New(ish) Car for JPR
I just bought a car for temporary use in CT.
I think it was a steal.
Here is how it all went down:
So there I am (I hate stories that start off like this, its so cheesy…oh well) in the used car lot, not intending to buy a car at all. I tried a few different cars but I really wasn’t happy with any of them. Then I saw a 2004 Sebring Convertible at the front of the lot. Now I really hadn’t intended on actually getting a Sebring Convertible but I figured, “what the hell, lets take it for a spin.”
The thing is, I had considered getting a Sebring Convertible previously but had decided against it. I love the convertible part of it but the rest of it is kind of old mannish. Plus, it’s a Chrysler. But, on the other hand, it’s the only convertible that I fit in (aside from a BMW 645 Ci and, for ~$70,000, that is a little more than I wanted to spend on a temporary car.) and I have really enjoyed the benefits of having a convertible in the past. All this aside, I had decided that I wasn’t going to get a Sebring…and yet there I was taking it for a spin.
Next thing you know I am back in the lot and the sales person is telling me the price; "That'll be $16999" he says. “HA!” I said. “Are you kidding?” The Blue Book Retail for this car is $16000, you’re overcharging $1000 (I had spent the previous hour looking at Blue Book prices for a bunch of different cars at 10,000 25,000 and 35,000 miles...apparently this included Sebrings). Then it happened. Just for shits and giggles I made a ridiculous counter offer: “We are approaching the end of the summer. Nobody is going to buy this car once September rolls around. You should really be trying to sell it for a lot less to get it off of the lot now. By the time next summer gets here and people are looking to buy convertibles again, the car will have depreciated and it will only be worth ~$14500 (probably an exaggeration on my part...I just feel horrible, really). If you will give it to me now for that much I might consider it. That puts the money in your pocket eight months sooner than you would have had it otherwise.”
After a lot of back and forth and me starting to walk away several times, they finally agreed to $14500.
“Shit”I wasn’t actually prepared to buy a car…and the Sebring no less? I was just seeing how low I could get them to go. I didn’t think they would cave in that much. Well, long story slightly less long, I did it. I bought the damn car. So, as of Monday, there will be no more rental cars in CT for me.
So now the question is, whats wrong with it? The CARFAX report came back clean and the car is certified. Is there a catch? It wasn't exactly easy but how come they finally agreed to such a low #?
Oh well, not much I can do about it now. So long.