It occurred to me on the way back to the house to let a couple of very patient labradoodles have some quality time on the lawn to do what business they might be of a mind to do whilst I’d been away to trading for Ben and Jessica’s new car…there are now three Toyota Corollas in the family down in Fayetteville.
And every one of them was a deal that I’d negotiated! 🙂
Actually, there was a fourth one that I’d negotiated for Mom in Goldsboro but that one got wrecked and totaled which is how she ended up in her current blue-coloured Corolla.
That rather begs the question: have we found the quorum for what appears to be a burgeoning cult of Corollas sixty miles or so south of here? 😉
But then I really shouldn’t be surprised at this.
One of the earliest cars I can remember was my mother’s lemon yellow Corolla from the 1970s that came to an unfortunate end at the intersection of Reilly and Cliffdale Road back when they were only two lane roads intersection in a relatively unpopulated area more known for farms than people.
We were T-boned whilst making a left turn onto Reilly by a car driven by Mario Andretti (at least that’s what the speed seemed like). Amazingly, Mom, Lee, and I walked away from that crash with no injuries save what unfortunate things had happened in our underwear.
Thank goodness that Corolla was tougher than it looked! 🙂
It would be replaced by a dark green 1974 Plymouth Duster sporting a 360 cubic inch engine capable of 245 brake horsepower and nothing could touch that car on the roads on the back of Fort Bragg between Fayetteville and Southern Pines when it was given the beans!
My favourite feature was a nifty space behind the back seat (which folded down) and the door allowing access into the boot. There was just enough room for me to stash a couple of pillows and a big comforter and some books and then I was in my happy place on those long trips out to Moore Memorial Hospital where Mom and Lee worked.
It’s probably just as well we never got into a wreck in that car or I’d have been really in a pickle (well, more of one than the Duster’s dark green colour brought to mind!).
There was an eight-track tape deck just inside the driver side door (right where the “Duster” badge can be seen). If you ever wondered where my love of the music of Cat Stevens comes from…this is the car and that was the tape deck and how Mom didn’t wear out that tape from 1975 until the mid 1980s truly beggars belief. 🙂
So there you have it…if you’ve made it this far, thanks for sticking with us. Hopefully we’ve had a few laughs and a good time and now you have seen some tips and tricks of the trade to avoid being taking for a financial ride the next time you’re needing to trade for a new car.
There’s really not any magic formula to it other than the preparation and knowing your budget and limits and being willing to walk away if the deal doesn’t completely work for you.
It may seem a scary process but hopefully you’ve seen that you too can be successful on your side of the table at the dealer.
And if not? I’m always up for a lark to let the Hungarian negotiating skills fly… 🙂