*UPDATE POST 97 GOT MY NEW CAR!* Get a new car or fix existing car?

[StitchesGr8Fan]

So try a different dealership, sheesh. It's a better vehicle.

She would still have to go there for service, and doesn't want to do that.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

She would still have to go there for service, and doesn't want to do that.

Why? Lots of places can replace tires, brakes, service engines, change oil.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

I am also debt free and very frugal. What is the Kelly Blue book value on the car? If its less then the cost to get it fixed i'd buy another USED car. Maybe look in to a Toyota/Honda.

As soon as you drive a "new" car off the lot it drops in value so much its not worth buying new.

 

[wallawallakids]

Bummer about your local Toyota dealership. Too bad because they are nice solid cars. Like I said before, I honestly believe one saved my life and my kids too. You do not have to go to the dealership for service btw. Just so you know that. So you could buy a used (or new) Sienna and get it serviced elsewhere. I would hate for you to settle on a car that isn't what you really want. It is a long term investment. Plus resale will be higher on the Sienna. Best of luck in whatever you choose. I understand why you would be upset with your local dealer. I am sorry you got the run around.

 

[Pigeon]

I would certainly check out another Toyota dealer over buying a car I didn't like as much that I would be stuck with for years.

We almost never use the dealer for service. We have an independent mechanic who is great and much cheaper.

 

[POOHsie]

I had a situation in Miami once where this dealership looked at my car for trade-in value while I looked around at new cars. They had my keys and my driver license (financing, maybe?). This place sold 4 different brands from high-end to Suzuki. They wouldn't give me back my stuff. They shuffled me from one car brand to another, trying to force me to buy something, anything. Every time I asked for my stuff back, another manager showed up to have a one-on-one with me. After a few hours, with a three year-old in my arms, I got completely aggravated. I went to the reception desk and asked if they would please call the Police for me. When they asked why, I said it was because they were holding me, DD, and my property against my will and I was going to file charges. Of course, they looked at me like I was nuts, but I got my stuff back immediately. It still makes me shiver to this day, over 20 years later. I wonder how many people they pressured into buying cars that way...

OP, I just bought a 2013 Dodge Caravan SXT. My trade-in was a 2006 Chrysler T&C. Before that I had another Caravan, and a Plymouth Voyager. I have owned these Chrysler products for over 20 years and this new Caravan is the best one yet, in terms of improvements to the interior, and new, bigger engine. The Caravan SXT is, of course, a lower model than the T&C but has lots of similar features for a lot less money. I am very happy with the car, the dealership, the service department, and I would recommend a 2013 Chrysler minivan to anyone.

 

[DLgal]

I would personally lick the shoes of the dealership people who treated me rudely and buy a Toyota before I'd ever buy a Chrysler.

OP, go the extra mile (figuratively) to try another Toyota Dealer. Never hand over your keys...why would you do that? Email them to make sure they have the car you want in stock (model and color). If they confirm they have your car, ask for a price on a CASH SALE that you would walk out the door with THAT DAY if they could complete the transaction in under 90 minutes. If they say yes, and you both agree on a price, print out the email, walk into the dealership and THEN mention you have a vehicle for trade. Tell them what you want for the trade. If they match it, and DO NOT change the sale price of the van, and can STILL get you out of there in 90 minutes, tell them "Go." Stick to it. Set a timer on your watch or phone right there and tell them if they are not done in 90 min, you are walking. If they scoff, walk out the door.

I swear, this tactic worked wonders for me when I bought my husband's new car (a Honda fit) several years ago. We also had a trade. I knew what numbers would work for me and I stuck to it. They basically ate out of my hand, agreed to the prices, and I was out of the car dealership in 72 minutes. That was the second time I did that. Prior, I did it with our 2001 Honda CRV when I upgraded to a newer 2007 model. Different dealership. Same outcome at both.

You need to be smart when shopping for a car. NEVER bring up a trade until after you have a confirmed price on a cash sale new car. And, for goodness sakes, do not turn over anything except your driver's license, and if you do that, ask for it back IMMEDIATELY after they make the copy.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

I would personally lick the shoes of the dealership people who treated me rudely and buy a Toyota before I'd ever buy a Chrysler.

OP, go the extra mile (figuratively) to try another Toyota Dealer. Never hand over your keys...why would you do that? Email them to make sure they have the car you want in stock (model and color). If they confirm they have your car, ask for a price on a CASH SALE that you would walk out the door with THAT DAY if they could complete the transaction in under 90 minutes. If they say yes, and you both agree on a price, print out the email, walk into the dealership and THEN mention you have a vehicle for trade. Tell them what you want for the trade. If they match it, and DO NOT change the sale price of the van, and can STILL get you out of there in 90 minutes, tell them "Go." Stick to it. Set a timer on your watch or phone right there and tell them if they are not done in 90 min, you are walking. If they scoff, walk out the door.

