The Quest Quickly Becomes A Saga!!

The easy part??  Purchasing the Tiffin Phaeton.  The Quest???  Finding a vehicle to tow behind the RV, because most places you spend the night, you really need a car to get around.  After MUCH searching on the internet and talking to friends (by now you know that is Dan and Patty Chance!!) I decided on a Jeep Liberty Lattitude ... least that's what the jeep website said.  Made in the USA, very towable, lightweight and affordable.  When I went to the dealership, they had given it another name, but it had all the bells and whistles I wanted.     Pretty nice!!!!!

In talking to another friend from the Elks Lodge, I was introduced to a local Dealer's Fleet Manager.  How much better could it get.  I had already found the exact car online by the VIN# and was assured I would get a great price.  Imagine my surprise when it really WAS a great price, on top of which Jeep has a $4700 rebate offer going ... except it expires 4/20.  OH NO!!!!  So everything switched into high gear.   Unfortunately, although they gave me a great price on the NEW vehicle, they did NOT give me a great price on my trade-in.

It is a 2001 Corvette that I purchased new, obviously in 2001.  It only has 56000 miles on it and according to Kelly Blue Book, I should get a trade-in price of $17000.  It's immaculate ... no paint chips, always garaged ... they offered me $14,000.  Here is where the Saga begins.  Being the nice guy that he was, he suggested I go to a Chevy Dealer and see if they would purchase it.  He even called his friend at the dealership in Merced, just recently taken over by a new owner from the Bay Area.  Before I took it there however, I drove to Turlock to visit my regular dealership (long story about why I drive clear to Turlock) and they said SURE ... they offered me $15,000, and even came up to $15,500 before I left (I asked for $16,000).  Stressed out over the end of the rebate and not getting what I think my car is worth, I drive BACK to Merced and on to the New Owner Dealership.

Again, very nice guys, but of course they want me to buy a Chevy, not a Jeep.  Hmmmm so how do I get them to give me the price for my car without ending up with an All Wheel Drive Chevy that I really don't want.  Do I want to try and deal as "Nancy the blond" who really just doesn't understand all this stuff ... or "Nancy the smart cookie" who knows what she wants and goes after it (intimidating to men, not a good idea) ... or "Nancy the giggly flirt".  Okay, I'll admit it .... I do this kind of stuff all the time.  See the THREE of me in the above image?????

Tomorrow morning I will return to the Chevy dealer (as Nancy the blond) and explain how all my long time RV friends say you should not tow an All Wheel Drive vehicle, whatever that is, that weighs almost 5000 pounds because that will require me to purchase an even heavier duty hitch that I can't afford.  Sound good???   I hope so, cuz I only have one day to get the deal done on the Jeep.  Then ... its off to Camping World to get the hitch installed before THEIR sales ends on May 5!!   Wish me luck!!!!!!