I have been looking to buy a truck for the last month. Today I saw a truck that I really liked for a price that was awesome. Here is a link http://www.marinamotorsonline.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=2190&category_id=42&option=com_phpshop&Itemid=1 (http://www.marinamotorsonline.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=shop.flypage&product_id=2190&category_id=42&option=com_phpshop&Itemid=1)
"We are selling our 2003 Toyota Tacoma Extra Cab TRD Off Road SR5. This truck has everything and looks 95% new and show room condition. The condition of the paint is near flawless everywhere where there are no dents, scratches or spray paint. All of the bumpers and plastic moldings look good if you don't count the huge dent in the front bumper, or the fact that the grill is held on by zip ties. This is probably the cleanest Tacoma currently offered for sale at this price."
I guess my idea of 95% is WAY different than theirs. The grill was held on by zipties, there were good size dents and scratches all over the entire truck and it looked like the bed had been used to haul gravel for about 10 years.... "show room condition"
There were tons of random wires hooked up to the battery and when I asked the salesman what they were, he said "for electrical things, it doesn't harm the truck"
I take the car out for a drive and the belts squeal like a stuck pig. I figured it hadn't been driven in a while, so it may stop when the truck warms up. When I get on the freeway, at 50mph the squeal is so loud it hurts my ears. I pull off at the next exit to turn around. I look over at the guy and give him the whole "well that doesn't sound too good..." and he says "it is a very strong truck"
I asked him if he could have the belts replaced if I were to buy the truck and he said that we can talk to the sales manager when I get back. As I am pulling into the lot I see the manager with another "customer" waiting to test drive the truck I am in. I get out and immediately he starts saying how great the truck is to the other "customer". The salesman I was with calls the manager over so we can talk about the squealing noise, and price.
I tell him that there was a loud noise when I stepped on the gas and he told me it was a loose muffler... I said no it is coming from the engine, it is a squealing noise. I then asked if he could have that fixed if I buy the truck and he said no. I asked if he could work with me on the price because the truck needs a little work done... I think this really pissed him off
he raises his voice and says "No, the truck is sold as is, it isn't a safety issues so if you don't like it dont buy it!"
I toss him the keys "I won't buy it then, thanks buddy"
I walked back to my motorcycle and saw the other "customer" go back into the service area...
What a douchebag. I don't know how he sells cars with that attitude. I also thought the whole fake customer gig was really funny. They also had about 1/3 of the inventory that they claim to have online. When I asked about a few other trucks "oh, that sold yesterday" or "we just sold that one last weekend"
shouldda just given him that newark attitude and stabbed him for being a liar.
That car is in no way shape or form "showroom" unless your showroom is the junk yard. Nice tires though!
Quote from: He Man on March 04, 2009, 10:19:41 PM
shouldda just given him that newark attitude and stabbed him for being a liar.
[laugh]
Looked like a nice truck in the tiny pic Vin.
Don't worry. Just like looking at homes..you might lose out on this one but the next one will be even better!! [thumbsup]
The add probably should have said "guaranteed to disappoint".
Eh, just go back tonight and steal the cat out of it. It'll make up for your time.
Quote from: He Man on March 04, 2009, 10:19:41 PM
shouldda just given him that newark attitude and stabbed him for being a liar.
That car is in no way shape or form "showroom" unless your showroom is the junk yard. Nice tires though!
Alright, watch yourselves around He Man. Just read another thread where he advocated stabbing someone. I think somebody's gonna get stabbed soon, might not matter who [laugh]
I read a great review of the Sebring recently. The journalist describes the salesperson trying to sell it - comparing it to the Acura TSX! Funny stuff:
http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/yankee-econo-car-comparo-3rd-place-chrysler-sebring/ (http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/yankee-econo-car-comparo-3rd-place-chrysler-sebring/)
I was looking at a used F150 (34k miles). Took it for a test drive and noticed a humming from the rear-end. I occasionally have to drive our F150 work trucks, so I knew what it was- some rear-ends were not built to spec causing misalignment in the gears. Could be a simple kit fix <1k or could be up to 5k for a new axle.
Told them about it, they said they knew. I asked them to fix it before I bought it, or compensate monetarily. They said no. I asked, "So basically you're looking for a buyer who has no idea about this issue or the cost to fix it?"
Them, "Yes."
"Who is the fool, the fool or the fool that you are fooling" -Raconteurs
Quote from: swampduc on March 05, 2009, 06:29:49 AM
Alright, watch yourselves around He Man. Just read another thread where he advocated stabbing someone. I think somebody's gonna get stabbed soon, might not matter who [laugh]
Don't worry about it. It is the natural reaction to any engineer studying Differential Equations.
Quote from: stateprez on March 05, 2009, 06:42:39 AM
I was looking at a used F150 (34k miles). Took it for a test drive and noticed a humming from the rear-end. I occasionally have to drive our F150 work trucks, so I knew what it was- some rear-ends were not built to spec causing misalignment in the gears. Could be a simple kit fix <1k or could be up to 5k for a new axle.
