09-05-2012, 09:48 AM
Yeah, we did have one a couple years ago, probably should have kept it. But it was gray/steel-blue on black interior and we didn't have much trouble saying goodbye to it when baby #2 was on the way.
No, I'm not doing a great job looking, mostly because yes, it's not fun wading through all the automatics and black on black ones with chrome wheels or tinted windows. And we're not in a big hurry.
That green on tan combo is very high on our list. One just like that, manual, popped up at this little dealer in SALEM 2 months ago. 5 minutes away. Too good to be true! Did I already tell this story?
I test drive it. ABS and TC light are on. A few dings here and there, but it's priced accordingly, and we're just going to drive it into the ground anyway. Sales guy mentions before I drive it that the AC stopped blowing on a test drive the other day. And they're going to fix that, and when they put new pads on it, they broke one of the wheel speed sensors, which they have ordered and will replace. He even tells me the passenger window doesn't always like to respond, and they're replacing the regulator.
Cool. Seems like he's being upfront, that story is all quite plausible/typical. I drive it, seems great. All body panels original, looks clean underneath, no rust, engine sounds perfect, suspension and steering actually feel pretty crisp, like bushings have been replaced at some point. I can hear the compressor engage with AC, so maybe just the fan motor has died. Carfax checks out.
I put a small deposit on it pending repairs. He calls me up a week later. It's all done, sorry it took so long, come get it.
I drive it again. They had replaced the blower, AC working great. All windows work every time. Dash lights off....
I jam on the brakes. They lock. Hmm. I power out of a low speed corner, tail out. No ABS. No TC. :evil:
As I pull back into the dealer, I lock the brakes again right in front of the place, hop out and toss him the keys. We're done here buddy. You disabled the dash lights you ass. Are you trying to get my wife and kids killed?
Of course they're all defensive, and the owner just cannot believe I'm making such accusations, they would never do such a thing! I take them out to the car and explain that ABS and TC lights SHOULD come on when you first put the key in, which they do not anymore. Owner pretty much tosses my dollars back at me like I'm a stripper, I take them and GTFO.
Super Cars in Salem. Don't ever go there.
I hate most small dealers I've ever dealt with. I understand they're just flipping cars they got at auction, crossing their fingers that there's little or nothing wrong with them, washing them and putting them out there. But that isn't always going to work. I know tampering with airbag systems is criminal, I don't know ABS and TC, but I'm sure they sold the car to some other sucker and their "business model" proved once again successful. Heck, the first E46 we got was almost the same way, from Airport Motors in Charlottesville. Screw those guys too. I wanted to chuck the control arm I had to replace through their window, but I did finally get them to pay me the princely, deal-killing sum of $150 dollars that they agreed to pay at sale if the control arm was indeed bad as I had suspected, after threatening legal action.
I've only been searching for private party sales lately.
No, I'm not doing a great job looking, mostly because yes, it's not fun wading through all the automatics and black on black ones with chrome wheels or tinted windows. And we're not in a big hurry.
That green on tan combo is very high on our list. One just like that, manual, popped up at this little dealer in SALEM 2 months ago. 5 minutes away. Too good to be true! Did I already tell this story?
I test drive it. ABS and TC light are on. A few dings here and there, but it's priced accordingly, and we're just going to drive it into the ground anyway. Sales guy mentions before I drive it that the AC stopped blowing on a test drive the other day. And they're going to fix that, and when they put new pads on it, they broke one of the wheel speed sensors, which they have ordered and will replace. He even tells me the passenger window doesn't always like to respond, and they're replacing the regulator.
Cool. Seems like he's being upfront, that story is all quite plausible/typical. I drive it, seems great. All body panels original, looks clean underneath, no rust, engine sounds perfect, suspension and steering actually feel pretty crisp, like bushings have been replaced at some point. I can hear the compressor engage with AC, so maybe just the fan motor has died. Carfax checks out.
I put a small deposit on it pending repairs. He calls me up a week later. It's all done, sorry it took so long, come get it.
I drive it again. They had replaced the blower, AC working great. All windows work every time. Dash lights off....
I jam on the brakes. They lock. Hmm. I power out of a low speed corner, tail out. No ABS. No TC. :evil:
As I pull back into the dealer, I lock the brakes again right in front of the place, hop out and toss him the keys. We're done here buddy. You disabled the dash lights you ass. Are you trying to get my wife and kids killed?
Of course they're all defensive, and the owner just cannot believe I'm making such accusations, they would never do such a thing! I take them out to the car and explain that ABS and TC lights SHOULD come on when you first put the key in, which they do not anymore. Owner pretty much tosses my dollars back at me like I'm a stripper, I take them and GTFO.
Super Cars in Salem. Don't ever go there.
I hate most small dealers I've ever dealt with. I understand they're just flipping cars they got at auction, crossing their fingers that there's little or nothing wrong with them, washing them and putting them out there. But that isn't always going to work. I know tampering with airbag systems is criminal, I don't know ABS and TC, but I'm sure they sold the car to some other sucker and their "business model" proved once again successful. Heck, the first E46 we got was almost the same way, from Airport Motors in Charlottesville. Screw those guys too. I wanted to chuck the control arm I had to replace through their window, but I did finally get them to pay me the princely, deal-killing sum of $150 dollars that they agreed to pay at sale if the control arm was indeed bad as I had suspected, after threatening legal action.
I've only been searching for private party sales lately.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a van is a good guy with a van