Salesmen and My First Drive Impressions (long)
11/15/04, 09:19 AM
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I finally got the chance to drive an '05 GT and it was even better than I thought it would be... here is my adventure in good driving!
I finally got to the dealership in the afternoon, right after getting off work at 2pm, having daydreamed about it all day. Fortunately, the dealer is located in a fairly small town and there were not any customers on the lot or inside at all probably since it was mid-afternoon. Anyhow, I parked next to the building, got out and went inside.
A short, frumpy looking salesman ("Larry") appeared as if out of thin air (where DID he come from?) and walked over to ask while flashing brilliantly white teeth much too big for his mouth, "May I help you?"
"Yes, I would like to see the Legend Lime GT, you have out front. Is that possible?" My retinas were still reeling from the flash-dance of his molars and bicuspids.
Another salesman spoke up, answering my question for "Larry" with a voice not much unlike Darth Vader's. "The keys are on the table. We don't even hang them up since there's been so many people looking at the car. That's ALL we get - LOOKERS..."
Glancing in the direction from which 'the voice' came, I could immediately sense Mr. White Shoes' desperation. This enormously overweight and frustrated salesman - white shoes AND white socks with black pants and SpongeBob Squarepants suspenders (yes, really) over a dark printed shirt - was seated in a chair and sporting a beard that should have had a 'Vacancy' sign posted on what had to be a steroid-enhancing-experiment-gone-bad beard, inviting vermin of most any size to come live there. He reaked of impending financial doom if he didn't sell a car soon. Hmmm... perhaps it was his desperate tone of voice that turns off buyers? Or was the 'beard'? The suspenders? Oh well, not my problem... back to "Larry".
Larry grabs the keys, heads for the door with a bounce in his step, and says, "Sure! Let's go open her up." I of course follow as if surgically attached to his backside.
We walk outside and since it was a brilliant fall day with very cool temperatures (around 45*), it was gorgeous. The paint was radiant and showed a lot of color in the sunlight. Now, the Legend Lime is a great color but not one of my first picks. However, I must admit the car was b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l! The Bullitts looked just perfect for that color and I liked the reflection off the various pieces of chrome that caught the sunlight.
The first thing Larry did was pop open the trunk. I could NOT believe how big it was! Compared to the small, valise-sized 'compartment' (and that is being generous) that the '04 GTO has, it was enormous! I think you could put Jimmy Hoffa AND an 'associate' in it! Ok, maybe I'm stretching a bit but you get the picture - it is really big for a Mustang. And, if you lay down the back seats, I have no doubt you COULD get Hoffa and a cohort in it! The dark grey cloth covering really looked classy and was obviously fitted to the area very well.
Walking around to the driver's side he released the locks and opened the door. Immediately I noted how easy the access seemed to be as well as how sharp the interior looked. I don't know what exactly Ford did but getting into the '05 seemed MUCH easier than getting into the '04's and before. Maybe the door is longer or what, I don't know, but anyhow, I sat down onto the driver's seat with ease. I'm a big guy - 6'1 and 280+ and I fit EASILY! I even had to pull the seat up (power seats RULE!) and the leather was very comfortable and luxurious for a sports car of this price range (MSRP - $25954).
The controls were laid out wonderfully and since there have been a number of posts about the ergonomics, I won't go into them here. Suffice it to say that the car fits a BIG man very, very well. And even though this car did not have the IUP, I was very satisfied with the interior. Yes, the additional gauges, message center, and the extra chrome/leather (etc) that come with the IUP would have been nice but I could live easily without it. The interior as it sat was very impressive.
So, I figured it was time for 'The Question'...
"Can I drive it? I'm not sure about the color but I would love to drive an '05" I wanted to be totally honest up front.
You just never know how a smarmy, tie-wearing, car salesman is going to respond to that question, do you? Especially if he's wearing polyester and plaid - at the same time. But Larry did not disappoint, in spite of his fashion statement.
