If you want to be invisible on a car lot...

In article <[email hidden]>,

Gooserider said:

visit one on a bicycle. I pedalled through the lots of three dealerships
this afternoon. I'm thinking about a new car, and I'm debating between the
Toyota Yaris hatchback, Nissan Versa hatchback, and Honda Fit Sport. The Fit
seems like it will handle a bike much better. Well, none of the cars are out
yet, but I was able to cruise around the lots looking at cars for about 20
minutes each----and not ONE salesman approached me. Must have thought
bicycle = poor. :-)

Maybe you just looked scary :-)
(just kiddin'. Sometimes, with sleep deprivation and
the need of a shave, /I/ can look pretty scary.)

If I'm in a good mood & smilin', folks seem to find me
more approachable, regardless of the rest of my appearance.
Smiling at bus drivers approaching your stop often gets
them to stop the bus with the doors right in front of you.

Maybe you just looked so deep-in-thought that the salespeople
didn't want to bother you.

cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

Gooserider said:

visit one on a bicycle. I pedalled through the lots of three
dealerships this afternoon. I'm thinking about a new car, and I'm
debating between the Toyota Yaris hatchback, Nissan Versa hatchback,
and Honda Fit Sport. The Fit seems like it will handle a bike much
better. Well, none of the cars are out yet, but I was able to cruise
around the lots looking at cars for about 20 minutes each----and not
ONE salesman approached me. Must have thought bicycle = poor. :-)

I was in the market for a new car about a month ago, and also did some
stealth "perusal by bike" at a number of lots. Only one (Nissan) salesman
approached me IIRC, but he was pretty "normal" (treated me like any other
yahoo wondering around looking).

It's a good way to check out models AND get your ride in... Bill

Gooserider wrote:
:: visit one on a bicycle. I pedalled through the lots of three
:: dealerships this afternoon. I'm thinking about a new car, and I'm
:: debating between the Toyota Yaris hatchback, Nissan Versa hatchback,
:: and Honda Fit Sport. The Fit seems like it will handle a bike much
:: better. Well, none of the cars are out yet, but I was able to cruise
:: around the lots looking at cars for about 20 minutes each----and not
:: ONE salesman approached me. Must have thought bicycle = poor. :-)

That's what i was thinking while reading your post. Gosh, this guy couldn't
possibly afford a car. And I'm no car salesman. 🙂

Tom Keats wrote:
:: In article <[email hidden]>,
:: "Gooserider" <[email hidden]> writes:
::: visit one on a bicycle. I pedalled through the lots of three
::: dealerships this afternoon. I'm thinking about a new car, and I'm
::: debating between the Toyota Yaris hatchback, Nissan Versa
::: hatchback, and Honda Fit Sport. The Fit seems like it will handle a
::: bike much better. Well, none of the cars are out yet, but I was
::: able to cruise around the lots looking at cars for about 20 minutes
::: each----and not ONE salesman approached me. Must have thought
::: bicycle = poor. :-)
::
:: Maybe you just looked scary :-)
:: (just kiddin'. Sometimes, with sleep deprivation and
:: the need of a shave, /I/ can look pretty scary.)
::
:: If I'm in a good mood & smilin', folks seem to find me
:: more approachable, regardless of the rest of my appearance.
:: Smiling at bus drivers approaching your stop often gets
:: them to stop the bus with the doors right in front of you.
::
:: Maybe you just looked so deep-in-thought that the salespeople
:: didn't want to bother you.

I'm sure that's not it. I've tried my level best to look mean and scary
everytime I end up on a car lot. They always come like rats to smelly
garbage.

Personally, I hate being bothered by car salesmen, even when I'm
looking at cars.

One thing occurred to me: try parking your bike and walking around.
Yeah, I know, there's no bike rack at car dealerships, so lock it to a
street pole. I suspect that the salesmen who saw you figured you were
just having a look-see and ignored you. If you get off the bike, it
becomes more clear that you have more than a passing interest in their
product.

Jeff

Roger Zoul said:

Gooserider wrote:
:: visit one on a bicycle. I pedalled through the lots of three
:: dealerships this afternoon. I'm thinking about a new car, and I'm
:: debating between the Toyota Yaris hatchback, Nissan Versa hatchback,
:: and Honda Fit Sport. The Fit seems like it will handle a bike much
:: better. Well, none of the cars are out yet, but I was able to cruise
:: around the lots looking at cars for about 20 minutes each----and not
:: ONE salesman approached me. Must have thought bicycle = poor. :-)

That's what i was thinking while reading your post. Gosh, this guy couldn't
possibly afford a car. And I'm no car salesman. 🙂

Yeah, but if you were and saw the guy wearing Sidi shoes and assos you'd hit
like a duck on a june bug.

