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Agent001
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What is YOUR most memorable car buying experience?


I just did an article in this week's newsletter focusing on 'It's the little things that say the most and keep car customers loyal', where I spoke about a couple memorable experiences.

Which got me wondering...what was your BEST or WORST car buying experience?

I bet we'll get some real beauties in our blogs regarding this subject!!!



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aussie2uaussie2u - 5/15/2005 10:10:35 PM
+1 BoostDrop the Boost Up the Boost
Went to my local BMW dealer in '97 when one of the first new E39 540i sedans with 6-speeds arrived. I was driving my 928S4 at the time and wanted to see what all the buzz was about this cool sedan that could blow everything else away. While I was looking at the car on the showroom floor with the salesman, going over all the new features, we saw a police car pull into the dealership. A couple minutes later, a firetruck caming roaring past the showroom heading towards the rear of the building. Being the last day of the month and a Saturday morning, they had plans for a big selling day ahead. The manager soon walked over and asked if I wanted to take the 540i home. I said not a chance, I was there just to see and learn about it. He quickly rushed off when we saw two more firetrucks suddenly come screaming into the parking lot. The salesman said he heard it was a "grease fire" in the parts department and it was "no big deal"... I was checking out the keyless remote and "auto-window-up" feature of the BMW when the manager came back and said "I'm gonna get you to take it today - I'll make you a deal you can't refuse - let me have your Porsche keys so I can appraise it". Since I could use a free appraisal anyway, I gave him my keys. A few minutes later the lights went off. All power was out. We could now hear a helicopter outside. The salesman and I walked outside and could see huge amounts of pure black smoke about 30 yards away from us in the back of the dealership. The entire backside of the building was raging with fire! The helicopter above was a local news station and by now, I noticed the police had put yellow "do not cross" tape around all the entrances and exits. My Porsche was also missing from customer parking (I had to hope the manager had it) and now a firefighter was approaching us fast. We went back into the showroom and saw the manager coming towards me. At the same time the firefighter came in and said "the tires won't die so we need everyone out now". The manager nodded to him but as soon as the fireman left, he stopped me from walking out and said "you have to take this car now - make me an offer". I asked him what he would give for mine and he told me a price $1k more than I bought it for 6 months earlier. Knowing the new 540i/6 was very hot and an MSRP+ car, I figured he would try to make it up on that end. He looked at me and said $2k under MSRP. I said no, that it sounded good but I just had no intentions to buy when I came in. He walked off and the fire chief came inside. The fire chief repeated that we need to get out as the fire was not under control and in danager of spreading to the showroom. The manager met a short time later outside the front doors and said "look, it's the last day of the month, I need to move some inventory and now we've got this fire. I'll give you $7500 off that 540i if you'll drive it home now". I knew if I didn't like it I could resell it and probably make some money to boot at that point so I agreed. He quickly opened the showroom glass doors but there was a problem. A red Z3 was in the way. The power was out so the key "lockbox" would not open. He yelled out for about 5 employees come over and physically lift the Z3 up and swing the rear of it out of the path of the 540i so it could be driven out! It was a crazy chaotic scene to say the least. He jumped in the 540i and drove it out into the lot across two fire hoses on the ground! The manager said since the power was out, he could not run my credit card or even make a copy of my drivers license. He simply said "give me you number and I'll call you Monday if we have a building left standing so we can do the paperwork". I got a policeman to lift the crime scene tape up and I drove off in my first BMW ever! Needless to say, the car was more than I ever expected and I ended up getting a '99 540i 6-speed and putting my name on the list for one of the first M5's. I picked up my 2000 Avus Blue M5 in December 99 and have been a huge bimmer fan ever since! All of it due to a freak fire, an end of the month, and an aggressive dealer.



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