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Sunday, April 10, 2016

CAR SHOPPING


Highway 95 from the cemetery at Genesee

The weather has turned warm with daytime highs at 80+. It’s altogether warmer than I remember the Aprils of my youth, but I hesitate to say “summerlike” because summer temps are now 90 to 100+. At any rate, it’s warm and lovely, and Mike was ready for a day trip.

Mike is looking for a new “fun car” – one that would be more serviceable than the 1965 Barracuda. I guess I sorta hate to see the Barracuda leave our garage, but a newer car is appealing on a number of levels – safety, economical mileage, comfort, town usage, maneuverability, etc. Something smaller and more economical would suit our needs, according to Mike. He has been armchair shopping and likes the looks and ratings of the VW Golf GTI, a hatchback, and the time had come to meet the GTI in person. However, the closest dealerships are in Post Falls and Spokane, so we made a day trip on Friday (April 8).

Our experiences were positive at both businesses. It’s just that we were there to look, not buy. You know from the outset that you’ll have to deal with the sales pitch. One finance manager asked what it would take to get us into a GTI that very day. Not the plan, we said. We want to think about it.

“We’ve learned our lesson on that,” I said. “We bought a refrigerator on the spot and lived to regret it.”

“You’re such nice people, though,” said the finance manager. “We really want you for customers.”

“You just don’t know,” I said. “Remember that refrigerator I mentioned?”

At the next showroom, the salesman seemed more knowledgeable and Mike dickered a little harder in order to hear the bottom line. Of course, nowadays they want you to buy off the lot or they try to find a near match for your specifications at other stores in the region. Failing that, they try to convince you the one they’re showing you is the one you really want.

VW Golf GTI
“What’s wrong with this one?” asked the finance manager. So, Mike told him why he didn’t want that particular model, but in truth, I’m not ready to say. There are lots of considerations, including the fact that we have to drive a hundred miles for service.

And that’s all we did – shop for a car. We didn’t so much as stop at a fabric shop or Target. As it was, we weren’t home until 6:30. Of course, the day’s activities included a little geocaching, beginning with the cemetery at Genesee where Catholics are buried on one side and Lutherans on the other. I don’t know what happens to Methodists and atheists. Mike says they have to go to another cemetery.
Tensed, Idaho (pop. 123)

Our last cache of the day was outside of Tensed. Throughout the day, we saw lots of farmers working fields. KW




5 comments:

  1. What's wrong with the cars in the Lewiston, where you can get service?

    I'm glad it was just a shopping trip. I am leaning toward a Hyundai Elantra GT, but that, too is a long time in the future.

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  2. A new car!! How fun to look forward to.

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  3. Hi Chuck! Well, as the result of his research, Mike wants this VW GTI. I guess when something appeals to us, often the drawbacks just don't matter.

    Hi Chris! Well, replacing the Barracuda is going to change the way things have been for 20 years. We'll see what happens.

    Thanks for your comments.

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  4. I've been a VW owner for 12 years now. I like the way they drive and I haven't really had reliability issues. We have a dealership in the area that we like. If you have to go to Sponane for service, you'll have time to go to Target. With a brand new car, you'll probably be eligible for their loaner car while they're working on it. Voila!

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  5. We seldom use the services of the dealer. Mike changes the oil and performs as many of the maintenance tasks as he can. In fact, one salesman asked him if he preferred to change the oil himself. You are right that a trip to the Spokane area is not necessarily a bad thing.

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