When an Auto Writer Buys a Car: Part III
After my wife delivered the crushing reality that a black Mazda CX-7 would not be our next car, it was back to full car-shopping mode. Like most people, we’re a busy couple and don’t have time to talk to dealers on the phone or go to a dealership on a weekday. We had to plan our shopping trips for the weekend, and in Illinois that means Saturday, since there are laws that don’t allow dealers to operate on Sunday.
Using online quotes and test-drive appointments was extremely helpful. I’m not just saying that because Cars.com offers the service — as do most automakers — it really does change the way you schedule your shopping and is extremely efficient.
With the Mazda CX-7 now out of the running, I knew we had to test drive the Honda CR-V. My wife owned a CR-V about seven years ago, and I reviewed the new 2007 model myself for Cars.com. It actually garnered a pretty glowing review, plus it’s safe and will have excellent resale value.
I scheduled an appointment for an upcoming Saturday with an internet salesman at a large Honda dealer in another suburb. It was on one of those long stretches of car dealerships, right next to Hyundai and Mitsubishi dealers, so we could just walk in to test a Santa Fe or an Outlander.
Luckily for me, a new Hyundai Santa Fe came into our test fleet during this time. I took it home for a few days, and Courtney really liked it. What won her over was the comfortable ride, seating position and visibility. I find the Santa Fe a tad sedate, but there’s no way to argue it has the cushiest ride in the segment and takes Chicago potholes well. So now the favorites were the Santa Fe and Subaru Outback.
Saturday rolled around, and we made the trek out to the suburbs to meet our Honda salesman. Again, I was relieved the salesman wasn’t a stereotype, and he didn’t waste our time at all. He found a black 2007 CR-V EX-L, with leather, on the lot, and we were off for a test drive. I sat in the backseat while my wife drove (I don’t ride in backseats much). The test drive was going fine, and I had a question that popped into my head. I asked the salesman, “How much will the mileage come down when the 2008 EPA numbers are released?” If you’ve been following our blog you know 2008 car models are being judged much more strictly by the EPA than those in 2007 and before.
Here is where my faith in the sales guy went out the window. He said, “We don’t think they’ll go down at all; they could even go up.” Huh? Now the EPA has released adjusted numbers using a formula, but hasn’t done the real test on the 2008 CR-V since it’s not out yet. The adjusted numbers are 2 mpg less than the 2007 numbers, about on par with every other model on the market. If he had just said “they’ll go down the same as everybody else,” I don’t think that would’ve stopped us from buying the CR-V. Instead his comment put me on the defensive, and even when I asked him why he thought the mileage would go up, I didn’t get a satisfactory answer.
We got back from the test drive and sat down to get the pricing. Our salesman resumed his efficient manner and basically said the MSRP is the price and there aren’t any deals being offered by Honda. I knew how popular the CR-V was and its short time on lots, so I didn’t doubt him, but I still had to ask “there’s no way to get a better price?” Nope. None. Still, the MSRP was in line with where we wanted to be: right around $25,000.
We took his card and left, and he promised to follow up with us. It was a very painless trip. In the safety of our own car, my wife said she didn’t like the CR-V’s engine when she was driving, especially the acceleration from a stop; it seemed too anemic. I had been impressed with the black and tan color combination and love the handling and transmission of the CR-V, but this isn’t my car. Strike the CR-V from the list.
Two doors down was the Mitsubishi dealer. Without an appointment we walked in and found a number of salesmen idle. One immediately sidled up to us as we approached an Outlander on the showroom floor. Getting a test drive was effortless. Once again we were asked for my wife’s license and were sent off by ourselves in a new Outlander XLS. The Outlander — which I also reviewed for Cars.com — has plenty of pep, but my wife just could not get comfortable in the seat. She was too far back from the windshield — like she was in the Mazda CX-7 — to feel comfortable no matter how she adjusted her position. We had barely gotten a block before she had made up her mind on the Outlander; it happened that fast.
The salesman was nice enough when we told him she just didn’t feel comfortable driving it, but the sales manager came over in a near-cornering maneuver to follow up and didn’t accept her explanation on the first try. I thought it was a pretty valid reason not to like a car.
That was that. After only two weekends of physical car shopping we were left with a decision: The Hyundai Santa Fe or the Subaru Outback. The answer will come tomorrow, along with our negotiations.
When an Auto Writer Buys a Car: Part I
When an Auto Writer Buys a Car: Part II
When an Auto Writer Buys a Car: Part IV
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"He found a black 2007 CR-V LX with leather" I thought that leather was only available on the EX?
You're right PS, thanks. And actually to be precise its called the EX-L, the L standing for Leather.
When a manufacturer sells a car to an auto writer, they had better have their stuff straight or the writer will pick them apart.
Bryan
http://www.racinsite.com
Dave,
In part 1 you had the Ford Escape Hybrid and Saturn Vue on your list. What happened to them? Why are they off the list now?
George,
Ah, I was going to tackle that at some point but this post got so long...
Basically I got to test both via the Cars.com test fleet. I've reviewed the Vue and gave it a stellar review.
My wife was really averse to the Vue's blindspots though. She felt a bit on edge because of them when driving. I thought they were passable especially with the large mirrors.
Me, I just couldn't go with the Escape even though I've had many Fords myself over the years. I liked the interior but it just didn't handle the way I liked and had an old school cargo area, just like our Jeep's, where you need to remove the headrests etc. My wife liked it as much as either the Santa Fe or Outback though surprisingly.
Dave, anxious to hear the conclusion of the story as I am also currently in the market for a new SUV. I've had a Santa Fe since 2001 and I love it. It's traveled across the country several times towing a trailer through the mountains, been pushed to the limits like a 21 year old will do and figured 8-ed around more parking lots in the snow than I can remember.
I would recommend a Santa Fe in a heartbeat but wasn't completely won over with the '07s. Would I be better waiting for the '08s?
I'm curious as to what advantage you see in the Outback over the less-expensive Legacy wagon. Is the body cladding and the higher ground clearance worth that much to you?
IFCAR,
If I remembered correctly, the Legacy wagon is dead in 2008.
So I don't know what the price might be for the remaining 07's.
Five words:
SANTA FE ALL THE WAY!!!
(Sorry, I couldn't resist) =^P
Dave.T
You should go onto Google or something and look up the Australian Ford Territory, (Turbo or Ghia are best) its a great vehicle, its a medium/large suv that is based on a car platform making it more comfortable and easier to drive. Even though its not in the USA its still a great car with ratings as high as BMW's and Lexus. (Just as an Australian I thought its was good to let u know about great foreign SUV's)
I’m almost 100% sure Dave and his wife choose the Santa Fe for the following reasons:
Warranty,
Quality,
Price,
Comfort, etc.
Hyundai has been improving with each new generation of their vehicles for a while now.
Now I feel sorry for those sales-pukes at that Mitsu shop. If the sales manager chases down customers that don't buy, Imagine what he does to the staff behind closed doors.
Ironically, I've bought my last two cars from the same "old boy" type sales guy. Although he offended my wife and she will NEVER buy another car from him. (it was a tacky joke that got her in a snit) I found the poker-like negotiations to be quite a rush.
I feel like I got a decent deal but I have no-doubt the dealership made a good amount of money off me too. (I'm waiting now to see if they sell my trade 'on site' and for how much)
BTW the young guys with the new approch may appeal to women and casual shoppers but if they don't know what the hell they're talking about (or don't enjoy talking about cars in general) they loose all crediblity.