! Yeah, a car is such a huge expense, get the exact one you want. I love the Spark, too. It comes in electric, which is intriguing, but a lot more expensive. (An electric Spark - ha, so cute!). Since you already test drove it and everything, maybe you could even just buy the lavender one online. P.S. The Camaro IS a big fat gas waster, but so much fun to drive!!!
ReplyDeleteYou'd look wonderful in the convertible! I kind of enjoy car shopping, but I can be brutal to the car salesmen. Two strategies that have worked, wear them down, I had lunch delivered one time, or hit them fast, I think my record is buying a car in less then 30 minutes, I knew what I wanted and what I was willing to pay. I simply said, I will take it if you will take X-dollars and handed the salesmen a check.
ReplyDeletewhen my daughter bought her chevy cruze 2 years ago, they said they could find her the exact car she wanted at another dealer. id hold out for the grapeice car. the sparks are so cute
ReplyDeleteSluggy-you should feel dirty-car sales people tend* to be slimey. UGh! Luckily, when I went to buy my used Prius back in Dec, the salesman was reasonable. I told him what I was interested in, we went on a test drive, he showed me the features, etc. Then we talked the numbers. Of course, he started in on how he really couldn't budget on the sticker price, the owner had just recently brought it down. I advised him, that the option was for them to drop the price to a figure closer in mind to what I know if a fair price out the door, or they can keep this car in question on their lot for another month (it was around Christmas). The push at the end of the month to move cars is huge not to mention the end of the calendar year. End of story: he had to check with the manager but before he did, he stated (nicely), I sense that you are prepared to walk away. "Yes, I am, if that is what I have to do, if we can't come to terms on what is a fair offer. BTW-I was married to someone in the car business for over 25 years, I know how this works and this will be a CASH deal." He reappears, "deal." : )
ReplyDeleteStand your ground and contact that other dealer. And YES, dealers still make trades on cars-really not a big deal. That dealer was trying to sell what they wanted to you. Walk away, cash in hand, and get the car that YOU want!
Good luck, and stock up on showering supplies, fresh towels, you may need them!
I always get someone to do it for me.
ReplyDeleteGo for the hawt Camaro! Damn it is easy to spend your money!
ReplyDelete