Ok members, here's a story for you. I must first thank all of you that responded to several of my previous posts. You helped us make a good decision.After months of searching and almost buying an overpriced 94 at our local Infiniti dealership (thank you Doug Smith and Eric for your solid advice), we narrowed down our search. My wife found a pretty clean 96 at Elk Grove Ford. We found the original owner through a old E-Bay advertisement, made contact and found out about the car, where it was serviced and why he traded it in. We were working with a Internet Manager at EGF and told him we were going to drive the 745 miles to the dealership and wanted to take it to one of the original Nissan mechanics that had done work on the vehicle. We wanted to make sure the car could make the 745 mile trip back home without breaking down. The Sales Manager agreed so we made the appointment and also scheduled an appointment with a local high end body shop.
Prior to departing for Elk Grove, we contacted the Sales Manager to see if they would hold the car until we got there so that we could have first right of refusal should it get a negative mechanical report. The Sales Manger told us that per his supervisor, they insisted on a $1,000 non-refundable deposit and for us to fill out a credit application to be run prior. We refused. We called the Sales Manager prior to leaving and gave him an ETA, encouraging them to hold the car. Three hours into the drive to Elk Grove, he texted us and said there was "a kid" in the sales office making a deal on that car. 15 minutes later, we received another text that the car was sold. Funny how a car that sat for 2 months with little action gets sold from under us while enroute. What a waste of gas and a 400 mile round trip. Talk about being pissed...Not a good way for a dealership that puts cars out on AutoTrader and on their site to do business with an out of area client. Glad we didn't spend $1500 on airline tickets and a rent-a-car.
Now the good news. Several of you have mentioned that we should consider a TT. My wife had previously pulled up a nice looking one in Laguna Beach. While we were waiting for confirmation if the other car was going to be sold, I asked my wife to call Fisher Imports. She did and talked to the owner, Elliot Fisher (didn't realize he was a big time Nascar racer). We were going to continue to his dealership to see his vehicle. He told us he'd hold it, no cash down, and first right of refusal. He was thrilled that were going drive the additional 16 hours. While she was talking to him, I was pulling up his Yelps, about 30 total with almost all 5 stars. I looked at his web site, which floored me, and then told my wife to just buy the car site-un-seen. Mr. Fisher told us he'd take a couple videos and e-mail them to us. He had all the original service records from the previous owner. Long story short, we agreed to buy the car, and its being shipped next week. The pictures are incredibly clean on this car. I talked to his co-worker today while working on the transaction details, and he told me, your wife is going to "S#$%" when she sees this car. He took the car in on trade from a guy that took excellent care of the vehicle and purchased a high end luxury car. He said this car looks brand new. It was re-pained several years ago through a high end Nissan dealership. Fisher's mechanic has gone through the car in detail and all it needed was an alignment. We've been told, if you don't like the car, we'll send a truck up there and take it back at no charge. How do you beat that?
Here's the really weird and ironic part of the story. This car was originally registered here, in Gig Harbor, then transferred to the Los Angeles area. She's coming back home! I personally haven't been drooling over the Z cars. I like them, but they've always been my wife's dream car. She had two previously. An 85 which was totaled after 300,000 miles, and its replacement, and 86, with over 200,000 miles on it when our mechanic destroyed the electrical system. I have to admit, I'm pretty excited to see this car. It is the cleanest thing I've see out there and have no doubts that we aren't being bamboozled by Fisher Imports. If you go to their website and see what they sell, and have sold, you will know what I mean. I just can't say enough about Mr. Elliot Fisher, and his guy Jim. I'd consider buying another car from them at a later date.
And for now, I'm heading to Costco to buy a bundle of toilet paper for when my wife "S#$%s" when it arrives next week. Can't wait to bring it over to Doug Smith. He will be our mechanic for this vehicle from here on.
Thank all of you for your feedback, suggestions and comments. I think my wife has got her new baby.
