The past half hour has been about typical of the week. I no sooner get on the phone with one person than my other phone – cell if I’m on the land line, or land line if I’m on the cell – rings. And since I’m trying to get a car financed, I keep answering. I’d like to finish one conversation. There is such a thing as being too popular.
But we’ve actually found a car, which is a Good Thing. We pick it up tomorrow morning. Because of Indiana’s inventory tax, this is the season when dealers get rid of anything they can before the deadline date. End result is that we’re getting a 2005 car, still under warranty, for considerably less than book value. The negotiation process was kind of funny, really. Salesman gave my husband a figure. I went back to look at it, having not seen the car, and was given the same number. Now, I think it was pretty clear we liked the car; this was the second time someone had driven it. But I began my own negotiation. So when the salesman said “this is it” I said that we could either negotiate the price or the elimination of the document fee, which I knew perfectly well wasn’t statutory. Salesman looked at owner of dealership and said “do you want to try to negotiate with her? I don’t.” End result was that we’re paying exactly what I wanted to for the car.
Joseph will be having dinner with his best friend tonight, while my husband and I get to return his rental car and then (gasp) have a quiet dinner together and go to Friday night services. Best friend’s mother called and offered, sweet woman that she is. And tomorrow, I believe I’ll be catching up on a bunch of incomplete phone calls. But right now, excuse me please. I have to go sign papers at the bank.