My Canadian Car buying experience

SilverBane · 04-07-2008, 04:10 AM

Ill give some backgroud before I begin.

I am 22 years old and make over 50k per year, been at my job 6 years. I have a credit score of over 750 and had a total debt of about $7000 (My 2003 Grand am). I currently live at home.

I went to southside Volkwagen with the intent of purchasing a VW rabbit 3 door as my first 'new' car. I chose the one I liked, wrote up the paperwork and was sent to see the finance manager. Filled out the paperwork and explained my situation to him (Have the grand am but it was on wells fargo because at the time that is all I could use for the loan). Was excited to be purchasing my new car and went home.

Got a phone call 2 days later and was told by him that the only way I could get the car is if I removed the grand am from my credit and payed a 25% down payment. He told me there was no budging on that. Also told me that I would not be able to purchase from any reputable company because I had wells fargo on my report. Needless to say I was pissed off. I had the money for the downpayment, but that is not the point.

Feeling pissed off, I went home and made a call to a family friend (Lindsay - Carter Auto Group) to see what kinda car I could get into. Normally she sells only GM's so I asked her to price a 2008 Civic Si Coupe for me.She ended up calling back and offering me the coupe for a price of $25679 plus freight and tax. (I missed out on the $1500 rebate by about a week but I ended up getting it for 3.9% financing over 72 months).

So I drove to millwoods Honda to drive one. I absolutly fell in love with it. Millwoods Honda quoted me $28332 ($27037 plus freight) + tax. In essence, I would save about $1500. Phoned her back and said I would take it.

She took my info and had me approved with $500 down in about 30 minutes, no questions asked.

I flew to vancouver that weekend (Westjet FTW->$99 tickets), took a 35$ cab ride from the airport to Carter Pontiac where it was waiting for me, and drove it home (Plus I got IHOP breakfast...we dont have IHOP here). Ended up having to put about 120$ in gas into it.

So I saved a thousand bucks, had a nice drive, and am completely in love with my car.

Was well worth the trip in my opinion.

Cliffnotes:
-**** Southgate VW
-Carter Auto Group FTW

BTW, ended up being only $15 a month more for the Si but a 72 month finance rather then a 66 month.

Oh, and since then I have bought a Condo in Millwoods...so **** you SouthGate VW AGAIN!!!!

GordonTse · 04-09-2008, 02:27 AM

damn.. $25679 + freight/fees/tax is cheap... no??

truflip · 04-09-2008, 03:08 AM

Where are you from?

christine253 · 04-09-2008, 03:11 AM

Millwoods, Edmonton area i'm guessing???

lionelp · 04-09-2008, 03:51 AM

Sometimes I wish I got an Si... I went with the TypeS though. Price of the Si is appealing but I wanted Sedan with leather. As well as Navi and the JDM look. Can't go wrong there!

SilverBane · 04-09-2008, 11:34 AM

Yep, Good ol' Edmonton Alberta.

04-07-2008, 04:10 AM	#1 (permalink)
SilverBane Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 49 iTrader: 0 / 0%	My Canadian Car buying experience Ill give some backgroud before I begin. I am 22 years old and make over 50k per year, been at my job 6 years. I have a credit score of over 750 and had a total debt of about $7000 (My 2003 Grand am). I currently live at home. I went to southside Volkwagen with the intent of purchasing a VW rabbit 3 door as my first 'new' car. I chose the one I liked, wrote up the paperwork and was sent to see the finance manager. Filled out the paperwork and explained my situation to him (Have the grand am but it was on wells fargo because at the time that is all I could use for the loan). Was excited to be purchasing my new car and went home. Got a phone call 2 days later and was told by him that the only way I could get the car is if I removed the grand am from my credit and payed a 25% down payment. He told me there was no budging on that. Also told me that I would not be able to purchase from any reputable company because I had wells fargo on my report. Needless to say I was pissed off. I had the money for the downpayment, but that is not the point. Feeling pissed off, I went home and made a call to a family friend (Lindsay - Carter Auto Group) to see what kinda car I could get into. Normally she sells only GM's so I asked her to price a 2008 Civic Si Coupe for me.She ended up calling back and offering me the coupe for a price of $25679 plus freight and tax. (I missed out on the $1500 rebate by about a week but I ended up getting it for 3.9% financing over 72 months). So I drove to millwoods Honda to drive one. I absolutly fell in love with it. Millwoods Honda quoted me $28332 ($27037 plus freight) + tax. In essence, I would save about $1500. Phoned her back and said I would take it. She took my info and had me approved with $500 down in about 30 minutes, no questions asked. I flew to vancouver that weekend (Westjet FTW->$99 tickets), took a 35$ cab ride from the airport to Carter Pontiac where it was waiting for me, and drove it home (Plus I got IHOP breakfast...we dont have IHOP here). Ended up having to put about 120$ in gas into it. So I saved a thousand bucks, had a nice drive, and am completely in love with my car. Was well worth the trip in my opinion. Cliffnotes: -** Southgate VW -Carter Auto Group FTW BTW, ended up being only $15 a month more for the Si but a 72 month finance rather then a 66 month. Oh, and since then I have bought a Condo in Millwoods...so ** you SouthGate VW AGAIN!!!!

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04-09-2008, 02:27 AM	#2 (permalink)
GordonTse Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Surrey, BC Age: 17 Posts: 369 iTrader: 0 / 0%	damn.. $25679 + freight/fees/tax is cheap... no??

04-09-2008, 03:08 AM	#3 (permalink)
truflip Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ottawa, ON Age: 22 Posts: 7,139 iTrader: 11 / 100%	Where are you from?

04-09-2008, 03:11 AM	#4 (permalink)
christine253 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Canada Age: 23 Posts: 17 iTrader: 0 / 0%	Millwoods, Edmonton area i'm guessing???

04-09-2008, 03:51 AM	#5 (permalink)
lionelp Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Edmonton, AB Posts: 703 Lionel Pereira iTrader: 0 / 0%	Sometimes I wish I got an Si... I went with the TypeS though. Price of the Si is appealing but I wanted Sedan with leather. As well as Navi and the JDM look. Can't go wrong there!

04-09-2008, 11:34 AM	#6 (permalink)
SilverBane Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 49 iTrader: 0 / 0%	Yep, Good ol' Edmonton Alberta.