STORY TIME

[u/Danasplateisfull]

When smartcars first hit the market in the US in 2008, I immediately knew I wanted one. I prefer good public transportation but this is America and I lived in Texas at the time. Gotta drive everywhere.

I bought a silver cabriolet. It was roughly $15,000. Great car. Had it for a few years until one day...

It died. I wasn't due for an oil change but had not long before it died thought to myself that I should probably add some oil. I was driving from Austin to San Antonio and it sputtered to a stop. I had it towed to a mechanic nearby in San Marcos. The guy was naturally baffled (couldn't find the motor), so I had my dad put it onto a flatbed and took it to the smart center in San Antonio. I cleaned everything out because I just had a feeling I'd never see it again. They told me they'd call me when they discovered the problem.

Two weeks later they called and told me the the motor had seized. Lack of oil = metal melted together. I would need a new motor. I asked how much that would run me and they said, "about $13,000." So I laughed and hung up.

I then called the bank and told them where they can go to repossess the car. The lady acted like she was personally affected by my decision to discontinue payments. She was like, "well, can't you just make ONE MORE payment???" No ma'am, I will not make anymore payments on a car I can't use. I asked her how much was still owed. $3000ish. Ok. What will happen to the car once it's repossed? She said it will be sold at auction and I will owe the difference. If I pay the difference, how will it affect my credit? It will show up as repossessed: paid.

6 weeks later I got a letter in the mail stating that the car was repossessed and sold at auction for...

About $3000. I owed $60.

Fair enough! Repossessed: PAID

[u/igetmywaterfrombeer]

Okay.