I swear, this tactic worked wonders for me when I bought my husband's new car (a Honda fit) several years ago. We also had a trade. I knew what numbers would work for me and I stuck to it. They basically ate out of my hand, agreed to the prices, and I was out of the car dealership in 72 minutes. That was the second time I did that. Prior, I did it with our 2001 Honda CRV when I upgraded to a newer 2007 model. Different dealership. Same outcome at both.

You need to be smart when shopping for a car. NEVER bring up a trade until after you have a confirmed price on a cash sale new car. And, for goodness sakes, do not turn over anything except your driver's license, and if you do that, ask for it back IMMEDIATELY after they make the copy.

I didn't turn over my license at all and I wouldn't have even to let them make a copy. The salesman took the keys to look the car over and just didn't hand them back...typical holding keys hostage. Dumb because I usually bring my cheapo spare key and just hand them that one. My bad there.

We had the deal on the car set before we walked in the door (TruCar pricing, less about $500 that I had pre-negotiated with the internet dept.), so we were there ONLY to get the trade appraised. Never, never again.

Chrystler won my business by being more straightforward and not playing games. Toyota may be a better car overall, but the business tactics of the only nearby dealership are reprehensible. The salesman called me this afternoon and apologized because he "didn't know we were in a hurry". We were there for TWO HOURS when we finally asked for our keys back. We STILL don't have a single number for our trade. Sorry, but they were deliberately wasting our time. Too bad for them, because had they been straightforward like Chrystler, we would probably have bought the Sienna.

As it stands, we got a nice deal on a Town and Country from our local Chrystler dealer, and we are very satisfied with what they gave us on the trade. We're picking it up tomorrow morning. People may think I'm crazy for choosing Chrystler over Toyota, but that's OK. I'm comfortable with the purchase.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

I had a situation in Miami once where this dealership looked at my car for trade-in value while I looked around at new cars. They had my keys and my driver license (financing, maybe?). This place sold 4 different brands from high-end to Suzuki. They wouldn't give me back my stuff. They shuffled me from one car brand to another, trying to force me to buy something, anything. Every time I asked for my stuff back, another manager showed up to have a one-on-one with me. After a few hours, with a three year-old in my arms, I got completely aggravated. I went to the reception desk and asked if they would please call the Police for me. When they asked why, I said it was because they were holding me, DD, and my property against my will and I was going to file charges. Of course, they looked at me like I was nuts, but I got my stuff back immediately. It still makes me shiver to this day, over 20 years later. I wonder how many people they pressured into buying cars that way...

OP, I just bought a 2013 Dodge Caravan SXT. My trade-in was a 2006 Chrysler T&C. Before that I had another Caravan, and a Plymouth Voyager. I have owned these Chrysler products for over 20 years and this new Caravan is the best one yet, in terms of improvements to the interior, and new, bigger engine. The Caravan SXT is, of course, a lower model than the T&C but has lots of similar features for a lot less money. I am very happy with the car, the dealership, the service department, and I would recommend a 2013 Chrysler minivan to anyone.

How awful! If shouting out "where are my keys" in a dealership with other customers in it didn't cut it, I would have had no issue calling the cops. I had to go get my daughter from preschool! I was getting stressed by the fact that they were ignoring my repeated requests for my keys. Granted, my DH was there with his car and his keys, but still, those keys are my property. I wasn't about to leave my car there. Other people had tried to warn us about or local Toyota dealership, and it turns out that we should have listened.

 

[descovy]

You have to live with a vehicle for years... you have to live with a salesman for like a day.

IMHO, I would not pick a Chrysler over a Toyota based on dealership alone. I think that is basing a large financial decision on emotions and not on logic.

There is nothing wrong with going across town to buy a vehicle. I guess since I grew up in a rural area... driving 80 mi to the city was no big deal. I just bought a car last week. Yes, I looked into my local dealership, but I considered offers around town. One sale man based on our car woo discussions sounded like a jerk. Thats okay, we weren't going to be friends. Its a business decision. We dont get offended, and we don't worry about "being nice."

Maintenence can be performed at any shop. Even warranty work can be done at any dealership of your model. I have bought cars across town and even in another state. If the deal is right, the deal is right. Never have had an issue servicing a car at the closest dealership, and yet I have never purchased a car at my local dealership.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

You have to live with a vehicle for years... you have to live with a salesman for like a day.

IMHO, I would not pick a Chrysler over a Toyota based on dealership alone. I think that is basing a large financial decision on emotions and not on logic.

There is nothing wrong with going across town to buy a vehicle. I guess since I grew up in a rural area... driving 80 mi to the city was no big deal. I just bought a car last week. Yes, I looked into my local dealership, but I considered offers around town. One sale man based on our car woo discussions sounded like a jerk. Thats okay, we weren't going to be friends. Its a business decision. We dont get offended, and we don't worry about "being nice."

Maintenence can be performed at any shop. Even warranty work can be done at any dealership of your model. I have bought cars across town and even in another state. If the deal is right, the deal is right. Never have had an issue servicing a car at the closest dealership, and yet I have never purchased a car at my local dealership.

