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| - I drive past those little mom-and-pop auto broker places all the time, thinking, "I wonder who would buy a car from one of those lots?"
Turns out: ME.
Had been shopping around for a certain replacement winter vehicle for a few months, when I found one just around the corner at KDK. Stopped in for five minutes, saw the car in their shop having the AC worked on, and thought I'd stop back. John, one of the owners, suggested a time that it would be ready to test-drive.
It was ready, so I mentioned I wanted my wrench to take a look at it. "Oh, yeah. I know him. Want me to drive it over there for you?" The honesty was bracing. A guy at one of "those" lots, and he not only wants MY mechanic to look it over, he's gonna deliver it? I was still uncertain, until my guy calls me back. Needs a few things. Uh-oh.
John: "Sure, we'll fix all that. Wanna pick it up tomorrow?" Well, uh. YEAH, I do. I'll drop a check off. "Oh, we work on a handshake. You tell me you want it, it's yours. See you tomorrow afternoon." I held the phone in my hand, staring at it. Could the transaction be this seamless?
Wife, daughter and I head over. They love the front waiting area with all the chairs, tables and potted palms, where the daughter and I get only about twenty moves into a chess game before the car paperwork is complete and we're on the road. (She was ahead in captured pieces, but I controlled the center of the board. It was only a matter of time.)
Final tally: Forty-five minutes, spread over two visits and three phone calls. They paid for all the repairs, I paid their asking price, which was WAY lower than any other comp within 200 miles, and we now have Yogi, the Great White Wonder in the garage. (I may sneak back and grab that Mercedes coupe...)
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