x

I just spent the last 7 hours test driving cars, and I have my list narrowed down a bit. Out of all the differences the one that struck me as the largest was the difference in foreign and domestic cars. Not so much in build quality but in sales tactics. I made it a point to ask each sales men/women about the other 14 cars on my list in the hopes of getting some negative feedback on each one. What I got shocked me. The Nissan, Toyota, and Honda dealers all told me to buy there competitors products. I was absolutely shocked. During the Honda test drive the guy bragged about how good of luck he had with his Toyota. In turn the Toyota salesmen (at a completely different dealership mind you) talked about the Honda Civic begin a nice car. And the Nissan dealer said I would be just as happy in a Toyota as a Nissan. Now its been a couple years since I had bought a new car and having visited the foreign dealers first I was a bit worried that something drastic had changed in the world of car buying. Had I done to many drugs? Where my memoirs of bad jokes and pushy sales men a fantasy. Enter the ford dealership. This place said sleaze in neon letters on the sign. The sales men didnt know the cars safety ratings but he sure new a lot of bad boarding on racist jokes. Ill tell you thats what I want to hear from a car salesmen, jokes about hillbillies. Yah.. Im sold. In keeping with my previous conversations I asked what he thought of the other cars on my list. His answer. I wouldnt even consider any of them. Now how realistic is that. Obviously im a well informed customer, after all I walked into the store with a binder full of printouts and 3 separate spreadsheets for all the cars. Did he really think I was going to fall for the just drive this car and sign here pitch. What was worst of all with him was the price. Now I know exactly how much a ford focus costs since I looked it up online and I know dealers need to make $500 per car to stay in business. But that focus had the slipperiest price iv ever seen on a car. In the 20 minutes I was there it went from 18,000 to under 14,000. While that sounds like a hell of a discount it in fact inset even that good of a deal. Do people really fall for the mark the car up 4 grand and drop it down trick anymore. In contrast I was at the Honda dealership and looked at the price on the car and the price in my book and made an offhand comment about it being a little high (in this case $600 or so high). The salesmen looked at me and asked what I had in mind and I replied invoice (the cost the dealership pays) plus $500. He replied without a seconds pause sure we can do that... To this I was truly amazed. No haggle, No hassle. Just a fair price. They have to make $500 each car to pay there bills so I am more than happy to pay Invoice + $500 (since you can buy any car made for invoice + $500 online anyhow). The best though was yet to come at the Chevy dealership. The one with the American flags flying outside. Good old fashion American cars. I asked about there Aveo which is a low priced car based on the tiny cars you see in Europe all the time. Its an $8,000 car. So I asked how it would compare to the others on my list, Honda Civic, Socin xA, Toyotal Carola. And her response was the best line I have heard all night. I think you will be presently surprised this car outperforms all of them. Maybe she thought iwas born yesterday or failed to notice the notebook of dozens of car reviews but there is no way in hell a $8,000 american car (which is 94% Korean and 6% American) is going to outperform a $16,000 Toyota or a $16,000 Honda (two of the highest rated cars in the US) the Honda is 60% American also. I almost laughed. Unfortunately they were closing so I didnt get to test drive there pice of shit car but I plan to go back tomorrow just to see what it drives like. My guess is it will be just like the other car thats 94% Korean (that of course being the Kia) and they drive like shit. My 1987 Toyota Camera with 150k miles 50% rust, and a clutch that slips over 4000 rpms has better acceleration than a 2005 kia rio. Thats how bad they are .. .

So far I have the list narrowed down to the

Toyota Carrola
Scion xA
Honda Civic
And im still waiting to drive the Saturn Ion, Toyota Echo, and the POS Aveo.