<VV> Car salesmen

[Padgett]

Frankly, if at all possible, I avoid them. It is a rare event when I buy a 
new car (one this year, last one was in 1990) and then  have usually done 
my research beforehand and know exactly what is wanted. Further, I have 
never traded in a car, the deals have been simple.

What really ticks me off is when everything is done they try to make me pay 
for their mistakes. In 1978 I special ordered a 78 Sunbird with V-8 and 
4-speed. Had to put up a $1000 deposit to order a car in Florida that was 
not available with a/c (that used to be a giveaway that something was 
"interesting"). Car was intended to be a "daily driver & autocross" car no 
nothing that added weight without a perfomance gain was ordered.

When it came in (two months later, build date was pushed out twice) it had 
the deluxe interior instead of the heavy duty electrical system on the 
order sheet and they expected me to pay more than what was on the contract. 
Now I kept the car for over 20 years and it was always superb handling if a 
touch "unstable" so the car did everything I wanted just the transaction 
was stressful.

Another time we had closed the deal for a new car on the dealer's lot. I 
had an order form and had given a credit card for the deposit (was going to 
finish the deal the next day). About 7 o'clock that night I got a call that 
they had figured the discount wrong (they had refused to give me the 
figures, just the bottom line), it was really $1000 more, and refused to 
honor the original contract (as always, no trade was involved)

So while I really like cars, I do not like dealing with salesmen, even 
after the deal is done and it is on paper, they seem to find ways that it 
really isn't what you thought.

Padgett