Tuesday was the big day, a day full of car-shopping for me. I went out to one of the local Kia dealers to look at the 2010 Sedona, but that didn't go so well. It ended, after two hours (!), with me passing over the numbers I'd printed out from Edmunds.com and saying something like, "THIS is the number that brought me in here. Call me when you can meet that number," and walking out.
What I really wanted, and have for years and years, was the Honda Odyssey. Oh, I was looking at that too, but for what we initially got approved for from our credit union, we could only get the baseline trim with NO bells and whistles, vs. the higher trim level with the Sedona. So I was undecided until the bad experience from the Kia dealership. After that happened, I went right home and called up two of the five local Honda dealers - the two best in town. I pretty much told them, "Look, I've been going to lots of dealerships, test-driving different minivans, and I'm tired. I have XX amount in mind that I can spend, out the door, including my trade-in. Can you match it?"
Now, y'all know the Honda is a good make, and they really sell themselves. They don't have to offer the incentives and rebates that other makes do, because they're still flying out the door. The manager at the first dealer called me back and said, yes, we can definitely work with you, bring 'er on in. The second guy said, Whoa, now, not without looking at your vehicle first. Come in at 6 pm.
In the end, I woke up Rob and went to the first dealer, Hall Honda on the Blvd here in town, and we never made it to that 6 PM appointment with the other guy, because we bought the Odyssey! AND we got the mid-level trim with lots of extras, 8 seats (just like what I was giving up with Vanna, yay), and better financing from them than we were getting from the bank! I'm excited. It's not the color I wanted (dark cherry red; we got the metallic slate green instead), because we would have had to wait until the end of August or beginning of September for that to come in, and I am not a patient woman, but that's okay. Truthfully, I don't care much about color.
Our experience at Hall Honda was spectacular. The manager, Travis, and our sales guy, Max, were amazing. We love those guys!! I am so grateful for their work with us and their patience with all our questions and objections. I feel like baking them a thank-you something for when we go in to pick up our new 2010 Odyssey tomorrow night. Seriously, they were that great. Travis kept thanking ME and shaking my hand, saying I was great on the phone (I was all business and demands, lol) and to work with, and they made me feel like a valuable part of the process - not just my husband, like the @#$%^&* guys at Kia who kept asking me, "Can you make this decision without your husband?" Grr.
So, now I need a name! Not something silly, like the "Odie" that Rob suggested. Not that "Vanna" is so great.... hee.
Fin.
OMG I AM SOOOO JEALOUS! I love those! I've actually been thinking about getting one myself! You need a good name... let me sleep on it and I'll see what I can come up with!
Posted by: Gloria Castano | 16 August 2010 at 21:29
OMG I AM SOOOO JEALOUS! I love those! I've actually been thinking about getting one myself! You need a good name... let me sleep on it and I'll see what I can come up with!
Posted by: Gloria Castano | 16 August 2010 at 21:29
What is up with the seat coming outta the van? Very nice choice!
Posted by: darci | 14 August 2010 at 01:36
How about Maxine after the dealer?
Posted by: Rhonda | 13 August 2010 at 23:34
Over here we call them people-carriers ... dunno why, after all, all cars carry people. But if they have more than 4 or 5 seats, they're people-carriers. Until they have 9 or 10 seats, then they're mini-buses. Vans just carry cargo. But Honda is one of the largest employers in the town I live in, so I'm pleased with your choice. :)
Posted by: Dianne | 13 August 2010 at 18:28
Hello??? The name CLEARLY should be HO!!!!
Posted by: Stephanie S. | 12 August 2010 at 01:52
What about "Drool"? Haha, no real ideas on the name, but I love the van! And metallic slate green sounds goregous! I bet your new hair had something to do with them being so attentive to you :)
Posted by: Lisa Keeney | 11 August 2010 at 21:26
I'm very excited! Except for the payments. I don't know how... but we'll find a way!
Melanie
Posted by: Smellyann | 11 August 2010 at 18:38
Nice! Are you so totally excited? You gotta love that new car feeling!
Posted by: Stephanie | 11 August 2010 at 18:28
We were thinking Eliot (from the Iliad and the Odyssey, I went to Eliot, similar to Iliad), but I decided my van HAS to be a girl. I can't drive a boy around! lol
~mel
Posted by: Smellyann | 11 August 2010 at 18:24
my opinion is that the van's name should be Van...like Van Wilder... i think its great..and p.s. your van makes me drool.
Posted by: Shannon In Love | 11 August 2010 at 18:21