The Dealership Wrecked My New Car, and How a Tightwad Reacts
Author: Nick
Category: Money
Topics: frugality, insurance, transportation
By Jon, the Master Tightwad
Webster’s certainly doesn’t list the acquisition of brand new cars under the definition for tightwad, so I was walking a tight line when I replaced my 1997 Camry with a 2007 Corolla. I am a lean, mean tightwad machine, so I had to do some heavy rationalizing before I could bring myself to driving off in a new car.
While rationalizing, I never factored the possibility the dealership would wreck my new car into the equation. Before I get into that, consider how this resident tightwad talked himself into buying this car in the first place.
Why Purchasing a Brand New Vehicle Is Thrifty After All
- The Camry was approaching 200,000 miles, and I found it awkward to be recognized–by name–at the grocery store by Firestone Guy. A new car would mean fewer trips for repairs. Savings: Time and Money.
- A new car is more fuel efficient (especially a Corolla versus a Camry). I went from 23 MPG to 38 MPG, a 65% improvement. Savings (based on driving 400 miles per week; I drive a lot!): almost 7 gallons, or about $20 per week.
- I needed to replace the Camry. Do I purchase used, and take a chance on the driving habits of some stranger (suddenly I recall yours truly pulling out of Midway Airport in that white Mustang, and the ensuing four days of sheer speed and adrenaline… so sorry Avis!)?
- Note to self: Never, ever buy a car that was once part of a rental fleet.
- Free Tires For Life! Yup, I was a sucker. They got me. Their handy little gimmick seemed like a no brainer on TV: buy a new car, never pay for tires.
- Free shuttle service if you let us service that new vehicle. Heck, we’ll even pick your car up if you’re nice to us.
Valet pick-up from the office? Sign me up!
Which brings us to The Call: “Hello, Mr. Tightwad, this is Bubba* at Toyota. I’m afraid I have some bad news. On the way to the dealership to service your car, our porter was in an accident. Now don’t worry, he wasn’t hurt. In fact, the damage isn’t all that bad.”
Now this is the point where I get that lump in my throat. You know, the “I just swallowed a golf ball” feeling you get when someone tells you something that simply can’t be true. So after picking myself up from the floor (and hurling said Titleist from my throat), reality sinks in. My brand new car, the one I had to talk myself into buying in the first place, isn’t so new anymore.
Now I must admit the dealership has been treating me okay so far. A rental car was delivered to me a couple hours later. Then, two days later, an appraiser calls with the good news: “Mr. Tightwad, I’ve evaluated your vehicle, and the repairs we need to make total $4,061.” Hmmm… now even I didn’t think the car looked that bad. But what to do?
What to do? I started hunting on the Internet. Shouldn’t I get compensation for the stigma of owning a wrecked vehicle? I’m pretty sure Hester Prynne had trouble in the relationship department after being branded with that scarlet letter. What future owner would want to marry my poor Corolla, even if she does look just fine in her elegant silver makeup?
*Names have been changed to protect the guilty.
Two and a Half Weeks Later
I’ve come to accept that I am simply lost in the system. A week ago the insurance company called to let me know the body shop was finished working its magic, and my car was good as new. Great, so when should I pick it up, I ask. Well, that’s not why we’re calling, Mr. Tightwad. Usually, we cut a check directly to the vehicle’s owner, but for your convenience I can send payment directly to the shop. Great service, I’m thinking.
So I did the math in my head.
- Monday… body shop finishes with Shirley (come on, you know yours has a name, too!).
- Tuesday… dealership picks up car from body shop. Dealership completes regularly scheduled maintenance. Dealership calls Mr. Tightwad to arrange vehicle swap.
- Wednesday… Mr. Tightwad turns in rental car, neglecting to fill tank (figuring the least I’m getting out of this is a free tank of gas… are they really going to tell me to go fill it up first after what they put me through?). Mr. Tightwad accepts keys to Shirley, negotiates a generous service credit to account for the diminished value, and sets out to conquer the world.
