Tweet
Last Sept I decided to go car free after scrapping my Toyota because it would be too much to fix. I rode the bus for a year and it was ok. But I got a new job recently and I really need a car because the bus route stinks. I've been borrowing my friend's Ford since the end of August but he needs it back in Nov. for the cold weather. He and his wife are also elders in our church and good with everyday life stuff, so I figured I'd ask their advice about buying from a private citizen. (I haven't done that before so I was using them as a sounding board regarding whether it was better than going to a dealer and also the logistics of getting it registered and insurance, etc. I emailed a them few questions and some ads I found for cars I could afford.)
Well, tonight on the way home from work she called me and said they had a proposal for me: how about they buy a car he found an ad for, contingent upon his inspection of it? It would be convenient for me. I trust him on that, so I said yes and was in the middle of promising to pay him back in a big chunk when he informed me I had misunderstood: they don't want anything for it. It's a gift. It's better for me to take that money and pay down more debt. That way I can pay it forward and help someone out in future. I am SO ON BOARD with that!
Without further ado, here is my new yellow boat: https://images.craigslist.org/00H0H_...0Y_600x450.jpg
It is 31 years old, yes, but only has 80,000 miles on it. If any of you have seen the movie Crazy People, you might remember the ad campaign they did for Volvo: "Boxy, but good." It reminds me of that. Boy, am I going to make a picture stepping out of this '80s car in '30s-inspired clothes!
UPDATE: My friend test-drove it and it does need some work. The owner feels compelled to give us a good deal on his daily driver because my friend told him why he was doing this--to help a friend in need. The guy said something like, "I don't get to help people in a big way often and I could now." How amazing his heart in this. He's a single dad with 2 girls so he's not rich. So I'm getting a generic '93 Toyota taken care of by a mechanic and that is good with me. I could even ride the bus if I really had to; my schedule will be 9-5:30. But it's a blessing to give someone the opportunity to help as much as it's a blessing to be the helper.
Well, tonight on the way home from work she called me and said they had a proposal for me: how about they buy a car he found an ad for, contingent upon his inspection of it? It would be convenient for me. I trust him on that, so I said yes and was in the middle of promising to pay him back in a big chunk when he informed me I had misunderstood: they don't want anything for it. It's a gift. It's better for me to take that money and pay down more debt. That way I can pay it forward and help someone out in future. I am SO ON BOARD with that!
Without further ado, here is my new yellow boat: https://images.craigslist.org/00H0H_...0Y_600x450.jpg
It is 31 years old, yes, but only has 80,000 miles on it. If any of you have seen the movie Crazy People, you might remember the ad campaign they did for Volvo: "Boxy, but good." It reminds me of that. Boy, am I going to make a picture stepping out of this '80s car in '30s-inspired clothes!
UPDATE: My friend test-drove it and it does need some work. The owner feels compelled to give us a good deal on his daily driver because my friend told him why he was doing this--to help a friend in need. The guy said something like, "I don't get to help people in a big way often and I could now." How amazing his heart in this. He's a single dad with 2 girls so he's not rich. So I'm getting a generic '93 Toyota taken care of by a mechanic and that is good with me. I could even ride the bus if I really had to; my schedule will be 9-5:30. But it's a blessing to give someone the opportunity to help as much as it's a blessing to be the helper.
Comment