So. In September I bought my first car. It's my sixth for driving but first for owning.
And now I know: Buying a new car and hating it cannot be likened to buying, say, a new sweater and hating its itchy wool. One can return the offending sweater for a full refund or store credit, assuming one isn't an idiot and hasn't already removed the tags. One cannot, however, return a vehicle without losing thousands, literally thousands!, of dollars. At least not in my case.
I bought a 2002 Toyota Echo. Good ol' dependable Toyota. I went the practical route: I did plenty of research, I read years of Consumer Reports reviews, I checked market value, and I decided I wanted the Echo because it was economical and cute. It is those things. It is nothing else, though.
Alright, it drives well, I'll give it that. In fact, I really like the way it handles. And I do get good mileage, but it's probably not any better than a new Corolla. I like the color-- dark green. I like the sound system-- considerable bass and coherent treble. But let me tell you what the car does not have: a clock, interval wipers, a way to adjust the mirrors without rolling down the windows, or anything power at all besides steering. This car is as stripped down as it gets.
I bought my Echo from a certified dealership, and it was way overpriced. I rationalized it because they give a two-year warranty. I even argued with the salesman in a very polite way: he explained that other places don't give a two-year warranty and that factors into the retail price, and I asked him, if their cars are wonderfully dependable, why are they so proud of their two-year warranty?
The salesman, Ben, didn't really seem to know what he was doing. I think he was new and had recently memorized his "how to sell a car to suckers" script. He frequently got up to confer with his nameless, faceless manager, who I suspect may have literally cracked a whip, as my mom and I sat hopelessly glued to our chairs. Every time Ben came back in, cologne wafting through the doorway, he would say "Great news! My manager says..."
He could have said "Great news! My manager says he'll up the price
and kick you in the head for free!" and I might still have simply nodded, befuddled and overwhelmed.
I am a sucker. I signed away my $4000 insurance check on a car priced $4000 above blue book. It was dumb. Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb. My mom and I walked out of the dealership completely dazed, not entirely sure of what just happened. All I was sure of was that I owed a lot of money to Citizens Bank and I would be in debt to them for four years.
So, now I have this car that I'm paying too much money for (it's not absurdly high, but it's more than I had planned to pay), and I don't like it. I want a car with power door locks and interval wipers and power mirrors. I want a car that doesn't inexplicably rattle because its interior is so damn cheap. I want a Volkswagen New Beetle, as I have since I wrecked my Jeep two years ago, but that's another issue.
Last week I resolved to do something about my dissatisfaction and I went back into the dealership, hoping to trade the Echo on something I *really* liked. But, hahhahaha... it's funny how dealerships work. Sure, I only bought the Echo two months ago, but wouldn't you know that the moment I signed the paperwork my car plummeted in value, and now, for a down payment, I only have what the car is worth, which is roughly equivalent to how much I still owe on it.
Ah, wait, I do have something else: an undying fear of dealerships and salespeople, a fear so severe that I start to shake with nerves the minute I'm in their cramped little offices filled with dealership propaganda. I'm going to have to conquer that terror before I make any future trades. I will not be suckered again. No sir.
So, while we're on the topic of cars, is anyone looking to buy an '02 Toyota Echo? Great fuel mileage! Toyota dependability! Adorable small car, green metallic, very clean! Low mileage: 28K! Great news!
Seriously though, it's a good little car. Who wants it?
