You would think that Dan Nelson, owner of Family Subaru, nee Dan Nelson Subaru, would heap the same great deals on his own customers as his buddy Sen. John Thune and MetaBank did on him back in October.

Unfortunately, that is not the case.

After breakfast today, one of my friends who also deals in used cars and I decided to visit Family Subaru on Minnesota Avenue in Sioux Falls to see if we could get the same type of "sweatheart" deal on a car and financing that Dan got from John and MetaBank.

We were greeted by a nice, twenty-something salesman.  My friend commented that he didn't think Family Subaru had a lot of new cars on the lot or in the showroom (particularly compared to other major brand dealers in Sioux Falls like Billion or Sioux Falls Ford).  The salesman explained that "we're just selling them so quickly, we can't keep them in stock."  My friend noticed there were even fewer used cars, and the salesman again explained, "we're selling those out too."  Whatever.

Anyway, we looked at an Outback wagon (nice car) and one of the small four door pick-ups with a small bed that kind of converts into a larger bed (seemed a little odd to me.)

We then started to talk car tradin' turkey.

Todd: "What about financing?  Do you have financing through MetaBank?

Salesman: "Yes, but most of our Subarus are financed through Chase Manhattan."  (A wave of relief went through my friend and I.)

Todd's Friend: "You know, we really want the same sort of great deal that Dan Nelson got from John Thune and Metabank on a car.  We don't want any interest and we want it unsecured (Note: the MetaBank loan was secured, according to court papers.)

Salesman: "Um, I don't think we can do that.  But I could talk to my manager."

Todd: "So, if we told you we were good friends of John Thune, that wouldn't get us a better deal?"

Salesman: "Well, we do have some incentives, but with this just being thee first of the month, they've changed so I'll have to check what we have."

We then went on to talk about trading in my Expedition (yes, a gas hog), that my wife Donna makes the car buying decisions in the Epp family (Salesman: "You know, I've noticed that a lot of wives do that."), and we left with literature on the pick-up and the Outback.  The showroom floor was barren of the usual newspapers, flyers, and treats of a typical Sioux Falls showroom.  Prosperous looking it was not.

We also talked about the impact of the bankruptcy filing on his paycheck--he is getting paid ok, which my friend and I agreed was a good and fair thing for a working guy like our salesman. This is particularly so when other Dan Nelson owned dealerships are going belly-up.

The young salesman was at all times professional and friendly.  Fortunately for him, he didn't work at one of the Iowa dealerships that closed.

But nonetheless, at least on this Fourth of July weekend, no "Dan Nelson," "John Thune," or "MetaBank" specials for just regular customers like Todd and his friend at Family Subaru.  I guess you have to be the special friend of an almost-U.S. Senator and be near bankruptcy before you get that sort of extra special treatment.