Suburban Stealth

A 1980’s red Japanese pickup with a black camper shell is out of place in the neighborhoods I travel for the mortgage document work. Not drawing attention is useful in what I do. To that end, picked up another vehicle. Found it on Craigslist.

Is there a more anonymous and forgettable vehicle than a white Ford Taurus?

This one is a 1995 GL with the 3.0 V-6. Per the VIN, it was not built in Atlanta! (When I was selling Fords nearly all Lemon Law deals I had were from the Atlanta factory). 112K on the odo. Usual Taurus glitches and neglected maintenance.  Needs shocks/struts and will probably need a transmission in the future. May have a radiator problem developing. As it sits, it is usable for what I need.

The seller was seeking way too much (as usual) and talked about how many calls he was getting and how many people were “looking at it”. The sight of $1,000 cash in fist demolished all that noise. So, I bought it cheap enough that I can dump it without a great loss if it turns out to be a bad car. I’ve budgeted spending another $1,000 over the next six months on repairs and tires.

I do enjoy the haggle. What something is worth is what someone will pay, nothing more or less.

“Well, the ‘book’ (NADA, Kelley Blue Book, Consumer Reports, etc.) says it’s worth xxxxx!!!!!”

“Fine, sell it to them”.

“They don’t buy cars (you dummy, sotto voice)”.

“Right, they sell information to consumers such as yourself. That information is their opinion, only”.

And so it goes.

Humor

Got a nice chuckle this evening. I needed it on this day and perhaps others need a chuckle to lift their spirits.

My sister, when she picked me up to give me a ride said, "I will Uber you because I can't Lyft you".

Smart-ass runs in the family, and she leads the pack.

Shade Tree

One nice thing about driving an old beater is being able to do my own repairs. While a piss poor mechanic, my hourly rate is unbeatable.

Today’s job was a minor oil leak from the valve cover gasket. Took me about an hour. The gasket looked to be in good shape so just spread some sealant and put it back together.

Now it is off to the pawn shop to buy a couple of 10 mm sockets to replace the one that rolled somewhere and I can’t find it. Man can’t have too many 10 mm and 12 mm sockets.

Fiscal Prudence

A client has me deliver delinquency notices to people with home mortgages. Along with the notification is information that will help them avoid foreclosure.

I’ve become jaded as I routinely approach $450,000 McMansions with $60,000+ vehicles in the driveway or garage. Toys of all kinds, motorcycles, ATVs and boats sitting there soaking up available income just makes me shake my jowls.

2008 – 2014 were tough years in this area along with the collapse of the subprime ponzi. The car business sucked and I found a market for my other skills in construction and photography securing and documenting abandoned properties. Job losses and medical bills along with a shrinking economy caused many, many families to lose their homes. Having been there at one point in my life, I had empathy for those folks.

I have three sons who are careful with their finances. Perhaps the best compliment my ex ever gave me was when she said to my youngest, “You are cheaper than your father”.

As an aside, you have a problem spouse when you list Nordstrom Stores as a dependent, and the IRS accepts your return.

I no longer do any property work. My knees aren’t up to the task. Sadly, even in this now robust economy there is a need for that service.

I still have empathy for folks who fall on hard times. The information I deliver can help them (if they will help themselves). The client offers more money if I sit down and counsel people. 

Sorry, no. That opens a whole can of worms with Colorado laws. The client doesn’t think so but I know better. Plus, I plain don’t want to do it. If they want to replace me with someone else, no hard feelings.

As for those who are financially stupid, tough shit. Learn some financial discipline. When you are an adult, participation trophies aren’t free.

Dodged A Bullet

In 2008 these two tried to hire me. One hell of an offer.Politely declined. So glad now.

https://www.greeleytribune.com/news/former-greeley-car-dealer-pleads-not-guilty-in-human-trafficking-case/

When something feels hinkey I walk away. Rarely have regretted it in time.

Hope these two go away forever. 

A Hail of A Business

Two major hailstorms have hit this area this summer and the roofers, insurance adjusters, hail repair specialists, and windshield installers are swamped.

There must be two dozen hail repair operations set up on parking lots around town. Interesting folks. Most are from out of state. One bunch is from Greenville, S.C. and are in their fifth year working our area in the summer.

I enjoyed chatting with them as they give off a car salesman type vibe. Friendly, but they mean business, and quick to get the point.

In the years I worked in car sales, I never worked at a place that got hit with damaging hail. What were the odds?

One told me a hail repair can run from $3,000 to $10,000+.

Windshield are a problem. There are not enough in stock. One company, tired of the congestion and dealing with the City and County of Denver (one and the same) built a large distribution center near the Loveland/Ft Collins airport last winter. Now they are enjoying the fruits of their foresight.

My sister, the insurance adjuster, and her office are slammed. This is in addition to their normal workload. Some are very unpleasant. Last week she was at the scene of a fatality near Casper, WY.

A close friend of hers, who she mentors, is working the Greyhound bus head-on collision in New Mexico.

Moving on, a local has about three acres of old Volkswagens. Don’t know much about his operation as it isn’t a make that interests me. He is next to a John Deere dealer that must have 50 tractors in stock along with other ag equipment.

People survive in many ways. This man makes a living out of the apartment complex’s dumpsters around town.

WSF, you go traveling down some weird paths. True, and the voices in my head keep talking shit about me like I’m not even here.

Latter Day Luddite Seeks Advice

While you can't beat the price, Blogger is becoming an irritant. Seems every time they decide on changes, the five or six readers of this blog have problems posting comments. Then I wader around the settings page making things worse.

I'm thinking of going to WordPress. Any advice or insight you may offer will be appreciated.

Other places?