Car shopping

[bunn]

It is time for a new car to join the House of Bunn. The old car is not broken, but at almost 9 years old and 120,000 miles, it's reached that awkward point where although it's still fairly reliable and nice to drive, still, every time you get into it, you are sort of consciously hoping that it will start and go all right, and that nothing will fall off. This is a bit stressful: it is nicer to have a car that you can just assume will behave. Also the boot is a tad small for the hounds, and I can't take Mollydog anywhere far in it during the day in the summer, because there's no aircon and she overheats.

Choice of car caused enormous debate. Philmophlegm wanted a fast, luxurious car. I was tending more towards a cheap car that would be economical to run and service...

Finally we settled on a Saab 9-5. But I couldn't find a suitable one in Devon or Cornwall (well, we did, but it got sold before we could buy it)

So, today I went to Bristol all on my lonesome (pp being abroad for work), where I looked at 2 Saabs, test drove both, and bought one! I haven't actually brought it home yet as it needs a couple of scratches sorting out and a valet, but I have decided, and put down a deposit, and they have promised it will be ready on Saturday!

I was so pleased with myself: I managed to haggle them down from a sticker price of 5995 to 5600 (my budget was £6000), got the full amount I wanted for the old car in part exchange, and got them to throw in an extended warranty.

I just hope there isn't something stupidly obvious wrong that I didn't spot because I was feeling so smug about my haggling... I also wonder if I got enough on the part exchange. Oh well!

Comments

[chainmailmaiden]

It sounds like you got a good deal!

I always worried with garages that I was being ripped off because I was female, taking Bacchus along always seemed to mean we got treated differently (even though I have far more knowledge about the internal workings of cars than he does).

When we eventually get another car I plan to take my brother-in-law along as he is a mechanic (and also Glaswegian & quite hard-looking i.e. not the sort of person you would want to rip off :-)).

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I pretended that I was James May off Top Gear. It worked rather well (I didn't feel I could pull off being Clarkson...) Oddly, when I went to a garage with philmophlegm, I had difficulty negotiating because I became paralysed with indecision. I find that sort of thing is easier on my own.

The Glaswegian mechanic does sound like a useful resource though!

[bunn.livejournal.com]

I must say I've not really encountered garages treating me differently for being female - not for some years, anyway. I think I encountered it a bit when I was a lot younger, but not now.

It may have something to do with driving an Impreza. Greasy-handed blokes tend to appoint you as an honorary bloke when you are in one of those. Though I am not sure if that is full compensation for the fact that if you have an accident, everyone instantly assumes you were speeding and it was your fault, and half the boy racers on the roads want you to race them...

It will be interesting to see if the perceptions change with the car.

[chainmailmaiden]

I had a pale blue Corsa, which probably enhanced the girlie image... Taking Bacchus along probably made them think he's come along to make sure 'the wife's' car is sorted out ok :-)