Told them about it, they said they knew. I asked them to fix it before I bought it, or compensate monetarily. They said no. I asked, "So basically you're looking for a buyer who has no idea about this issue or the cost to fix it?"
Them, "Yes."
"Who is the fool, the fool or the fool that you are fooling" -Raconteurs
Man that is make the beast with two backsed up...
Personally, I like the half dozen cig burns I can see in drivers seat from a quick look at the photo.. and the 3in tear in the upholstery.... 95%... yeah sure.
never ever EVER...... buy a used car off a car lot! EVER!
I've spent most of my working life , working at new car dealerships. I've been the used car reconditioning manager at two different dealersips. Rarely (Vegas odds) will you get a good car and an actual good deal.
The dealers use a term "turn and burn". If a car thats been taken in on trade does not sell within 30 days... they either take it to an auction, or sell it to a wholesaler (small used car store). Tons of cars just cycle around the country that way. And while they cycle...they are being abused by lot personal, driven home at night, on weekend trips, to the bar..... and they drive them just like a rental..... HARD. And to keep repair costs low...they have them repaired at which ever garage will do the repairs cheapest. I worked for a GMC dealership where we sent the used cars out to an independent shop down the street, because they considered our own "certified" mechanics, too expensive) ya get what ya pay for.
I"ve seen vehicles that have been in floods.... I've seen vehicles where people committed suicide in them..... I've seen saw dust in rear alxes.... I've seen mechanics dump gallons of Marvel Mystery Oil in cars that should have been put to sleep ages ago.
99.9% of the time.... a used car becomes a used car, because it became more of a problem for the previous owner than it was worth.
AND NEVER EVER BUY/FINANCE A USED CAR EXTENDED WARRANTY!!!!!!!
Quote from: bobspapa on March 05, 2009, 07:40:18 AM
never ever EVER...... buy a used car off a car lot! EVER!
I've spent most of my working life , working at new car dealerships. I've been the used car reconditioning manager at two different dealersips. Rarely (Vegas odds) will you get a good car and an actual good deal.
The dealers use a term "turn and burn". If a car thats been taken in on trade does not sell within 30 days... they either take it to an auction, or sell it to a wholesaler (small used car store). Tons of cars just cycle around the country that way. And while they cycle...they are being abused by lot personal, driven home at night, on weekend trips, to the bar..... and they drive them just like a rental..... HARD. And to keep repair costs low...they have them repaired at which ever garage will do the repairs cheapest. I worked for a GMC dealership where we sent the used cars out to an independent shop down the street, because they considered our own "certified" mechanics, too expensive) ya get what ya pay for.
I"ve seen vehicles that have been in floods.... I've seen vehicles where people committed suicide in them..... I've seen saw dust in rear alxes.... I've seen mechanics dump gallons of Marvel Mystery Oil in cars that should have been put to sleep ages ago.
99.9% of the time.... a used car becomes a used car, because it became more of a problem for the previous owner than it was worth.
AND NEVER EVER BUY/FINANCE A USED CAR EXTENDED WARRANTY!!!!!!!
All good knowledge! +1 [thumbsup]
Most average consumers (myself included) don't think of those things when it comes time to look for a 'new' car. It's so hard anymore even to get a new car that you can depend on not being built cheap or having a need for services too often.
Recently (say within the last year), we started getting really interested in the Saturn Sky:
(http://www.desktopcar.net/wallpaper/15718-2/Saturn_Sky_Red_Line_27.jpg)
Great looks, fun to drive, reliable. But now that Saturn's scheduled to be nixed in the next few years, we weren't even sure if it would be smart to look at getting one. We both drive imports (a Honda Civic and a Nissan Xterra), and aside from normal wear, they have been basically maintenance free.
With the market the way that it is, even loosing money on a vehicle (you'd think) would be better for a dealer than not getting any money for a possible sale. That's just sad.
(http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/mba/lowres/mban1168l.jpg)
Quote from: bobspapa on March 05, 2009, 07:40:18 AM
never ever EVER...... buy a used car off a car lot! EVER!
I've spent most of my working life , working at new car dealerships. I've been the used car reconditioning manager at two different dealersips. Rarely (Vegas odds) will you get a good car and an actual good deal.
The dealers use a term "turn and burn". If a car thats been taken in on trade does not sell within 30 days... they either take it to an auction, or sell it to a wholesaler (small used car store). Tons of cars just cycle around the country that way. And while they cycle...they are being abused by lot personal, driven home at night, on weekend trips, to the bar..... and they drive them just like a rental..... HARD. And to keep repair costs low...they have them repaired at which ever garage will do the repairs cheapest. I worked for a GMC dealership where we sent the used cars out to an independent shop down the street, because they considered our own "certified" mechanics, too expensive) ya get what ya pay for.
I"ve seen vehicles that have been in floods.... I've seen vehicles where people committed suicide in them..... I've seen saw dust in rear alxes.... I've seen mechanics dump gallons of Marvel Mystery Oil in cars that should have been put to sleep ages ago.
99.9% of the time.... a used car becomes a used car, because it became more of a problem for the previous owner than it was worth.
