Car Shopping

Saturday Jen and I pawned off the kids to grandma and grandpa and went car shopping. Like I have said before the 3 kids fit in the back seat of the jeep but it is real tight. The jeep itself has some mechanical issues too, so we decided it is about time to unload it before it requires major repair. We weren't ready to buy yet,but we wanted to get an idea of where to go and what was out there. Now I look for the cars on the net to avoid the sales weasels, but we decided to go out and look in case there was something Jen wanted to drive. With age I am not as intimidated in talking to the sales guys and can easily walk away from one in mid conversation if needed so that makes car looking a little easier. Of course you HAVE to talk to the sales weasels since just about every car lot in town is too chickensh*t to put the price in the window. A couple of the websites that I look at won't put a price on their either. They just lost a potential customer. So we are out and about and start hitting lots in the automall. We did see a REAL cheap mini van (under $5000) that said "as is" so you know it has issues, but you weigh the price of repair with a cheap car payment, but we decided against it. The first 3 lots we didn't see anything we liked or could afford. We got out again at the fourth lot to look at some Hondas and Toyotas. We were basicly looking at Chrysler's, but Jen had heard good things about Honda's. So we get out and start looking, and immediately get a sales weasel to come out of his hole. I am talking to him and he asks how much we are looking at spending. I tell him and he starts laughing at me. At the time I just blew it off, but when I recalled it later I was outraged. How dare this little a$$hole laugh at me! So yet another loss of a potential customer to this lot. I should have known not to go to this lot since that is where I bought my black 454 SS pickup truck that was a p.o.s. and paid WAY too much for. For anyone else looking, take some advice, and don't go to Bob Rohrman's in the automall. Next were the two lots I had the most hope for. O'Daniels where the sales guys are nice and the selection is great, and Barts where the selection is pretty good and the prices are reasonable. Nothing available at O'Daniels, but Barts had one that was almost what we wanted.
By this time were were getting pretty tired and hungry so we decided to head to the North side of town. We cruised past a couple of lots, but weren't inclined enough to actually stop. We lunched at Penera's. This place is good for a selection of bagels, but I have never been real impressed with anything else there, but it sounded good to Jen. So $17 later we had two sandwiches that were alright, but not $17 alright. Back to the in-laws and we ended up spending the rest of the day there playing with the kids. But at least we know now what's out there and where we want to go.