I can remember back in the day when I’d do my own oil change and tire rotation in the driveway, but today I took the Miata into the dealer to have them do it. I also want to see if they can fix the turn signals; about every third time when turning right, it wouldn’t start blinking. A quick jiggle and it starts up. I also asked them to look into why the car sometimes is hard to restart after a quick stop on a hot day.
About 10 minutes after I dropped off the car at the dealer, I received a text:
Hi Brian, this is Jessica, from Tonkin Mazda of Portland. We are actively looking to buy vehicles like the 2001 MAZDA MX-5 Miata you brought in for service. Can I text you my offer? Reply YES to see it. It’s worth considering! By texting YES you accept our terms of service (text TERMS for full details). Msg/data rates may apply. HELP for help. STOP to opt-out.
Wow! I wonder if they send that text to everyone who drops off their car for service? I get the intent; the dealer wants used cars to move, and if your current car is in for a repair, you just might take that offer. For funsies, I replied YES. They then asked for the trim (LS) and I added the optional 6-speed to the list. About an hour later:
Great, looking at current market values, we are thinking $6,800 to $7,600, assuming it’s in good condition. Is that something you’d be interested in?
I politely declined. I do wonder if they would actually cut a check or make it so it can only be used on a new vehicle… I do not wonder if Jessica is an AI agent; I will bet you dollars to doughnuts that she is.
For just a bit of more fun, I headed over to the Carvana website and entered my VIN. Then I answered a bunch of questions about the car. Five seconds later they offered me $8,600.