With a huge, blinding LarrySmile he answered. "Sure! I'll get you a plate and you can take her out! We've got three others coming in so this one will give you an idea. All I need is a copy of your Drivers License". (I must say, in the sunlight his teeth were white enough that I was surprised, fall season or not, that moths were not flitting about and around them. I immediately wished that I had worn my sunglasses - not for the sun's glare; for the glare of his teeth.)
I nearly tore my wallet apart getting the plastic card for him! Oh, YEAH! Larry was immediately at the top of my favorite car salesman list.
Now, I figured FOR SURE he would want to ride along. I surely would have if I had been him and not knowing me from Adam. Nor, would I have cared. All I wanted to do was drive the car! Heck, he could have even tried to squeeze old desparate SpongeBob in there if he wanted (with an appropriately sized shoe horn), just as long as I got to drive!
"Are you going to ride along too?" I asked with my best Bambi-eyes impression possible as he bounced back out to the car, magnetically attached plate in hand.
"Nah, I've rode in it several times. Enjoy!", he exudes as he tosses me the keys
Major surprise to me! Oh, DOUBLE-YEAH!! I GET TO DRIVE THE 05 GT ALONE!
So, I fire the car up and let her warm up a bit while Larry slithers back into the warm confines of the glass laden dealership.
I must say - the exhaust note is A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!! At idle OR at speed, the sound of this car is music to ANY car nut. "Buhhhh - WAAAABBBAAAAA!" is about the best I can describe the symphony you are treated too when you rock the go-pedal. Beautiful, simply beautiful.
After adjusting the mirrors and steering wheel tilt, I released the park brake while depressing the brake pedal and clutch simultaneously (sitting on a slight incline), noting that the pedals fit perfectly for my reach. Again, the layout of the seat position fit perfectly and required very little fidgeting with the power seat to get comfy.
I released the clutch just ever-so-slightly, noting the smooth and easy tranisition from disengaged to engaging the flywheel, and then sidestepped the brake, noticing that the torque of the motor was sufficient to maneuver away from the other parked cars needing very little throttle input.
Nice...
Anyhow, I pulled on out of the lot, paying particular attention to potential blind spots and while the A-pillar is a little 'thickish', it posed no visibility problems at all. Now, the B-pillar would be enormous if not for the small windows but with them in place, the visibility was great!
I motored on out onto the highway and was VERY impressed -again- with the exhaust note. Accellerating away from the dealership was pure music to my ears - the engine revved freely and did not feel in the least like a brand new machine. (The car had 26 miles on it.) Running on up through the gears was a gear-head's favorite treat - torque was abundant and the motor was not afraid of a low rpm gear selection in the least. Coming to a stop and downshifting again provided the best music I have heard in years. (Well, except of course from bands like Simple Plan and Aerosmith.
)
I did a couple of upshift/downshift progressions, allowing the drivetrain to come up to temperature throughout. One other facet I truly enjoyed was the looks from passing drivers.
You can always tell who is and who is not a car nut. Some drivers did not cast a second glance at the '05; others, however, tried to break their own necks (passenger OR driver alike) as I approached them and then motored past. Glancing in my rear view mirrors offered more than one view of the passing driver trying to see more in HIS rear view mirror or, of the passengers craning their necks around to get a fleeting glimpse of the Mustang. And while, yes, the outside mirrors are a bit on the 'big' side, they will surely provide a delightful view of the guy driving the BMW you may have just embarrassed at a stoplight. I think they fit car fine after having spent some seat time in it.
So, I drove through a small town just about 8 miles north of the dealership, noting the wonderful handling (rack and pinion steering simply ROCKS!), abundant braking, and smooth, effortless steering that gives you a solid feel of the road. Pedestrians - the few that were out and about - ALL paused on their trek to watch the Mustang glide by. I even treated a couple of them to some bursts of acceleration from the stop sign or stop light, to which I got huge grins and the 'Thumbs up'! Everyone enjoyed seeing the car on the road.
Alas, I had to return the car; I would have loved to have kept it but since no money had changed hands - only a copy of my drivers license - I had to head back.
