In my last years as a college professor, I taught a general studies computer science course. I assigned a project where a person wanted to purchase a $35,000 car, was offered $5000 for the car to be traded in. The project calculated the monthly payments and the amount of interest paid over the life of the loan with various rates of interest over different lengths of time for the loan. The students were shocked at how much it costs to borrow money. I was driving a 22 year old Oldsmobile at the time. One student, who had seen me pull into.the parking lot in my old car said. “Is that why you drive that old heap?”
I responded, “Have I ever been late or missed our 8:00 a.m. class even though we had some zero degee weather?”
I had a couple of students thank.me for the project. Interestingly, I had colleagues in math and computer science that only ask “What are my my monthly payments?” when buying a car. If a person needs to borrow money, at least shop for a low rate of interest.
One of the instructors mom taught math with at the CC called her 19yr old Mazda a beat up old junker which really offended Mom, Repair and maintenance averaged $300/yr for years. She paid for the car saving up her salary for about 9mo
I couldn’t do business with someone with a hateful attitude, I understand sales departments dislike cash sales, but hate? This might be unavoidable in the Boston area.
My cousin had an old truck. I was told that the floor was rusting out. He made good money as a tool and die worker. One day he won $20,000 and everyone told him he should replace his truck. He saw no need. Guess it runs in the family. In the 30s his dad drove the family dairy truck, in the winter, no heat, no doors, then worked foundry and walked to work as long as I can remember. No 28% car loans to cry about. Something happened to my generation or the next to require so much help.
The family encouraged my aunt to replace her then 18yr old 88 Honda Crx HF with 250k on it and rust from the b pillar back when she inherited enough for a new Toyota Matrix, If not for the rust she would have kept driving the crx. It was driven from Maine back to Oregon when she got diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome. Still independent but for short periods of time.
She bought the crx as her free at last post divorce car. She lived in a small town where you took a winding 2 lane highway to get there and flung that Honda all over with a smile. More fun than her Volvo wagon but still could haul a push mower when it needed to.
Well you brought it up, but we were in fort myers at a pre season ball game between Minnesota and Boston. No seats left except in the Boston section. They were very rude folks and not good sports at all. They couldn’t even enjoy the Florida sun at a ball game and just have a good time. We’ve been at many games and never run into similar behavior. Not saying they were a valid cross section of the population but have not had my impression changed by visits there. Fenway wasn’t much different and compared to wrigley, people actually have fun. Rich and smart isn’t everything.
To echo those sentiments, a past boss of mine, born in, educated in, moved away from, and ultimately retired years later, to a rural section of the state of Indiana, told me one time:
"I stay away from New York and other big cities because they have the rudest people”.
I dunno, I think it is culture not the size of the city. I spent over 30 years working in Minneapolis/st. Paul and the people were fine. Certainly there are parts you want to stay away from but in general they were fine. All changed now though, big dumpster fire.
One time buying a car I told the guy we were paying cash he got really upset and brought his manager over to try to explain to me how NOT getting finance from him was a bad idea. They were rude and condescending. Wife and I stood up and walked out.
There’s really no reason to step foot in a dealership to negotiate a deal anymore. You can get better pricing through their internet sales group and not deal with any of the sales rigamarole. My last purchase was entirely negotiated online through emails. When they quoted a price, I was skeptical as it was well below what you might see visiting the dealership. They explained it was because they didn’t have the same level of commissions and other expenses to cover. When the car arrived, I walked into the finance office with a check and left with my new car about 20 minutes later…
Must be different where you live. When we bought my wife’s new Crown last year, I was doing research and many dealers had - “Click here to get you On-line price quote”. So, I did. Brings up another page with a phone number to call and setup an appointment. Or they’ll have a form to fill out on-line so a salesman can setup an appointment for you.
I think it all depends on the dealership and how they are set up and not necessarily the brand..
I buy all my Toyota parts on line now, out of Florida or Texas or or, when their is a great Toyota dealer right down the road from me as well as many more in middle TN, I get great deals, I get (Toyota)my Tacoma oil filters under $5.00 and 0w20 full syn, very cheap compared to even Walmart… And the sale prices are all different online, MSRP are all the same no matter where you look, but the deals are only some of them… None of them around me offer online parts…
So I would assume that online vehicle shopping is about the same… Some have it with good deals and others don’t or with not so good a deals…
+1
If we take a look at the town of Hoboken, NJ (directly across the Hudson from Manhattan), the median age is 32, and the median household income is ~$177,000. The typical cost of a rental apartment in that town is now $3,900 per month, and the cost of a condo ranges from $500k for a studio to ~$1 million for a 2 bedroom.
Somehow, those young folks seem to be able to manage their money properly.
You may have missed my point, Not all Toyota dealers have the same online parts services, so maybe Not all Toyota dealers (and or others) have the same online services when it comes to car buying… Meaning I might be able to buy with no haggle pricing at one online X branded dealer, when another one of the same brand, rather it be down the road or another state still plays the car buying game with you, or tries to anyway…
And I am buying from actual brick and mortar New vehicle Toyota dealers, not a Toyota online parts overstock or whatever place…
