Buying a Prius

[Frugality_of_Apathy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover Nords, how do you verify that the card is good before purchasing it?

There's a number on the back of the card you can call. You punch in the number of the card and it will tell you how much money is remaining on it.

I once sold a car for a couple of those.

[M Paquette]

Quote:

Originally Posted by samclem I'm glad it worked out in your case, but this can be a risky move, too. Once when my dad was shopping for a car, he gave his current keys to the dealership so they could inspect the car and give him a price for the trade in. Never do that. He was ready to leave, but they gave every salesman a shot at him since he couldn't physically leave without his car. It only ended when he asked to borrow the phone to call the police about his stolen vehicle.

Heh. I had a second set on me.

I had a dealer pull that stunt on me once, asking for keys to inspect the trade in, and not bothering to give them back when requested. I think we went through three salesmen. When the third one went to talk to the manager (who, oddly enough, seemed to be in the one-person restroom), we left.

A few days later I dropped by, saw my original keys on a salesman's desk, and took them. That dealership went on my 'dealers to avoid' list.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelover Nords, how do you verify that the card is good before purchasing it?

The transactions take place at the gift card's store. At HD we walk up to the Returns or Service desk and ask them to verify the amount before we go on a shopping spree. They scan it and announce its value, and we walk off to complete the deal. Usually cash.

I think that the clerks know what's happening, and I'm pretty sure they don't care.

Some cards are registered by number, so if you lose them you can be reimbursed. Other cards are "store credit" and not registered, so if you lose them you're outta luck. We had that problem with the latter once at HD but got it back a week later so no long-term problem.

The disgruntled spouse had maxed out her alleged adulterous husband's Home Depot charge account ($6000) and sold the cards at half price-- she said that she only wanted her half...

[Frugality_of_Apathy]

Do they really expect someone to buy a car from them or recommend them to your friends when they hold you hostage like that?

[kyounge1956]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frugality_of_Apathy Quote: Originally Posted by M Paquette Quote: Originally Posted by samclem (snip) Once when my dad was shopping for a car, he gave his current keys to the dealership so they could inspect the car and give him a price for the trade in. Never do that. He was ready to leave, but they gave every salesman a shot at him since he couldn't physically leave without his car. It only ended when he asked to borrow the phone to call the police about his stolen vehicle. (snip)I had a dealer pull that stunt on me once, asking for keys to inspect the trade in, and not bothering to give them back when requested. (snip) Do they really expect someone to buy a from them or recommend them to your friends when they hold you hostage like that?

And isn't kidnapping a felony?

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by M Paquette I had a dealer pull that stunt on me, asking for keys to inspect the trade in, and not bothering to give them back when requested.

After I attempted to leave the dealership only to learn my keys had been "lost" by the used car guy who took it for an inspection, I told the sales guy he had 60 seconds to find them. When he was unmotivated to help me out, I walked to the middle of the showroom, stood in a chair and shouted,

"MY CAR KEYS HAVE BEEN STOLEN! THE POLICE ARE ON THE WAY! NO ONE IS TO LEAVE THE DEALERSHIP UNTIL YOU HAVE UNDERGONE A BODY SEARCH!"

Found my keys. Never set foot in that dealership again. Told this story to everyone who mentioned shopping for a new car.

[Frugality_of_Apathy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyounge1956 And isn't kidnapping a felony?

Technically it's false imprisonment, still a felony.

[73ss454]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyounge1956 This sounds to me like an utterly cockeyed way to run a business. I used to work in a fabric store. If we'd used the same sales method as a car dealer, we'd not have put accurate price tags on the merchandise, so neither the customers nor the clerks knew the cost of a yard of cloth or a spool of thread. With every sale the clerk would have had to go to the store manager and ask "is it OK if I sell this for $X a yard?" and the customer would have had to wait 30 or 40 minutes to get an answer. I don't think any manager who ran her store that way would have lasted very long, but it wouldn't matter because I doubt that any of the customers would have set foot in the store ever again after one such experience. I know I wouldn't!

Yup, I agree. I think that the car industry should hire you as a consultant. Because the 1000's of various car dealers across the nation all have it wrong and you are right.

[73ss454]

REW, I think they just liked your company and wanted to keep you around. Maybe they figured that you'd buy a car just to get home.

[samclem]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 73ss454 Because the 1000's of various car dealers across the nation all have it wrong and you are right.

Right. Because what they are doing now is working great! It's amazing how they've really kept up with the times. It used to be that owning a dealership was a license to print money. Now, well, it's even better right?

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 73ss454 REW, I think they just liked your company and wanted to keep you around.

Maybe, but I suspect otherwise. A very wise fellow once told me, "Remember, car sales is what you do when you fail at everything else."

[73ss454]

Samclem, you are also right, maybe you can get a consultant job also.

And the reason why the dealers move so slow is because the managers are upstairs making up phony invoices to show the public.

[73ss454]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo Maybe, but I suspect otherwise. A very wise fellow once told me, "Remember, car sales is what you do when you fail at everything else."

Yes, he is a very wise man.

[samclem]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 73ss454 And the reason why the dealers move so slow is because the managers are upstairs making up phony invoices to show the public.

There's nothing "phony" about the invoices, except that they don't show the net cost the dealer pays for the car (after holdbacks, spiffs, wholesale reserves, and all the other things that come back to the dealer). Showing a prospective customer the invoice and crying for mercy is the funniest game going.

[73ss454]

Would you also like to see their profit and loss statements. Also you're the one who said that it's possible that the invoices may be phony in a prior post.

I think you should ask to speak to their accountant before you buy a car so you can make sure their making exactly what you want them to.

Do the dealers a favor and buy a used car out of someones driveway.

[samclem]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 73ss454 Also you're the one who said that it's possible that the invoices may be phony in a prior post.

Could you please show us where I said that? It's not at all what I wrote in post #127.

[73ss454]

What you said was if the price was the true dealers cost.

[FinanceDude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords Why bother negotiating when you can do better with Craigslist?

I buy and sell lots of stuff on craigslist myself, too cheap to pay eBay's "commissions"............

I even negotiate my purchases on craigslist, money talks........

[FinanceDude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by 73ss454 Yup, I agree. I think that the car industry should hire you as a consultant. Because the 1000's of various car dealers across the nation all have it wrong and you are right.

I'm having trouble connecting a major purchase like a car and a $3.00 a yard fabric sale, someone want to help me? :confused:

[FinanceDude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by samclem There's nothing "phony" about the invoices, except that they don't show the net cost the dealer pays for the car (after holdbacks, spiffs, wholesale reserves, and all the other things that come back to the dealer). Showing a prospective customer the invoice and crying for mercy is the funniest game going.

ROTFLMAO...........73454ss and I could tell y'all the truth, but then we'd have to kill you.........