Ron

Gooserider said:

visit one on a bicycle...--and not ONE salesman approached me. Must have thought
bicycle = poor. :-)

Or, possibly, No Trade-In. With published sticker prices, a sharp
shopper can bargain pretty well for a new car sometimes, but screwing
the customer on a trade-in is often the best part of the sport.
Reselling a trade-in can be more profitable than selling a new car.
Yes, OK, I admit it. I have a relative who sells cars.
There. It's out.

"Roger Zoul" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Gooserider wrote:
:: visit one on a bicycle. I pedalled through the lots of three
:: dealerships this afternoon. I'm thinking about a new car, and I'm
:: debating between the Toyota Yaris hatchback, Nissan Versa hatchback,
:: and Honda Fit Sport. The Fit seems like it will handle a bike much
:: better. Well, none of the cars are out yet, but I was able to cruise
:: around the lots looking at cars for about 20 minutes each----and not
:: ONE salesman approached me. Must have thought bicycle = poor. :-)

That's what i was thinking while reading your post. Gosh, this guy
couldn't possibly afford a car. And I'm no car salesman. 🙂

I did look a little weird, I guess. Chrome messenger bag, super ugly Zeal
sunglasses, iPod, and a bright yellow cycling cap. Not exactly standard
dress for redneck Florida. :-)

Gooserider said:

visit one on a bicycle. I pedalled through the lots of three dealerships
this afternoon. I'm thinking about a new car, and I'm debating between the
Toyota Yaris hatchback, Nissan Versa hatchback, and Honda Fit Sport. The Fit
seems like it will handle a bike much better. Well, none of the cars are out
yet, but I was able to cruise around the lots looking at cars for about 20
minutes each----and not ONE salesman approached me. Must have thought
bicycle = poor. :-)

We found that the same was true when we were shopping for a house and
wanted to walk through some of the models at developments without being
tailed by salespeople. When we arrived by tandem we were ignored
almost everywhere whereas when we came in our fairly old car (resale
value probably less than the tandem) they'd rush over the moment we
came through the door.

Roger Zoul said:

Gooserider wrote:
:: visit one on a bicycle. I pedalled through the lots of three
:: dealerships this afternoon. I'm thinking about a new car, and I'm
:: debating between the Toyota Yaris hatchback, Nissan Versa hatchback,
:: and Honda Fit Sport. The Fit seems like it will handle a bike much
:: better. Well, none of the cars are out yet, but I was able to cruise
:: around the lots looking at cars for about 20 minutes each----and not
:: ONE salesman approached me. Must have thought bicycle = poor. :-)

That's what i was thinking while reading your post. Gosh, this guy couldn't
possibly afford a car. And I'm no car salesman. 🙂

What?
I own 3 cars and prefer the bike, but I admit to dressing way down when
going to a car lot, to the point one guy asked me to leave. My parting
comment was something like "Yeah, these look over my $30,000 budget so I
will go look at the cars down the street.".
At least when I left he looked like he had just blown a sale, and I had
the pleasure of seeing his boss walk up and start chewing on him.
I wouldn't have bought one of their front wheel drive only boxes anyway.
Real wheel drive with a stick for me. Those I can work on for fun and
mileage. A little gear change can turn a 25 MPG pig into a 40 MPG car.
Bill Baka

Specialized said:

Yes, OK, I admit it. I have a relative who sells cars.
There. It's out.

No problem, some of my best friends have relatives who sell cars -- but
I wouldn't let my sister marry one!

--
"Bicycling is a healthy and manly pursuit with much
to recommend it, and, unlike other foolish crazes,
it has not died out." -- The Daily Telegraph (1877)

Gooserider said:

visit one on a bicycle. I pedalled through the lots of three dealerships
this afternoon. I'm thinking about a new car, and I'm debating between the
Toyota Yaris hatchback, Nissan Versa hatchback, and Honda Fit Sport. The
Fit seems like it will handle a bike much better. Well, none of the cars
are out yet, but I was able to cruise around the lots looking at cars for
about 20 minutes each----and not ONE salesman approached me. Must have
thought bicycle = poor. :-)

The last time I bought a car I cycled out to a strip of dealerships in the
suburbs (Waukegan Rd. near Golf Rd. for fellow Chciagoans) so I could look
at several different brands all lined up in a row. I received all the
attention I wanted, but by the end I was ready to buy a car from the first
salesman who didn't make a joke about what he'd give me for my trade in.

