Just Say No

So I had a pretty bad week. The “new” Kia that I bought had some major issues. At first, the fuel pump stopped working, but that was just some corroded wiring. Then the timing belt broke. Then the power steering started leaking. The last one took several days to fix. I had to tear out the rack and pinion from another Kia. I kept rounding bolts and it was not making me happy. I did however get it for free with a trade for some memory that I have laying around anyway. So I get it to Larry’s (my mechanic who happens to be a customer) and the mechanic has left for the day. So I try it myself. First I attempt to patch the power steering line. While doing this, the power goes out. It starts to make me wonder. Either God is telling me something, or he is testing my patience. I finally get a hose over the line, and it still leaks through the hose. It was worth a shot. I look at what it would take to change out the whole thing, and decide it’s out of my control. I leave the part there for the next day when the mechanic comes back. I venture out again the next day after work, and surpise, it’s working! Wooot! Of course, I do think he bumped the starter because it clicks now, but I am not worrying about it right now. What I am more worried about is the wheel bearing and Danielle driving to Ybor everyday and the wheel flying off. Anyway, this whole experience has taught me more patience and that persistence pays off. Danielle did not want to believe me about the persistence.

As mine and Danielle’s lives get more intertwined, she will need a much more reliable car. We’ve been looking into what it would cost to get another car. Fortunately, her aunts ex-husband (whom are still very good friends) is a used car salesman at a small lot near Mt Dora whom only deals with two to three year old cars in excellent condition. He’s offering $1,000 off book value. However, one car (a Saturn Vue that looks EXACTLY like my mother’s) is valued at $12,000, and he is offering $10,000. It’s only two years old, so it’s been a thought. It’s funny because in the last few days, I’ve thought a lot about sales people and how to interact with them. I seem to have this ability to just say “No.” A lot of people don’t have this. I was in Walmart yesterday looking to buy Hancock. I found the movie, and the tag on the shelf said $19.95. So I go to the self-checkout and all of a sudden the movie is $24.95. So I hand it to the guy standing there and say “I don’t want it.” and walk away. Most people would have given in and just paid the extra $5. The same goes for buying cars. I remember reading or someone telling me about the power to just say “No.”