http://car-fu.com The Way to Car Buying Serenity Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:45:24 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en In what I would term a slice of poetic justice, Prius continued their exceptionally strong sales history. The current bizarre  issues that Toyota has  battled have a very strange odor about them, and it seems that consumers are trusting  their instincts--on this product, at least. Toyota has been the best example of  ... http://car-fu.com/2010/03/prius-sales-up-10-in-february/ Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat. SUN TZU 'The Art of War' The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. CAR- FU: Self-Defense For Car Buyers THE CAR-FU PHILOSOPHY RESPECT              KNOWLEDGE   ... http://car-fu.com/2010/02/car-fu-introduction-the-philosophy/ No one would ever accuse auto dealers of being overly transparent in their dealings with the public, but there are times when the misdirection and malfeasance reach truly epic levels. A few years ago, you could not turn on the TV without being overwhelmed by yelling, preening , cartoon-ish car salesmen ... http://car-fu.com/2010/02/the-way-it-is-of-fine-print-and-flim-flam/ It's a fact that most people prefer to "negotiate" a price. Though many dealers and dealer-groups have tried to present the no-haggle option, with the exceptions of new cars from Saturn and used cars from CarMax, it just hasn't proven to be popular. As I was finishing this up, a deal to purchase the ... http://car-fu.com/2010/01/the-way-it-is-negotiation/ Ford became only the third automaker in 17 years to sweep the car and truck awards at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) scored a historic doubleheader today, capturing both the North American Car of the Year and North American Truck of the Year ... http://car-fu.com/2010/01/ford-fusion-hybrid-continue-winning-ways/ Respect When there is no respect, no recognition of another's worth in a conversation, how can there be communication? For the salesperson that has been told that he must sell two cars in the next two days or lose his job, how can he look at a customer as anything more than an adversary, as ... http://car-fu.com/2010/01/the-way-it-is-respect/ http://car-fu.com/2010/01/if-your-car-cant-do-this-why-even-have-one/ THE WAY IT IS: On the Lot Overheard on car lots every single day, all across this great land: Sales Manager: “Where did those people go?” Salesperson: “Which people?” SM: “Those people that were back there checking out the (anycar).” SP: “Oh, they said they were just looking.” SM: “Really. Did they talk to a manager ... http://car-fu.com/2010/01/the-way-it-is-on-the-lot/ It's easy to surf the internet and find an endless litany of bitter, invective-filled anecdotes of terrible experiences that folks have had while buying a car. Is it always the fault of the dealer? When you are on the lot, they know that you won't be coming back to that lot, even if ... http://car-fu.com/2010/01/car-fu-introduction-pt-2/ INTRODUCTION: For many of us, the act of buying a car is the most unpleasant, traumatic experience of our lives. It's easy to understand why-- it's the single biggest expense of our lives (at least our homes generally gain value), it must be repeated over and over, and it takes place in a (seemingly) hostile ... http://car-fu.com/2010/01/introduction-to-car-fu-the-way-to-car-buying-serenity/