AND NEVER EVER BUY/FINANCE A USED CAR EXTENDED WARRANTY!!!!!!!
What about obvious lease return CPO's? Like BMW? I can't imagine they are in the same class of "used" that you are talking about...or are they?
Quote from: hbliam on March 05, 2009, 08:23:55 PM
What about obvious lease return CPO's? Like BMW? I can't imagine they are in the same class of "used" that you are talking about...or are they?
Wondering the same thing. Was thinking about a used M3 or 5 in a year or so.
Quote from: hbliam on March 05, 2009, 08:23:55 PM
What about obvious lease return CPO's? Like BMW? I can't imagine they are in the same class of "used" that you are talking about...or are they?
a CPO is about the only way I would be talked into a used car off a dealer. When I worked at BMW...we had a few used CPO's on the lot with less than 20k on the clock. The factory extended the 3 years 50k warranty to 6 years 100k on all CPOs back then....so you could get a great deal on a car that had to meet the factorys version of whats good (which is waaaaaay better than the dealers standar), and you got an even better warranty out of it. All at a discounted price.
Lease returns can be beat to hell just like any other car, and not all of them will make CPO standards (this is assuming the factory still has high standards)
keep in mind..... it's been years since I was in the car mix, and standards on CPOs may have changed as the economy has changed. When lm and I were looking for a car for her in 07, Saturns CPO cars were poo and the warranty extension was a joke.
never finance a used car.
never walk into onto a car lot (new) without being preapproved for a known amount from your bank, with papers in hand. ( do not play the monthly payment game with them)
never fall in love with a specific car.
test drive a car w/o a salesman in it. leave yer kids with the guy if you have to..... that way you can drive the shit out of it.
ask to see the service history of any used car..... if a dealers says it has none, he's a lying sack of shit.
the only kind of used car you should ever buy off a corner used car lot..... is one you paid cash for and one you can fix yourself.
Quote from: bobspapa on March 05, 2009, 09:09:45 PM
Lease returns can be beat to hell just like any other car, and not all of them will make CPO standards (this is assuming the factory still has high standards)
My old man always leases high-end sedans because in his dealer's words, "If you wreck it, you're not stuck with the depreciation."
Take from that what you will, but I wouldn't expect all dealer's certification standards to be at the same level.
No curb is too high for a rental or a lease ~
JM
You can test drive a car with the salesman aboard. Ask my wife about our Honda test drive through Central Park with the salesman in the back seat [evil]
Quote from: howie on March 06, 2009, 07:22:32 AM
You can test drive a car with the salesman aboard. Ask my wife about our Honda test drive through Central Park with the salesman in the back seat [evil]
When I sold BMW's, I had a blast taking customers out and showing them just what the DTC button does [evil]
I drove the cars harder than the customers would [laugh]
I thought the stuff in red was actually in the ad, and wondered what you were complaining about since they were being so straightforward about the stuff
[laugh]
Quote from: JEFF_H on March 06, 2009, 08:46:25 AM
I thought the stuff in red was actually in the ad, and wondered what you were complaining about since they were being so straightforward about the stuff
[laugh]
So did I. [laugh]
My first thought was "wow, that dealer has a pretty good sense of humor!"
I have read close to 10,000 used car and truck ads now and they drive me insaine!!!!!!!
mileage: 276,345 mostly freeway miles
really? the car is 5 years old what the Fck else would you drive on that much? 200,000 offroad miles? 150,000 city street miles... F&CK I hate people. Traffic around here sucks, even if you are on a freeway during rush hour it is stop and go. Is that better than stopping at a light on a city street?
I wish I would have known about the premium that trucks seem to fetch out here before I sold my old one.
What are some good websites beside CL, autotrader and vehix?
Quote from: Vindingo on March 06, 2009, 04:43:21 PM
I have read close to 10,000 used car and truck ads now and they drive me insaine!!!!!!!
mileage: 276,345 mostly freeway miles
really? the car is 5 years old what the Fck else would you drive on that much? 200,000 offroad miles? 150,000 city street miles... F&CK I hate people. Traffic around here sucks, even if you are on a freeway during rush hour it is stop and go. Is that better than stopping at a light on a city street?
I wish I would have known about the premium that trucks seem to fetch out here before I sold my old one.
What are some good websites beside CL, autotrader and vehix?
I'll sell ya mine ;) ;D
Quote from: bobspapa on March 06, 2009, 08:33:34 AM
When I sold BMW's, I had a blast taking customers out and showing them just what the DTC button does [evil]
I dove the cars harder than the customers would [laugh]
Wannna bet [evil], right before we pulled the trigger on the wifes 08 335 xi coupe, I took an 07 lease return Z4 for a test. Let's just say that both the CA and I had $hit eatting grins on when we got back 45 minutes or so later. She gave me that " fess up " look, I shrugged and said 'you don't want to know'. ;D
This reminds me of the part from the Grapes of Wrath where the Okies were trading their mules and cows for cars. Things haven't changed that much since the 1930s as far as used car "reconditioning".