I understand what you are saying, but I can easily live with the Chyrstler. It's an appliance, nothing more. I don't get excited about cars.

As for servicing it elsewhere for warranty work...not an option. This is the only dealership within an hour of me. The next Toyota dealer is in Vero.

We weren't emotional or offended. We were being held hostage with no end in sight when DH had to get to work (it was nearly 11AM) and I needed to pick our child up from preschool. I was fine with the Town and Country originally and I'm still fine with it now. Yes the Sienna was nicer, but 5K nicer? I'm not sure. They are both unexciting minivans to me lol.

 

[ManyMinnie]

I understand what you are saying, but I can easily live with the Chyrstler. It's an appliance, nothing more. I don't get excited about cars.

As for servicing it elsewhere for warranty work...not an option. This is the only dealership within an hour of me. The next Toyota dealer is in Vero.

We weren't emotional or offended. We were being held hostage with no end in sight when DH had to get to work (it was nearly 11AM) and I needed to pick our child up from preschool. I was fine with the Town and Country originally and I'm still fine with it now. Yes the Sienna was nicer, but 5K nicer? I'm not sure. They are both unexciting minivans to me lol.

When you start having to put money into the T&C, you'll find out soon enough the Sienna was worth the extra money.

 

[delmar411]

When you start having to put money into the T&C, you'll find out soon enough the Sienna was worth the extra money.

I love the assumption that the T&C will have issues. I already posted my T&C has not had all these supposed issues that some people claim to have and I actually own the vehicle unlike those here who have just read that this type of car has issues.

Congrats on your new purchase op. I have the same mindset as you that a car is just functional so I hope you have just as much luck with your van as I have had with mine.

 

[ManyMinnie]

I love the assumption that the T&C will have issues. I already posted my T&C has not had all these supposed issues that some people claim to have and I actually own the vehicle unlike those here who have just read that this type of car has issues.

Congrats on your new purchase op. I have the same mindset as you that a car is just functional so I hope you have just as much luck with your van as I have had with mine.

I've had 3 friends that have purchased/owned T&C vans. When things started going wrong, one right after the other, all 3 of them dumped the vans ASAP.

Two bought Sienna's and the other bought an Odyssey. I haven't heard one complaint since they got rid of the T&C's.

 

[Styx Fan]

I love the assumption that the T&C will have issues. I already posted my T&C has not had all these supposed issues that some people claim to have and I actually own the vehicle unlike those here who have just read that this type of car has issues.

Congrats on your new purchase op. I have the same mindset as you that a car is just functional so I hope you have just as much luck with your van as I have had with mine.

I can't believe the constant riding the OP about her choice to buy the T&C. Come on folks, Toyota is not the end all, be all of cars. If you are a fan of them...great. If you feel they are better....great. If you hate Chrysler....great. But for petes sake give your opinion and move on! Why is this coming across as personal to many posters?

The OP has stated her disgust with the local Toyota dealer and the fact it is the only dealer close enough for service. Yes, you can go elsewhere, especially for maintenance. But I want my dealer convenient for warranty work, not having to drive a great distance. Especially if I feel no loyalty to that brand.

Personally, I am not a fan of Chrysler, but have often said I would be willing to buy a mini-can from them. They are the granddaddies of the model.

Emotional response or not, I am like the OP and would no way ever spend money at the dealer that was so rude to her. They only stay in business because of customers who are willing to condone those kind of tactics.

 

[jodifla]

We didn't buy a Toyota because of similar games back in 1997. Instead, we went next door and bought a Honda.

I would never buy a car at a dealership that treats people like that. You are just encouraging them.

I do know a few people who have had bad luck with T&Cs, but many more have had them easily over 100,000 miles and really enjoyed their flexibility.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

Well, I bought the Town and Country today, and I like it The poster who said that I'd feel like "what took me so long?" was right! Oh, I am so glad to be done with the Volvo money-pit. No more worrying that it would shut off on the highway again. We have the 3/36 warranty and will get the extended warranty if it proves necessary. I've had those before and they have paid off. So glad I replaced my "lemon"!

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

Enjoy your T&C. I've been enjoying Chrylser/Dodge for that last 15 years.

 

[Lucky4me]

I love my Town and Country! Bought an '05 in '06. It had 18,000 miles on it, paid $10,000. 7 years later it's still running great, no major repairs at 90,000 miles. Hoping to get another few years in it.

We recently replaced dh's 2001 Elantra with a 2013 Sonata. It's nice, but if I have a choice which one to drive, I will still go with the mini van.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

And now for the most shocking update of all time...DH has fallen in love with my new minivan and he thinks he wants to replace his car with one as well I told him to go for it We're going to see what kind of deal we can get, what they will give him for his trade, etc. Both of us had previously underestimated how much easier this type of vehicle would make our lives. We are shocked at how easily we can now get the kids in and out of the vehicle. So, not only did I buy one Town and Country, but it looks like our family might be buying a second one