Subaru does not allow test drives on its 2005 WRX-Sti’s. With a little persuasion, I put miles 15-20 on one. Mitsubishi does not allow test drives on its 2005 Lancer Evolution VIIIs. Today, with a little persuasion, I not only put miles 7-12 on one, but I got the dealer to designate one of his allocated evolutions as a test drive model. Sometimes, when I get into the sweet chewy heart of a debate, I think that I really should’ve been a lawyer.

I negotiated directly with the sales manager, and my second favorite moment was when he told me that what I wanted to pay was just too low. He said the cars were in very high demand and that cars full of kids follow the trailers carrying the cars back to the dealerships. My simple reply was to ask him how many of those teenagers had the coin to drop on the car. He admitted “None.” I really sort of nailed the negotiation. I knew the dealer’s cost, quoted him his own website, and made him admit that I could go next door and buy the competitor’s better made car for less than what he was asking. In other words, “I’m buying something, I’m doing it within 48 hours, and I don’t care if this is the car or not.”

My favorite moment was smiling at the man across the table and saying “I’m sorry that you can’t make this deal happen. That’s a nice starting point, but I have some other dealers to call before tomorrow. If you change your mind, give me a call.”

I had a message on my home phone within 2 hours.

Posted in Cars