12th Sep 2010, 16:18
This is all good if you are looking to buy a basic vehicle, as most rental companies don't have the top of the line cars to rent. It can make a difference in some cars as to the total experience. This is especially true with sports cars like the Mustang. You can't rent a GT, so what are you going on for your decision to purchase?
A much better plan is to go into the dealer with a well laid plan of attack. Shut down the salesman right from the start by letting him know that you are well informed about the car and you know what you're looking for. If they insist on going on a drive with you, kindly ask them to stop talking so you can focus on being observant. Also state that you would like to drive on a highway or any other type of road that you need to get a feel for. Any good salesman won't deny you this request. Make sure you go to a dealer that has easy access to the roads you want to test, even if you leave and go buy the car elsewhere. This shouldn't be too much of an effort if you are looking to go through the hassle of renting anyhow.
Unfortunately you need a salesperson to buy a car, so you just have to make the best of it and take charge. Most of the dealers I go to nowadays are not high pressure, and I don't get beat up to make a deal right on the spot. If they start getting like that, I just go elsewhere. I did that on my last car purchase, because we tested one car, and he totally beat me up to buy it after I asked about many different cars they had. Stupid really, as I bought the car at another dealer within a few days.
Unless you are looking at a totally different car that you have no experience with, there is no need for days on end test drives. It shouldn't take that much to see if the car suits you. If so, then sit down and list all of the points you may be concerned about before you even leave home. Then you can focus on the right things like line of sight, blind spots, ease of control layout or whatever else you may have concerns about. Just do an intelligent assessment and leave the emotions at the door, no matter how much you think you like the car, and you'll do fine.
12th Sep 2010, 18:12
No car built today (with the possible exception of some imports) is NOT made to never have the engine red-lined or the brakes forcefully applied. Referring to using a car's full potential as "abuse" is wrong. If any car manufacturer says their vehicle's full potential can't be used, I'd love to know what manufacturer that is so that I could avoid wasting time test-driving their poorly built cars.
12th Sep 2010, 19:08
What you really should do is figure out what you want to get for your car, and then what you're willing to pay for the new car and go in with your numbers in hand. It has to be reasonable, obviously, but if they see you with figures in hand, they take you a little more seriously.
My last deal was worked out completely down to the payment I expected, as that is so easy to get online now with calculators and such. Yes, it was a hard deal and we started out at $3K apart. I fought with them back and forth and got to within $1 of my desired payment. That was a trade deal too. You aren't obligated to tell them your current payment so they can jack it up. I never give that information during a deal. It is none of their business, and has nothing to do with the current deal you are working. Dealers have used the "new cars mean higher payments" tactic for years. You should always know what payment you will be at when you make a fair offer BEFORE you even walk into a dealer. If you don't, you will likely get ridiculous offers from any dealer.
On the test drive, tell the salesman to please be quiet so you can concentrate on the car. If you need them, you'll tell them! This can be done in a non-offensive manner so as to not alienate the person. They do have to work for you in the end, after all.
If the paperwork confuses you, then make it simple. Tell them to give you a hard cash number on your car, and a bottom line price for theirs, on two separate sheets, plain and simple. If they give you the runaround, then go somewhere else.
Dealers will ALWAYS tell you that they can waltz into any auction and pick up ten cars just like yours. This is true if your car is in fair condition, but not so much for a low mileage mint car. I've had more than one small dealer tell me that really top notch cars are not found at auctions too often. If they are that good, they are retailed plain and simple, and not wholesaled to some auction house for them to make the money off of. This whole auction and wholesale trade in offer is the biggest scam there is. They won't even use KBB or NADA guides for trade in allowances anymore, because they just have to rip people off for $thousands. You are much better selling a mint car outright, as you'll more than make up for the tax difference, and it will be worth the effort.
Buying a car is a lot of work if you do it right. To just wander into a dealer with a trade in and hope for the best will empty your wallet pretty fast! Just be educated and do lots of research, and the buying process isn't all that hard. Remember, there is always another dealer that will want to make you a better deal, if they don't come down far enough... they may even trade for the exact car you looked at where they didn't agree to your terms.
13th Sep 2010, 10:54
Speed was not mentioned. It's running lights or passing through unpaid at toll plazas. If the camera gets you, day or night, you may not pay, but who owns it will. How about driving through New York City by the way in a dealers car blaring the new sound system. I guess they get a ticket too with the noise laws there.
12th Sep 2010, 15:55
This has nothing to do whatsoever with confidence in a product. What gives you any right to abuse other people's property? Insurance is expensive, and someone that doesn't respect that can shop elsewhere. Believe me, I won't miss you on my lot ever, and I can sleep better at night knowing I am not endangering people's lives by giving someone a car that they intend to break every law with in order to make sure it suits their needs. There is never going to be a good argument that someone needs to take ANY car to its limits in order to make a informed decision on purchasing it for street driving where you are never legally allowed to push a car to it's full potential. Please just move on, because there is no point in arguing this further.