My favorite new car purchasing experience.

[JoelB]

Last week we picked up my wife's 2022 Accent. Because of the current supply issues we put a deposit on this car while it was in transit. What this allowed me to do was make some requests that I've previously never been able to buying cars right off the lot. This lead to my favorite pickup of a new car ever.

The car had everything left on it from transit. Well everything that could be left on for it to be driven to the PDI area anyway. The large white plastic over the hood, trunk and roof along with plastic on tons of stuff in the interior. Never washed of course. It was covered in dirt and mud. It also only had 8 miles on the odometer. This is the lowest I've ever had on a new car delivery. I think maybe 1 other time I have a car with 8 miles.

The salesman think you're nuts of course, I probably am. But this is the way to go for me. I got to peel all the plastic and see the fresh materials underneath. And be the first one to wash, vacuum and protect all the surfaces. Very satisfying. The car has been excellent the 200 miles we've driven it so far. I'll give a little review of it as we own it longer.

 

[aquariuscsm]

That's awesome! I'm the same way. When I bought my 300ZX, I wanted to take it home, and do all the virgin detailing myself, but the sales dude stops me in mid-sentence and says, "We owe that to you". Bummer! But I tell you, man my Z was white glove clean when they delivered her to me, and because I drove a couple of hundred miles to buy her, they filled it up with premium unleaded for me!

 

[MasterSolenoid]

JoelB, I hope your Wife enjoys her new car.

I understand you wanting to remove the interior plastic.
It's like peeling the protective plastic off the screen of a 'new' cell phone.

 

[TCL]

I wonder if you had a scratch under the shipping plastic would they still be so nice about it?

 

[atikovi]

Cool that you got to do the unwrapping. Never bought a new car myself, well, technically once, but not sure that one counts. You shoulda made a Tic Tok about it.

 

[Skippy722]

Peeling the plastic off screens and stuff like that is the best part. Just something so satisfying about the perfect peel.

 

[ls973800]

What did you have to pay for the car, MSRP or MSRP plus some extra fees? That appears to be the "new normal" now with new car purchases in over 80% of transactions being MSRP or over according to Forbes back in February.

82% New vehicles selling for MSRP or more

 

[JeffKeryk]

Well done and enjoy your beautiful Hyundai.

 

[Finklejag]

Those Limited Accents are a hidden gem for under $20K.

 

[64bawagon]

The prep guy at the Chevy dealer pulled all the interior plastic off before they put the running boards on. That ended up costing them a new sill plate since the tech drug his dirty boots all over when he got in and out of it. I typically order and always tell them no dealer stickers and none of that greasy, nasty tire treatment they use.

 

[JoelB]

What did you have to pay for the car, MSRP or MSRP plus some extra fees? That appears to be the "new normal" now with new car purchases in over 80% of transactions being MSRP or over according to Forbes back in February.

82% New vehicles selling for MSRP or more

I think pricing is an interesting topic right now so Ill share our experience. My wife purchased it for $500 off MSRP. But in reality she would have been fine paying MSRP.

It came down to buying it now and getting a high value for her used car, or buying it later and getting a better deal on the new car but less on the used one. I suspect the out of pocket cost wouldn't change much over the coming year or two.

As silly as it sounds this was basically her current dream car. It has all the features we like without the features we do not like. For example it has manual, cloth heated seats. Our favorite. We personally do not like leather. More for me specifically its port injected, non-turbo, CVT. My favorite setup.

Long story short. It mattered more to us to get the car now than to get a great deal.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

How do you like the Hyundai / Kia CVT ? I also like how these cars have dropped back to port injection.

I actually don't mind how the Nissan CVTs drive. I can get some crazy fuel economy out of our Sentra. Always wanted one of these ultra basic cars. I really like that these and the Versa are port injection and have a lever parking brake. Not a fan of electronic parking brakes.

 

[ls973800]

I think pricing is an interesting topic right now so Ill share our experience. My wife purchased it for $500 off MSRP. But in reality she would have been fine paying MSRP.

It came down to buying it now and getting a high value for her used car, or buying it later and getting a better deal on the new car but less on the used one. I suspect the out of pocket cost wouldn't change much over the coming year or two.

As silly as it sounds this was basically her current dream car. It has all the features we like without the features we do not like. For example it has manual, cloth heated seats. Our favorite. We personally do not like leather. More for me specifically its port injected, non-turbo, CVT. My favorite setup.

Long story short. It mattered more to us to get the car now than to get a great deal.

You did well being able to get a bit off MSRP and getting some of the highest trade in prices for your vehicle. Many people are seeing high trade in values but it is taken away if purchasing a new one due to additional "add ons" , dealer fees, and "Adjusted Market Value" addendums. Glad I am not in need of a vehicle any time soon!

 

[JTK]

Very cool! The Hyundai Accent looks like it has come a long way.

In terms of the unwrapping, it is kind of cool. Some 30yrs ago I worked for a rental car company. I would regularly prep brand new vehicles. I don't recall if it was GM, Ford or Chrysler back then, but some of the new cars would come with a coating you had to wash off with an included bottle of solution.

 

[joekingcorvette]

Congrats on the new car!

 

[michaelluscher]

Very cool! The Hyundai Accent looks like it has come a long way.

In terms of the unwrapping, it is kind of cool. Some 30yrs ago I worked for a rental car company. I would regularly prep brand new vehicles. I don't recall if it was GM, Ford or Chrysler back then, but some of the new cars would come with a coating you had to wash off with an included bottle of solution.

TransSeal was the milky spray on plastic that you removed with a pressure washer or solvent
Rapgard is the white plastic pictured
I love discovering half done PDI work on a 10+ year old car
Especially the spring spacers and torque box body plugs
But that doesn't happen when you do it yourself
It looks a sharp new car
Enjoy it

 

[eljefino]

Peeling the plastic off screens and stuff like that is the best part. Just something so satisfying about the perfect peel.

It's its own genre on youtube!

My Prius was barely PDI'd, they missed that all the tires held 47 PSI, presumably to prevent flat-spotting in transit. It had 000001 mile! Then at mile 4 I went WOT on a 2-lane road to pass somebody, having already forgotten it was a new car.

 

[Skippy722]

It's its own genre on youtube!

My Prius was barely PDI'd, they missed that all the tires held 47 PSI, presumably to prevent flat-spotting in transit. It had 000001 mile! Then at mile 4 I went WOT on a 2-lane road to pass somebody, having already forgotten it was a new car.

You’re not abusing it, you’re just following Mopar’s break in recommendations!

“While cruising, brief full-throttle acceleration within the limits of local traffic laws contributes to a good break-in. Wide-open throttle acceleration in low gear can be detrimental and should be avoided.”

 

[madeej11]

That's awesome! I'm the same way. When I bought my 300ZX, I wanted to take it home, and do all the virgin detailing myself, but the sales dude stops me in mid-sentence and says, "We owe that to you". Bummer! But I tell you, man my Z was white glove clean when they delivered her to me, and because I drove a couple of hundred miles to buy her, they filled it up with premium unleaded for me!

I would think it would be unleaded for sure but was it ethanol free?

 

[aquariuscsm]

I would think it would be unleaded for sure but was it ethanol free?

Nah, just premium unleaded (aka super unleaded). Required for that car.