Putting Off the Dance

To my relief we received the best possible news about our car. Although the repairs required are both extensive and costly, the malfunction which caused us to lose power was covered by a recent Toyota recall.  All repair expenses are covered in full, leaving us to pay only the tow and rental out of pocket. I felt like the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders when I heard the news!

I hate car shopping, and I find it especially unsavory when I have to do it out of necessity rather than desire. I find the process of haggling distasteful, probably because I am really bad at it. I become nervously awkward whenever money enters a conversation. Typically I'm rather confident and verbose, but when money is involved I turn into a weak-spined shrinking violet.

It isn't that I am poor with money management. I just don't feel comfortable discussing figures, whether they relate to my being compensated or my paying for a service/ product. I am the person at bazaars who cheerfully overpays for the tourist knickknacks simply because I'm too meek to barter.  Fair salary offers and clear prices on tags, without the need or expectation to negotiate, is definitely part of my Utopia.  I am really working on that aspect of my personality because I know it results in my being undervalued and/or my overpaying.

My sister thinks that she is well-versed and gifted when it comes to car shopping.   She is wrong. Perhaps the only thing worse than being too shy to haggle is being overly arrogant in your bartering abilities.  The last time I went car shopping with her she presented her demands in a matter-of-fact manner. I knew that she was being unrealistic, but trusted when she claimed to know how to manage the "dealership dance."  When they presented what I thought was a reasonable counteroffer, she scoffed by saying "I guess we are done here" before storming out of the dealership. 

She claimed that they would call shortly and meet her demands.  They did call, but only because she had left her purse in the car that we test drove. She begged my Mom to drive back to the dealership to retrieve her purse.  So much for appearing competent and assertive!

I know that we will eventually need to shop for a new car, but thankfully that time is not now. In a few days our SUV will be parked in our garage, and life will return to normal.  Fingers crossed we'll be able to put off the dealership dance for another few years.  In the meantime, I'm going to make sure that Scott reads all of the recall notices he receives from the dealership!