Car shopping

Come September my office is moving to a new place about an hour's drive north of the current place. Maybe October. November at the latest. This means:

• my beloved Segway will have to be retired.
• I have to research and buy a car.
• I have to become extra cheap so that I'll be able to pay for most of the car, if not the whole thing, right up front.
• I'll need to finally suck it up and get a mobile phone.
• I'll need to find out what phone works best with my hypothetical car.

Early on I narrowed my car options to a Toyota Prius and Smart ForTwo. Then I went out and did research to see how other cars stacked up. In the end I was back down to the Prius and the ForTwo.

If I could get a European ForTwo instead of the American model I'd get that without hesitating. But when they Americanized the design to took a 20% hit in the mileage department. On the other hand, I can afford it easily and I get lots of parking options that other people don't get.

The Prius will serve a wider range of needs than the ForTwo and has better gas mileage. Plus, if you get the right one there's a bad ass radar system that brings the car just short of autonomous.

I considered some kind of two wheeled motorcycle-type device so I could fit it up the alley and store it in my back yard. Yummy opposes that idea. I'm not fond of the idea of driving an hour in the rain, either.

So, I've picked a well equipped Prius. I find some local dealerships, pick one with the least annoying commercials, and e-mail them.

"I'm interested in the 2010 Prius V. I need to know what the expected lead time is for ordering a Prius with the Advanced Technology Package. E-mail preferred."

He responds with a list of used Priuses on their lot and their prices. And "Since I would like to assist you personally, please give me a call and we can set a time to meet here at the dealership."

I respond with "No, I don't plan on coming in quite yet. My office will be moving in September and I'll need to buy a car." I repeat exactly what I want. "If you can just tell me how long it takes to get a car to my specs delivered from the factory I'd appreciate it."

His response did at least talk about the exact car I want, what it comes with, what it costs, performance, etc. When can I come by? Call me!

My third e-mail said thank you, but I can find all this information online. What I'm asking you is how long will it take to get the exact car I want? I told him about all the people I know who've bought a Prius and how not a one of them was able to get what they wanted right away. They either had to place an order and wait anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 month or they could walk away with a car they didn't really want but was ready now. I'm the kind who waits. Demand has dropped, wait times are shorter, can I expect a wait or have things changed enough that they will they actually have the car I want on the lot?

He wrote back "We have 3 Prius Vs being delivered on March 25." followed by his phone number.

Does that look like a response to what I asked? Even a little? I tried to be understanding. I considered seriously whether my original requests were unclear. They don't seem to be unclear to anyone else. The sale was his. Easiest sale ever. All he had to do was answer one question. I gave the schmuck 3 chances to answer it and he failed to make an attempt.

I didn't write back.

I got an e-mail a few days later. It was automated Toyota spam from the salesman's address. I wrote back a letter telling him that he had lost the easiest sale ever because he refused to answer a simple question.

A few days later I got another automated Toyota spam. I wrote a very polite letter to the head of the dealership explaining what I've explained in this e-mail. He said he was sorry and I should call him.

Fucker.

I restarted the process with a somewhat more remote dealership. I told them what I want, when I want it, and asked the question with a note that I prefer e-mail.

He called me.

He did answer the question. The answer is two and a half weeks in times of no demand. He said he'd call back in June.
"No. I won't be shopping in June. I'll call you."
"I'll give you a call in July."
"No. I won't be shopping in July. I'll call you."
"I'll call you in July."
"If you must be in touch, use e-mail."
"ok."

I'm not fond of this dealership, either. But, really, is there any such thing as a car salesman who isn't pushy and unwilling to listen to customers? If I continue working my way out from DC, dealership by dealership, would I eventually find one that actually wants my business enough not to screw around with trying to sell me a car?