We might eventually maybe in the future have a car we could possible sell you... we think

On to Honda. I have to say I've never spent so short a period of time in a dealership before. I honestly wonder how they make any money. Or why they even bother to Introduce a new car in 3 models if they aren't even planning on making the base model.

To start at the beginning. I went to Honda to look at the Fit. It's apparently fuel efficient, peppy and nice to look at with pretty good features for the price. It comes in DX, LX, and sport.

Obviously the sport is most expensive, then there's the LX which is cool but still over priced for a "small hatchback" at $18,380 (before tax, with A/T) definatly a "cheap" entry level car . Then there's the DX, the base which according to the sales guy they're only going to see 2 of them which they've already sold, so we really have no choice but move up to the LX, but it's all good because it's a better car, has A/C and some other great features.

So being the curious type I ask why they'll only see 2 DX models. The sales guy proceeds to explain that "Because noone really wants to buy a base level car they don't really produce them or make them available to purchase." To which i reply so why make a base model at all, and why advertise it as being available on the web site. He rather sputtered at that one, and repeated what he'd said before. So I figured I'd point out the obvious and said, "You know maybe the reason noone buys the base model is because they aren't available to buy not because people don't want to buy them. Not to mention if they've already sold 2 and they have people asking about a 3rd there are at least some people out there who want to buy one."

Oh and we can't forget the best part. Apparently all they have available is 1 fully loaded LX model and of course the sport. But if we wanted to order a different type then that we'd probably have to wait at least 3 months for it to come in.

It really does make you wonder why they're advertising their new line of Fit's if they don't even have any to sell.

So again we were at the point where my dad shook his head, we took the guys card, said thanks and left.

Turn the coin over and we find...

Toyota:

I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with these guys. Sure they've been described as vultures, ie not on the lot 10seconds before they're circling around you. But when you think about it, prompt service is a plus when you're buying a car. It shows if at the very least that they want you as a customer.

Being ignored just doesn't instill that same type of "You're a valued customer feeling" in me as hearing "Have you people been served yet?" as we're walking towards the entrance.

So on a whole no worries there, I told our "server" what I was looking for and he was showing my dad and I a perty little Yaris 5 door. Not exactly fully loaded but not really that bad. Took her for a test drive and it was cool, sorta strange to be in a car that feels "light" on the road though.

Either way the guy was pretty thorough, though I can now say from experience that the lack of "rough road" conditions on the route leads one to believe that the ride isn't so smooth on say gravel or even bumpy conditions. Which really makes you wonder. I've had 2 dealers give the car a chance to shine on the rocky roads and 4 who didn't. Then again with two we didn't even get to the test drive stage. Either way it makes you wonder about when some guys go out of their way to show you how their car offering preforms in rough conditions while others seem to avoid the subject.

I also noticed that the Toyota people do all their pricing from the web site and from the behaviour there really wasn't any "wiggle" room in the pricing or the lease financing. It was more, what you see is what you get. Which on a whole it was sort of like "If you don't buy it I'm sure there's someone out there who will. But I guess that's prolly why I'm not buying a Yaris.

Not to mention that although Toyota like many car companies now a days has a Graduate rebate program of one sort or another, it's the only one I've seen that specifies that you if your graduation is from Graduate school or anything other then a Bachelors degree then you don't get the deal. What the frig is that about? The sales guy tried to "gloss" that part over, saying things like "not to worry and I'm sure you qualify." But when it says right there that I don't you sorta begin to wonder, not to mention when he starts to ask me what colour I'd like.

So yeah, Toyota all round an ok experience. They're friendly all right but they still have this feel of "Not to worry, we'll take care of you." while they're actually standing there with their fingers crossed behind their backs.

The Yaris is a "cute" peppy car, but still light on the road. Really makes me wonder what would happen in windy conditions. Call me old fashioned but i like the feel that my car is on the road and secure.

BUt hey in comparison to the last dealer I visited a definate improvement!

The Saga Begins ....

You'll have to excuse the spelling, even with 3 degrees I don't always remember to hit the shift key for "i's" (I've been spoiled by Word) and I've always been a crap speller so if you're reading this I appoligize in advance for all of that.

