I did!!!! I purchased a car
To make the decision, it took a lot of research. I researched the car, how to negotiate with cars salesmen, and things to watch for in the finance office.
I believe I bought a quality vehicle which will last hopefully 10 to 15 years. The technology is unbelievable. You basically do not have to drive. If you are going above 19 mph, it will drive for you in terms of cruise control. I believe you have to steer. I haven’t tried it on my own as it is kinda scary. With the car guy, I tried it and it is crazy to trust it to brake on its own. Really cool. I got everything I wanted in terms of a preferred package AND the city sense braking/ safety package. I wish my blog readers could come down and see it. I have five Disney tickets, so let me know if you want to spend the weekend with my new car … and me. (I have a ticket for each blog reader).
Maryann, from work, went with me. We went to the dealership close to my house. They weren’t really giving me a great deal on a 2017. I feel they were giving me what I could have negotiated for last year at this time. Then, we went to a dealership 16 miles away from where I live. When you enter, you do feel like you are in Saudi Arabia – the dealership is pristine and there just seem to be rows of men behind counters. We got there around 11 a.m. and we left around 2 p.m. They didn’t have the color of the car I wanted in 2017, so I did get a 2018, but I believe for a difference of less than $2000, I am happy with my decision. It was not an easy decision. I don’t think they like me, but I don’t care. Ha. We were about $300 a part in the end and I said that $300 means nothing to me….it means even less to the dealership. I said, “guys I know would make fun of me if I don’t come back with a bigger discount”….etc…. I played the game I believe.
I still think they won, but I feel I got a fair deal. The test drive and the negotiation were just the beginning of the hoops. I didn’t take my car, because I didn’t know how many trips it had left in it. When they priced my car, I did say that the engine was on and it was overheating. Life is too short to be shady. Maryann took me home around 2:30 p.m. I put coolant in it and drove in the right-hand lane the entire way. I avoided I-4. I called Dad around mile 11 and counted down the miles with him. “11, 10, 6.2, 6.0, 4.6, 4.0, 2.0” and I made it. They gave me what the mechanic said was fair for the car and it is extremely nice not to have it anymore.
Once I got back, I had to go to finance office. When I was traveling in Europe alone, I put huge radars up to sense any potential scammers. This guy was trying to be my friend and I was very skeptical. I got a little confused — and confusion is the dealer’s best friend. I “phoned a friend” a few times and I am happy with what I ended up doing. It is tricky to know — Dave Ramsey says this, etc….. The guy got a little mad at me, so I knew I did something right. Ha. He said I took the longest of anyone he has ever seen. I believe that could be a lie, but whatever… I probably had the highest credit score of anyone there too….for a reason (I didn’t say any of that). (The real reason: I was put on Dad’s credit card at a young age.)
Finally, they called State Farm and I got my insurance updated. It only increased by $140 for the year…not too bad for the state of Florida. The same state where we realized someone stole my stickers off the car!! It says ’14 on my license plate. Evidently, that is a big thing here. They take them and put them on their car.
I left the dealership at 7 p.m. after a long day’s work.
I celebrated with a free meal from Sweet Tomatoes I had been saving.
Well, I feel I have come a long ways since last weekend. I struggled so much in my previous car that it is really nice to be at this point now. (It is nice to say “previous car”).
(Other pictures you will see are the Economic Summit I attended and another good deal: a $10 waffle maker from Target less than the size of my hand.)
(The car has beige, leather interior seats. I don’t think I took a picture of the interior.)