Buying A New Car?

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
June 2, 2008

About to buy a new car? Think you've got the "shopping" part down pat? Think you are an expert car-buyer with nothing more to learn? Well, think again.

When I lived in Denver, I thought in 1986 that I'd give the car business a shot. Some time prior to that, the owner of a new Nissan dealership told me that he thought I'd make a great car salesman. I had read a book by Joe Girard, the "greatest salesperson in the world", and I thought, "I can do that."

It turned out to be the worst two months of my life. When I quit, I figured that I could have worked at minimum wage up the street at the McDonald's and earned more for all the hours I had put in.

Sign up for this free 8-part internet course that is chock full of car-buying tips. You won't have any trouble saving more than the "cost" of this course.

www.theinternetguide.com/jun02.html

If you decide you want to "reward" me for this tip, donate a portion of your savings on your next car purchase to the charity of your choice. If you don't have a favorite charity, try the Salvation Army in Crystal Lake or P.E.A.C.E. 4 All. And if you really want to reward me, send your donation (not tax-deductible, unless you can figure out a business purpose for it) to me via PayPal (link available upon request.)

My best car-buying story? A man was shopping for a station wagon and liked a used Maxima. The dealership wouldn't come down on its price and he left. We stayed in touch for three weeks, and finally the dealership accepted his offer. He planned to pick it up later in the day, and I drove the car from the lot into the service bay.

On the day of his test-drive, it has been cool, but on this day it was hot and I hit the A/C for the short drive. It didn't work! When I pulled into the service bay, I told them to charge up the A/C. They refused! The service manager refused, and the sales manager refused. And the sales manager ordered me not to tell the customer, in spite of my protests that the customer would not buy the car if the A/C didn't work.

I went straight to my phone and reached Ted before he left his home 50 miles away.

"Hi, Ted. This is Gus."

"Yeeeesssss?" (very suspiciously)

"Ted, you are going to love the car. Remember how cool it was when you test-drove it? Well, today it's hot. Bring your wife and kids and those two dogs you told me about, and take the car for another test-drive."

"What's wrong with the car?"

"Keep the windows up and go for a long drive. You are going to love how quiet this car is!"

"The A/C doesn't work, does it? And they told you not to tell me."

Ted did buy the car, after they fixed the A/C!

Two weeks later he heard my name on the radio, as the winner in a contest for two Neil Diamond concert tickets, limo ride and dinner for two. Ted was on his way home, but he took the next exit off the Boulder Turnpike and went to a payphone to call me! What a guy!!! (It was a great concert! and that's another story...)

© 2008 GUS PHILPOTT