Selling the Corolla
I had decided that three vehicles for one person is too many. Now that I was committed to going to Africa it was time to simplify – in a big way. And the Toyota Corolla was the first of thing to go. I still had a loan on it. The Toyota Sienna mini-van was paid for and could move furniture still if I needed to. Off to Craig’s list I went. I hadn’t really done this For Sale by Owner via the internet before but it seemed like it worked and it was free so I uploaded pictures, put the blue book value of $9,100 on it and waited for the emails to come in. And they did. One after another. I was so glad that I was a sales person and knew that I needed to pursue and follow up and call again and again. And as I was setting up appointments with various people, there was one woman who was being just as persistent a buyer, Maria. She called and let me know she was talking to her husband and they had two small kids and she offered me $7,500. I know how to sell chairs. I know where the bottom line is in my market. Cars – this is a whole different gig. But the premise is the same. No Thank You, how about $8,500 and off we went as if at a garage sale.
Speaking of garage sales, my mom has mastered the art of haggling. Her entertainment is garage sales. On Thursday she gets the paper, highlights the sales that are in good neighborhoods and heads to the bank to get singles and quarters. On Friday morning she picks up Mary at the crack of dawn in the most ratty clothes they have stuffed with crinkled bills and the car that needs to be washed the most. They get to the “best” sale first, wait for the owners to finish their coffee and start nattering away from $5 to $2 and from 50 cents to a quarter. Every time I see her, she has a bag of stuff for me, or my friend Sara or the neighbor next door or my friend Aimee or the lady at the gas station. I am so glad that she took up this form of entertainment after I graduated from high school. Needless to say, my mother never pays full price for anything.
Now I had Maria/my mother trying to get me to give away my car. Yes, she had two kids and needed someone to help her. Yes, times were tough. Yes, I understand you only have so much money. And yes, I know that my mother stacks the deck in her favor when she goes to buy anything. Maria gets me to $8,300. And the next thing you know she is on her way to my house with her husband and kids in tow. Now my dad’s voice kicks in “Don’t let anyone test drive your car. They might steal it.” “Don’t meet anyone at your house that you don’t know.” “Don’t, don’t, don’t.” Uh, huh.
Maria, her husband and the two young girls pull up to my house in an older Toyota Camry. I was thrilled to see that they were a Toyota family but in the back of my mind I thought…stack the deck, stack the deck. They pile out of the car into my front lawn. The family is definitely from the Middle East. As we shake hands and do introductions I find that Maria has great English but her husband’s is very hard to understand. He does the walk around the car, check inside, pop the hood and poke here and there. Can he take it for a test drive? I say Yes even though in my head my dad is saying “He is going to wreck the car.” I figure that he has left his wife and children behind so I have something to bargain with if anything happens to my car. As if what? I am going to take the wife and kids hostage and negotiate with this unshaven man from the Middle East? Yeah, right. My brain can get so convoluted at times.
So Maria’s husband returns with my car. It runs great. Everything is good. I ask where they are from.
“Afghanistan” he answers.
OH MY. “Whereabouts?” I ask
“Kandahar”
“Ah… my brother just came back from Afghanistan. He was in Paktya working with the AirForce Intelligence Department on their Provincial Reconstruction Teams. He speaks Arabic and was working to develop relationships with some of the tribes in the more rural areas.”
The gentleman starts to tell me that he will be leaving for Baltimore in two weeks and will be working for the US Army. He will be working as a translator for our soldiers and will be sent overseas in the not so distant future. He is buying the car for his wife so she has something safe to drive. OK. I get it. There is something bigger going on here. For some reason I don’t think he is stacking the deck with this one.
“$8,000. Won’t you please help us?” he says.
“Sorry. I have done as much as I can. I am on sabbatical and headed to do volunteer work in Africa and just got my tax bill back. I have done everything I can for you.”
We are at a stalemate.
“Wait here” he says. He walks to his car and comes back, handing me a fist full of cash. $100 and $50 bills.
“What is this?” I ask.
“The money for the car.”
“How much is here?”
“Count it.”
I have never held this amount of cash in my hand before. I do a quick fan through the stack. “No, I am not going to count it. How much is here?”
“$8,000”
I am not going to fold. NO I AM NOT. My mother would not fold. If she only wants to pay a quarter, that is all she is going to pay. I hand him back this stack of paper and tell him that the price is $8,300 and that I need to go show the car in two hours to someone who will be closer to the asking price. Sorry and I walk away. AHHHHH…
Maria has asked how many CDs the car holds. She is interested in the tinted windows. She likes the burled wood on the dash. Now she speaks up “I have another $200 in the car”
We have a deal.
From the act of selling my car I learned some much needed lessons for my upcoming trip. Cash. This is the currency that is used in other parts of the world. This is what motivates people. This is what Maria and her husband were counting on. But I didn’t totally cave and for that I am happy. I am told that in other parts of the world, no one pays the asking price for anything. Offer HALF. OK. I guess this isn’t Subaru. I will have to watch and listen.
Judgementalism exists within me. I was quick to note that these people were from the Middle East. My brain has been programmed to be skeptical and nervous about foreigners. On the other hand, my brother has demonstrated to me how to be totally open and receptive to all different types of people, as well as being cautious at the same time. As we worked through the rest of the logistics with the sale of the car, we developed a trust with each other. By the time the transaction was done, Maria and I had exchanged email addresses and we wished each other the best of luck in the future. I know that as I head to Kenya that I am being more aware of this. I will be on the receiving end of this when I arrive there. I hope that I represent the US well.
I talked about this experience with some friends and the idea that I was a woman negotiating with a man also came up. I had not really given this a second thought. However, not all cultures are like this and it will be in my best interest to pay attention to this.
So- I have lightened my load a bit, started to wrap my head around some basic ideas and in the process have gotten closer to my next adventure. Peace out!
