Dilbert cartoon first published on Sunday 12th January 1997

Dilbert//2829, first published 29 years ago on Sunday 12th January 1997

Tags

buying car touch negotiator suggested retail price invisible spary scurvy tax audits airbag gravel lease terms engraved hood ornamnet

Official transcript

The caption says, "Buying a car."

Dilbert sits across from a car salesman's desk. The salesman says, "You're one tough negotiator."

Dilbert replies, "Thanks."

The salesman says, "It only took you four hours to get me all the way down to the manufacturer's suggested retail price."

The salesman cries, "There's no profit left!! My family will go hungry!!"

The man bawls. The salesman stops crying and says, "Sorry. I assume you want the rust inhibitor coating for only $500."

Dilbert replies, "Um . . .Yeah. Rust is bad."

The man jumps up and shouts, "Yes!! Ka-ching ka-ching!"

The salesman says, "Sorry. We also have an invisible spray that protects against scurvy and tax audits."

Dilbert replies, "Well . . . Okay."

The salesman says, "Initial here if you want your airbag to be full of fresh aspen air instead of gravel."

Dilbert reads the contract and says, "Only $600."

Back at home, Dilbert tells Dogbert, "And the lease terms are engraved on this free hood ornament!"

Dogbert replies, "Be glad they didn't install it."

originally published on dilbert.com

Open source transcript

BUYING A CAR YOU'RE ONE TOUGH NEGOTIATOR.

THANKS.

IT ONLY TOOK YOU FOUR HOURS TO GET ME ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE MANUFACTURER'S SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE.

THERE'S NO PROFIT LEFT!! MY FAMILY WILL GO HUNGRY!!

BWAA! BWAA!

00 p SORRY I ASSUME YOU WANT THE RUST INHIBITOR COATING FOR ONLY $ 500 UM...

YEAH.

RUST IS BAD.

YES!!

KA-CHING KA-CHING SORRY WE ALSO HAVE AN INVISIBLE SPRAY THAT PROTECTS AGAINST SCURVY AND TAX WELL...

OKAY.

AUDITS.

INITIAL HERE IF YOU WANT YOUR AIRBAG TO BE FULL OF FRESH ASPEN AIR INSTEAD OF GRAVEL.

ONLY $600.

AND THE LEASE TERMS ARE ENGRAVED ON THIS FREE HOOD ORNAMENT!

BE GLAD THEY DIDN'T INSTALL IT.

collated from github.com/jvarn/dilbert-archive

AI Analysis

Comic Strip Title: "The Car Deal"

Summary:

The comic strip follows a man's frustrating experience buying a car. He is initially pleased with the negotiation process, but things take a turn when he discovers that the car's airbag is filled with fresh Aspen air instead of gravel, which he had specifically requested. The salesman justifies the decision by pointing out that the car's hood ornament is free.

The man is left feeling cheated and decides to take matters into his own hands. He purchases a rust inhibitor coating for $500, which he applies to the car himself. The final panel shows the man sitting in the car, satisfied with his purchase, while the salesman looks on in dismay.

Key Points:

• The man is dissatisfied with the car's airbag filling
• The salesman justifies the decision by highlighting the free hood ornament
• The man takes matters into his own hands and purchases a rust inhibitor coating
• The final panel shows the man's satisfaction with his purchase, while the salesman appears unhappy

generated by llama-3.2-11b-vision-instruct

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