--
Paul Turner

Paul Turner wrote:
:: Gooserider wrote:
::
::: visit one on a bicycle. I pedalled through the lots of three
::: dealerships this afternoon. I'm thinking about a new car, and I'm
::: debating between the Toyota Yaris hatchback, Nissan Versa
::: hatchback, and Honda Fit Sport. The Fit seems like it will handle a
::: bike much better. Well, none of the cars are out yet, but I was
::: able to cruise around the lots looking at cars for about 20 minutes
::: each----and not ONE salesman approached me. Must have thought
::: bicycle = poor. :-)
::
:: The last time I bought a car I cycled out to a strip of dealerships
:: in the suburbs (Waukegan Rd. near Golf Rd. for fellow Chciagoans) so
:: I could look at several different brands all lined up in a row. I
:: received all the attention I wanted, but by the end I was ready to
:: buy a car from the first salesman who didn't make a joke about what
:: he'd give me for my trade in.

🙂

Gooserider wrote:
:: "Roger Zoul" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
:: news:[email hidden]...
::: Gooserider wrote:
::::: visit one on a bicycle. I pedalled through the lots of three
::::: dealerships this afternoon. I'm thinking about a new car, and I'm
::::: debating between the Toyota Yaris hatchback, Nissan Versa
::::: hatchback, and Honda Fit Sport. The Fit seems like it will handle
::::: a bike much better. Well, none of the cars are out yet, but I was
::::: able to cruise around the lots looking at cars for about 20
::::: minutes each----and not ONE salesman approached me. Must have
::::: thought bicycle = poor. :-)
:::
::: That's what i was thinking while reading your post. Gosh, this guy
::: couldn't possibly afford a car. And I'm no car salesman. 🙂
:: I did look a little weird, I guess. Chrome messenger bag, super ugly
:: Zeal sunglasses, iPod, and a bright yellow cycling cap. Not exactly
:: standard dress for redneck Florida. :-)

Oh, that's the problem...redneck salemen! 🙂

Gooserider said:

visit one on a bicycle. I pedalled through the lots of three dealerships
this afternoon. I'm thinking about a new car, and I'm debating between the
Toyota Yaris hatchback, Nissan Versa hatchback, and Honda Fit Sport. The Fit
seems like it will handle a bike much better. Well, none of the cars are out
yet, but I was able to cruise around the lots looking at cars for about 20
minutes each----and not ONE salesman approached me. Must have thought
bicycle = poor. :-)

You're 'zactly right.

In '83, I sold Hondas ... for about six weeks. Guy pulled up on a
bike. NObody wanted him. I got a look at him as he walked his bike
by. Can't remember exactly what brand it was now, but I knew it was a
high end bike, so I "took one for the team."

About 45 minutes later, he was just about wrapped up with his brand
new, shiny Honda Prelude ... loaded with dealer options. He'd already
done his shopping. It was just an impulse that struck him while he was
out for a ride.

Ha. ;-)

Gooserider said:

Must have thought
bicycle = poor. :-)

And that is probably what the majority of non cyclist think. Even though
the said bike rider may have a seven figure bank account.

Ken
--
A bicycle does get you there and more.... And there is always the thin
edge of danger to keep you alert and comfortably apprehensive. Dogs
become dogs again and snap at your raincoat; potholes become personal.
And getting there is all the fun. ~Bill Emerson, "On Bicycling,"
Saturday Evening Post, 29 July 1967

Homepage: http://www.bikesandmoreonline.com/

Quoted message said:

Toyota Yaris hatchback, Nissan Versa hatchback, and Honda Fit Sport. The Fit
seems like it will handle a bike much better.

Dude, get the Fit. It's been stomping the Yaris and Versa in foreign
markets for years. AutoWeek just reviewed all three, and the Fit came
out on top.

It's got a super configurable interior.

Gooserider said:

visit one on a bicycle. I pedalled through the lots of three dealerships
this afternoon. I'm thinking about a new car, and I'm debating between the
Toyota Yaris hatchback, Nissan Versa hatchback, and Honda Fit Sport. The Fit
seems like it will handle a bike much better. Well, none of the cars are out
yet, but I was able to cruise around the lots looking at cars for about 20
minutes each----and not ONE salesman approached me. Must have thought
bicycle = poor. :-)

Naaaah, the salesmen were just very enlightened...

After all, you're already ON a bike, and all they can offer you is a
car. Who wants to try to sell a hamburger to a guy with a nice steak
on his plate? ;-)

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame

Bill Baka said:

Real wheel drive with a stick for me. Those I can work on for fun and
mileage. A little gear change can turn a 25 MPG pig into a 40 MPG car.

Bill, there are times when I'm sure you have a problem with the laws
of physics.

This is one of those times.

You can gear a car to reduce the engine RPM by 1.4 times, but why
would it not require more fuel per revolution to produce the same
amount of work?

Answer that one and you've solved the world's energy crisis (and
disproved Newton).

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $795 ti frame