Audi A4

[BimmerM3]

I believe Chris' is correct.

Maybe one of the English majors will chime in here, but I'm fairly confident that you only omit the final 's' if it's a possessive plural word that ends in an 's' when plural.

Singular noun that ends in a non-'s': Look at all of the sailor's boats! (There is one sailor with many boats.)
Plural noun that ends in an 's' (in plural form): Look at all of the sailors' boats! (There is more than one sailor and more than one boat.)

Singular noun that ends in an 's': That bus's tire is flat. (There is one bus with a flat tire.)
Plural noun that ends in an 's': Those buses' tires are flat. (There is more than one bus with a flat tire.)

In other words, it should be "Chris's".

[saxonyron]

Wow!  I haven't quite absorbed all of the 15 pages of the thread, but it sounds like the car is coming, right?    The deal was tepid at best, but from what I gather a) Audis are selling like mad so they don't have much incentive to cut prices and b) Giant_mtb didn't exactly drive a hard bargain, but hey, it's not like it was his last penny.  Even if you dug your heels in and bargained like a maniac, you'd probably be looking at another $1,500 - $2,000 in savings.  And yes, I know everyone here will argue that that much money is worth digging in for, and I would agree if it were my pile of cash.  And whether or not such an agreement is the best way to handle something like this is a discussion for another day, right?  But right now, it sounds like another kick-ass Audi has joined our ranks.

[r0tor]

Yeah, but are they really worth the 3+ grand? 

yes

[nickdrinkwater]

Maybe one of the English majors will chime in here, but I'm fairly confident that you only omit the final 's' if it's a possessive plural word that ends in an 's' when plural.

Singular noun that ends in a non-'s': Look at all of the sailor's boats! (There is one sailor with many boats.)
Plural noun that ends in an 's' (in plural form): Look at all of the sailors' boats! (There is more than one sailor and more than one boat.)

Singular noun that ends in an 's': That bus's tire is flat. (There is one bus with a flat tire.)
Plural noun that ends in an 's': Those buses' tires are flat. (There is more than one bus with a flat tire.)

In other words, it should be "Chris's".

[The Pirate]

Maybe one of the English majors will chime in here, but I'm fairly confident that you only omit the final 's' if it's a possessive plural word that ends in an 's' when plural.

Singular noun that ends in a non-'s': Look at all of the sailor's boats! (There is one sailor with many boats.)
Plural noun that ends in an 's' (in plural form): Look at all of the sailors' boats! (There is more than one sailor and more than one boat.)

Singular noun that ends in an 's': That bus's tire is flat. (There is one bus with a flat tire.)
Plural noun that ends in an 's': Those buses' tires are flat. (There is more than one bus with a flat tire.)

In other words, it should be "Chris's".

Technically, you are correct.  But, colloquially, the way he has it is probably fine.  Most people don't get too worked up over plural possessives, if they even know the proper format.

From an aesthetics standpoint on the sign, I think Chris' looks a little cleaner than Chris's, and I doubt his business will suffer because the grammar is 'incorrect'.

[BimmerM3]

Technically, you are correct.  But, colloquially, the way he has it is probably fine.  Most people don't get too worked up over plural possessives, if they even know the proper format.

From an aesthetics standpoint on the sign, I think Chris' looks a little cleaner than Chris's, and I doubt his business will suffer because the grammar is 'incorrect'.

Yeah, I don't really care that much. I only corrected him because the issue had already been raised. I never would have just randomly corrected him on that.

[giant_mtb]

Maybe one of the English majors will chime in here, but I'm fairly confident that you only omit the final 's' if it's a possessive plural word that ends in an 's' when plural.

Singular noun that ends in a non-'s': Look at all of the sailor's boats! (There is one sailor with many boats.)
Plural noun that ends in an 's' (in plural form): Look at all of the sailors' boats! (There is more than one sailor and more than one boat.)

Singular noun that ends in an 's': That bus's tire is flat. (There is one bus with a flat tire.)
Plural noun that ends in an 's': Those buses' tires are flat. (There is more than one bus with a flat tire.)

In other words, it should be "Chris's".

Cool, that sounds absolutely right.  That's what I figured; my mom was essentially an English major and is pretty much the Chief of the Grammar Police, so I knew she was right.

But at the same time, like Pirate said, I think Chris' is much more aesthetically pleasing.  Oh well.  Nobody in the UP knows what grammar is anyways.

[Raza]

Plus, the "boss" guy was like "oh, yeah! I can get you $1500 off through an incentive program!"  Five minutes later he checks the book and - whoops! - it's only for people that have previously owned Audis!  Plus, he checked his vibrating Blackberry twice, took two phone calls, talked to three different people that came into his office, and hung out with his daughter.  All while I was in his office.  It was rather rude.  Cool guy, served in Iraq, 29 years old; but cripes.

I've gotten loyalty discounts without the being a loyalty customer.  Hell, one time I got service at a VW dealer I knew I'd never go to again and it was my first time there, and they gave me 20% as part of their loyalty program. 

