Found a good car dealership! (Plymouth, Attleboro: rental car, rental, loan)

[tamiznluv]

FIRST HYUNDAI of N. Attleboro. Bought a new (to me) car yesterday and was very pleased with my deal and the dealership. I finally got away from Sullivan Bros. in the Plymouth area! TG.

Everyone who buys at First gets free inspection stickers for the life of the car too. Bought a 2012 Hyundai Accent Hatchback for 14K. Got 9K for my '09 Hyundai Accent in trade.The '12 has only 11K on it. Just about broken in! Still have the rest of the 6yr/60K warrenty and the rest of the 10yr/100K powertrain warrenty. I am a happy camper. I recommend this place to anyone in the area.

[Cape Cod Todd]

That is terrific. I'm glad you had a good experience. I used to sell cars and the happy people were happy and went on with their lives but the unhappy ones were the ones that really stunk and those are the ones that spread their story the most. It is nice to hear a positive story.
Hyundai used to have a reputation as a so so car but I was always impressed with their styling and the options you get for your money.
Good luck with your new ride.

[tamiznluv]

Originally Posted by Cape Cod Todd

That is terrific. I'm glad you had a good experience. I used to sell cars and the happy people were happy and went on with their lives but the unhappy ones were the ones that really stunk and those are the ones that spread their story the most. It is nice to hear a positive story.
Hyundai used to have a reputation as a so so car but I was always impressed with their styling and the options you get for your money.
Good luck with your new ride.

Thanks, Todd. I also am very happy to have a positive story after all the non-postive stories I have about Sullivan Bros.

I used to think Hyundai was a cheap Korean car but my other Accent impressed me very much. I stubbornly stuck with American cars into the 21st century but fell into a Prius and then the Accent. American cars sure need to step up their workmanship for me to ever go back.

[bostonguy1960]

I rented a car in 1999, to drive up to Mt. Washington. And drive UP I did, much to the rental firm's anger had they known. It happened to be a Sonata. Thought it a junky car before trying it, but it was great, even back then. Nowadays, it's likely even better.

[MikePRU]

It's nice to hear a happy story about a car dealership.

The last transaction I had with a car dealership went AWFUL. The wife was getting a brand new car and when we picked it up we noticed there was a chunk of paint missing from the rearview mirror. They said they would fix it. The day after we picked it up we noticed the bumper was pushed out in one spot. They said they would fix it. Six weeks later and after having been told the car was "fixed" several times, it still didn't look like a brand new car. I was SO tired of dealing with them though that I just took the car. A few months later I complained about it on the dealership's Yelp page and the GM called me saying he would do whatever he could to make me happy. 1.5 years later I still haven't received his return call.

Never EVER do business with Prime Acura in Walpole. Avoid them like the plague.

[tamiznluv]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

I rented a car in 1999, to drive up to Mt. Washington. And drive UP I did, much to the rental firm's anger had they known. It happened to be a Sonata. Thought it a junky car before trying it, but it was great, even back then. Nowadays, it's likely even better.

Originally Posted by MikePRU

It's nice to hear a happy story about a car dealership.

The last transaction I had with a car dealership went AWFUL. The wife was getting a brand new car and when we picked it up we noticed there was a chunk of paint missing from the rearview mirror. They said they would fix it. The day after we picked it up we noticed the bumper was pushed out in one spot. They said they would fix it. Six weeks later and after having been told the car was "fixed" several times, it still didn't look like a brand new car. I was SO tired of dealing with them though that I just took the car. A few months later I complained about it on the dealership's Yelp page and the GM called me saying he would do whatever he could to make me happy. 1.5 years later I still haven't received his return call.

Never EVER do business with Prime Acura in Walpole. Avoid them like the plague.

Way back in the 80's a co-worker of mine needed to buy a car. I had just heard and saw a commercial for Hyundai. I suggested that to her and she bought one. She was very pleased with it but being the "snob" I was, I thought to myself, I'd never buy a foriegn car. I stuck tenaciously to Ford until I bought a Saturn in 2001. I loved that car but was not happy with the dealership, Herb Chambers in Seekonk, Ma. Kept the car until 2008.

Traded the Saturn for a Prius at Sullivan Bros. because I was living in the Plymouth area in the house I inherited but traded that in for a Hyundai Accent a year later because I wasn't happy with the control panel not being able to be read when the sun was out. It was in an all electronic read out "square" on the dash. It was terrible.

Wednesday was just a spur of the moment purchase and I'm very happy and pleased about it.

