Wife and I finally did this after 35 years

[rsdukes]

Last new car was a Chevy Monza bought at a high pressure dealership in Chicago 35 years ago....... The experience, traumatic!
Last attempt at a dealer was for a 2000 Seville 7 years ago in southern Indiana, THEY kept my keys to keep me hostage to make the deal( I already had the numbers from Edmounds for both the trade in and dealer retail ) As I walked out I was told " Go buy it from Edmounds ". Doing the research on the Seville it was repeated, "but not as good as the BMW". So I found a 2001 7 series private party and I was hooked. Bought for a song but soon and often found out a $70,000 car has $70,000 parts. When it went "ding" my wife heard "chaching". 2 mustang driving kiddies playin on the western Kentucky parkway will remember my now gone 740IL. I know, not proper behavior for a 50+ gentleman. Man I had to replace that BMW feel but I work for a living. Then I read the reviews on the Genesis! So once again I must strap on my armor and face the enemy dealer. Started online with the local Evensville dealer and ended with a pleasant Saturday pick-up, paper sign for Our new 3.8 sedan... not quite ready to call her a "genny", but I never could bring myself to call her predecessor a "beemer".
So I am a happy camper.. Nice forum for a nice car from a nice buying experience.

 

[Mark_888]

Last new car was a Chevy Monza bought at a high pressure dealership in Chicago 35 years ago....... The experience, traumatic!
Last attempt at a dealer was for a 2000 Seville 7 years ago in southern Indiana, THEY kept my keys to keep me hostage to make the deal.

Whenever I have a trade-in, I take two sets of keys with me. When they try and hold me hostage, I just pull out the other set of keys and tell them I am leaving, and mysteriously the other set of keys that they could not locate suddenly appears.

 

[rsdukes]

Good idea to deal with the enemy.......... but really why do they do it!

 

[Mark_888]

Good idea to deal with the enemy.......... but really why do they do it!

Because they sell more cars that way. They know once you leave after starting negotiations, the chances of doing a deal are statistically much less likely. I also think some customers just get worn down by their tactics and are more likely to just do a deal and get out of there, and the sales staff know that.

 

[7i bigblock]

I have found that HONDA is by far the worst at this. No mater what state you are in. The salesman gives the keys to the sales manager---so they say and then it takes them a half hour to find the keys--- happened to me a few times at HONDA dealers. Honda's are great cars, but their dealerships demonstrate why a lot of us HATE to go and buy a new car.The people Ive dealt with at Hyundai have been much better than Honda-- keep up the good work.

 

[Crusty Old Shellback]

Nice choice and welcome. Sorry of teh bad dealer news.

years ago I went looking for a new truck. i wound up talking with the fleet sales guy on the phone. Told him straight up, I won't BS him and I don't expect any BS from him. I told him what I was looking for and the colors. We set a date to meet.

When I got there I told him that I'm a straight shooter and expeceted nothing less from him. If he showed me something I didn't ask to see, I'd walk. Worked out pretty good.

But he got one over on me. After looking at all the trucks he had for me, I saw a nice blue extended cab with a step side bed in the back of the lot. I asked him "what about that one?" He looked me squarley in the eye and said "You didn't ask for one of those". I told him he was right, but I'd like to see it.

Well I bough that blue truck, and 2 more vehicles from him over the years. But I have very quickly walked out when salesmen start trying to BS me.

 

[Mark_888]

I have found that HONDA is by far the worst at this. No mater what state you are in. The salesman gives the keys to the sales manager---so they say and then it takes them a half hour to find the keys--- happened to me a few times at HONDA dealers. Honda's are great cars, but their dealerships demonstrate why a lot of us HATE to go and buy a new car.The people Ive dealt with at Hyundai have been much better than Honda-- keep up the good work.

Trust me, it is not limited to Honda. It is a standard trick known by all car sales people. A local Hyundai dealer tried that on me (in addition to server dealers of other brands over the years).

Also, it has nothing to do with the manufacturers, as they have very little control over those types of sales tricks performed at independent dealerships.

 

[rsdukes]

Looks like a topic for the forum.....

Dealer tricks Dealer treats

We can rate and rave............. of course it would not work because the worst of the dealers would hijack with falsies.

 

[PMCErnie]

rsdukes, there are two CarMax locations in Kentucky. That is a great place to unload a car, at a good price, before buying a new one.

Welcome to da group!

 

[EXBMWGUY]

Thirty years ago, a friend in Los Angeles was at a Ford dealership that put his trade on the used-car lot while he was doing a test drive.


They didn't realize who they were dealing with, because after he threatened to call the LAPD, got his keys and left without buying a car, he spend the next 10 or so years bad-mouthing that dealership. Not a single day passed without him telling somebody what had happened.

The dealer has been out of business since the mid-90s.

______________________________

Help support this site so it can continue supporting you!

