Car Dealership

[Crazed Vampyress]

I live in Mt Clemens and my car which has been dying for about six months now is officially on its last leg. I was doing everything I could to save up money the last six months and only ended up with about $1200. Safe reliable cars that wont kill you in gas mileage and will run for at least a few years are not really available in the $1200 range. I was hoping to save closer to $2000 or $2500. So now Im in a real jam, I dont know that my car will make it another WEEK and Im going to have to submit to the evils of going to a used car dealership and trying to get a car from them... along with a loan for whatever i cant cover with my down payment. I can afford about $150/month (more if my insurance doesnt become too crazy) with about $1000 down. My credit SUCKS so Im sure Im going to get hit with some crazy amount of interest.

What Im looking for is if anyone knows of any dealerships that arent the big evil that you have become so accustomed to hearing about. I mean ever since I was a kid all ive heard about is how EVIL used car dealerships are and how RIPPED OFF you will be if you go to one. Im just terrified to even go to the lot, Im afraid Ill pay a thousand dollars for a car that breaks down before i get it off the lot. I really am the stereotype when it comes to 'girls and cars'.... anything more complicated that changing a flat and i have NO IDEA what Im doing.

Im hoping someone out there in DGN land knows of a good place somewhere nearby. Or had a good experience somewhere. Or works somewhere they know wont suck. Or knows someone who does.

Please, and Thanks.

-Stormy

[Scary Guy]

Well if you have any mechanic friends my advice is to take one with you when you go to the dealership. Other than that best of luck to you. Personally I'd rather go check out e-bay motors or the classifieds section unless it's a used car place that actually has warrenties on its vehicles.

[Rayne]

Take a knowledgeable person with you. My expierience (and I've bought A LOT of cars) ... your a girl, no matter who your buying from, they will try and take advantage of it.

Oh, and the price they list at dealerships ... ALWAYS negotiate. They are in it to make money off of it and they will try, anything they get added on goes to them.

Seriously, it pays to negotiate ... ask Phee. He saw me do it when I bought my Mazda.

[Msterbeau]

If you're going to do it yourself... use online tools like Edmunds.com to research the specific model you want. Check out the various average prices; trade-in, private market and dealership. They'll give you a reasonable idea what the dealer paid for it and what they generally sell for from a dealer. You want to pay as close as possible to the dealer's cost yet keep in mind that they gotta make money too. Remember that they will try to tell you they replaced all kinds of stuff. Maybe they did... maybe not. Maybe they replaced it with the cheapest thing they could find but they'll charge you for the most expensive. If you see something you like, go home and do the research then come back. Don't let them talk you into getting it on the spot. It's a con.

I have a friend in the Toledo area that I can put you in touch with. He WILL do his best to find you a decent car at a price you can afford. I believe he's at a Toyota dealership at the moment but that doesn't matter that much.

[Homicidalheathen]

Just got my kids cars at G & L auto sales Inc.

And they were a good buy, so far we have had to do NO REPAIRS not even new tires or an oil change!

On Groesbeck in Clinton twp or Roseville, somewhere near 12 ml I think.

[Rayne]

And they were a good buy, so far we have had to do NO REPAIRS not even new tires or an oil change!

Hope you haven't had them that long if you haven't had an oil change done on them ... every 3 months/3,000 miles usually (unless otherwise specified by the manufacture).

.... Some cars can go longer, but most, it's not good for the engine to ... AT ALL.

[Crazed Vampyress]

Just got my kids cars at G & L auto sales Inc.

And they were a good buy, so far we have had to do NO REPAIRS not even new tires or an oil change!

On Groesbeck in Clinton twp or Roseville, somewhere near 12 ml I think.

how long have you had the cars for?

[torn asunder]

i saw the title of this,

Car Dealership, Who doesnt rip you off?

and the firstword i thought of was "oxymoron"

[Crazed Vampyress]

i saw the title of this,

and the firstword i thought of was "oxymoron"

yea...... well what can i say? its wishful thinking!

[Homicidalheathen]

We have had them for a bit over a month now.