Car sales have changed

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

It’s been a long time since I bought a car, but it’s now necessary, so I went into the process. I found a car I was interested in and went to the dealer. We talked and he asked if I wanted a test drive.

Of course, I agreed.

He came back with license plates and a key, handed me a key, then said, “I’ll be in the office doing some paperwork. Give it a spin around the block.”

Here he was handing me the keys to a brand new car and expecting me to bring it back. He didn’t even know my full name! (Of course, he had my own car as ransom.)

After the drive, I talked a bit about it and told him my wife would need to check it out and we’d be by tomorrow. He then said, “why don’t you take it home for a few days?”

I was flabbergasted. My instinct was to refuse, but I realized that he meant it and, since he made the offer, I said, “OK.”

This time, at least, he made a copy of my license and had me sign a paper. Oh, and they told me that if I got into an accident, it would be covered by their insurance.

So I have a brand new car in my driveway without putting down a cent. I drove it a bit today, and will do a bit more tomorrow.

I’m sure this is a good tactic in a way – you start to think the car is yours. But it also gives you enough time to get used to how the car drives.

This is a high volume dealer with a bunch of dealerships. Oddly, I actually knew the owner when I was a boy; he was a friend of my brother.

2

Absolutely. They did a study which showed that the mere act of holding something in your hands makes you far less likely to give it up. I can only imagine the effect that would have driving an entire vehicle.

Although that said, that didn’t happen to me when I last bought a car. Of course, I was only 21 at the time so not much of a surprise there.

3

When I bought my Mustang in 1998, I took it home for the night before purchasing it the next day. I don’t exactly remember the details, but I have no recollection of signing anything at all until I went back. They did have my car, though, with my registration and all that. It’s not like they couldn’t have found me if they needed to.

Pretty good tactic. Once it was parked in the garage, there was no way I was giving it back.

4

I had this offered to me about 7 years ago, and I almost took them up on the offer, but didn’t. I knew I wasn’t going to purchase that car and didn’t want the hassle of going back to the dealership to trade it back for mine. However, I think it’s a great way to sell a car.

A friend of mine had this offered to him over 25 years ago, but he lived in a very small rural town, so I imagine it was common to do it where everyone knows everyone. Very little likelihood you will disappear without someone noticing, so it is a safe bet to loan the car.

I’m not sure, but my guess is they don’t do this for every car. they will do it for cars that aren’t moving as well as expected, or for new models that would benefit being seen out on the road when there aren’t that many out there yet. Sort of like free advertising for the manufacturer.

5

My husband and I just bought a new van in March. Before buying it, my husband brought a similar van home for the night. He decided he didn’t really like it, but when he took it back the next day, he saw another one he liked a lot more. So he brought that one home and we kept it while we arranged the financing, which took a few days. If I remember correctly, we had a similar experience the previous time, about four or five years ago. That time, I think we tried out a couple of cars from different dealers, each for at least one night, before settling on the one we kept. It seems to be the norm around here – central western Ohio in an area of small cities and towns mostly under 25,000 in population.

6

Wow! I have a small garage. I had to beg & plead to have the car long enough (about an hr) to take it home & park it in the garage to see if it’d fit…& I knew the salesman; we had worked together for a few years (& not just the same company, but interacted regularly; got along, too). I liked the car but sadly, it didn’t fit.
I live in Phila, PA suburbs.

7

Sure, I had this offer in Fairfax, VA in 1975 so its not too new an idea.

8

Well, I bought the car. A 2013 Hyundai Elantra, so it wasn’t because they were having trouble selling it. It did give us a chance to drive it a bit more than a test drive, and to see if my wife could be comfortable in the driver’s seat.

9

See - the sales tactic works!

10

I had a used car (only 2 years old) handed to me for the weekend. He shouldn’t have done it, I figured that the frame was bent from what must have been a serious accident.

11

Clearly. :slight_smile:

I was in a rush with it. My 1993 Saturn was not going to pass NY State Inspection without spending $2000, and there were several other problems that may have caused serious issue. I would have liked to have kept it 20 years (we bought it in August of 1992), but it wasn’t worth sinking the money into it. And I needed to replace it by June 1, when it would no longer be legal to drive.

12

Congrats on the purchase!

I’ve heard great things about the Hyundai’s, specifically the Sonata, but all models get great reviews by just about everyone that owns one.

Have you ever owned one before, or was the Saturn the only car that you had before this one?

I’ve never been in one myself, but I don’t fit into asian cars very well. I’m 6’ 2.5" tall, and I’ve never been able to comfortable in any Honda, Integra, Toyota, Infinity, Nissan, Infinity, or any other one I’m forgetting. (subaru, suzuki, kia, and on and on and on!!)

13

I’m only about an inch shorter than you, and fit well into both Hyundais we own. My wife has a 2011 Sonata and I have a 2011 Santa Fe. The Sonata is weird in that it has about twice the interior room that it looks like it should have from the outside.

14

I’ve owned several cars:
1969 used Chevy Nova
1975 Subaru sedan
1980 Renault Le Car (a bad choice; its windows kept falling off, but it did run fine)
Used station wagon (don’t recall the make)
198? Used Crysler Le Baron
1993 Saturn SL1
1999 Saturn SL2 (still running)
2013 Hyundai Elantra

I think you would fit into this one. I had to push the seat all the way back in all my other cars; if I do that in this, I can’t reach the pedals.

15

Perhaps this is one of the reasons Hyundai’s have been so successful in the US. Beyond the quality and safety innovations, a roomy driver’s space would give this car an edge for me over something it has been compared to… a honda.

Perhaps it’s time I look at one of these cars and take it for a test drive. If I could fit comfortably in one, it would remove the single largest obstacle that has kept me out of asian cars in the past. They are reasonably priced, keep their resale value better than most, and have a very good warranty. I also like the looks of many of their models.

16

If you need a bigger car, I can’t recommend the Kia Optima enough. Huge front seat, huge back seat, awesome car.

They didn’t offer to let me take it home overnight, but only because I had to order mine special!

17

I sold cars for a spell in the late 90’s and we were taught to do this. It’s called the “Puppy Dog Close” because it’s a lot like taking home a puppy for a night or two… Most of the time you’re not going to want to give up that puppy.

18

North American car of the year. Trust me they are selling like hot cakes.

19

When I went shopping for my honda ridgeline I intentionally did not bring my checkbook/wallet, just ID, to make sure I did not have any “handy money” to make an impulsive buying decision.

I liked it alot, but told the salesman I would have to come back tomorrow with my checkbook as it was almost closing time and I did not have it with me.

His reply, “Take the truck, go get it, I will wait” and offers me the keys.

I bought the truck that night.

20

They tried to get me to do that at Audi and I refused. Too much pressure :stuck_out_tongue: