Back when gas prices jumped nearly a dollar a gallon in a matter of a couple a weeks, my wife and I were thinking about getting a more frugal car. She wanted to get a hybrid but we quickly learned that everyone else was trying to buy hybrids too and since demand was high, dealerships were charging a serious premium. We quickly gave up on that idea and thought we could find something that was fuel efficient and at the same time a bit more fun. We finally decided on the Mini Cooper. I shopped around and found that dealerships were charging a big markup on the Mini as well. So I decided to go with the option of looking for a used one. We ended up finding one at a dealership, which shall remain nameless, and we decided to go over and take a look at it before we went to have dinner. We looked at it and test drove it. The car was a nice. It was a red Mini Cooper S with a black roof and black stripes. It was automatic and had every option that we were looking for. It was a very cool looking car and very fun to drive.

Now it was time for the usual crap that you get from car salesman. He first says that the asking price is a great price and thinks that we won't try to negotiate. I tell him that there is no way I would pay the asking price and tell him that if he really wants to make a sale today to skip the back and forth crap and give me his best price. They were asking $24.8k for the car. I knew approximately how much the dealership got the car in trade and I estimated it at about $20k. I kept going back and forth with the salesman trying to get him to give me anything other than the asking price. He wouldn't budge and I wasn't about to throw out any numbers. Eventually the sales manager who was sitting at a desk just across from us came over and he pulled up the price that they paid for the car in trade. The trade in price turned out to be $20,106. I was right on target with my estimate. The salesman then jumps out and tells me that I am not going to get the car for $20K. I told him "I never gave you a price that I was willing to pay. I don't expect you to sell it to me for less that your dealership paid to get it. I do have an idea of how businesses work." He kept insisting that I give him a number. And I kept insisting that he give me a better price now that I knew that they were asking $4.8k over there cost. I would have been willing to pay $1500 over there cost giving them a nice little profit but the salesman was being a jerk and wouldn't give an inch. I stood up and said "Ok then, thank you very much, but I think it's time for us to go." and I stuck out my hand to give him a handshake. He remained seated and looked over to the sales manager in disgust. That is when I knew for sure that this guy was a total douche. I know this is how he makes his living but he can't treat people like that and expect to be fruitful at his business. Once he did that, I did not say another word to him. I only spoke to the sales manager. We ended up walking out and going to dinner. I was kinda pissed off but I shrugged it off pretty well.

A couple of days later, he calls me on my cell phone. I had just got a bluetooth headset in preparation for the stupid new California law and was testing it out when he called. He kept explaining to me how nice the car was and how it was worth the asking price and that if we really wanted it we should just do it. He actually said to my wife and I when we were there, "If you like the car, don't think about it. Just do it." That is probably the worst advice I have ever heard in my life. After he gave me his crap, I told him that there is no way they are going to make that much profit and that he needed to come closer to their cost price of $20k if I was going to buy it. He kept asking me to come to the dealership and we can talk about it. I told him that we would try to come by before he was off at 7pm. We both said goodbye and I thought the conversation was over. 

Here comes the good part. Now I still hadn't figured out how to use my headset so the phone never hung up. I was reaching over for my phone to end the call manually. Apparently, the salesman didn't hang up his phone completely and I could still hear what was going on. I heard him talking to who I assume was another salesman or possibly the same sales manager that I dealt with earlier. He said to him, "I was just talking to that guy about the Cooper. Can you believe him? He must be stupid if he thinks he is going to get it for any less. He keeps talking about how much profit we are going to make on the car. How stupid is this guy?" Once I heard that, I made sure not to hang up. I kept listening to see if I could hear more. About 10 seconds later, he realizes his mistake. All I hear is "Oh my god!" and the phone suddenly hangs up. 

Needless to say, I didn't go over to the dealership that night. I had originally saw the car posted on the dealership's web site and had emailed the internet sales manager. He was off for the few days and had got back to me when he had returned. I told him that what had happened and how the salesman thinks I must be stupid in an email reply. About 3 hours after sending the email, I got a call from him. He wanted to apologize to me and gave me a better price on the car. He also said that I should be expecting a call from another manager and so on. I got that call from the other manager and he also apologized to me and wanted to make sure that there was no malice intended and how the salesman that I worked with has the highest level of integrity and all this other B.S.. He finally gave me a reduced price of $23.8k. At this point, I was pretty certain that I wasn't going to buy that car. It was a super sweet little car but I was finding similarly equipped cars with less mileage and extended warranties in the range of $20-21k on craigslist. I probably would have paid $1-1.5k over their cost but they weren't going to budge. 

It turns out that this was all for the best. I like the Mini Cooper but I was thinking the car would be for my wife till I eventually got the sports car that I want. She liked the car but would prefer to be a bit more environmentally conscious and get a Prius or some other hybrid car. When I found out that the next generation Prius is supposed to be able to run on electricity alone for 40 miles or so, I told my wife and we decided to wait for it. No Mini Cooper for us but I learned that when I am ready to buy a car, I am going to come with money in my pocket and a price in my mind. I am going to lay out exactly what I want and exactly what I am willing to pay right away. If they don't agree, I am walking out the door to the next stealership dealership till I find one that will agree to my price. Actually, I'll probably do it by email till I get one to agree to my price and save myself the trouble of driving back and forth.