Sunday, April 8, 2012

New Car!

A little over a year ago I bought a new Nissan Versa.  I loved that it was tiny, got great gas mileage and had a very small monthly payment.  But almost immediately I thought I had made the wrong decision.  It wasn't much fun to drive and I didn't feel like it was "me"  I don't think I'm the only one who feels a car should reflect aspects of one's own personality.  Anyway, I immediately looked into trading it in but decided to stick it out.  


A few weeks ago the weather was about to turn unseasonably warm and I longed for a fun car that I could zip down the highway in with the sunroof open.  I decided I didn't want to go through another summer in an "un fun" car.    I started researching what I could afford with only a few mandatory requirements: a small sedan with a manual transmission that has a sunroof.  Trouble is that many small cars don't have a lot of great features.  By the time you add everything in you have a $25K price tag.  Not for me.  I finally landed on the Ford Focus which was a perfect fit.  By the way, If you need to research cars I highly recommend www.edmunds.com.  I find it invaluable when researching cars. And of course www.kbb.com when researching what a trade in is worth.  


I determined that the only Ford dealer in Maine that appeared to have the car I wanted was Wiscasset Ford.  I went up on a Sunday when they were closed to check it out.  Yup, there was my car.  All that was left was to arrange a time to drive it and hope I could make all of the numbers work.


I arrived at Wiscasset Ford after only a quick email to let the salesperson  Scott know I was coming.  He warmly greeted me, asked me if I had any questions and told me the keys were in the car.  No pressure, no probing to figure out what kind of customer I was, no vying to get the keys to my car so he could look it over.  He didn't even ask me for my address, phone number or driver's license.  Loved that right away!  Ford was offering a great rebate and combined with a very reasonable discount offered by the dealer I was ready to begin negotiations.  Let me just say that it couldn't have been more pain free.  I was treated fairly, with respect and they didn't mess around.  They offered me the best price possible for the car and for my trade without having to play any games.  The financing was easy, breezy and I was driving away in my new car in just 3 hours!



4 comments:

  1. Love your new car Jen!! And love that you were listening to Bon Jovi!

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  2. I’m glad you were able to find a “fun” car that suits your taste. It’s always great to drive around in a car that you know suits you. And your new Ford definitely looks fun! Although it doesn’t have a sunroof, the vehicle is dashing in its own way. The chrome looks polished and shiny, especially under the bright sun! Now you can have cool summer trips with your new auto!

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  3. One thing to consider when buying a car is that you should be able to enjoy driving the car. Unfortunately, the old Versa you had is not that fun to drive anymore. It is a good thing that you traded it in for a Ford Focus that matches your personal preferences.

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  4. Wow, just 3 hours to pick out a new car and finish all the papers? That’s pretty fast! And it’s great that they were very accommodating of you. Well, I think you went away with a great car. From the photos, I think what you got there is the 2012 Ford Focus, which has garnered highly positive reviews from car pundits. For one, it has excellent handling. Very tight around the corners and highly responsive. It’s also fuel-efficient, which makes it great for city driving.


    @Erwin Calverley

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