Monday was absolutely gorgeous: 78 degrees and bright sun, peak foliage, customers abounding.
Today is my 53rd Birthday and Alphecca’s 5th Blogiversary.
What a long, strange trip it’s been. . . .
Update: Thanks very much to all of you for your kind, well-wishes. I work with a great bunch of people at the Toyota dealership and we try to be a little lower-key than the normal car dealership — not gang-tackling, etc. Of course, it helps that a lot of people like Toyota cars and trucks and, as a salesman, I don’t feel embarrassed about the product. They pretty much (quality, reputation, resale value, features) sell themselves.
Like any commission sales, it takes time to build up a loyal customer base (by giving good service and follow-up) where the same people seek the same salesman every 3-5 years when they look to trade for a new model or their lease ends. Still, I’m doing alright. We’ll see how it goes when it’s ten degrees out and snowing!
40 Responses to “Truckin’. . .”
on 24 Oct 2007 at 6:27 am # Keith
Many happy returns to you Jeff.
You’re my first read every morning, Keep up the good work.
all the best
Keith
ps. those trucks are monsters
on 24 Oct 2007 at 6:59 am # Lazarus Long
Good luck in the new career. Toyota makes a good product and they stand solidly behind their warranty, in my experience. But, the Tundra model has gotten huge over the past two model years. What were they thinking?
on 24 Oct 2007 at 7:19 am # Dan
You probably can demand a better markup if you mention it is your birthday. You don’t look a day over 38. Seriously. Happy birthday.
on 24 Oct 2007 at 7:32 am # Rey B
Happy Birthday Jeff. Now sell some trucks!
on 24 Oct 2007 at 7:42 am # Robb Allen
Well, if it makes you feel any better, I’m as old as you are if … well.. you flip the numbers around…
Never mind…
Happy Birthday!
on 24 Oct 2007 at 7:55 am # Boyd
Happy B-day, Jeff!
on 24 Oct 2007 at 9:09 am # Peet
HBD, Jeff!
Lazarus: The tacoma grew pretty large also (it’s their SMALLEST truck).
Jeff, the Mrs. and I bought the Tacoma used at a (very) southern N.H. dealer. We walked in on a Saturday and the first thing my wife said was “What’s with all the farmers?” Only the sales Mgr. was in a suit…
P.
on 24 Oct 2007 at 9:17 am # Nimrod45
Happy Birfday, Jeff!
With a pair of black rimmed glasses you could pass for Drew Carey…
on 24 Oct 2007 at 9:17 am # BobG
Congratulations on both; this is my first read every morning. Wish the weather was that warm here where I live.
on 24 Oct 2007 at 9:34 am # Ken S, Fifth String on the Banjo of Life
Happy Birthday, Jeff!
on 24 Oct 2007 at 9:58 am # The Duck
congrats
You have broken a new record! You have lived another day longer than ever before!
on 24 Oct 2007 at 10:10 am # Rambling Rog
Congrats on another trip around the sun.
on 24 Oct 2007 at 10:40 am # Jim
Happy Birthday, Jeff!
Hope you turn a hat-trick o’ trucks today, just by way of celebration! And tell your boss to pay you all the Saturday spiffs on ‘em for the occassion!
That way, you’ll have some pocket change for ammo.
mmmmmmmmmm……. Ammo!
Jim
Sloop New Dawn
Galveston, TX
on 24 Oct 2007 at 10:45 am # Yuri Orlov
Happy Birthday! May you have the best birthday ever!
on 24 Oct 2007 at 11:17 am # Bruce
Happy birthday, Jeff. And, here’s to another five years of sticking it to the Sarah Bradys of the world. Rock on!
on 24 Oct 2007 at 12:01 pm # Cepik
Happy Birthday Jeff,
And congrats on the blog’s anniversary. Toyota makes a good product and they have a great rep with their employees. The plant here is growing again. However, my loyalties lie with another American made vehicle; Nissan.
Peet, did you get the 4 door Tacoma? Those look great! I still am tempted to ditch the Frontier for one of those when I see them drive by. I hear the Tacomas get a little better gas mileage than the Frontiers. With the 4 doors, I can get the kids in back and hit the range.
on 24 Oct 2007 at 12:20 pm # threecollie
Happy birthday, happy blogiversary and congrats on the nice weather (cold and rainy here).