Those who may be wondering if I ran her hard through the gears or tried to top it out - NO. This car was not going to be mine because I want a different color. I would NOT do that to someone else's car because I wouldn't want it done to mine before I got it.
I all-to-quickly returned to the dealership, having been gone about 25 minutes, with a huge grin on my face and absolute certainty that the 2005 Mustang is by far and bar none, the absolute finest all-around Mustang they have ever built. That is not to take away from the wonderful Musclecar era 'Stangs or from the '03/'04 Cobras - I'm not talking about raw power or visceral acceleration; I'm talking about the total package. This new Mustang is the best Ford has EVER done for the trusty steed from nose to tail.
Those of you who now own an '05 know exactly what I mean; those of you who haven't had the opportunity to drive one yet will find that even what I wrote does not even come close to the actual experience of driving the 2005 Mustang GT.
Words simply can not suffice. It IS THAT GOOD. I just hope SpongeBob sells a car.
I finally got to the dealership in the afternoon, right after getting off work at 2pm, having daydreamed about it all day. Fortunately, the dealer is located in a fairly small town and there were not any customers on the lot or inside at all probably since it was mid-afternoon. Anyhow, I parked next to the building, got out and went inside.
A short, frumpy looking salesman ("Larry") appeared as if out of thin air (where DID he come from?) and walked over to ask while flashing brilliantly white teeth much too big for his mouth, "May I help you?"
"Yes, I would like to see the Legend Lime GT, you have out front. Is that possible?" My retinas were still reeling from the flash-dance of his molars and bicuspids.
Another salesman spoke up, answering my question for "Larry" with a voice not much unlike Darth Vader's. "The keys are on the table. We don't even hang them up since there's been so many people looking at the car. That's ALL we get - LOOKERS..."
Glancing in the direction from which 'the voice' came, I could immediately sense Mr. White Shoes' desperation. This enormously overweight and frustrated salesman - white shoes AND white socks with black pants and SpongeBob Squarepants suspenders (yes, really) over a dark printed shirt - was seated in a chair and sporting a beard that should have had a 'Vacancy' sign posted on what had to be a steroid-enhancing-experiment-gone-bad beard, inviting vermin of most any size to come live there. He reaked of impending financial doom if he didn't sell a car soon. Hmmm... perhaps it was his desperate tone of voice that turns off buyers? Or was the 'beard'? The suspenders? Oh well, not my problem... back to "Larry".
Larry grabs the keys, heads for the door with a bounce in his step, and says, "Sure! Let's go open her up." I of course follow as if surgically attached to his backside.
We walk outside and since it was a brilliant fall day with very cool temperatures (around 45*), it was gorgeous. The paint was radiant and showed a lot of color in the sunlight. Now, the Legend Lime is a great color but not one of my first picks. However, I must admit the car was b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l! The Bullitts looked just perfect for that color and I liked the reflection off the various pieces of chrome that caught the sunlight.
The first thing Larry did was pop open the trunk. I could NOT believe how big it was! Compared to the small, valise-sized 'compartment' (and that is being generous) that the '04 GTO has, it was enormous! I think you could put Jimmy Hoffa AND an 'associate' in it! Ok, maybe I'm stretching a bit but you get the picture - it is really big for a Mustang. And, if you lay down the back seats, I have no doubt you COULD get Hoffa and a cohort in it! The dark grey cloth covering really looked classy and was obviously fitted to the area very well.
Walking around to the driver's side he released the locks and opened the door. Immediately I noted how easy the access seemed to be as well as how sharp the interior looked. I don't know what exactly Ford did but getting into the '05 seemed MUCH easier than getting into the '04's and before. Maybe the door is longer or what, I don't know, but anyhow, I sat down onto the driver's seat with ease. I'm a big guy - 6'1 and 280+ and I fit EASILY! I even had to pull the seat up (power seats RULE!) and the leather was very comfortable and luxurious for a sports car of this price range (MSRP - $25954).
The controls were laid out wonderfully and since there have been a number of posts about the ergonomics, I won't go into them here. Suffice it to say that the car fits a BIG man very, very well. And even though this car did not have the IUP, I was very satisfied with the interior. Yes, the additional gauges, message center, and the extra chrome/leather (etc) that come with the IUP would have been nice but I could live easily without it. The interior as it sat was very impressive.
