My car runs on automatic pilot. It is programmed for work, church and the airport. So when the “check engine” light came on recently, it was a matter of concern because it hardly goes anywhere. With just under 84,000 miles it has been a well-behaved child for the past five years.
We first met in November of 2003, when my old faithful Saturn died. I was in the market for a new car and wanted to try a different automobile. A guy at work who has a “doctorate in car knowledge” convinced me that a Subaru Forester was the way to go. He had just purchased his after extensive research on the make and model. I was attracted to the car because it had a manual option (stick shift)- not an automatic; and only skilled drivers drive manual cars:) So, being a “skilled driver” I gravitated with keen interest to his “professorship.” I took the car for a test drive and loved it. I was sold!
To get the best value for my buck, I decided to shop around. I came back to my “professor” with two quotes. He told me they were too high and suggested I call a friend of his who owns a Subaru dealership in Pennsylvania. I phoned the friend and discovered his price was $5-7,000 cheaper, and he would give me a trade-in value of $700.00. He gave me the option of driving to PA to pick up the vehicle, or go to my local dealership and encourage them to match his price.
The next day, I phoned the closest Subaru dealership to my home. Frank, one of the sales associates answered the phone. He was charming as any salesman could be; after all, his number one goal is to make a sale. I informed him of the quote I received from PA and challenged him to match it. He was shocked at the quote and stated it must be a mistake. He asked to set up an appointment so we could get together and “see what could be done.” I agreed on the condition that the price quoted by PA would be matched. When I got off the phone with Frank, my confidence was not confirmed.
The day of the appointment, I packed an overnight bag and drove to Frank’s office. I was heading to PA if the deal did not work out. We talked for about 15-minutes when I realized Frank was not serious. So, I headed to the door. He followed me outside to my car and noticed a suitcase in the back seat. He looked at me and said, “You are really serious about going to PA.” At that moment he took the car keys out of my hand and stated, “We have a deal.” At first he was only going to give me $300 for the trade-in. He begged ME for a break, I said no way. He matched PA trade-in price of $800.00 and the quoted price for the car.
Within two days my vehicle arrived. This time I was happy to see Frank. But the surprised he had waiting for me was icing on the cake. What I did not know was this dealership had just opened up a few weeks before my phone call to him. I was the first person to purchase a Subaru from this shop and my “thank-you” gift was a lifetime of free valet service. This means, any time the car has to be serviced, they would pick it up from my home and drop off a loaner to use while the car is in the shop. This service is normally $1,500 a year. And, I got it for free!
The service has been a blessing over the past 5 years. If I had purchased the vehicle in PA I would not have the valet service, which means taking time off from work, getting a rental car, or bothering someone to give me a ride, and all the hassles that go along with your car being in the shop.
This week when my car went to visit Frank’s office, I had the privilege to drive the new 2009 Subaru Forester model for two days. Not a bad ride, but I missed my car and was glad to have it back home. Everyday, God pours out more and more blessings into our lives.