Just the words make me shudder and grimace. I really, really, really dislike car shopping. There, I said it!
I get completely overwhelmed by all the vehicles there are to choose from. Too many choices means it takes too much time to make a decision. I'm the type that, once I've decided to make a purchase, I want to go do it. Just get it done and over with. But, with all the vehicle choices available - dealer, private owner, car, SUV, compact SUV, small truck, and the list goes on - it takes WAY too long to even decide what TYPE of vehicle you want to purchase! Do I want cargo space or good gas mileage? Do I want 4WD or AWD or neither? If you were to tell me that I only had four vehicles to choose from, I could make a decision pretty quickly. But wading through the sea of used vehicles available out there is like slogging through peanut butter.
And the salesmen! Oh, the pressure and the delicate dance of negotiation with the salesmen! I'm not one for high-pressure sales - at all. And I get very uncomfortable when they start doing "whatever it takes" to make that car affordable for you. I prefer to do my own research online - find out what the common issues are with that vehicle, what's the book value (in other words, what will insurance cover it for, and what will the bank lend me), what's the gas mileage, etc. I don't really care so much about the bells and whistles, but a few added features are nice. One salesman in particular asked me what I was looking for in a vehicle. When I began to explain that I needed something that I could get some utility out of, like towing and hauling, and that I wanted something a bit better on gas mileage than my Explorer, he started talking about the color of the vehicle, how nice the seats were (heated leather) and several other cosmetic features of the vehicle. I couldn't believe it! He completely blew off my answer and thought that, because I was a woman, I was choosing according to color or accessories! Give me a break!
Whew! Now that I've vented, I feel much better! :-) Thank you for listening.
Brian and I are, thankfully, not in a rush to purchase another vehicle. We thought we would start shopping before it became an absolute necessity, so we have been able to test drive several different types of vehicles and get a feel for their differences. Hopefully, that will help us make a better-informed decision when the time comes. We are praying for wisdom to be good stewards of what God has given us and for His protection from making any foolish decisions. And we have faith that He will provide the right vehicle at the right time and the right price.
In the meantime, I guess I'd better get used to the salesman dance and wading through that sea of peanut butter! Here goes!
I get completely overwhelmed by all the vehicles there are to choose from. Too many choices means it takes too much time to make a decision. I'm the type that, once I've decided to make a purchase, I want to go do it. Just get it done and over with. But, with all the vehicle choices available - dealer, private owner, car, SUV, compact SUV, small truck, and the list goes on - it takes WAY too long to even decide what TYPE of vehicle you want to purchase! Do I want cargo space or good gas mileage? Do I want 4WD or AWD or neither? If you were to tell me that I only had four vehicles to choose from, I could make a decision pretty quickly. But wading through the sea of used vehicles available out there is like slogging through peanut butter.
And the salesmen! Oh, the pressure and the delicate dance of negotiation with the salesmen! I'm not one for high-pressure sales - at all. And I get very uncomfortable when they start doing "whatever it takes" to make that car affordable for you. I prefer to do my own research online - find out what the common issues are with that vehicle, what's the book value (in other words, what will insurance cover it for, and what will the bank lend me), what's the gas mileage, etc. I don't really care so much about the bells and whistles, but a few added features are nice. One salesman in particular asked me what I was looking for in a vehicle. When I began to explain that I needed something that I could get some utility out of, like towing and hauling, and that I wanted something a bit better on gas mileage than my Explorer, he started talking about the color of the vehicle, how nice the seats were (heated leather) and several other cosmetic features of the vehicle. I couldn't believe it! He completely blew off my answer and thought that, because I was a woman, I was choosing according to color or accessories! Give me a break!
Whew! Now that I've vented, I feel much better! :-) Thank you for listening.
Brian and I are, thankfully, not in a rush to purchase another vehicle. We thought we would start shopping before it became an absolute necessity, so we have been able to test drive several different types of vehicles and get a feel for their differences. Hopefully, that will help us make a better-informed decision when the time comes. We are praying for wisdom to be good stewards of what God has given us and for His protection from making any foolish decisions. And we have faith that He will provide the right vehicle at the right time and the right price.
In the meantime, I guess I'd better get used to the salesman dance and wading through that sea of peanut butter! Here goes!