DadWagon
Well-Known Member
- First Name
- Matthew Couling
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2019
- Threads
- 14
- Messages
- 87
- Reaction score
- 55
- Location
- Yorktown, Va.
- Vehicle(s)
- JL Rubicon
- Thread starter
- #1
Being squarely middle aged, I've bought my fair share of vehicles over the years. The auto buying process, deservedly or not, has always inspired us to mentally suit up as if for battle, prepared to haggle and fight and try to spot where we're being cheated. In my early 20s, I actually sold cars for a while, working at both a mitsubishi (super shady) and jeep dealer (actually pretty honest) in Los Angeles, so I like to think I have a little more insight than the average buyer. I knew I was going to get a JLUR for a while, it was just a matter of timing, since I'm in the Coast Guard and headed to Hawaii this summer. Originally, I was going to buy it from an old friend that worked at a dealership, but midway through the process he got a promotion into a different dealership, so I started looking around. A lot. I spoke with literally dozens of places, gauging their willingness to give me the price I wanted, and that gut check of whether they felt honest. After exhausting my local area, then state, then greater geographical region, I came here to the forum, and saw some recommendations for Criswell in Maryland. I reached out to Julius, who immediately got back to me and we opened a dialog. For nearly two months I was the difficult customer, making sure every detail was just so and the timing was correct, and he never showed a lack of patience, frustration, or desire for me to f-off. Each time we spoke he was cordial, direct, straightforward and polite. When I was ready to hit "go" on the order, he had me work with Ash, who displayed those same characteristics, which indicate to me that this is the culture there as a place of business. Ash was awesome, even graciously working with me and my subpar math skills as we arrived at the final deal, which was an amazing 8% below invoice plus the extra $500 for military cash, and a nice neat round down for good measure. It seems you can often find a good deal, and you can also find a good person to work with at a dealership, but getting both and it being effortless is rare. I'm sure I'll be driving this JLUR, what my kids are already calling the "Dad Wagon", hence my moniker, for a long time. However, when it's time to buy again, I know exactly where I'm going for that purchase.
I don't use yelp, and I rarely leave reviews for places, good or ill. This car buying experience is worth the 10 minutes to make this recommendation though. If you're in the market, check out Criswell in Maryland. Those guys are awesome. @CriswellJeep.
I don't use yelp, and I rarely leave reviews for places, good or ill. This car buying experience is worth the 10 minutes to make this recommendation though. If you're in the market, check out Criswell in Maryland. Those guys are awesome. @CriswellJeep.
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