Car buying madness!

dlw · 06-04-05, 04:09

In the last couple of days, I have had the opportunity to reconfirm the fact that selling a car will turn even the most honest, nice people into something evil and malicious! After the insurance trolls totaled my '99 CRV, I began my quest for a replacement. I have been lied to, treated like an idiot and just plain disrespected by dealers, salesmen and even a private party. Best one yet was the CRV that was the family's favorite and being sold only to help defray tuition costs for the daughter's schooling. I was in "MINT" condition, a beautiful blue, "looks and runs great". My son-in-law (Honda body shop manager) and I arrive at the scene of the crime. Owner, mid-40's in very nice neighborhood proceeds to show off "his baby". Most vicious hail damage I've ever seen. Air bag light stays on but he assured us that it was just a wiring problem. Wanna drive her? Just slouch down in the seat a bit so you can see past the horizontal crack running the full length of the windshied at eye level. The driver's side rear door has to be pushed open from the inside because the kiddies have slammed the door on the seat belt buckles so hard that the door jam is pocked like the surface of the moon. Also, please stay on the side streets because the front tires need replacing due to cords hanging out. Start her up, but don't breath too deeply and keep the extinguisher handy in case the oil leaking everywhere under the hood catches on fire! Jeez, I swear, if I ever lied to anyone so badly, I fear they would kick my a..s. And don't even get me started on the badly repaired, hail damaged, roll-over accidents that the dealers have shown me, all priced at least a grand above NADA & Blue Book to add a bit of haggle factor in. My wife's cousin is going to check out another "cream puff" for me tomorrow (it's 300 miles away). I can afford a new car, but I'm on strike against the highway robbers that insure my 4 cars. My goal is the get all my cars to the age that will require only liability insurance - that'll teach em! It's gonna be a long search for a decent CRV I fear...

Mr. Glass · 06-05-05, 03:23

I hate buying cars. The engine went in my car a month back and I usually would trade it in but I didn't want the headache so I had a new engine put in. I am glad I did. When I sit and think about all the time and energy it would take and all the BS I would have to deal with I know I made the right choice.

medic · 06-05-05, 11:02

check out carmax if they are by you or someone you know. much better used cars then any private sales I've found

themightytimmah · 06-06-05, 06:03

Yeah, you wouldn't believe the lies used sellers tell. I do work for an "undisclosed corporation", and about a month ago they brought me a black 2000 GMC 2500 with 128,000 miles.

It had obviously been towed with (and I dont mean towed carefully and responsibly, I mean THRASHED), entire car drove kind of "loose", transmission felt like it wasn't quite catching, engine idled funny, it had dents, was smoker owned, and had more scratches than you can imagine (no bedliner, and they hauled gravel with. More than once. I don't think the loader operator was too accurate, either). It took me 10 hours of work just to get it detailed decently (heh, I ate lobster that night, they pay me by the hour), if that gives you any idea of the condition (4 hours of buffing alone, and that was just on the scratches that arent down to metal).

Flash forward two weeks, and I'm looking through the paper. I see an ad for this exact truck, and its listed as "One owner, good condition, well cared for, ready to work. Asking 11,800". I almost pissed myself when I saw the ad. I'll never buy from them, thats for sure

.

P.S. don't ask me who it is, despite their poor sales practices, they take good care of me.

Aurora40 · 06-06-05, 06:32

I have to second the CarMax thought. They are pretty particular about what they sell, mostly because they make money on their warranties. Also you have 5 days to return it.

Sorry your experiences have been so crummy. At least you know what to look for and have someone experienced in bodywork with you.

guy1138 · 07-11-05, 12:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by themightytimmah

Yeah, you wouldn't believe the lies used sellers tell. I do work for an "undisclosed corporation", and about a month ago they brought me a black 2000 GMC 2500 with 128,000 miles...was smoker owned,

Oh god, I can't stand smoker cars. They should all be crushed. Were you able to get the film off of the windsheild? was the headliner starting to fall yet. Ewww, just blech.

guy1138 · 07-11-05, 12:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlw

It's gonna be a long search for a decent CRV I fear...

Probably. It's pretty much a mom-mobile. Seriously I admire your restraint. I would have had to tell the guy off. I mean, lying to me to get me down there and what, thinking I won't notice all that crap that's wrong? What a waste of your time. As a (reluctant) member of the human race, I apologize for that cretin.