Ya gotta gotta have ya some wheels.
No getting around it, you can't get around without wheels.
Following through on The Plan; Grant gets the 2003 Camry to drive back to the University of Missouri, saves on travel expenses between Dallas and Columbia, MO (no air fare) and with his own transportation it facilitates Grant getting a job, which facilitates him earning money in the state of Missouri, which facilitates Grant in applying for Missouri residency, which then facilitates Grant being granted in-state tuition from the University, which would facilitate much savings back on the home front, which would then pay for the replacement car - which would be facilitated by the act of giving Grant the 2003 Camry to drive back to the University of Missouri. The Circle of Life!
What a Grand Plan! But like the used car salesman says on TV, "... But you must act fast!! These deals aren't going to last forever. So, hurry on down and let me make you a deal!" True, while Grant was home on Spring Break, it was the time to act and get a new car for Sue, replacing her 2003 Camry since Grant was planning to drive the old Camry away. ...But we must act fast!
On my reading list is Stuart Diamond's book, Getting More; the art of negotiating and getting more out of life. Within the book are a handful of suggestions; one of the tenents is trading items of unequal value, and above all, pursue one's goals openly without emotion, making all parties feel comfortable. While Getting More has numerous anecdotes on negotiating in a variety of business situations, marriage, child-rearing, family relations, finance and consumer shopping; there was but one paragraph specifically addressing buying a car. Disappointing. But, I was prepared with a basic idea of what I wanted in a car and the range I would pay, so it was now time to "act fast".
A warm Saturday morning and I decide to shop at Sport City Toyota first. We are greeted by Sam as we pull into the crowded lot. We tell Sam we are looking for a used Camry, mileage below 40,000 and we are ready to buy if the right car at the right price is identified. I am not a natural at negotiating, but I shake Sam's hand and ask his last name, then I ask if that is a Nigerian name? "Yes it is", says Sam smiling. I inquire about any free cars on his list of available cars on the lot, Sam laughs. I've made the situation comfortable and established a connection, I hope this will help us negotiate a favorable trade. But alas, after numerous test drives, Sam makes us some offers, we counter, Sam has to check "with his manager". The manager tells us of a new car that just arrived that he'd be willing to let us have at a real good price.
[Trading items of unequal value - Sport City gets a sale & I get some minor repairs]:
I say that I'd like to throw in having some body work done on the old Camry, straightening out a crumpled quarter panel (from Grant's first driving attempt at age 13) and a dangling passenger side-view mirror, held on by redundantly wrapped packaging tape (Grant bumped the mirror and snapped it off while walking past it in our garage). Sam and his manager can't go there, and nothing we have seen and driven really grabs our purse-strings or heart-strings. We act, but not so fast, and tell Sam we will need to look around a bit more.
After a full afternoon of test driving, discussing and negotiating, I am tired. Sue says, let's try one more dealership before we go home for dinner. We end up at the place where we got the 2003 Camry. We look over their selection, test drive a few Camrys while I again look for connections with the used car salesman. We find nothing in our predetermined range, but I try to negotiate a lower price on one that appealed to us. The salesman asks us to wait while he goes to get his manager. We make an offer to the manager, and ask about getting some body work done on the old Camry, emphasizing that we are repeat customers. Well, the manager says he can not meet our offer, but he has another car that just came on the lot that we might be interested in. The salesman bring this one around, we drive it around a bit and come back to the desk and negotiate on price. The gold 2009 Camry has 17,000 miles, is offered as a "Certified Used Car", with extended warranty, and they will try and get their body shop to do a bit of fix-up on the old 2003 Camry.
We negotiate the terms, sign on the dotted line and plan to return the next day when their finance people are in, to arrange to get the keys. Grant and I ride down the next day, see our used car salesman who introduces us to Gene, manager of the body shop, and Gene takes the old Camry into the shop for about 15 minutes, and returns with the side view mirror attached without tape and the crumpled quarter panel somewhat straightened and mostly in alignment with the adjacent panels. We then go and see Mohamed Nasr and arrange for the purchase.
The Grand Plan is complete.
It is a done deal.
I feel good about the value I got on our wheel deal.
I am all about value - as my kids well tell you.
The next afternoon, Sam calls Sue's phone and asks if we would like to come back and do business with Sport City. Sue explains that we have already made a purchase of a Camry. Sam seems sad says Sue.
Like the used car buyer says to the salesman; "You gotta act fast! We aren't going to wait around forever to get a good deal."
