Saturday
Right...so continuing where I left off. Saturday dawned nice, bright and sunny....while we did crash out the previous night, it wasn't a very great sleep - owing to the lack of pillows and a mattress!! But nevertheless we did try to grab some shut eye. Got a call from a Kim Hoang from San Leandro Honda, stating that they had a special going on for the end of the month, and that she was really desperate to sell a car.
A quick tip - the trick to buying a car in the US is to pit different dealers against each other to get the best possible rate / deal. Then again, within the dealership too, once can get two different rates for the same car - one from the retail salesman and a different one from the internet salesman. While the retail guy makes his commissions on how much the car is sold for, the internet person makes his commission based on how many cars he sells in the month. So the trick is to talk to the internet guy for the best possible rate as he/she would like to move the car off the lot - irrespective of the price, and then talk to the retail guy to see if he would go any lower than the said price.
Since we do not have any credit history in this country, all interest rates on loans were very high - upwards of 10.5%, which is a ridiculous sum of money. Anyhow, since it was a special (it's all in the timing - end of the month & end of the quarter), we managed to secure a 4.9% which is really good.
We ended up buying the Honda Civic EX with Navigation with the automatic transmission. The color is Beige. Will upload some photographs soon. From start to finish - the entire process took less than two hours - including the financing etc. The actual sale took just about half an hour!!!
While we received delivery of the vehicle, we couldn't take it off the lot, as we didn't have insurance. We finally managed to get insurance on Monday and so drove it back from the showroom on Monday. It was the first time that I drove on the Freeway, and believe me, I was gripping the steering wheel like a dead man clutching straws!!! If at all I am able to drive in this country - it's all thanks to Anil. He has been a tremendous help here.
Technorati Tags: honda civic, freeway, credit hitory, apr, interest rate, car buying tips,
A quick tip - the trick to buying a car in the US is to pit different dealers against each other to get the best possible rate / deal. Then again, within the dealership too, once can get two different rates for the same car - one from the retail salesman and a different one from the internet salesman. While the retail guy makes his commissions on how much the car is sold for, the internet person makes his commission based on how many cars he sells in the month. So the trick is to talk to the internet guy for the best possible rate as he/she would like to move the car off the lot - irrespective of the price, and then talk to the retail guy to see if he would go any lower than the said price.
Since we do not have any credit history in this country, all interest rates on loans were very high - upwards of 10.5%, which is a ridiculous sum of money. Anyhow, since it was a special (it's all in the timing - end of the month & end of the quarter), we managed to secure a 4.9% which is really good.
We ended up buying the Honda Civic EX with Navigation with the automatic transmission. The color is Beige. Will upload some photographs soon. From start to finish - the entire process took less than two hours - including the financing etc. The actual sale took just about half an hour!!!
While we received delivery of the vehicle, we couldn't take it off the lot, as we didn't have insurance. We finally managed to get insurance on Monday and so drove it back from the showroom on Monday. It was the first time that I drove on the Freeway, and believe me, I was gripping the steering wheel like a dead man clutching straws!!! If at all I am able to drive in this country - it's all thanks to Anil. He has been a tremendous help here.
Technorati Tags: honda civic, freeway, credit hitory, apr, interest rate, car buying tips,
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6 comments:
Hi,
Nice to read all that. You seem to extract a good deal most of the time. Good. Keep it up and "Bash on Regardless"!!
Nothing much here except that we all went out to Alankrita for dinner with Aruns and Indus on Annianna's wedding anniversary.
Murthy Uncle Meena Aunty are leaving for Bangalore on the 14th and shall return on the 28th along with Hamsini, Manas and Tejas.
Mittoo is in Delhi undergoing training in Brazilian jet aquired by India for their VIP Squadron based in Delhi. Mittoo will naturally get posted to Delhi soon for a five year stint!
Samyukta is very charming and lovable and is very very playful. We enjoyed her company the other day.
Nothing else as of now. Love you both and take care.
Mom & Dad
My clevvver boy! Shabbaash, Ramesh! Soon, soon, photos, please!
Chetan's home too, wheeee! And Rayo's exams over too, double wheee! Except for that bandh-postponed onel, which is now on 24th.
Thank you papa - we did manage to squeeze a good deal - I think it was all about the timing!! Good to get the family round up too!!!
Thank you aunty. Don't worry - photos will come soon. Good to hear that all the bacchas are home - chetan, rayo, Karthik & Jamie. Wish we too could be there....
How did Rayo's exams go? Has he managed to leave any strands of hair on his head???
old bugger where r the snaps???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Hi guys,
Nice tips, i also found some more interesting tips for first time car buyers
Tips for Buying new car
New car buying tips
Hope these will be usefull to you guys...
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