What A Shit Fight...

Continuing on...

So- to this point we have signed a contract for a 98 Commodore but are more interested in the 97 Falcon. We ring Michelle at the finance company; who ever so helpfully tells us that we Qualify for a personal loan.

Hang on- weren't we only after a Car Loan? Ha Ha Ha. I even thought for a millisecond that WE were the ones in control here over how much we wanted to borrow!

The Finance Company also keep us waiting for longer than was necessary. The caryard guy is keeping the Lot open until we get there- and the kids have to be picked up and dinner still has to be decided upon and cooked. Michelle somehow talks us into signing up for an Insurance policy- once again we notice there is a 'cooling off' period, but this time it's for thirty Hassle-free days-at least according to the policy's brochure. She tells us our repayments and we sign the repayment schedule. Michelle prepares a cheque for the caryard guy, and at our request she also sends a fax to the First caryard informing them in writing that we are no longer interested in purchasing the Commodore we had earlier looked at. She assures us it has been sent and wishes us luck with our new car. We leave. We take three steps outside the door and...

We look at the contract and for the FIRST time notice the interest rate. We both laugh stupidly at each other and can't believe we've been suckered yet again. We make a pact Never to tell anyone the interest rates we have just agreed to pay; but seeing as my Hubby told Twinkle Toes the next day I figure I'm off the hook if I tell you what it is.

Wait for it...

Thirty-one and a half percent.

Fixed for five years.

I think I nearly died. Pity I hadn't- right before I'd signed...

So..we drove to the caryard. Paid the cheque. Signed the papers and drove away from my t/rusty Toyota. We decide on the way home that we'll cancel the insurance policy that we felt pressured to take out first thing in the morning so that the repayments wil be less. After we deal with the Waiver and the other caryard where we almost bought the Commodore...

The next morning was raining so my little Son and I went nowhere all day. Hubby arrives home at four o'clock. I decide to go to the shops to purchase milk. The new car won't start.

"What button did you push? Did you start it in Park?"

I don't know. Yes. What do you think I am- some sort of idiot? Some sort of idiot who buys a fucking lemon? We laugh (again,stupidly) at our bad run of luck. There seems little point in taking out a Lotto ticket right about now...

Nothing can be done tonight. My Father comes over with his Jumper-leads first thing in the morning. Luckily it's just the battery- not the Immobiliser as I had initially thought. He follows me over to the caryard and they fit a new one at no cost. Just as well.

I arrive home. The phone rings. It's Mythical Emma- excitedly telling me to come down to the caryard to sign all the final paperwork- on my new Commodore. Funny how she had no time of day for me when I actually wanted to speak to her. THEN she had no time for us at all. She tells me matter-of-factly that they received no fax from us the previous afternoon, and informs us that if we wish to waiver the contract we will have to pay five percent of the purchase price- disregarding the fact that we had already told them twice that we were no longer interested in that vehicle.

Sheesh! We're ignoring them now. My Hubby thinks they won't pursue it to court but I guess stranger things have happened...

Anyway- to cut a long story short- when we rang the Finance company to tell them we no longer wished to purchase the Insurance policy for the loan- they told us that we could cancel the policy but that the repayments would be staying the same as it was worked into our loan schedule! Fancy that! Having to pay almost three thousand dollars for an insurance policy that we Cancelled after only One- yes, ONE- day! So much for hassle-free!!!

The latest is that we Will be able to cancel the Insurance policy- that the Insurance company will reimburse us the three thousand dollars which we will then pay straight to the Finance company-who will then call us back into their office to sign another loan schedule. More fucking around- great.

Shitty? Yep!

Happy with the car? Yep!

But there's no way I'm ever signing ANYTHING again unless I

A: Find out the interest rates and repayments first
and
B: Am absolutely positive that I'm getting the best deal.

I mean for fucksakes- I had two weeks to search for a car.

What a Shit-fight!!