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| - Unreal. Stay away. The overwhelmingly nauseating perfume "air freshener" in the office is your first clue that something stinks.
Went with a friend to buy the Silver 2005 Subaru Outback with 85,000 miles listed on their website. I had researched that one and it checked out, so I called the night before to see if it was still there.
Brought pre-printed secure corporate checks in varying denominations with me because I would never carry $7,000 in cash to a remote location.
On arrival, asking about the car, he replied, "Well, I can show you what we have."
This, of course, meant the only car in a similar price range had almost 135,000 miles ("a buck thirty" as he called it). The warranty did not cover the water pump, exhaust system, or other things that are typical replacements for Outbacks of that mileage.
Still, considering it, I offered to take it for $800 less to cover part of the likely repairs and presented a corporate check. He said they only take cash, "Because people just print them things off all the time."
I pointed out that corporate checks have security features he could easily confirm by trying to make a photo copy himself, and it would read "VOID." It also contained a watermark, and he could call the bank to verify it. He refused, pointing to a copy of a scam check he supposedly fell for that clearly did not have that feature, because any copy would be covered with the word VOID. Really? He's not that stupid or he wouldn't be running a business. To me, this bespeaks reasons that have nothing to do with fake checks, or even tax evasion, but, more likely proof of purchase and warrantee issues not in the buyer's favor.
The final note was that I had my friend guard the car while I was in the office, because twice after previous visits to used car lots, when I drove away, suddenly crazy things went wrong on my car. I may be a girl, but I carry my own tools, and I won't be forced into buying a car from sham artists.
(Have you noticed that, at used car lots, you must park far away, out of sight and earshot of your vehicle, or are told that the car you want is on another lot and they offer to take you over? Never get in a car with salesmen unless you are test-driving, and always bring a friend or two if you can - one to go on the test drive with you and one to stay with your car.)
Sure enough, after I left, a scrungy, unshaven guy approached my vehicle, but veered away after he saw it was occupied. He didn't get into any of the parked vehicles, and just walked back towards some garage behind the lot. Can't say for certain what he was up to, but if that garage was where he was going, he had to go way out of his way to pass my car to get there.
No, not a place you want to send your friends for a good deal.
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