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Smart Shopper Stories from the Sales Frontlines
48056 messages, Last post on Dec 04, 2009 at 6:16 AM
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Replying to: graphicguy (Jan 05, 2009 7:19 am) Maybe I missed something but if he financed the vehicles via a home equity loan, then how did they get repo'ed? That really stinks for that to happen to him, especially at that point in his life and with one kid still in college. I too worry about that all the time as my two sons are in college, but only 2 more years and they both will be done. They say you are one down sizing away from being homeless. And seeing these bailouts, err, I mean handouts, going on is like rubbing salt in the wound. |
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Replying to: jimbres (Jan 05, 2009 7:35 am) Richard
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Replying to: driver100 (Jan 05, 2009 6:02 am) WRONG!! I was not going through an “amber light”. The light was to my left and it was RED to traffic coming through the light. As I pulled out I glanced again and the light had just turned GREEN thereby allowing traffic to go through the intersection towards me. I use this gas station quite a bit and I use the exit that is furthest from the light to allow myself time to pull out. I know that people are just waiting to jump the light when it turns green for them and I pull out with enough speed to allow myself plenty of room if/when the light does turn green to allow traffic to pass through it. This time the road was wet and when I stepped on it a little bit more that’s when the glorious Stability Control took over. I’d like to point out that Mrs. jmonroe wasn’t with me that day or I would have heard from her, but that’s why I pull out of there rather quickly, all the time, because I never know when that light is about to change and I’ve cautioned her about this. In a way I prefer to pull out when the light allows traffic through it; that way I can see the breaks in the traffic and I know what to expect and it isn’t bad at all. Sometimes if there isn’t anyone behind me I’ll wait to do just that. People who don't wear seatbelts often think they can manouver better, or can get out of the car faster..... You don’t have to tell me about the importance of seat belts. I installed them in my 56’Chevy in 61’ when I saw what happen to a US Sailor (separated shoulder) when he was propelled out of his seat and thrown into the baggage rack during a cross-wind landing (on the plane that I was part of the flight crew on) that was transporting him and others to their new duty station when I was in the Navy. I told this old-salt and everyone on that flight that we were going to make a cross-wind landing because the pilot said he was going to try it otherwise we would have had to go somewhere else. Everyone listened except this one sailor. Those guys practice cross-wind landings all the time on pilot training flights (PT’s as we used to call them) and they are damn good at it but they are still harder than normal landings. Like I said I told this sailor several times to keep his belt on but he kept taking it off when I went back to my seat to strap in (this had to happen at least twice). When I saw I didn’t have time to get up and tell him again, I stayed put but he didn’t. Tough lesson to learn and I’m sure he never did that again. That’s when I thought it would be a good idea to have seat belts in my car, installed them that weekend. Now say you’re sorry.  jmonroe
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Replying to: richard64 (Jan 05, 2009 9:09 am) Well, I don't see either side-curtain air bags or stability control listed as features - standard or optional - for the GM on Mercury's own web site, which shows both as standard equipment on the Sable. Does your GSM know something that Mercury's webmaster doesn't?
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Replying to: graphicguy (Jan 05, 2009 7:19 am) It's going on all over. One of my best friends (age 62) three years from his retirement just got terminated from one of the last Hanes plants. His two year old Jag was repo'ed Christmas Eve. On top of that, his pension is no more---according to the Hanes home office. His wife lost her job last June. On Monday after Christmas, she took her SUV to Carmax and got $4,500 for it. So sad. They are driving one of his brother's cars now. They still have three years left on the mortgage. My wife and I held back tears as they related what had happened. As a textile man for 40 years, he knows nothing else. His wife was a bank manager---so much for that. He won't swallow his pride and file for unemployment. I told him not to feel guilty. He paid his taxes for 40 years. He's entitled to it. Each morning I realize how blessed I am. History does repeat itself. In 1929 my mother was called home from her second year at Agnes Scott in Georgia. My grandfather went to the bank to pull out his savings, only to find the doors padlocked. He lost his dairy business. My grandmother took in sewing and my mother got a job at the 5&10 cent store---for those of you who may know what they were. She married my father in 1933 who also had to drop out of school. He found a job hauling produce from Florida to New York. She used to joke about how they spent their honeymoon in New York---sleeping in the truck with the oranges and grapefruit. Still, they lived through it all---and had ME. That alone was worse than the Great Depression! Our friends and neighbors will make it. There is a silver lining out there some where. Richard |
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Replying to: jimbres (Jan 05, 2009 9:38 am) Richard |
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Replying to: bksward (Jan 04, 2009 10:40 am) Richard |
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Do any of you know people struggling to meet their obligations? They may be interested in the new Making Car Payments in Hard Times discussion. tidester, host SUVs and Smart Shopper |
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Replying to: mikefm58 (Jan 05, 2009 8:56 am) I don't know if was mistaken in what he was telling me. Or, if there's a part of the story I just may have missed. He was pretty distraught. I'm certain there's some details there that I'm not privy to. Moreover, I'm not sure I need to know. He's a good person (so is his wife and daughter) that bad things happened to. I've known this family for over a decade. They are all just very, very decent people. They were never ones to fall into the gossipy type of behavior that most neighbors fall into. Never heard any of them say one negative thing, about anyone, for any reason. He's the kind of neighbor that if he was outside, seeing my son and I shoveling snow, he'd pitch in and help. If he saw me sitting on my porch, he always made a point of coming over just to say hello, and ask how my son and I were doing. He came to my door this weekend and asked to borrow my Tahoe. He started to explain what he needed it for. I stopped him and said I needed no explanation. I gave him my spare key and told him it's there for him to use, whenever he needs it. Just park it in my driveway when he's finished, and to hold onto the key in case he needs it again. No need to ask. |
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Replying to: roadburner (Jan 04, 2009 7:31 pm) Wow... sounds like this would be a great investigative story for Edmunds. i.e "Pro's and Cons of Stability Control... Stories of Life and Near Death".  Also sounds like if you are traveling in ice, rain or snow, it would be better to turn the stability control off.
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