I think it depends on the use. My beater pick up, which I bought new 23 years ago, had 4wd, AC, and an AM/FM stereo. That's how I wanted it. Model color doesn't bother me. I'll pick if there are multiple options with the same set up, but I'm not paying more for the choice. Comfort is part of the practicality piece. If it's not comfortable to drive, it's not practical. And I'd argue that vehicles with good reliability ratings also have higher average resale values. That's a lesser concern for me though. I usually drive them until they are ready for the junk yard or close to it.
AT&T Directv getting desperate
- Thread starter dave
- Start date
A car is a tool. When I buy a hammer, I buy the rigjt hammer for the job. When I buy a car I do the same.
I get that a lot. "Just show me the cheapest thing you have" I usually end up putting them into the most expensive trim line of that particular model! No one wants a stripped down econobox.
Of course. Everyone does. But even among hammers, you buy something that feels good, looks sturdy, and hopefully gets the job done. Not all hammers are created equal!
I beg to differ. I paid cash money for the stripped down econobox and when I left I laughed at the salesman and told him hed have to change their sign because they no longer had a car starting at 9999. He didnt think it was funny.
Will it do the job? Is it the cheapest one that will? If I cared about how I felt swinging a hammer Id pay someone to do it.
If I can't sell you on that Carolina Blue 4 door sedan with no radio, roll up windows, five speed manual, and vinyl seats....I can't sell you anything!
How it feels in your hand my man. If you're not swinging it, what do you care what it looks like or even costs?
Those are all valid. Manufactuers spend billions trying to find models that appeal to many things subliminally. You'd be amazed.
I dont care what it looks like or how it feels. I care about what matters. The right tool for the job and not spending a penny more than I can for it.
Oh, I looked around a ton before I bought my 1996 Tacoma. I test drove a lot of new and used stuff. I ended up going with a new, basic Tacoma. In that basic set up, they had 2 on the lot (huge lot, we walked the inventory lot). I went with green over purple, but I was ready to pull the trigger on purple though.
I should note that I financed that through Toyota back then too. If the sales guy didn't like me, the finance guy hated me. I knew the numbers, computed the payments before he could, and called him on stuff he was trying to add without asking.
In the last 3 years, I've bought 2 vehicles. My wife's 05 Xterra was totaled in late 2015. Shopped around for a while, test drove several vehicles, and ended up with a 2016 Subaru Forester. I was looking to replace my 07 Honda Accord before I had to do the timing belt again. I was in no hurry, and I started that process early. I ended up finding a 2015 Tacoma with low miles with a 6-speed manual for a reasonable price. I pulled the trigger on it, and sold the Honda on my own.
In terms of your question about which model I would buy among those 3 choices, I'd have to test drive them. I'm doubting that I would deem any of them practical given that I have to fit a car seat for a 20-month old while still leaving room for an adult to sit in the front seat right now.
We're having a friendly discussion, and this is how you interject yourself into it? Some people's kids!
I thought you 2 boring sociopaths (you and dave) were going to take the top crazy ITT.
There's emotional buying. Reasonable buying. Economical buying. And then there's the category of you 2 nut jobs.
I won't speak for Dave on this, but I'd rather save money on a vehicle, a depreciating asset, and use what I saved to invest in something else.
The dirty little secret in the car business...arrange your own financing! Pay cash.
Reading your post it reminds me Honda buyers are not Toyota buyers and Toyota buyers aren't Subaru buyers!
I dont buy that way with everything. I mean i am going on 25 years of football season tickets so not everything I buy is based on pragmatism.
Right.....again, there's a difference between being practical, being economical and being whatever you 2 are ITT.
Ok. I understand, but let's also agree what you 2 are describing is not pragmatic. That's kind of my point.
It is night and day what the difference is between what men and women consider important when making their transportation choices. I can honestly say the same thing about race.
I understand others buy for many other reason and there are 5-6 times a year I wish I had AC but it just disnt seem worth the extra 2k to get that package in my mind.
