She wanted something "higher up and off the ground", as previously experienced by our small, fuel economy minded choices in vehicles.
We both work, she pays the vehicles and their insurance, and I pay the rest of the stuff.
We don't deal with the local Dodge/Chrysler dealer (though we have made objective attempts), and have worked well with a dealer about 50 miles away.
So, she calls the shop Monday and asks if we can go to our dealer and look around. Sure. As we have teenagers yet at the house, had to wait for them to get out of school and, we take off just a skosh early so we can get there in time to catch someone around.
Having heard what she had been saying for the last month or so, I had been doing a bit of research and found the Nitro to be a good candidate for what she was looking for. I think.
Anyhow, we took her car (Caliber) to save a bit of fuel. She looked. I 'kinda looked' and hung out...mostly eyeballing the salesman. She takes the girl child and drives the Nitro. In the meantime, I convince the salesman that I am really a 9' ogre in disguise.
When she returns (after the salesman has made his pitch), she inquires that most dangerous of questions, "What do you think?" As she was the one with the want/need in this arena, I answered, "I'm only here for backup, ma'am."
It was looking more and more, moment by moment, that it was NOT going to be just a viewing excursion. Wanted to know if we had a trade-in. Wife and I eyeballed one another, and I mentioned that we might have an '03 PT Cruiser. Newer salesman, had not worked with us before, and was becoming a little 'confused'.
So, salesman goes in (of course, trying diligently to work a deal)(oh, and it is the last day of the month), and mentions there is this couple out there with a trade-in, not present and they live 50 miles away.
Well, there being a couple of the older hands around that had been there for many years, he was almost convinced to pretty much just go along with whatever the guy in disguise had to say.
Not to leave out mentioning, the fun they had been having watching him through the windows.
Well, the finance guy (who was the first salesman we dealt with there years ago), told him not to be concerned about the trade-in, just go with whatever the 'guy in disguise' told him about it and get him the paperwork 'cause it was getting late.
Anyhow, to make a long story short (ain't really too short, is it?), wife drove her new Nitro home, following me in the Caliber.
SHE LIKES IT. A LOT. I'd be very careful around her saying anything bad about them.
Me? Heck, it's a Dodge. (my first was a '49 Dodge pickup I bought used from a car lot for $95 and my '51 Chevy trade-in)
So now, we're upgraded. We ain't even mentioning anything with any serious note about messing with my '05 Dakota Quad. I got that just like I like it, plain with an ARE top, black and tows my sawmill and tractor around just fine.
My Wife's Nitro, is an SXT with that other package (a "C" package, I think), 4 spd auto, full size spare, 16" alum wheels, silver w/dark gray interior.
I even got to drive it a little so far, and I LIKE IT, too.
We both work, she pays the vehicles and their insurance, and I pay the rest of the stuff.
We don't deal with the local Dodge/Chrysler dealer (though we have made objective attempts), and have worked well with a dealer about 50 miles away.
So, she calls the shop Monday and asks if we can go to our dealer and look around. Sure. As we have teenagers yet at the house, had to wait for them to get out of school and, we take off just a skosh early so we can get there in time to catch someone around.
Having heard what she had been saying for the last month or so, I had been doing a bit of research and found the Nitro to be a good candidate for what she was looking for. I think.
Anyhow, we took her car (Caliber) to save a bit of fuel. She looked. I 'kinda looked' and hung out...mostly eyeballing the salesman. She takes the girl child and drives the Nitro. In the meantime, I convince the salesman that I am really a 9' ogre in disguise.
When she returns (after the salesman has made his pitch), she inquires that most dangerous of questions, "What do you think?" As she was the one with the want/need in this arena, I answered, "I'm only here for backup, ma'am."
It was looking more and more, moment by moment, that it was NOT going to be just a viewing excursion. Wanted to know if we had a trade-in. Wife and I eyeballed one another, and I mentioned that we might have an '03 PT Cruiser. Newer salesman, had not worked with us before, and was becoming a little 'confused'.
So, salesman goes in (of course, trying diligently to work a deal)(oh, and it is the last day of the month), and mentions there is this couple out there with a trade-in, not present and they live 50 miles away.
Well, there being a couple of the older hands around that had been there for many years, he was almost convinced to pretty much just go along with whatever the guy in disguise had to say.
Not to leave out mentioning, the fun they had been having watching him through the windows.
Well, the finance guy (who was the first salesman we dealt with there years ago), told him not to be concerned about the trade-in, just go with whatever the 'guy in disguise' told him about it and get him the paperwork 'cause it was getting late.
Anyhow, to make a long story short (ain't really too short, is it?), wife drove her new Nitro home, following me in the Caliber.
SHE LIKES IT. A LOT. I'd be very careful around her saying anything bad about them.
Me? Heck, it's a Dodge. (my first was a '49 Dodge pickup I bought used from a car lot for $95 and my '51 Chevy trade-in)
So now, we're upgraded. We ain't even mentioning anything with any serious note about messing with my '05 Dakota Quad. I got that just like I like it, plain with an ARE top, black and tows my sawmill and tractor around just fine.
My Wife's Nitro, is an SXT with that other package (a "C" package, I think), 4 spd auto, full size spare, 16" alum wheels, silver w/dark gray interior.
I even got to drive it a little so far, and I LIKE IT, too.
