Frances Ellen Speaks!

Archive for the ‘Cars’ Category

I saw three classic cars this past week! And they weren’t sitting on display at a car exhibition. They were actually on the road with someone behind the wheel driving them. The sight of each one made my heart sing.

The first one I saw was unmistakable, a Chevy BelAir.

It wasn’t black, though. It was the more familiar turquoise and white. Talk about moving back in time.

Do you remember when one of the most exciting events of the year was when the new cars were introduced? The unveiling of each new model was treated as a high point in the automotive year, and rightly so. The cars didn’t look like large boxes back then. Their bodies were sleek, daring; each one different from the others.

The second car I spotted last week was being parked by a gentleman in a black beret. I’m pretty sure that one was a ‘59 Chrysler. I could be off by a year or two. It looked like this one.

If you’re now thinking there is no way I saw a Pink ‘57 Ford Thunderbird; I confess, you’re correct. I just couldn’t bear to leave it out of the line-up. Is that the most beautiful machine you’ve ever laid eyes on? Too bad we’ll never see a vehicle like it in a showroom ever again. But, take a minute to think back to the days when seeing one on the road was a superb, delicious moment.

The car I did see was pretty good, though. I think it might have been a ‘58 or ‘59 Dodge Coronet. Classic! Drink it in.

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It doesn’t happen that often, but when it’s time for me to buy a new car, I cringe. Last Saturday, I thought I had myself talked into visiting some car dealerships to test drive a few cars. But when Saturday rolled around, I couldn’t make myself go. My insides seized up, my head began to pound and I think I actually had a panic attack. I couldn’t leave the house.

By Monday, after giving it some serious thought over the weekend, I decided there must be a better way. Maybe if I didn’t have to deal face to face with a salesman, I might be able to hold on to my sanity. I decided to try out internet shopping. Did you know almost all car dealers now have an internet management group?

Don’t be thinking it’s all peachy keen, though. In some cases, you still have to put up with salesmen who prefer to give you information that they want to give you, instead of information you ask for. And there are still a few holdouts who won’t divulge their out-the-door price. (That is the bottom line that includes price of car, taxes, dealership fees, option costs, rebates, etc.). Fortunately, when you are working with this type of salesmen via email, you can just “delete” them and erase them forever from your life. It feels heavenly.

But for the most part, internet salesmen are happy to answer all your questions; to let you know what cars are in stock and, best of all, dickering over price is much more time efficient. Instead of sitting in the showroom waiting for the sales manager to bestow his reluctant blessing on each and every price reduction, you are sitting at home checking your email whenever it’s convenient for you.

Forays into the land of the hard sell are kept to a minimum, because it’s a lot more difficult for a salesman to pressure you via email, and those that did make feeble attempts to push, I was able to weed out the first day. Finally, I decided to concentrate on getting the best deal I could get on a Toyota Corolla.

There are three Toyota Dealers in my town and I spent three days corresponding with each of them. In the end, I decided to do business with Andy. He works out of a dealership named Courtesy Toyota; their name says it all.

Courtesy Toyota

Although price was my major concern, finding a likeable saleman also enteres into my equation. As the days wore on, it was Andy who patiently answered all my questions, made suggestions, made concessions. When we finally talked on the phone, he worked out a few more minor issues that were troubling me, such as, how could I get two cars to my home since I wasn’t planning on trading in my old car. His solution: two individuals from the dealership would follow me home.

All in all, my car buying experience was painless. I never thought I’d ever say that in this lifetime.

So, here you have it. Yet another reason why you should learn to make your computer work for you. Blogging and writing memoirs are a plus, but when the computer can save you time and money, it’s time to get on the bandwagon and make 2008 the year you’ll learn to utilize your computer to its fullest.