In the end it turned out to be con ... a bait and switch. This deception was performed by the most inherently evil of all professions; the used car salesman.
I started looking for a new (to me) vehicle approximately two months ago. I examined my needs and determined that I could use a small SUV or a mid-size sedan. Instead of going with my stand-by, a Buick, I decided to do some real research. Hondas and Toyotas ... all top notch; Chevy Avalanche ... a car I love; Ford Escape ... a good MPG SUV; Nissan X-Terra ... just cool. These were the cars I widdled my focus to.
After deciding that Consumers Report was the deity among testing firms, I chose to follow their advice. The Honda Accord. I found an '01 I liked, wheeled and dealed ... offered $16,000 out-the-door (OTD) and then got rejected with a counteroffer. Their counteroffer was $211 less then their asking price ... WHAT THE FUCK. TWO-HUNDRED AND ELEVEN DOLLARS? WHY BOTHER? That 'deal' was left to purgatory ...