Re: [MLUG - DISCUSSION] advice on mid-MO car dealerships wanted...

[Nathan Odle <EMAIL:PROTECTED>]

Jonathan King wrote:

>Jeff City Honda dealer > Columbia Honda dealer
>Columbia Chevy dealer >> Jeff City Chevy dealer
>Columbia Toyota > Columbia Ford (although owned by the same person)
>Columbia Mazda place is just okay.
>
>  
>
I also want to add that it's tough to make a decision about a dealership 
on the basis of your shopping/test drive experience.  That is totally 
dependent on what salesperson you deal with.  Obviously the salesperson 
is a reflection on the dealership as a whole, but one thing to know is 
that ALL dealerships have their loser salespeople.  For example, the 
best car salesman I've ever met is at Machens Ford (as I related in my 
last email), but I had an *awful* experience at Machens Toyota when we 
went there to shop a Camry for my wife.  The salesman there was this old 
fart that looked like he should have been selling Edsels...and the test 
drive was incredibly annoying with him in the backseat (yes, he insisted 
on coming along). 

Based on those two salespeople, anyone would have a totally different 
impression than what Jon related.  The moral of the story is that the 
real measure of a dealership is at the bottom line.  They all have their 
good and bad salespeople, and therefore it's a toss-up as to what kind 
of experience you're going to have during the shopping phase of your 
purchase.

Some other advice while I'm at it - SHOP for a car early in the month 
when the quota/bonus program has just turned over.  Generally speaking, 
salespeople will be slightly less annoying.  Then, DEAL at the end of 
the month, when everyone's trying to get "just one more" to put them 
over the top for their bonus.

Also - never buy an extended warranty up front.  If you're really that 
hot about them, you'll still get a 2nd (and 3rd, 4th, etc.) chance 
before the vehicle's warranty is up.  This way, you can avoid money down 
the drain if you don't decide to keep the car beyond its original 
warranty.  Of course, you won't be able to finance it...but I can't 
imagine financing a warranty of dubious value anyway.

WRT financing your purchase, 0% interest is pretty attractive but always 
look at the cash rebate option if they have one.  A lot of the time, you 
can choose the 0% *or* a rebate.  Do the math to see which is going to 
save you more money in the long run.  When I bought my truck this last 
go-around, I saved a couple thou by taking the rebate and running down 
my own financing.  I was even able to do better than the finance guy at 
the dealership whose job it is to run down the best rates for their 
customers. 

That's all fer now...

-N

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