| | I’ve pulled off some whoppers, some of which I am sure some of the limp-dicks would not approve. I’m curious what everyone (but especially the limps) think about this one:
A few years back I identified a Honda on a used car lot that my wife wanted. I test drove it and I negotiated and I got the salesman down pretty well off the asking price. But we went back and forth for about a week, because I wanted more off. I couldn’t get him any lower, I was insisting on 4% lower, but I couldn’t move him. I *knew* he would take less, but I couldn’t get him to do it. It was my failure and I was growing angry with myself. I called him on a Friday afternoon and tried one more thing and fell on my face. “This is the lowest we can go, Jon.” I said, “OK, fine. I’ll see you this afternoon.” “Wonderful. Please bring a bank-certified check.” “Sure.”
I didn’t really intend to see him. I intended to think a few more minutes and decide if I would call back and cancel or go to the bank and pick up the car.
Then a light bulb went off in my head.
Skip to 4:00 pm:
“Jon, good to see you.”
“Same here, Mikhail.”
M: “Excited about the car?”
J: “Oh, yes.”
M: “Great. Have a seat. I have the papers ready for you to sign. If you will give me the check, I’ll bring it to accounting so they can get started.”
J: “Sure. Here you go.”
M: “Good. I’ll bring this to accou…Oh. Did you have some cash, or, we don’t normally do this, but a personal check, perhaps?”
J: “Huh?”
M: “This is not the right amount.” [Handing check back to me]
(It was 5% less than what we agreed to.)
J: “Oh, that. Yeah, I ran into some money issues at the bank.”
M: [pausing, looking surprised that I stopped talking] “Jon, we agreed on an amount.”
J: “I remember. This is what I have for you, Mikhail. What more can I say?”
M: “We agreed.”
J: Blank stare.
M: Blank stare.
J: Blank stare.
M: “I can’t believe this…”[swiping check back from my hand]
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