Keep up the good work here at Alphecca …I enjoy your writing and it is good to know whats going on out in the big world.
on 24 Oct 2007 at 1:17 pm # Thunderbolt
Hippy Birfday
on 24 Oct 2007 at 1:59 pm # Scott
Happy Birthday!!
on 24 Oct 2007 at 2:49 pm # Gringo_Malo
Congrats and many happy returns!
on 24 Oct 2007 at 3:03 pm # Robert
My friend Jeff. He sells the BIG rigs! Send me your snailmail address and I will send you a TSRA calendar for your office. Being a gun kinda guy can’t hurt….when you are selling the BIG rigs!
on 24 Oct 2007 at 3:04 pm # Patrick Joubert Conl
Happy birthday, Jeff. And may you have many more.
on 24 Oct 2007 at 3:50 pm # KCSteve
Happy Birthday Jeff and the Blog!
on 24 Oct 2007 at 4:13 pm # Shard
I’m a day late, but Happy Brithday Jeff!!!!
And your little blog too!!!!
on 24 Oct 2007 at 5:21 pm # Cam
Happy Birthday Jeff! Here’s wishing for many more in the years to come!
on 24 Oct 2007 at 5:47 pm # Eric Scheie
A very, very happy birthday! And congratulations on your blogiversary!
You’re looking great, Jeff. Here’s wishing you continued happiness and success.
(Seriously though, at 53 you’re still just a kid…. I’ve got you beaten by months!)
on 24 Oct 2007 at 6:13 pm # straightarrow
Happy birthday, youngster.
on 24 Oct 2007 at 8:26 pm # joated
Happy Birthday
The wife and I just went out this afternoon and ended up buying an ‘07 Tundra.
After looking at the ‘08 Silverado 2500HD (we are/were hardcore Chevy buyers because of family ties to the company) we found the incentives and price too good to pass up.
Hope it tows my 27′ Wilderness as well as it handled on the test drive around Sayre, PA.
Would have come up to your neck of the woods to buy, but that’s a bit too far to drive.
on 24 Oct 2007 at 11:24 pm # Daniel
Have a Happy.
Go shoot something, youngster.
on 24 Oct 2007 at 11:42 pm # Squeaky Wheel
Happy Birthday!
I want a Tundra. WANT. Man, those are nice trucks.
on 24 Oct 2007 at 11:53 pm # drew458
Happy birthday!!
on 25 Oct 2007 at 11:57 am # DirtCrashr
Happy Belatedly both and all that! Tundras are good trucks, but I’m hangin’ on to my old Ford…can’t afford a new truck.
on 25 Oct 2007 at 9:22 pm # tomwright
53?!
Dayum, you don’t look a day over 50. Better than me anyway and I haven’t reached that number yet..
Let me know when you get news about Toyota releasing diesel cars, (or maybe a pickup). If I like the Toyota one more than the one I am considering, I’ll place the order through you.
I’ll pay the same at any dealer, rather the commission doesn’t go to a stranger. Besides, it’ll be an excuse to go up to VT.
on 25 Oct 2007 at 11:33 pm # Tom Frank
Jeff;
Happy Birthday!
Do the trucks you sell come standard with a gun rack?
Just wondering…
on 26 Oct 2007 at 12:11 am # Kirk Parker
“But, the Tundra model has gotten huge over the past two model years. What were they thinking?”
Maybe they’re just trying to counteract global warming.
on 26 Oct 2007 at 2:57 am # RGardner
Sorry Jeff, I call BS on 3-5 years. I’m still driving the same Toyota Supra I bought March 5, 1984 (um, it was the most expensive Toyota at the time), and I still do not need another car, and I’m still driving it - Toyota, America’s greatest car company. You will take this car out of my cold dead hands….
What I can’t believe are the low mileage Toyota cars I’ve personally seen recently (like the past 2 weeks):
1980 Supra MK I - 68K (soon to be for sale)
1985 Supra MK II - 7K (yes, I have pictures, will not be sold, would have bought it if it hadn’t been sold)
on 26 Oct 2007 at 3:01 am # Richard Jones
Jeff,
As one who probably should be writing a legal brief regarding CCW in Arizona (due tomorrow), let me just say…Happy Birthday. And also that you look nowhere near 53.
RK
on 26 Oct 2007 at 4:20 am # RonInAz
Happy Birthday!
Selling Toyotas should be a good gig.
My wife and I have one each; a 4Runner V8 for her and a Camry 4 cylinder for me.
Great vehicles.
If you are selling any 4Runners I cannot endorse getting the V8 enough. It really is amazing.
on 26 Oct 2007 at 12:37 pm # Allan Blackwell
Yipe! We share the same birthdate,
10/25/54 - and I am a Jeep salesman
in Quincy, MA. Recovering ex-liberal,
had marksmanship awards when a
lad.
Anyway, nothing to this astrology nonsense!
on 26 Oct 2007 at 1:00 pm # Jeff Soyer
Actually. . . My Birthday is the 24th, so you can relax!
Thanks to all for the kind wishes.
Jeff