I Got Sucked In...And Love It!
Written: Jun 09 '00 (Updated Jul 25 '00)
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Pros: Got my dream vehicle
Cons: Nothing I can find
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| davea888's Full Review: 2001 Ford Explorer Sport |
So, if this turns out to be an ‘advice’ ramble and I catch a lot of flack on this one ... oh well ... but I do feel pretty good about a major move I made in “AUTOLAND” recently and will detail briefly here for you to get any benefit from that you can.
Most people dread the process of ‘car-buying’. Oh yeah. Spend the day, haggle, walk out, call back, play the Let’s-make-a-deal routine, more time, etc. etc. Well, this time was different. Of course, many like me don’t buy a ‘new’ (to us) vehicle very often. If I get one I like, I take care of it, talk to it, polish it, baby it, and in general, make it a family member ... yeah, so I’m a little strange … but I’ve found that cars can last, perform well, and look great much longer than most people think. So, recently, for some strange reason, I am walking around a dealer’s lot perusing the inventory and touching the brand new paint-jobs on all the sparkly new colors ... and here ‘he’ comes ... “Hi! My name is Bruce! What can I help you find today?” It begins ...
BUT – I, unlike before, had done my homework! I was READY! I had answers to all his questions – and boy, does that help! I knew what I wanted, what I could afford, what I knew I should spend, and was ready to bolt unashamedly if I didn’t get what I wanted – no sales-job, ‘bait-and-switch’ for me ... almost ... because I actually learned something! Wow!
Okay, I knew I wanted a Ford Explorer. What I really wanted was an “Eddie Bauer” model Ford Explorer. You know, the one up there on the top shelf. The one with all the bells, whistles, and trinkets that is sooo expensive but sooo nice ... yep, THAT ONE! Of course I wasn’t going to get one! Too expensive ... This is where the little guys on your shoulders start whispering in your ears: LEFT: “Hey, you’ve waited long enough. You’ve earned it. Don’t worry about the money!” RIGHT: “It’s just a CAR! That money is important. How you gonna justify this?” Oh brother ...
Now I learn something. Dealers are just like store-keepers. They have to keep a well-rounded inventory. If they run low on something and don’t have time to wait for order-filling time, they go buy it, just like we do! They go to ‘dealer auctions’ and buy what they can, when they can, bidding against other dealers. I love it! I just happened to be there when they were unloading a truck-full of ‘pre-owned’, ‘new’, ‘demo’ vehicles. They do this all the time! The ‘NEW’ price tag is gone! THESE they have to buy with out-of-pocket funds from somewhere. THESE they want to sell and recoup the cash as fast as possible! HAH!
I hear stuff from the salesman like: “WELL, if you’d LIKE something like this, AND you take it BEFORE it gets on our inventory sheets ...” I’m hearing ‘deal’ here (of course God and everyone knows there WILL be a profit here – to some degree) ... but still ...
Okay, enough. Yep, I bought it and love it! It was a ‘99 dealer-demo model (and these DEMO models are LOADED - driven by the execs or their wives) from a big city that had never seen a highway, had 14K miles on it, and looked & smelled showroom NEW! The difference? 1 ‘paper year’ and $15,000. CHEAPER! Parked side-by-side, you cannot pick out the newer model. Really.
Now I have my dream vehicle. Oh yes, it’s perfect. Big engine, leather interior, roomy, convenient, efficient, - and - just what I wanted! It even came with lighted running boards! I’m a FORD truck guy, etc. etc. I’m a believer.
The message: Do the homework. Decide what you want before you go look. THEN ask about the ‘NEW‘, DEMO models that might be available. Let’s face it, the 14K or 15K miles that they’ve put in them have already turned up any flaws that MIGHT show up on a brand new one! So, you save at both ends … and, after 3 months, I really love this ‘used’ Explorer that cost me LESS THAN what I was going to spend ...
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): Within MY budget
Condition: Used
Model Year: 1999
Model and Options: Eddie Bauer
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Epinions.com ID:
davea888
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Member: Dave Andrews
Location: Lake Havasu, AZ and Lahaina, Maui
Reviews written: 87
Trusted by: 36 members
About Me:
That woman knows how to rob a train...
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