One other thing, there will be swearing involved I'm sure, so beware thine Virgin eyes, if you're so inclined.

Sooooo... To Start:

You know i have to say it's a small wonder there are 1000's of ppl out there disillusioned with car manufacturers. On a whole I've been searching for a new or used car for a few months. Started out looking for the used but when it comes down to spending 4000$ at a minimum on a car that runs (when you buy it, you hope) and that is no later then a 1994, you kinda figure you're just better off splurging and getting a new one on lease where in you aren't going to have to worry about the whole if it breaks can i afford to dish another 1000$ to fix it.

So then you go looking for the cheapest entry level car out there. In my case i want an auto transmission, b/c i never learned to drive stick.

Mazda [in my case] is the first stop because I've been driving their cars for the last 11 years and my parents have owned one for the last 15 years. And I figured, hmm i'll walk in through these doors and sure it may take a min or 2 for them to notice but then someone will come help and we can get this show on the road. I stood in their show room for a full !Gods Damned! 15min, with my mum (cause she just happended to be there at the time, as it was really my dad and i car shopping but he was in with the mechanic checking up on something else) if my dad hadn't been with the mechanic, i would have walked out at the 5 min mark.

Yet we stand there, look at the cars, get in the cars test the features like the telescoping steering wheel etc. We're both ready to walk out when my dad walks in, but he wants to take a looksee at the cars, he's with us for 2 min and then finally someone comes and asks us if we need help. What is this "Females" can't buy cars now. This definatly upper management guy, goes and finds someone to "sell" us our car, b/c really what does he have the big office and the phone for. It's obviously so he can talk to his other not selling car buddies.

We finally start talking to some guy, and he's all. Well we don't have any of the base base models in. The 2007's are slowly trickling in but it'll be a while until they have any. So were' like "hmm you're a car dealership with none of the advertised cars to sell? how's that working for you?"

To make up for this obvious lack the guy starts his "we have other BETTER cars" speil.

First he tries to up sell, "we have the mazda 3 sport, it's a hatchback with all the goodies. He especially keeps pushing air conditioning. I HATE air conditioning. Yet even when I tell him that it's not a feature that's going to sell me a car he persists with the Air Conditioning is the wave of the future speil. It doesn't waste gas apparently and it keeps you cool. It must be GOD or something very close. Even when i explain that I won't use it because it makes my nose feel lik it's going to explode and induces nasty fits of coughing, he still persists. (Can't you see me rolling my eyes) Any ways this cool car with the extra cool air conditioning and all that other fun stuff starts at the low low price of only 23,000$" or some such craziness.

As we aren't really going for that he starts in on the returned lease cars and decides to begin "selling" directly to me the obvious "weaker" of the three. Apparently they have this fabulous deal on a returned lease (my first thought is why didn't the dude want to keep the car) that's in from the US. It had been adapted to Canadian standards etc and [he says this like it's the Ultimate selling point of this car] it comes in a colour not found in Canada [metalic sage green] (My first thought is whoop-t-doo) I quite literally say "and?" (in a rather sarcastic manner) but he keeps pressing the selling point of this "fancy" colour, like i'm some 2yr old who's going to buy their car soely on the fact that it's a "COOL" colour. While I'm thinking "this isn't a Freaking dinky that i can change the colour of with my 2$ paint set".

So i give him, the "what do you think i am?" look and get up, say thanks and walk out.

What i don't understand is how these people can possibly sell cars.

Not only is their customer service CRAP! [at least at this particular store, i've had fabu service on the east coast] But they treated me like i'm some "stupid girl" who hasn't a clue about cars and would only care about the colour. How do these people keep their jobs?

I have to say, when people insult my intelligence like that I feel like telling them to Pelt-shit! (yay for graphic newfie sayings) And explaining to them that dispite my being a girl I am capable of deciding if I'd like to buy my car based on other options then COLOUR!


As you can read this isn't the best way to start a Saga of car buying/leasing.

Over the next little while, I'll hopefully fill you in on the other dealers I've been to talk to. Oddly enough I'm up to 4 now and not all of them have treated me like a child. Then again, I still haven't "bought" a car.

For now it's off to sleep for me. Hopefully you'll read and enjoy my journey to buy a car.

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