Last week I bought the first brand new car I've ever purchased, a 2005 Ford Focus. I picked it partly because I found it on Edmund's list of good small cars for tall people. Then when I turned to Consumer Reports, and found it (the '04) to be the recommended small car, it was just about a done deal. I rented one just to make sure. If you look at it you can clearly see why it has some extra headroom.
I got the ZX4 SES, which is a 4-door sedan. I've had it a week, about 400 miles, and so far so good. Really is a treat to have a brand spanking-new car. The kids admonished me not to eat in it, not even my customary apples.
Having driven ponderous vehicles for so long, having a nimble little car is pleasant. Especially with the tight, parking garage spaces around here.
The new-car purchase experience wasn't too unpleasant, though it was time-consuming. That part was made worse, because I really wanted to get a bargain basement 2004, but I waited too long and inventory was very thin (they were available, but either too much or too little). I went to 4 dealers, and corresponded with a few more. None of them gave me a real hard sell, perhaps because I walked in with a detailed Edmund's printout and told them exactly what I wanted.
One of the dealers was a "one-price" shop. I didn't know that beforehand. They were very pleasant, and had by far the nicest showroom, really very grand. But I always keep in mind--somebody is paying for that. Anyway, the experience there conformed to what I had previously read about one-price dealers: if you are a decent negotiator, you can do much better. One-price is good for little old ladies and orphans, but you can definitely do better on your own.
10:12:50 PM 
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