Car Salesmaned

by stink - on Sep 28, 2021 10:14am comments(3)
I was car salesmaned recently, and it got me thinking, which is how I arrived at this new verb.

Let me give you the definition: when someone car salesmans you, they bring you deep into a financial agreement, as deep as they possibly can, and then at the last possible moment, when there's no way you can pull out, they try to sneak in one last fee.

Some concrete first-hand examples:

I'm at the car dealership buying a new car and we reach an agreement on the final price after about 3 hours. Glad that's over with - let's get my car! "Head over to financials and they'll wrap it up". So, I go over to a different office to sign all the official paper work. "Oh, we need to add a $10/month fee for the upgraded car alarm".

I was courting a new client over the course of a couple interviews. We agree on me receiving $100/hour and they say the company owner will give me a ring to welcome me on board. "Hey, welcome aboard. So glad to have you working here. Oh, can we do $90/hour?".

I'm looking to rent a new apartment and I reach a verbal agreement with the owner on the price. "Hey, you're welcome to move in early". I move early. "Hey, let me give you the Wi-Fi password". "Oh, I need to charge an extra 15% for condo fee".
Some comments may be hidden. Show all.
  • by iloveny123 - on Sep 30, 2021 9:50pm
    That should be illegal, if not just dishonest
  • by reol - on Oct 4, 2021 4:14pm
    Betraying expectations like that seems to happen pretty often for housing. My situation involved having a fence set up from a company that was referred to me, talked out the terms pretty well, got the neighbours onboard, everything seemed good. Signed a pretty boilerplate contract... got ghosted for some weeks until a sudden change in tone saying that they wouldn't be able to guarantee the terms *even when* fees were added. Neighbours were getting impatient so we had to go ahead with the construction anyway, but not going to be recommending them after that.
    • by stink - on Oct 4, 2021 7:34pm
      I wonder why people do it. Did they each learn it somewhere specifically? Is it a nuanced evolved trait?