Car Shopping %#$&@!?!!!+%**$$$$$$

I've been told that cars these days have sensors that turn on a light in the instrument panel if the pressure in a tire gets low.My car has them.The story goes that air has moisture in it that can corrode these sensors and cause them not to work.Nitrogen doesn't do this...So the story goes.

It makes me wonder how many people just come in and pay what they are asking after a few trips back and forth to the sales manager, no matter how outlandish the number is.

Click to expand...

That is what's known as a "lay down" buyer.
They do exist, and they are the dream buyer for booth the dealership and the salesperson.With all the info on line, you can now get properly informed long before setting fot on a car lot. Just remember that pedestrian vehicles are solld by volumen therefore mark-up is much lower and the dealership will let it go at the lowest posible price, "cost" so to speak. But when it comes to highly desired or specialty vehicles, it's
a question of supply and demand.
However, the real profits are made in the "box", that little room where you buy all the extras like undercoating and paint protection.
You see, once you've signed the price worksheet with the salesman, you have already purchased the car (emotionally) and at an agreed upon price (theoretically), so now you let down your guard and the financing managers take full advantage of that vulnerability and now sell you packages to "protect your investment".
Buyer beware!

You think $89 for Nitrogen is bad, you should see how much I pay to fill the tires on my Lexus with unicorn farts. [/rimshot] :lol:

The argument for Nitrogen is that it does not have air which has moisture in it to degrade the rubber in the tire, doesn't expand as much under hot or high speed conditions, which is really rubbish as Nitrogen filling stations is not as pure as industrial Nitrogen. Take it from a fellow who has built Ethylene Plants from ground up and has had to deair equipment for placement in Service.

don't get locked into one brand/model.. do you homework online before ever venturing out. walk in and offer your price for the car you want. when they start aying no way just thank them and head for the door. don't be a wise ass just politely say thanks but no thanks. your phone will be ringing before you clear the lot.

When I bought my new F150 last year they wanted to sell me an insurance policy for the 18" chrome wheels. The policy didn't cover theft of the wheels; that would be covered under your standard policy. This policy was to cover replacement should you damage a wheel in a pothole, curbing or something. The wheels are expensive to replace but so was the policy as I recall. About twice the cost of a wheel. I laughed at that one and told the guy how many years I had been driving and had yet to ever damage a wheel, let alone two wheels!

I just went through the car buying process after an accident totalled my car. Gosh, you think the salesmen on the floor are bad wait until you deal with the people in financing. Those guys are the worst.

guess I'm lucky on this.
an old friend of mine is the fleet manager at the local toyota dealership...my last two purchases took maybe an hour max...quick process, effortless and equitable to both parties (especially this party)...no bs add-on's either.
as long as they make toyotas, I'm good to go.

The car knowledge by the majority of the people is minimal and so it becomes easy for those in the know, to manipulate those who don't. There are 3 steps that you can take before visiting a dealer or trying to buy a car from a private party. 1st-don't evr go in2 a dealer when u're in need of transportation...at least don't let a dealer know u're in need, because the more desperate u act or appear, the more the dealer is going 2 either raise the price or b less willing 2 drop the price. 2nd- Do your homework, surf the web sites of the dealers near you or go onto their lots after hours and get an idea of the cars they have, write down exact models, makes, with what options, and prices then when u get home, Check all car prices with a Kelly blue book or at Kelly blue book's website. Finally- once you're armed with your knowledge go into the dealer knowing that he/she will still try 2 jack u up on the price -OR- try 2 get u 2 pay more if u finance through the dealer (If at all possible, try to finance the car through your own bank). Finally- If u've never bought a car b4, have someone with you who has dealt with dealers before, who will also keep u focused or will speak up on your behalf.

Now- as 2 Y cant dealers b honest and fair? That's a qstn that will never b solved because now you're asking a someone to explain human nature ::

I have a 2014 GLK Mercedes Diesel and the car comes with 'run flat tires' because there is no room for a spare.
I took the expensive tire insurance and boy, was I glad I did!
the winter in the northeast last year was awful and the potholes everywhere. I went through four tires and the cost of replacement was 0.
Best investment on a car I have done in a while.
Each tire was about 400.00.

My former car, a 2006 Subaru Legacy station wagon, the last Legacy wagon they built, needed a lot of warranty

work -- two a.c. problems, two engine fans, and a wheel bearing. Once it got "fixed," it ran well, but now needed

head gaskets, a timing belt, a brake job, and air bag circuit repairs. I looked down the road and was dubious about

alternator, fuel pump, and other things that go wrong with cars over nine or ten. Wife has mobility problems and

wouldn't be well-served by being stranded on the roadside. So I dove in and traded the Subaru for a Mazda3 hatch.

Won't extoll the car. We'll see how it does. I will say, the price was moderate and the design is nifty. The salesman

took my first bid, which was cash and trade-in, all fees, taxes, and tags, out the door. That could mean I paid too much.

He said, wow, I'd really done my homework and hit it right. Who knows. At least the whole thing took only three hours.

I tend to run a car for eight or ten years so don't do this often.