>> When I was buying my last car I went in and asked

> In my case, I told

Exactly.

When you’re paying, you don’t ask, you tell.

This is what I want, and this is what I’ll pay.

Don’t get me started on fucking real estate agents either. Parasites. Real estate sells itself. Conveyancers / Solicitors do all the real work, and typically charge a set fee. Real estate agents typically charge a percentage and they literally don’t do anything.

The sales folk at a car dealership aren’t there to help you.

There is literally no situation bad enough that a car sales agent or real estate agent can’t make worse. Incapacitated pilot? Fucking useless. Need a dental cavity filled? Fucking useless. Got a problem with your Goggomobil? fucking useless.

Packing peanuts are more effective at their claimed benefits than car sales agents and real estate agents are at theirs.

Sometimes real estate agents do a lot. Anecdote of course, but my real estate agent spent a few hours basically every weekend with us for like 2-3 months as we toured 25 houses, went over ~10 inspection reports, and made 3-4 offers. And he and his team got roughly 20k. In a better housing market I think they do a lot less, but I know ours did a lot of work.