Of course you all know I own a music store in California and that is how I have every keyboard we talk about here!, but yesterday I had the best car buying experience of my life.....
I bought a new 2004 Ford Explorer which Ford Motor Company is offering a $5000.00 rebate, got a $4000 discount from my local dealer, got a $400 rebate because my daughter just graduated from college AND.........I got a free Dell Dimension 2400 computer with a 15" flatscreen monitor and an all in one fax, copier, scanner and printer (only offered through the labor day weekend) How can you beat this! The car is actually for my daughter and now I'm thinking of going back and getting one for myself. I hope the US car manufactures can stay in business with these kind of deals being offered. I was first looking at all the Honda, Toyota, etc. import cars but this explorer is rated very highly with consumer reports and you can't get deals like this on the imports.


------------------
George Kaye
Kaye's Music Scene
Reseda, California

George,

Congratulations on the "Steal of the year"!

I know what you mean. In May of this year, I walked into a GM dealership and asked them to make me the best deal they could on a new car and I was blown away. I was able to walk away with a brand new 2004 Cadillac SRX with a $12,000.00 discount!!!

They also paid the yearly fee for XM Satellite radio subscription, and 1 year On-Star service.

Holy cow, how can you beat that. I was determined to buy "so-called" American and the Cadillac offered the quality, workmanship, and features I was looking for.

I think this is the best time to buy a new car, but be careful with those resale values. In my case, I felt the Caddy would hold it's value. Some of my friends have purchased mini-vans and are now in negative equity area in that they owe more than the car is worth. It's best to purchase a great late model used car to avoid this.

Best of Luck
Al

I hope she can afford the gas for it.

Tell her to be gentle on the brakes too George. Explorers are noted for having to have the brakes replaced frequently. Earlier Explorers (1997, etc.) were really deficient in that area. Ford could have improved things on the new ones though.

They're high maintenance vechicles and the cost of ownership over five years is staggering. So she has to take that into account. You bought it but I'm guessing she will maintain it, right?

Depreciation on Ford Explorers is mind numbing too. To give you an example of depreciation, a fella and his family were selling their house and were moving out of state and they were trying to sell their 1997 Ford Explorer for $6,500. The house sold and they had to be out of it within 2 months time and listed the Explorer for sale in the interim. The Explorer was a top of the line, i.e., leather seats, moon roof, CD Player with JBL [may have been Infinity] Sound System, "new" tires, etc., etc., etc. >> The guy never had a bite! Not one call or interested party!! He ended up "giving" it away if you can believe that! He gave it too a non-profit organization and used it as a tax write off...

PS: I'm sure if he could have stuck around with more time to sell it he probably would have got his asking price of $6,500. But the SUV only had 60 some thousand miles on it, with new tires and the top of the line model when it was new, and he didn't get one bite??? At $6,500?!?!?!?!

It is a shame to say the least.

Oh well, I hope your daughter fares much better George when she goes to sell it.

Best regards,
Mike

Never heard of anything like that. That seems odd unless it was way overpriced. Weird.

George - thanx for paddingb my Dad's retirement fund! Ford wrote the book on trucks, and I'm sure your little girl will get great service from her new ride! Congrats on a sweeeeeet deal !

Congratulations George.

By the way, do you have any "oriental" low end keyboards in your store? (PK5, WK1, or E-14...anything?)

I have WK1's and PK5's. Let me know if your interested.
George Kaye

Yes George Please let me know on AIM (samerathp) or via email (samermusic@hotmail.com) about prices on both of those and if new or used (warranty or not basically)

Thanks

Congrats on the Explorer George. (Or rather to your Daughter...lucky girl) If I were you I would go right back and treat yourself to one as well

I love Explorers but they tend to be rather expensive over here and with our scandalous fuel taxes it would be impractical for me.

I was offered silly money for my car yesterday in part ex toward a Landrover Discovery with all the bells and whistles. I was very tempted but again the cost of running it put me off.

I borrowed my pals Grand Cherokee last week to drive to Liverpool to the theatre. Another lovely 4x4 that felt like I was driving a Rolls Royce it was so comfortable. AH well....I shall dream

Best to you
Tony