[giant_mtb]

Just heard from Robert, the salesman in Grand Rapids.  I was gone working out, but he left me a voicemail telling me that my name is officially on the car that's in the port and the next step is for him to get an ETA on it.

Woo!

[dazzleman]

[giant_mtb]

Out of morbid curiosity, do y'all suspect a new car would arrive at the dealership by Thursday, April 29?  That'll be the day after my last exam, and the day that I plan to head for home...also being the day we'd pick up the car.



I'm starting to get antsy.  It may cut into my sleep.

[BimmerM3]

Out of morbid curiosity, do y'all suspect a new car would arrive at the dealership by Thursday, April 29?  That'll be the day after my last exam, and the day that I plan to head for home...also being the day we'd pick up the car.



I'm starting to get antsy.  It may cut into my sleep.

Probably. That's two and a half weeks from now. Even if the car has more than one stop on the way over, it still takes A LOT less than two and a half weeks for a semi to drive from the east coast to Michigan.

[giant_mtb]

Probably. That's two and a half weeks from now. Even if the car has more than one stop on the way over, it still takes A LOT less than two and a half weeks for a semi to drive from the east coast to Michigan.

I figured as much.  Kewl. 

[giant_mtb]

Do want.

[Rich]

I don't know.... young kids and A4s don't seem to mix well around here.  Might want to stock up on some extra parts

(Farris and Charlie)

[dazzleman]

What happened with Farris?  I didn't even think he drove an A4.

[Rich]

What happened with Farris?  I didn't even think he drove an A4.

His first car.  Ended up in the wall on the freeway if I remember right.

[saxonyron]

What happened with Farris?  I didn't even think he drove an A4.

His first car.  Ended up in the wall on the freeway if I remember right.

It's got to be 4-5 years ago.  Farris was enjoying his quattro but did that unfortunate young guy thing of attempting to defy the laws of physics, something we've all tried.  Merge enthusiastically, head for left lane, hydroplane, spin, guardrail, sorrow, IIRC.

[hotrodalex]

Do want.

I approve.

[giant_mtb]

It has been two weeks.  The dealership here in Ann Arbor hasn't refunded my $200 deposit yet.

Heads shall roll.

[ifcar]

It has been two weeks.  The dealership here in Ann Arbor hasn't refunded my $200 deposit yet.

Heads shall roll.

If you haven't already bought it, you still have time to take the "Suzuki Kizashi challenge" -- test drive a Kizashi and then go on to buy an A4 (or TSX) and Suzuki gives you $100.

[the Teuton]

If you haven't already bought it, you still have time to take the "Suzuki Kizashi challenge" -- test drive a Kizashi and then go on to buy an A4 (or TSX) and Suzuki gives you $100.

Careful, you might convince him to buy a Kizashi instead.

[giant_mtb]

Careful, you might convince him to buy a Kizashi instead.

lol

[giant_mtb]

Think they can scam some college kid out of $200?  Fuck that.  They were quick to charge me the $200 deposit - it went through the same day.  Next day when I returned to tell them I wasn't getting the car, saleswoman said she'd "get it taken care of."  7+ days later, nothin'.  I dislike this dealership.  Very much.

[ifcar]

Careful, you might convince him to buy a Kizashi instead.

Shh. Not so loud!

[dazzleman]

Think they can scam some college kid out of $200?  Fuck that.  They were quick to charge me the $200 deposit - it went through the same day.  Next day when I returned to tell them I wasn't getting the car, saleswoman said she'd "get it taken care of."  7+ days later, nothin'.  I dislike this dealership.  Very much.

Wasn't the deposit deducted from the final amount you paid for the car?    Or did you not buy the car from that dealer?

[giant_mtb]

Wasn't the deposit deducted from the final amount you paid for the car?    Or did you not buy the car from that dealer?

Correct, this is the Ann Arbor dealer, from which I'm not buying a car.  I'm buying the car from the dealer in Grand Rapids. 

[dazzleman]

Correct, this is the Ann Arbor dealer, from which I'm not buying a car.  I'm buying the car from the dealer in Grand Rapids. 

You just have to keep harassing them.  Dealers are generally very sleazy, and they figure that you'll eventually give up and they'll get to keep the money.  Why did you give them a deposit in the first place?

[giant_mtb]

You just have to keep harassing them.  Dealers are generally very sleazy, and they figure that you'll eventually give up and they'll get to keep the money.  Why did you give them a deposit in the first place?

'Cause then my name would be on it while deciding whether or not to get it.  I figured since it's a refundable deposit, why not?

[dazzleman]

'Cause then my name would be on it while deciding whether or not to get it.  I figured since it's a refundable deposit, why not?

That was your mistake.  You never put down a deposit until you have decided that you will get the car.  These cars aren't that rare that you couldn't have found another one if the one in which you were interested had sold.

Car dealers are pretty sleazy.  Usually, the higher end German car dealerships try to at least appear to be a little less sleazy.  This move sounds like something I'd expect from a Chevrolet or Honda dealer.

Keep after them.  If you really want to go ghetto on them, tell them you have a bunch of friends who will show up at their lot with baseball bats and start smashing windshields if you don't get your money back.  That worked for somebody I know.