One Week Later
Instead, Mr. Tightwad continues to drive the Camry. The Camry is nice and all, but there comes a point where one must assume Shirley is MIA. What to do? Fleeting thoughts return of the sexy white Mustang in Chicago. Vroooom Vrooooooooooom. Tightwad realizes he must get his “money’s worth” from the Camry. So, Tightwad uses the Camry to haul old, wet carpet from his house; he tests that “Zero to 60 in __ Seconds” promise; he evaluates the effects of sudden braking pressure on a wet gravel road; he takes… a Road Trip!
I plead the fifth on further details regarding the Camry. Let’s just say the dealership is getting Street Justice from Mr. Tightwad from here on out. Twenty-one hundred miles later, I’ve found a new love (sorry, Shirley!).
Oh, the joys of rental cars!
(5 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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Jon, the Master Tightwad works in the non-profit software industry by day and hunts for bargains by night. He’s a single guy living in the suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama.
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31 Responses »
1.
Itsme
October 7th, 2008 at 2:43 am
I realize this post is old, and what I’m about to tell you might not be useful anymore, but here goes anyway, just in case.
A friend of mine runs a body shop. It is my understanding that in a lot of states you would be entitled to compensation for diminished value because your car had been damaged in a wreck and then repaired. Just imagine the next person who would buy your car (although if you get 200k miles on it then this will not apply) will pull a CarFax report on the car. Because it has been in a wreck, people would be less willing to pay full price for the car.
Since I came across this blog on an unrelated search, I don’t know if you discuss this in another post or not. But if you didn’t, you could at least keep this in mind for the future.
2.
Denver Car Rental
December 12th, 2008 at 1:27 pm
I think you’re actually lucky in a situation like that. Some dealerships in this day and age (where the market is at it’s lowest since the ’70′s), some are dishonest and foot some of that cost your way in the form of high insurance rates (if they report it like they did in my case), the reliability factor being lowered down a few notches (because you will always wonder what happened to it while it wasn’t in your possession), and the fact that you feel like your car has been turned from a warm slice of apple pie to a lemon by the dealership. I hope your car is in good shape now. I wasn’t so fortunate (I wound up getting an arbitrator and got another car off their lot as compensation).
3.
Jerry
February 5th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
This was a great story, and I like your writing style… however, it leads me to question the naming any car “Shirley.” Brutal.
Also, how much did your insurance go up in changing vehicles?
Good luck with the new wheels…
Jerry
4.
KAREN HILL
May 21st, 2009 at 8:46 pm
I JUST PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2009 CADILLAC. I NOTICE THE WHEEL WAS SHAKING . THE DEALER HAD PROMISE TO ADD THE STRIPS TO THE CAR AND ASK ME TO REURN THE CAR TO THEM ON THURSDAY MORING., I EXPLAIN THAT THE CAR HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE WHEEL AND CONSULE SHAKING WHEN YOU HIT 70 MILES AND HOUR. BUT BY NOON ON THURSDAY, THE SALESMAN AND THE MECHANIC TOOK THE CAR FOR A TEST DRIVE AND WRECKED THE CAR. MY CAR WAS TWO DAYS OLD WHAT ARE MY OPPOSTION.
5.
KAREN
May 21st, 2009 at 8:54 pm
I JUST PURCHASED A BRAND NEW 2009 CADILLAC. I NOTICE THE WHEEL WAS SHAKING . THE DEALER HAD PROMISE TO ADD THE STRIPS TO THE CAR AND ASK ME TO REURN THE CAR TO THEM ON THURSDAY MORING. I EXPLAIN THAT THE CAR HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE WHEEL AND CONSULE SHAKING WHEN YOU HIT 70 MILES AND HOUR. SO THEY TOOK THE CAR OUT FOR A TEST DRIVE, BUT BY NOON ON THURSDAY, THE SALESMAN AND THE MECHANIC HAD AN ACCIDENT AND WRECKED THE CAR. MY CAR WAS TWO DAYS OLD WHAT ARE MY OPPOSTION.
6.
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June 7th, 2010 at 12:01 pm
you need to be talking to the General Manager or the owner. Forget the salesman and the service guys. If they fix the car again and it looks perfect and you sell it in a few years the value shouldn’t be hurt.
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