Car dealers in the Morrow area. (Atlanta, Jackson: rental car, sales, rental)

[TVofM]

Anybody know the good from the not so good in that Morrow/Jonesboro Rd./SouthLake area?

Any experience with Don Jackson, Hennesy, Landmark, etc. ???

Who has the legit great deal??

[SW30303]

I like Toyotas and Hondas basically and not much else. Last year, I went to Toyota South on Hwy 54 looking for a certain used Toyota (did all my homework online). The Toyota South sales guy was very aggressive and I simply left. The dealership with better sales staff was at Willett Honda on Mt. Zion (right off 75). Not pushy and very accommodating in my experience and even though I did not buy from either one, I would recommend Willett to be more professional as a whole than Toyota South. I think the Allan Vigil Ford dealer staff on Mt. Zion was OK overall, but I was less interested in the Fords anyway.

I'd narrow down some cars I was interested in before going to any dealership, saves you a lot of hassle. I tell them up front what my plans are when you first meet them. The sales guys that were very pushy make me want to leave right away, not wanting to buy that day or even come back to the dealership. If the sales people are that aggressive, they do not get my business. I walk away after explaining again I do not want to buy that day.

[oakhurstlauren]

I bought a Honda at Willet about 7 years ago, I just traded it in last week. The awesome thing about Willet was, I went in on a Saturday, bought the car, signed all the paperwork. It was a done deal. Then on Monday they called me and said, Honda can actually offer you a lower interest rate to bring your payments down if you want to come back in and redo the paperwork. I did. Who does that?

[TVofM]

I might be interested (going by what was on Auto Trader . com) in a "program car" (usually about a year old, turned back over to the dealers by rental car companies)...that's where I saw some great deals in that part of town.

Anybody got and tips on that aspect?

[10scoachrick]

IMO, the 'best' deal would be to find someone about to turn in a leased vehicle that will still have warranty, offer to cover the 'disposition fee' and perhaps another $500 for their trouble. This wouldn't be for everyone but it would cut out the dealer mark-up on the turn-in and perhaps would have some tax benefit(I know they were trying to charge sales tax on private sales in the last couple of years we've been gone AND there would be sales tax on the lease purchase).

I've been on the 'front end' of that scenario in the past. Turn in a vehicle with 1 or 2 years factory warranty remaining and see that vehicle on the lot next week for $8-10K over the residual value.

Not the simplest idea and not for everybody, but it's a thought.

BTW, we sure miss the competition among same-marque dealers out here in Austin. ONE Lexus dealer, ONE Volvo dealer...compared to the competitive environment back in Atlanta.(Atlanta had 13 Toyota dealers back when we bought Mom's Camry...about a half-dozen were 'competing' for our business)

Good luck...and always be willing to walk away if the deal isn't what you expected.