So, I figured it was time for 'The Question'...
"Can I drive it? I'm not sure about the color but I would love to drive an '05" I wanted to be totally honest up front.
You just never know how a smarmy, tie-wearing, car salesman is going to respond to that question, do you? Especially if he's wearing polyester and plaid - at the same time. But Larry did not disappoint, in spite of his fashion statement.
With a huge, blinding LarrySmile he answered. "Sure! I'll get you a plate and you can take her out! We've got three others coming in so this one will give you an idea. All I need is a copy of your Drivers License". (I must say, in the sunlight his teeth were white enough that I was surprised, fall season or not, that moths were not flitting about and around them. I immediately wished that I had worn my sunglasses - not for the sun's glare; for the glare of his teeth.)
I nearly tore my wallet apart getting the plastic card for him! Oh, YEAH! Larry was immediately at the top of my favorite car salesman list.
Now, I figured FOR SURE he would want to ride along. I surely would have if I had been him and not knowing me from Adam. Nor, would I have cared. All I wanted to do was drive the car! Heck, he could have even tried to squeeze old desparate SpongeBob in there if he wanted (with an appropriately sized shoe horn), just as long as I got to drive!
"Are you going to ride along too?" I asked with my best Bambi-eyes impression possible as he bounced back out to the car, magnetically attached plate in hand.
"Nah, I've rode in it several times. Enjoy!", he exudes as he tosses me the keys
Major surprise to me!
Oh, DOUBLE-YEAH!! I GET TO DRIVE THE 05 GT ALONE!So, I fire the car up and let her warm up a bit while Larry slithers back into the warm confines of the glass laden dealership.
I must say - the exhaust note is A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!! At idle OR at speed, the sound of this car is music to ANY car nut. "Buhhhh - WAAAABBBAAAAA!" is about the best I can describe the symphony you are treated too when you rock the go-pedal. Beautiful, simply beautiful.
After adjusting the mirrors and steering wheel tilt, I released the park brake while depressing the brake pedal and clutch simultaneously (sitting on a slight incline), noting that the pedals fit perfectly for my reach. Again, the layout of the seat position fit perfectly and required very little fidgeting with the power seat to get comfy.
I released the clutch just ever-so-slightly, noting the smooth and easy tranisition from disengaged to engaging the flywheel, and then sidestepped the brake, noticing that the torque of the motor was sufficient to maneuver away from the other parked cars needing very little throttle input.
Nice...
Anyhow, I pulled on out of the lot, paying particular attention to potential blind spots and while the A-pillar is a little 'thickish', it posed no visibility problems at all. Now, the B-pillar would be enormous if not for the small windows but with them in place, the visibility was great!
I motored on out onto the highway and was VERY impressed -again- with the exhaust note. Accellerating away from the dealership was pure music to my ears - the engine revved freely and did not feel in the least like a brand new machine. (The car had 26 miles on it.) Running on up through the gears was a gear-head's favorite treat - torque was abundant and the motor was not afraid of a low rpm gear selection in the least. Coming to a stop and downshifting again provided the best music I have heard in years. (Well, except of course from bands like Simple Plan and Aerosmith.
)I did a couple of upshift/downshift progressions, allowing the drivetrain to come up to temperature throughout. One other facet I truly enjoyed was the looks from passing drivers.
You can always tell who is and who is not a car nut. Some drivers did not cast a second glance at the '05; others, however, tried to break their own necks (passenger OR driver alike) as I approached them and then motored past. Glancing in my rear view mirrors offered more than one view of the passing driver trying to see more in HIS rear view mirror or, of the passengers craning their necks around to get a fleeting glimpse of the Mustang. And while, yes, the outside mirrors are a bit on the 'big' side, they will surely provide a delightful view of the guy driving the BMW you may have just embarrassed at a stoplight. I think they fit car fine after having spent some seat time in it.
