POSTS
New Car
By astrophoenix
A friend asked me to go test drive some BMW cars while he was getting the oil changed in his 528. I ended up driving the only car they had on the lot with a manual transmission, a 328 with no options whatsoever. I knew right away this car was not for me. granted, it was the base model, with the less-powerful engine, but I also didn’t like the seating position or the shifter. I’m too used to the full-on sports car feel!
After driving that car, the friend I went with said “Let’s go next door and look at the Porsches, I know that’s what you really wanted to get.” I was a little reluctant, because I was thinking of trying to find a private-party sale, to avoid sales tax. I knew they had a 2008 cayman S on the lot, in red, and I thought maybe we could talk them into a test drive.
They opened up the car for us, then they said they would let us take it for a drive! the Salesman drove it off the lot, to parking lot around the corner. He shut the car off, then proceeded to preach for about 15 minutes, extolling the virtues of a low center of gravity and the balance of a mid-engine car! I was already a convert.
Finally I drove it. it was like I remembered from the trip down Highway 1 in Brian’s Cayman and a stark contrast to the BMW 326. this car was low, powerful, had a beautiful growl, and the best shifter I’ve ever driven! The salesman directed me to take a right-hand turn onto the onramp, accelerating just through the turn, with no discernible body roll whatsoever. I never came close to full throttle, and in fact he had me coast most of the way up the onramp, but by the time I had finished that initial turn I was already at 80mph.
We finally came back to the lot. My grin was nearly too big to fit out the driver’s door.
He invited me in to run some numbers and my credit. He offered me a 1.9% loan, and another 80,000 miles and 3 years of full bumper-to-bumper factory warranty.
At this point I panicked. I knew I wanted to buy a cayman, but I wasn’t quite ready to buy one RIGHT NOW! I told him I needed to think about it and call him the next day.
Then he dropped the price.
uh, ok. I bought it! Then the friend who had come along talked them into giving me a “Cayman S” ballcap too.
