Adventures in car shopping and repair

A month ago, I decided I was going to buy a new car. Well, it wasn't going to be a new car as much a new used car. I subscribed to Carfax and started doing some comparison shopping. I needed an SUV with a tow package (because I needed to tow the trailer when I moved in August) and decided on a Dodge Durango even though I did toy with the idea of getting another Jimmy.

I don't like salespeople- I know they are only doing their job but I truly prefer a no hassle purchase - c'mon I even bought my cell phone on line - but I went to the car lot prepared to haggle and be bothered. Apparently, it is illegal to sell cars on Sunday in Indiana so I got to look around all the lots without a single salesman - how nice!

On Monday, I went back to the lot with a pretty blue Durango with a tow package. I guess that vehicle was not for sale anymore but they did have other Durangos available. Not one of them had a price on them and when I asked the salesman how much they cost, he said that I would be very happy with the price. Are they free? Because that would make me happy. I just shook my head and braced for the sales pitch.

I took two Durangos for a test drive - both without any salesman with me - that was nice. The Durango is a nice vehicle though I am concerned about the built-in gun storage that comes standard in all Durangos! Neither of the vehicles had a tow package and one of them smelled like a dog. How much do they cost I ask again. And that is when the salesman breaks out the contract and tried to get me to triple my down payment and send me home with over $300 a month car payments. Um, yeah, can you say no thanks.

I tried to leave. The trucks really didn't offer what I needed (a tow package!) and for $300 a month I surely wasn't going to pay extra to have one installed. Plus they really were pushing the red (not a good color for a SUV) Durango with four wheel drive (which I will never use) and bad breaks (the salesman told me that there is supposed to be more give on a 4WD brake pedal than a non 4WD pedal). Salesman, ugh!

The second time I tried to leave, they called in the big guns - the financial manager who explained to me the difference between simple interest and compound interest. He also told me I could trade in the vehicle again in a couple years. First of all, the salesman did not listen to me at all when I told him I was working on my MBA - for goodness sakes we covered all that finance crap in my undergrad - I am not a stupid girl! Second of all, if I was the type of person that traded in a vehicle every two years, would I be driving a 1986? I so dislike old men that think they can be condescending to me because I don't have a penis!

They weren't going to let me leave - I swear I felt trapped so I played their game. I became a stupid girl and started to get all choked up about making such a big purchase so they would let me leave. Gee whiz!

They were going to give me $1000 for my trade in before I did any haggling which is great because I thought I would have to do some begging just to get half of that. I am going to keep the Jimmy for a bit longer which means I need to get some things repaired. I had to buy a new air filter so that meant I had to go to the evil Autozone shop. Think the finance guy was rude, the old men at Autozone make him look sweet. I walk in and tell them what I need and they want to look at my car to make sure I know what I am talking about "because a 1986 Jimmy has to have 8 cylinders" - it doesn't but they argue for a bit. They give me the air filter (which was the one I said I needed) and then ask me if I need them to put it in for me. For Pete's sake, it is an air filter! I know I need to find a better auto supply store but this is the only one on the West side.

Today I get to spend over $400 in tires and wheels. My brother had these rims that made the tires stick out from the frame and when I made tight turns, the tries rubbed on the frame - hence why the two front tires were pretty damaged even though the tires were relatively brand new. Thankfully, the guys at the tire store are never condescending and actually answer all of my questions.