The last time someone knocked on my door, I answered to the flashing lights of a fire truck.
While scary, it turned out to be nothing more than a warning about a burn ban and a firm request to put out the remains of a campfire I had smoldering in the front yard. I mention this only to illustrate the fact that I live in a rural area, and people simply don’t come knocking on my door.
So when the rat-a-tat-tat of a door knock happened again last weekend, I prepared for the worst.
Instead of answering the door and seeing four fully suited-up firefighters, I saw a portly older man on my doorstep.
We don’t get people knocking on our door, because there’s a gate to the property that’s normally closed and locked, but on this day it had been left open, and this guy apparently decided he should come in.
“I’m sorry to bother you,” he said, “but I was just driving by and noticed your car.”
I shot a glance toward the car, wondering if he was about to tell me that a meteor had hit it.
“How do you like your Legacy?” he asked.
Is this what happens now? In the age of the Internet and instant information, where anyone can ask anyone in the world questions about any car in existence, this guy chose to stop at my house and ask me, a complete stranger, what I think of my car?
How quaint.
After getting over the shock of this crazy random happenstance, I told him everything my wife and I like about the car. He asked about fuel economy, and I proudly said that we average about 28 miles per gallon. He frowned, and said he was hoping for somewhere around the mid-30s.
The conversation went on for about 15 minutes, during which time I learned about this guy’s complete work history and his daughter’s car accident while driving a Saturn, all in between discussions of the Subaru’s trim level (Limited), engine (4-cylinder), and transmission (CVT).
He left feeling good about the Subaru, and I recommended he look for a 2013 model rather than a brand new one.
We’re living in an age when actual human-to-human contact is rare, but there are obviously still people who prefer it over online research. With plenty of reviews from real owners on CarGurus, prospective buyers can find out anything they want to know without ever interacting with a person until it’s time to make a purchase.
Who do you talk to when you want advice on buying a car?
-tgriffith
That’s really cool that that man stopped and asked you how you liked your car! I usually do that with people quite a bit since I am in the market for getting another car. I also like to look online and use all of the different resources that are out there.
Thanks for the information. Where do I get my car buying advice? Well I used to take advice from my dad, but that hasn’t seemed to work. Now I’m going to follow your tip about looking for professional advice on the internet. That should ensure that I’m able to choose the perfect car for myself and for my family.