I retired and my wife is still working to keep me in a lifestyle I have become accustomed to…well, that’s my story anyway. So, when she decided we should get new “retirement” vehicles, who am I to argue?
Now it only started with a new truck to be honest, but in the end, we picked her up a new car also. So, to the adventure.
Except for a few things, I was on board:
- I hate buying cars.
- Because of the second bullet point
- I hate dealerships (some more than others due to past experiences).
- Why can it not be like a big box store – walk in, look at the sticker, throw it in the buggy and go to the register.
- But most of all, I hate the freaking dance; us to salesman, us to manager, us to salesman, some shady magic to try and milk all they can…
- Who invented this stupid way of doing business?
- And the inevitable…us leaving to go to another dealership.
- With the local dealer, we had made it to the pick up the car point once only to be blindsided by some fees that were never discussed? We had driven to the front door with every intention of coming home in something else.
But being a kept man now (still my story), I went down this trail with her.
NOTE: I wanted to go back to the Nissan at Cool Springs dealer because we have had extremely pleasant experiences with them – they just had no inventory to fit our search.
First, I sent four dealerships some requests for “best price” and “best offer” on a Nissan Titan XD with the PRO4X cool stuff (the lifestyle I had been accustomed to while working). Now I am not certain what that means in the car world, but to everyone else, what is your definition of “best”? I learned we don’t agree with the salesman.
After a very short time, there were all types of responses…everything from “call us”, “set up a time to visit”, “MSRP offers”, to all types of discounts that we don’t qualify for: teachers, veterans, been to the moon, have one ear and…well exaggerating a bit now so I will stop there before I get too crazy.
So I sent them all the same reply “best offer?”
Then came some form of the same dance. “What do you want to offer?” To which I replied (basically) I asked you for the best offer, you should have sent that to us. I even received a reply after that from the local Nissan dealer (Matthews Nissan) to which I responded with our history (not good) and told them that once again (for about the 10th time) I would be driving past them on the way to someone else. They again replied “what are you offering” – the offer was to take my business elsewhere.
Then there came a response from Murfreesboro Nissan. At first, I told them I “ain’t doing this dance with you” and received a response that they would do whatever it took to keep us from going to another dealer and they don’t like to dance either.
It was different, there was a level of sincerity.
My Joy (the good cop in our car buying escapades) stepped in and talked with them. I will skip the spreadsheet she had created that showed exactly what we were willing to do, the details of her conversations, the move from a truck to a truck and a Rogue with all the cool stuff and get to her coming to me with details of the deal.
We took off with both of our current vehicles toward Murfreesboro. I was on the phone with her much of the time telling her that I just know that when we get there, there is going to be some voodoo magic thing that was missed and the deal will be much worse than her spreadsheet was showing. I just knew it, there is always a hook with these folks.
We walked in and met Wayne “Tripp” Hardison III. Later Luke Primm and Tony Fowler came over and we talked and laughed about the original emails. They all knew the dance line.
Then they dropped the freaking paperwork in front of us and there it…..wasn’t. it was exactly as was discussed, no supersecret “added costs”, no you don’t get the “been to the moon or one ear discount”. Just as was told to us.
Not one time did Tripp have to go discuss anything, nor did he try to lead us somewhere else. My only complaint is that he didn’t have cold bottled water – but I ain’t gonna throw him under the bus for that one. Or, maybe I just did? Oh well.
Once we went to the finance office, there were attempts to sale us extras…but I guess they have a job to do. I am not a fan, but I was shocked when they told us that we were entitled some refunds on the current vehicle we were trading. Plus one for them.
To sum this all up, this was absolutely the best experience with a dealership we have ever had as a couple. I want to give them a shout out for the professionalism and great attitude that carried through the entire transaction.
I tried to hate ’em, but couldn’t. I have to admit that out loud.
If you are looking to buy a new or used vehicle…in my opinion, it is worth the ride to Murfreesboro Nissan.
Topwater Moon 