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'Drive it off for $5!'

It's no late-night TV ad featuring car salesmen in plaid jackets. It's a bonanza for those looking for cheap wheels in any condition.

By BRIDGET HALL GRUMET
Published February 5, 2007

HOLIDAY -- The horns were blaring. People were shouting. And Faye Formolo was panicking.

"My horn is broken!" the 22-year-old expectant mom cried from the front seat of a dingy white 1992 Buick Century. "I'm bringing an air horn next time. I will not be left out!"

People had shown up before dawn to stake out their choice vehicle: the '88 Honda Accord with a cracked windshield, the '93 Ford Taurus with the rusty radiator. Sun Toyota's $5 car sale would start in a few minutes on U.S. 19, and modesty never bought anyone a car.

"The louder you are, the better deal you get!" one salesman shouted over the din.

Of course only a handful of people would walk away with a $5 car. About 10 would go for less than $1,000. But everyone would be treated to high-octane haggling and a chance to land a cheap, disposable set of wheels.

Most of the cars are high-mileage trade-ins not worth the dealer's time to fix, used car manager Chris Johansen said. Often, they're too old to qualify for financing.

But for the right price, lots of people want them. At the $5 car sale on a recent Saturday, Sun Toyota sold 25 cars. Some people wanted a bargain ride. Others planned on fixing up the cars and reselling them. A few left empty-handed, disappointed that the sale price on the car they picked wasn't as low as they'd hoped.

A pack of salesmen and potential buyers swarmed around each car as sales manager Phil Bennis slashed windshield prices with a white grease marker. There was no let-me-check-with-my-manager shtick. Just the finest infomercial theatrics.

"This Dodge Dynasty has 149,000 miles and it's going for $4,200," Bennis shouted into his cordless microphone. "I'm going to sell it for $3,000!"

"That's way too high!" the other salesmen shouted in unison.

"Okay, I'm going to cut that in half!" Bennis said, scrawling out $1,500.

"Still too high!" one salesman protested. "Give this guy a break!" another pleaded.

"Okay, I'm going to knock a zero off," Bennis said, "and sell this car for $150!"

Bennis didn't know the man waiting on this car with a scratched bumper, broken trunk lock and a busted spinner has a sick wife, three children and no way to transport them while his own car is at the shop. But he could tell Bryon Atwood had the look of someone in need.

"I'll tell you what - I'm going to give you this car for $5," Bennis said. Everyone cheered. Atwood, 43, who lives on disability, just smiled.

For once, some good luck.

Rules of the sale

Do you want a car for $5? Here's some help preparing for the next sale at Sun Toyota Superstore, 3141 U.S. 19 in Holiday, which will be on Saturday:

- You must be in the driver's seat of the car you want to buy when the sale starts at 10 a.m.

- You can start the engine once the sale is over; you can back out of buying if you don't like the way it runs.

- If you pass on the dealer's final price, someone else can buy the car.

- Bring more than $5: You'll also have to pay for tax, tag and title.

[Last modified February 5, 2007, 10:27:08]