I dont doubt this at all. My best friend told me when we were kids he wanted a canary yellow vette. I figured that was cool and I wanted to play in the NBA. Next year he will trade his canary yellow vetter in for the new model.
It is almost impossible to find a new vehicle nowadays that is not manufactured with air conditioning. It is pretty much standard equipment on most models.
In certain markets like Arizona and California, you cannot buy a new vehicle without it. It'd be like buying a car with no tires!
I dont think the morgantown Kia dealer had two of them. Id guess the only reason they jad 1 was so they could market "Cars starting at 9999".
Oddly enough it came with Sirus Radio and a CD player.
I have a couple of buddies who are Toyota to the core. That's all they own, really all they shop. The thing I really like about the Subaru is the all wheel drive system. That car will drive on almost any kind of road condition with no problems. I've driven it on ice, in blizzard conditions, doesn't matter. It just goes. My Accord was a fun car to drive, but where I live it caused me problems only being front wheel drive a few times. That was another reason to replace it.
just saw this thread had 68 takes, so logged into the site to read up on other issues with Direct TV, and I be damned. What is this thread about now? Yugos, 1/4 Millionaires, but no bitching about DTV.
Just say it...
I’ll even preemptively get it out of the way
Sad. And I don't think this plays up to that stereotype.
The Oy Vey is a nice touch.
I love that one. Cracks me up every time I see it used. The Oy Vey puts it over the top.
Sad. And I don't think this plays up to that stereotype.
The Oy Vey is a nice touch.
I paid those sumbitches my last bill but if they try to get 1 more dollar from me I will go nukular on their candy asses.
I hear 'ya. Subaru is definitely a "niche" brand, and it has a fiercely loyal cadre of followers. The Forester is especially popular among the millennial crowd that's into hiking, off roading, camping, etc. Their Sedans don't sell well and they have such a small dealership network that requisitioning parts often can be expensive if not altogether impossible in some areas.
Still, I appreciate all of your points and it just reaffirms my convictions that individual buyers bring their own reasons into the market. Believe it or not even intelligence itself is something we are trained to spot and zero in on! When I come across disciplined and well informed shoppers like you who both know what they want, and aren't fooled by "happy talk" I talk specs, performance, dollar/cost averaging, incidence of repair, manufacturing integrity, insurance fair replacement value, resale marketability and quality reputation with consumer surveys. I feed their obvious intelligence to enhance the emotional perceptions of superior intellect they bring into our discussions.[winking]
The point is there is always a hook in sales to motivate your buyers. We have an old saying in the car business:
"There's an *** for every seat, but you may have to put up with a few of 'em to find one":stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:
(BTW I'm NOT calling you an *** 'cause you are one of my favorite posters on the OT forum, I'm just letting you in the fact that in the car business, there isn't anything we haven't heard, or seen or anyone we haven't met when it comes to making a deal)
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I'll just say DirecTV wasn't worth what I was paying for it when I cut the cord on them (in'14) They didn't hassle me about returning their equipment, but they called or sent flyers almost every other day asking me to "come back" with all sorts of enticements and freebies I couldn't get when I was paid subscriber!
I haven't missed them, and doubt I'll ever pay for satellite T-V again.
I haven't missed them, and doubt I'll ever pay for satellite T-V again.
Not specifically for you Mule Man, but I'm just using your post here to throw this out there...
We do surveys of buyer attitudes and trends just to keep abreast of what's going on "out there" ...so I'm going to list in no particular order what are some of the more common emotional factors that drive today's automotive consumers? Again, there is no right or wrong answer... just decide for yourself how you'd rank these factors?
- service & mechanical reliability
- safety & comfort
- sales price & operational affordability
- style & functionality
- utility & drivability
- resale & residual value
- performance & functional operation
- status, class, image, & personal appeal
*(the last one, followed closely by safety and comfort)
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