So, I drove through a small town just about 8 miles north of the dealership, noting the wonderful handling (rack and pinion steering simply ROCKS!), abundant braking, and smooth, effortless steering that gives you a solid feel of the road. Pedestrians - the few that were out and about - ALL paused on their trek to watch the Mustang glide by. I even treated a couple of them to some bursts of acceleration from the stop sign or stop light, to which I got huge grins and the 'Thumbs up'! Everyone enjoyed seeing the car on the road.
Alas, I had to return the car; I would have loved to have kept it but since no money had changed hands - only a copy of my drivers license - I had to head back.
Those who may be wondering if I ran her hard through the gears or tried to top it out - NO. This car was not going to be mine because I want a different color. I would NOT do that to someone else's car because I wouldn't want it done to mine before I got it.
I all-to-quickly returned to the dealership, having been gone about 25 minutes, with a huge grin on my face and absolute certainty that the 2005 Mustang is by far and bar none, the absolute finest all-around Mustang they have ever built. That is not to take away from the wonderful Musclecar era 'Stangs or from the '03/'04 Cobras - I'm not talking about raw power or visceral acceleration; I'm talking about the total package. This new Mustang is the best Ford has EVER done for the trusty steed from nose to tail.
Those of you who now own an '05 know exactly what I mean; those of you who haven't had the opportunity to drive one yet will find that even what I wrote does not even come close to the actual experience of driving the 2005 Mustang GT.
Words simply can not suffice. It IS THAT GOOD. I just hope SpongeBob sells a car.
11/15/04, 02:56 PM
#9
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Originally posted by freebass55@November 15, 2004, 3:12 PM
I have never heard of a salesman not being present during a test drive.
Nice read.
I have never heard of a salesman not being present during a test drive.
Nice read.
Nice write-up Steve. Thanks!
Also, where you did'nt roast the 05, just shows that you have class!
Salseman probably knew that. That's why he tossed you the keys!
11/15/04, 02:59 PM
#10
Originally posted by Steve@November 15, 2004, 10:22 AM
"Buhhhh - WAAAABBBAAAAA!"
"Buhhhh - WAAAABBBAAAAA!"
That's awesome.Great write-up. Can't wait to get mine
11/15/04, 03:04 PM
#11
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Originally posted by Merlot+November 15, 2004, 2:59 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Merlot @ November 15, 2004, 2:59 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-freebass55@November 15, 2004, 3:12 PM
I have never heard of a salesman not being present during a test drive.
Nice read.
I have never heard of a salesman not being present during a test drive.
Nice read.
Really?
I always thought it was common practice. Guess I was wrong.
11/15/04, 05:59 PM
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Thanks for the replies and comments! Around here, it is more unusual for the salesman to go with you on a demo than not. Now, that is not always the case but usually (unless you're really young I imagine?), I've never had a problem with going out in a new vehicle without the salesman.
In this case, I would not have been surprised had the salesman insisted on going with me, especially with the rarity of the '05's right now. However, he happily sent me on my way and had that car been equipped with what I wanted and been the right color, I would have definitely bought it. I forgot to include that they were willing to sell it to me on X-plan which would have been a net price of $24,005 plus Tax and Title, discounted from the $25,954 MSRP.
Maybe it's because they are a small town dealership but I thought Larry went out of his way to be accomodating. I would definitely buy from them if they get in what I'm looking for!
In this case, I would not have been surprised had the salesman insisted on going with me, especially with the rarity of the '05's right now. However, he happily sent me on my way and had that car been equipped with what I wanted and been the right color, I would have definitely bought it. I forgot to include that they were willing to sell it to me on X-plan which would have been a net price of $24,005 plus Tax and Title, discounted from the $25,954 MSRP.
Maybe it's because they are a small town dealership but I thought Larry went out of his way to be accomodating. I would definitely buy from them if they get in what I'm looking for!
11/15/04, 09:02 PM
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Originally posted by Falchion@November 15, 2004, 8:16 PM
So, go ahead and order it! It'll be fun to wait for it........
So, go ahead and order it! It'll be fun to wait for it........
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