LOL, bostonguy! I'm assuming that if the car rental place had known you were going to drive up Mt. Washington, they would have refused to rent you the car?? Hmmm, that would've smelled like lawsuit time! Or maybe charge you BIG bucks for the car? Whatever, sounds like the rental place needs to expect things like that. Silly company! Hee-hee, I've driven up there and I do understand why they freaked out too. I had a panic attack on the way up. Good thing I wasn't driving. Those Mt. Washington buses are a hazard to those driving up the mountain! They were always half way over on the asending side of the road! I'd never go up there again without a standard shift car for the ride back down.

MikePRU, what a terrible experience! N. Attleboro isn't too far from Walpole on 495. When you want to trade your wife's "new" car in, I recommend FIRST. Even if you don't like Hyundai, they have all sorts of different makes of used cars and they look brandy new! PLUS you won't get soaked with all the new car taxes.

I like that I got into my car THAT day and drove away. When I bought my Saturn from Herb Chambers, I went to pick up the car the next day and there was a scratch on the hood from windshield to the bottom of the hood that wasn't there the day before! I went nutso and they had to give me a loaner to come back for my car the next day. Did they think I wouldn't notice such a huge scratch??

[miu]

I sold Hondas in 1995, and what an experience that was!! Most of the customers would come in with a crappy attitude and lie through their teeth about a low price they got offered at another dealership. Of the few classy customers I had, I still remember them fondly.

Otherwise, I sold myself a used 1994 Honda Civic Si and I still drive her today with over 400K miles on the odometer! Back then, I paid $12,500 for my hatchback with 24,000 miles on it. And it was bought at an auction. I didn't argue over the price because that model car was very rare and it had just come into the dealership. I would say that I won on that transaction because it's been an awesome car and I've driven it so much. Plus it's (still) really fun to drive! And cheap on gas. And... I've carried a lot of antiques in it and driven all over the country doing shows out of it.

And honestly, what I feel is that it is key to buying the right car for your lifestyle and being able to enjoy it for many years. And people should stop being so wound up over getting the very bottom dollar price on the car. Since most people finance their cars, even a $200 difference is only a few dollars a month. And lastly, where the dealerships are making the real profits is in their service departments. So you want to buy a solid reliable car that doesn't need expensive maintenance.

And... if you really care about making a smart financial decision, never buy a brand new car. It only depreciates as soon as you drive it off the lot. And if you are hesitant about buying a used car, then you shouldn't be comfortable buying it new, even with a factory warranty.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by miu

And... if you really care about making a smart financial decision, never buy a brand new car. It only depreciates as soon as you drive it off the lot. And if you are hesitant about buying a used car, then you shouldn't be comfortable buying it new, even with a factory warranty.

I like having the piece of mind that it has been given the best possible TLC from the day it rolls off the lot. Used vehicles that are 1-4 years old, you have to ask the question; why was it sold/traded so soon? Was it a lemon? Was it in a collision? Was it used as a rental? How many different drivers did it go through? Some people treat themselves to a new vehicle every 2-3 years. Do you really think those vehicles get treated the same as by an owner who plans on hanging onto it for 10 or so years? Would you? Do you drive rental cars the same as your own? I certainly don't.

I have nothing against buying used, especially if from a private owner who can provide all the maintenance records and everything (I'm actually more comfortable buying a 10-year-old car than a 1-year-old car). Less to lose, and fewer surprises down the road. Always do a car fax check on any purchase.

[miu]

Right. Get a car fax and have a dealership run the VIN# through their service database. Then sometimes I even have a mechanic do a pre-purchase inspection beforehand. I also prefer to buy from mature adults who live in the suburbs and who don't have kids with a drivers license. And I prefer a high mileage car with commuter miles than a low mileage city car.

I don't need a used car to be pampered, but I look for oil changes and maintenance work done on a regular schedule. It also helps to stay away from over engineered automobiles.

[massnative71]

Originally Posted by miu

Then sometimes I even have a mechanic do a pre-purchase inspection beforehand.

Oh always. One problem with a newer car is that even problems (related to abuse/ improper break-in/bad driving habits/ poor maintenance) will not show up until probably 5-10 years/75,000+ down the road. Any 1-year-old car should check out pristine, it is how it will hold up years later that is the question. How it is treated in the first year or two plays a huge part in that. That is why I am more comfortable buying an either brand new or 5+-year-old/single-mature-owner-vehicle than a late model/trade in sitting on a lot somewhere.