 

[rsdukes]

Wonder how many other ex-BMW folks are out there? Any regrets?

 

[427435]

My most memorable dealer experience was 45+ years ago. Just married, not much money, needed a 2nd car so each of us could get to work. Found a 1960 Ford Ranch Wagon (only 2 doors, 6cyl, 3 spd manual and rusty). It drove Ok but the alternator light stayed on. They wanted $595 and I offered $200 and they fix the alternator. Although young, I knew they didn't have a lot of buyers looking for a car like that. Fifteen minutes of dicking around, they accepted my offer and told me to come back the next night to pick up the "fixed" car.

I returned the next night and they quickly wanted to trade the keys for my money. I said just wait a minute, took the keys and turned the ignition to "on" without starting the engine. Guess what, the alternator light didn't come on. The ba$tards had just cut the wire to the light!!

They fixed it by the next night but, like another poster, I bad-mouthed that dealer to anyone that I could.

 

[Potty_Pants]

Wonder how many other ex-BMW folks are out there? Any regrets?

Not really. For me its like a fat chick... gotta do at least one.

2007 twin turbo 6 0-60 in 4.2ish dinan stage 2

But tons of issues. Wont buy another.


Ppp

 

[videopho]

Buying experience with a Toyota dealership in Plano, TX a few years ago was almost a nightmare as dealing with absolute bunch of crooks.
Tried to buy my daughter a car there, and I had to threathen to call 911 if they do not give the key back.
On the other hand a Lexus dealership in Dallas was just the opposite.

 

[EXBMWGUY]

Wonder how many other ex-BMW folks are out there? Any regrets?

Not for a second!

 

[car1]

Wonder how many other ex-BMW folks are out there? Any regrets?

No regrets

 

[drpearso]

rsdukes - I keep reading (on this site) how there are many Ex-BMW guys out there. Is the high number just due to this site, or are the BMW's simply a complex headache. I'm pretty restricted to a few cars that have power bolsters, and BMW is one of them, along with ATS Cadillac.

So are the BMW's that bad in general due to mechanical issues? I'm just curious. Regards, Dan

 

[EXBMWGUY]

rsdukes - I keep reading (on this site) how there are many Ex-BMW guys out there. Is the high number just due to this site, or are the BMW's simply a complex headache. I'm pretty restricted to a few cars that have power bolsters, and BMW is one of them, along with ATS Cadillac.

So are the BMW's that bad in general due to mechanical issues? I'm just curious. Regards, Dan

My experience: (1) 12 or 13 dealer warranty visits in 12 months of ownership of a new 5-Series; (2) Software updates that introduced new problems as they fixed old ones; (3) HPFP issues again and again and again - the car just stops wherever it decides to; (4) wheel and tire design nightmares - dented or cracked rims; (5) electromechanical flaws all over the car - window and door lock failures, trunk controls, etc. (6) design mentality that eliminates a dipstick and forces you to depend on an oil level sensor to know whether your engine has enough oil in it (and of course, if the oil quality is poor). Life is too short. Save $30,000 and buy a Genesis. Never buy one earlier than its 3rd or 4th year into a redesign.

 

[rsdukes]

rsdukes - I keep reading (on this site) how there are many Ex-BMW guys out there. Is the high number just due to this site, or are the BMW's simply a complex headache. I'm pretty restricted to a few cars that have power bolsters, and BMW is one of them, along with ATS Cadillac.

So are the BMW's that bad in general due to mechanical issues? I'm just curious. Regards, Dan

I did not mean to say the BMW was anything but an awesome driving experience. It is. For me it just "felt right", ran better at 120 than at 70; But you have to ask is the 740 worth more than 3 times the price of my Genesis? No way! I know the real compare would be Equus.

The price of repairs with the lack of qualified service made me afraid to go on a trip so ByBy BMW. I was asking others because I am now the new kid.. Less than 4 weeks old in my new baby without regrets.

As for BMW........ Sorry all, but if price and value was not a factor, I would again. 100,000 lay-in around to waste, if only.

 

[EXBMWGUY]

I did not mean to say the BMW was anything but an awesome driving experience. It is. For me it just "felt right", ran better at 120 than at 70; But you have to ask is the 740 worth more than 3 times the price of my Genesis? No way! I know the real compare would be Equus.



The price of repairs with the lack of qualified service made me afraid to go on a trip so ByBy BMW. I was asking others because I am now the new kid.. Less than 4 weeks old in my new baby without regrets.



As for BMW........ Sorry all, but if price and value was not a factor, I would again. 100,000 lay-in around to waste, if only.

I agree that most BMWs are wonderful driver's cars. But at some point, lack of reliability can strand you in extreme cold, at night, in a dead-cell zone, or make you miss an important meeting. So it's about more than just price or value. If the worst sort of inconvenience for me was losing a transmission on PCH in Santa Monica, I'd be driving something Italian.