Had lunch with some folks I was in the
car biz with and the “Out Story” contest began. My contribution was the saga of
my friend Gene K., and his turbo Corvair Monza.
Gene and I were like a lot of young men
and women from small Colorado towns. Out of high school we went to Denver where
there were jobs. Clearing right of way
brush in the summer and plowing snow in the winter didn’t have a high appeal.
Gene tried to join the service but failed
the physical. He was an apprentice butcher, made decent money, and had a clean
older Chevy sedan.
At the time, retailing automobiles was
changing with advent of factory financing companies. Spot deliveries came into vogue.
Gene discovered he could drive away in a new car, drive it for a few days, and “have
to take it back” because the financing fell through. About once a month he
would show up in a Valiant or such.
One day he showed up in a Turbo Chevy
Corsair. He decided he didn’t like it. He called the dealership asking when he
should return it. “Why”, was their response? “Your financing is approved”.
Shit!
So Gene manned up and paid it off in two
years. About a week after the 90 warranty expired, the car developed a full
blown case of Corvair disease. I would sit back and listen to him piss and moan
and then laugh. Such a good friend am I, no?
The Corvair must have cost GM a lot of
lost revenue. Gene grew up in a GM family at a time when brand loyalty was a
big deal. You started with a Chevy, move up to an Oldsmobile or Pontiac, then a
Buick and retired in a Cadillac. Gene never bought another GM product even to
the point of not buying a Frigidaire because it was made by GM.
There are few things more dangerous to
peace and tranquility than bored car salespeople, IMO. “Out Story” probable
approaches that. Pity the people in the adjoining tables.
