Recently one of our vehicles was set to have some scheduled maintenance (which required the dealer to need the vehicle for the entire work day). The dealership provided a courtesy shuttle so I wouldn’t have to sit in a waiting room all day.
On my return to pick up the car, the shuttle driver and I had an opportunity to talk one on one. He was retired and provided transportation services part-time which allowed him to keep busy. He mentioned that for 25 years he was a car salesman, and informed me that he made much of his money providing a solution to a problem that began in the service department. I listened closely as my ears perked at this revelation!
He stated that when service representatives would inform a customer of a major repair item, most people’s head and shoulders would drop, in a state of despair. He would take note and eventually confirm that the customer had no way of funding the needed repair.
That’s when he would provide a solution. He would offer to buy the vehicle back, take the repair problem off their hands, and place them in a new vehicle. Problem solved. He stated that repairs as little as $1,200.00 would place customers in desolation. He saw it day in and day out, and confessed to being saddened by the financial state of many of the people he saw.
We all know someone who fails to prepare for a rainy day. You might even be that person. But really, there is no excuse. Our financial health requires a bit of medicine from time to time. An emergency fund of 6 months minimum is a good place to start.
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Brandon and Gina Wilkins are financial coaches and co-founders of Financial Freedom Builders LLC. Mr. Wilkins is also the author of the financial classic, Getting Rich is Simple...But It Ain't Easy! They are available for coaching, workshops and seminars designed to help you take control of your finances.
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