Category: cars
02/04/12 11:39 - ID#56023
My carma ran over my dogma
I’ve started shopping. While as a friend pointed out, a new ride is an absolute blast, new thrills and all. What wrecks that for me is the crap you have to wade through to get to the thrill point. Thursday night, I met up with a rep who I purchased my last car from at a “Warehouse†sale out at the Fairgrounds. Four years ago, I didn’t give a style or make in mind, just a dollar amount. I didn’t have to have “the car†just four wheels that weren’t trying to kill me.
So, four years later, I’m employing the same methodology as I’ve started to think about the next vehicle. I’ve been looking online for awhile and the danger about that is a simple inquiry gets you lots and LOTS of follow up. So, off to the ag center I trudged, looking for adequate doesn’t exactly get you all a flutter.
I tried out a Vue, a Monte Carlo, a PT Cruiser, a Nissan, Kia Diamonti, an Ion, a Sportage and finally a Camry. There was an Escape in there too, but I got serious about a Camry. Figuring that you can rarely go wrong, we filled out some papers and it could be done at a rate higher than I cared to pay monthly. So, after almost three hours of mucking about, I got up and walked. Crazy, right? Sales rep lets me sit in an Alero and I think I’m done and head for the door. Suddenly, the finance manager wants to talk some more.
And I tell him that the Camry is a nice car, but they want too much for it. I’m sure they can get from some guy, but it isn’t going to be this guy. I set a budget for car payments and that wasn’t a ballpark figure and bid them goodnight. I go about my business today, including layout out a newsletter whose software lopped it in half, subscribers of which will be receive by-weekly since the damn thing apparently can’t handle too much data. Repairing to a local tavern to hear a favorite band and have a beverage, my phone rings. It’s the sales rep wanting to know my thoughts, what do I think, and what if we can get you to those numbers, etc
This is why people do not like buying cars, do not trust car dealers, enter into purchases trying to minimalize their screwing…..
It shouldn’t come to that. Customer should be able to say and have their thoughts taken seriously the first time around. It shouldn’t take all the dickering around, the parades to the “Finance Guy,†the convos with the Sales Manager, as it is all bullshit. That is the part of the car industry is messed up. Sure, it is great at selling cars, but twisted at customers, fine at acquistion, shitastic at retention.
If we can give me more for my trade, then DO IT!!!
See, delete the crapfest of dealer shenanigans, and people become regular customers.
Maybe if the customers weren’t rogered, or have to be brace themselves, the gaggle of sales reps would seem less vulture like. Maybe an atmosphere of all cards on the table on both sides FROM THE START would be good for less grief for customers and less angst from commission hungry sales folks.
Maybe that wasn’t a pig flying by my window……
Permalink: My_carma_ran_over_my_dogma.html
Words: 604
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 02/04/12 11:39
Category: family
01/31/12 04:12 - ID#56010
Pop
He popped into my brain a bit with the news surrounding Roswell last week. My dad has been involved in some of the computer work there on a volunteer basis that helped move the program along a bit, given that he too is now a patient, makes me think that the facility owes us one.
So, I think Pop would think that was pretty cool. He was a natural cheerleader who was always looking for a way forward. Sometimes his suggestions might feel like a bit of wild goose chase, but in his eyes, it was taking a shot, taking that chance, because that was always better than wondering "what if" in the long run.
Lord knows the people that could use boosts receive them the least. He knew everybody and those he didn't know, a quick conversation might give way to a plan to accentuate those talents he knew you had. He was a pay it forward all the time kind of fellow. I'm sorry he isn't around now to see the great people his grandchildren are turning into, but glad he was here to get 'em started.
I remember telling him (and most of you via the journal) of the journey to get my current post here at the Zoo. Even in the middle of chemo battles, his sly smile couldn't help but come to the surface.
"Aw. c'mon man, you got this."
Yeah, I got it. Happy Birthday, Pop
Permalink: Pop.html
Words: 288
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 01/31/12 04:12
Category: music
01/29/12 12:44 - ID#56002
Ticketbastard
Inflation does what it does. Remember when a souvenir t-shirt was under $10? but the idea of if you can get through the Ticketmaster, Tickets.com, or Live Nation sites when a major show is announced, order your two seats and pay a "Convenience" fee tantamount to buying a third ticket? That is a little nutty, when the convenience means your printer at home, your toner, their lack of an actual person aiding your purchase. Who they paying with that fee? The electric bill? The good folks over at Kleinhans Music Hall have been hosting concerts of all colors once again and that is a great thing as the place is perfect. I had to laugh a little when a poster on twitter lamented how they were just using their box office staff instead of a "robust ticket selling website like Ticketmaster." The same robust site that crapped out on numerous Springsteen and Roger Waters hopefuls earlier this week.
Give me a robust busy signal for a few minutes or a short line to wait in for the real deal over the computer freezing anytime. The net ain't there yet.
Got my seat though.
Permalink: Ticketbastard.html
Words: 285
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 01/29/12 12:44
Category: music
01/29/12 12:43 - ID#56001
Tramps Like Us
The first instance was my best bud and I cobbling together our allowances, giving them plus the unspoken you're going to give us a ride surcharge, to his older brother for the whopping sum of $10 for two tickets. Two years later, my mom cued up at National Record Mart and got us the tickets. I had a test, so Mom came up home with two in the first row of the upper golds of the aud (she got a cool story out of it and much respect from my school crowd) We rode with his brother again and might have spent the towering sum of $20.00 for two tickets. Got a chance to tell that to the man himself during a brief exchange of hellos in 1994.
Those were the days, no service charge and the souvenir shirts that you HAD to have were all of eight bucks.
It tells you something that the economics have shifted where you look at a concert ticket and think a $75 price tag ain't terrible. But the evil ticketmaster will mess with us all to be sure. Stories of the computers freezing up between Live Nation and other shows going on leaving mostly the working folk out in the cold peering into the windows of StubHub.
And that $20, that is still around, as the "convenience charge" for printing at home.
Been at this awhile...Got a feeling this will be for my age bracket what say, the Foo Fighters show was in September for a slightly younger crowd, you start going to the Sportmen to fit in better than at the Old' Pink.
Permalink: Tramps_Like_Us.html
Words: 296
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 01/29/12 12:43
Category: work
01/23/12 04:16 - ID#55971
whaddya lookin at?
Permalink: whaddya_lookin_at_.html
Words: 17
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 01/23/12 04:18
01/21/12 09:40 - ID#55953
Breakfast
Permalink: Breakfast.html
Words: 7
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 01/21/12 12:06
Category: weather
01/15/12 10:22 - ID#55920
Happy Now?
So, it never ceases to amaze that there is somebody driving down Elmwood, with a few inches of snow covering their car, windshield barely defrosted, no lights on.
I don’t mind the snow, just what can happen mind sets. Having four wheel drive is the key to NOTHING and there are few folks in the city who think having a four drive car has given them the powers found usually with residents of Krypton.
It’s the little things that make it even more interesting.
The traffic light on my street took on disco light flashing, which brings an even busier intersection that much more of a mess as we all forgot the four way stop rule they teach you in driver’s ed.
There isn’t that much snow as I write this but somehow folks are already in the streets.
It is what makes the “Where is our snow†facebook status updates and tweets sort of laughable.
“It’s here!â€
Permalink: Happy_Now_.html
Words: 240
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 01/15/12 10:22
Category: weather
01/04/12 10:24 - ID#55847
Six Degrees
Yes, we have handled snow just fine, but 6 degrees is cold, too cold to enjoy the snow for very long.
It's cold, especially if you develop a car issue, as mine did, on the way to work, for the first time in almost a week, on a busy street, during rush hour, with a grumpy teen in the car.
While waiting the admirably fast AAA folks, (helpful dude showed in 30 minutes) all I can think about were the yahoos who filled social media spots with "Finally" "Bring it On" "Bout Time." There will be time for all the fun stuff as we enjoy Winter until May, then have near winter, not winter, then near winter again. So, settle down as the tire that might need changed tomorrow morning might be yours. Don't go tempting Karma like that, she's burn out a headlight in temps like this and make you drop the most important screw into a dark corner that you can't see into and your fingers will be too big too reach.
It snowed in real numbers in the southtowns. Go there, and settle down, we'll get ours.
Permalink: Six_Degrees.html
Words: 281
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 01/04/12 10:24
Category: gadgets
12/30/11 12:50 - ID#55815
Kindle - ing
Anyway, it happens, I think I'm losing a step. I was watching a discussion about Nooks versus Kindles via twitter the other day with a little bit of interest. I've always been a pretty avid reader, but I'm loyal to the printed page and that will remain, but....
My final christmas gift arrived yesterday. My son's lovely mom imparted a Kindle on to me. It's a straight forward reader, which is good as I don't need another data port at this rate, but as somebody who rarely needed the directions for gizmos, I found I was looking for some directions (a first). With a little futzing and learning where the buttons are, I had two books that I was curious about, but not enough to buy loaded up at nice discount prices.
So, it's a noble experiment, figured out how to work it all in the privacy of my living room, reducing the silliness of figuring it out in front of, well, my tech savvy kids.
So far? Kinda cool. Don't think it will get in the way of any real book store purchases, but might digitally get my arse to the library a little more.
Permalink: Kindle_ing.html
Words: 259
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 12/30/11 12:50
12/15/11 01:36 - ID#55746
More Truckin
It's a silly debate and the foot dragging on the legislative side makes my head shake. Only here can we make a federal case over "Rocket Sauce"
Permalink: More_Truckin.html
Words: 29
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 12/15/11 01:36
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She worked out a deal with the sales guy (I don't even remember the brand of what she was wanting to buy). She thinks she has a deal but then the sales guy says the sales manager won't approve that low a price. My mom fights back tears and tells the sales guy she feels violated and that either the sales guy or his boss were evil men who hate women and try to cheat them. Of course, the quite loud exchange between the sales guy and my mom attracted the attention of other potential car buyers. In an effort to do some damage control, the sales manager came out of his hole and told my mom that he decided to honor the sales guy's price because he doesn't like to see women crying.
If looks could kill, that sales manager would have been several times dead. My mom told him that that she doesn't do business with liars, thieves and sexist pigs. And that since he was all three, there was no way she do business with him or his company. The sales manager looked completely confused. The sales guy looked ashamed and like wanted to crawl under a rock and hide.
The next day she went across the street to the VW dealer, told them what happened at the dealer across the street, and bought a VW Rabbit without any drama.