feel like I'm being screwed over

[Larka]

So my roommate and I have all our finances together so that we get everything paid. We have a joint account, and she pays the bills, and that's been fine.

As some of you know, my car has been in and out of the shop since January getting stuff fixed. Well- last week the Ford dealer I'd been going to calls me up and goes "We want to buy your car. When are you free to come in and have us appraise it?" I tell them I'll be in Saturday (today.)

So- I go to the Ford dealer. I get there before my appointment so that I can check out the cars on the lot. There's only one car that meets my requirements (5 speed, 4 cylinder, four doors and a 4x100 bolt pattern)- a 2007 Saturn Ion with 14k miles on it. I go in, talk to the guys, we get the paper work rolling. They're going to give me $4200 for my ZX2, and my payments on the Ion would be $199 a month. $4200 for my POS ZX2?! I was floored. And the payments on the Ion would include Gap Insurance and an extended warranty. Now- I HATE GM with a passion- but this sounded like the best deal of my life.

I call my roommate, since all the finances are together- and she tells me no. I was so pissed. She says that we can't do it- cause it'd be another bill and my car is running fine right now. I think she's not looking at the long view- she's just looking at the short view that we won't have a car payment if we don't get it. I'm looking at the long view- they're giving me at least double what the car is worth; my car has almost 100k miles and once it gets there, it'll be worth less and if we wait for it to break down- it'll be worth nothing rather than the $4200 it's worth now.

So I'm pissed and feel like I'm being screwed over. I just need to get some work done on my ZX2 so that I'll want to keep it.

[SoCalZX2]

Well, if that person does the finances solely, than you might want to get involved in it to see where you're honestly at. 2ndly, I personally wouldn't have an acct w/ a roommate, even a significant other (granted I know your situation is different) unless I was married to that person)

My '92 escort had 168k miles on it and I never had a problem with it. So I know these car will last a long time if not beaten on.

I personally will never have a car payment again, but 199/mo isn't bad considering the average payment in the country is 464/mo. Hopefully ya'll can work something out.

[koihoshi]

You aren't able to get your own checking account and your own paycheck to pay for your own car payment? I don't see how your room mate is in charge of running your life and telling you what you can and can't have if you can afford it.

[Twiggy2cents]

you also got to realize thats what dealerships thrive on is your trade in.. that is why a dealership sells a car at such higher price than private party. They expect that your going to trade in your car so they estimate their price high so your tradein can be high also. At least thats how the dealership i work at does it

[koihoshi]

Yeah but twiggy under $200 for a car payment isn't bad (unless that's over something like 5 or 6 years or longer.... that's a LONG term finance...)

at the same time i think his room mate's justification is "You have a car, do you really need to spend $17,000?"

So lets see this from 2 perspectives here.

You say i want a car.

Your room mate says no.

1. You lead your life, you have say.
2. Your room mate leads theirs, at the same time, it is putting them in an uncomfortable situation.

Realistically.... if the price of your zx2 is worth lets say $3500. This new car is $17,000. Do you really NEED to spend $13,500 for a functional car?

Or... could you take out a smaller personal loan to fix the z the way you need it to get it back to snuff. Perhaps there is a compromise point.

[CraZx2ing]

I just plain don't understand this. She probably wont let you get the car because shes stealing your money to pay for her own ish and you have no idea cause you are stupid enough to let someone other than yourself, or your wife, near your money.

I'd put money down that she is stealing from you and this car would give her less to steal.

Please explain a little more about your situation. A heads up, if you have $17,000 to spend on an unneeded car, I have some waterfront property in arizona i'll sell you for half that.

If i were you, i'd close out that joint account, take all of the cash out of it to make up for what she's taken off the top all this time and find another roommate that doesn't have to play mommy for you. If your old enough to live on your own, you should be pretty capable of signing into your accounts online and paying your bills.

Or maybe i'm just in a bad mood right now?

[jess]

Well, I'm assuming "roommate" in this situation is probably a relationship....or no?

Before James and I got married (and we were living together), I would have definitely expected him to run a new car purchase by me before just jumping into things.......so you most certainly did the right thing by going back and clearing it with your roommate, who does look over all of the finances.

However, if your car is in bad shape, $200 is not really that much money for a new one....so, yeah, I kind of agree that you are getting screwed.

I can say from experience.....it has been a lot less stressful with the added BIG payment of our truck than it was paying for repairs every other week on our altima.

Perhaps you should explain to your roommate how car repairs are not only a burden financially, but it's also just plain stressful sometimes being stuck without a vehicle. Having to bum rides, or change around plans so that you can share a vehicle. All of that stress isn't worth the $200/month you'd be saving....

And also, I believe our insurance is cheaper on our ion than it was the zxpoo, full coverage on both.....so factor that in.....come on....

[Larka]

Well, I'm assuming "roommate" in this situation is probably a relationship....or no?

Before James and I got married (and we were living together), I would have definitely expected him to run a new car purchase by me before just jumping into things.......so you most certainly did the right thing by going back and clearing it with your roommate, who does look over all of the finances.

However, if your car is in bad shape, $200 is not really that much money for a new one....so, yeah, I kind of agree that you are getting screwed.

I can say from experience.....it has been a lot less stressful with the added BIG payment of our truck than it was paying for repairs every other week on our altima.

Perhaps you should explain to your roommate how car repairs are not only a burden financially, but it's also just plain stressful sometimes being stuck without a vehicle. Having to bum rides, or change around plans so that you can share a vehicle. All of that stress isn't worth the $200/month you'd be saving....

And also, I believe our insurance is cheaper on our ion than it was the zxpoo, full coverage on both.....so factor that in.....come on....

To answer the first question- yes. Which explains why the finances are together. And the simple fact that 2 people covering bills is better than one.

The insurance on the Ion for me would only be $10 cheaper than my ZX2 per month, so it's not that big of a deal. Which sucks- cause I was under the assumption that going from a sporty 2 door with an ass load of mods to a stock 4 door would save more in insurance...

My car runs for the moment- but I'm scared that more stuff is going to happen soon since stuff has been happing almost once a week since January. It's stressful having the car down, and having to fix it. Since I'm a mechanic for a living, my roommate expects me to fix the car, rather than taking it in so that it'll save us money. The last big repair that I had to do (power steering pump, tensioner and a pulley) left my car down for almost a month because I was working 10 hour days and barely had time for working on my car.

Another point I brought up- we drive my car EVERYWHERE because it gets good gas mileage. I put tons of miles on my car every year. We drive or plan to drive between Texas and Nebraska at least 3 times a year. I honestly don't feel comfortable driving my car that far with everything I've had going on with it. This Ion is almost brand new- and still covered under a factory warranty.

What pissed me off the most- we've been discussing either getting rid of my ZX2 or the Tracker. With current gas prices- it's been a joke trying to get rid of the Tracker, so we've looked at trading in my car for a larger one. And then I find a car that I like, and she hates, and all of a sudden- we have no plans to get rid of my car. :eyes:

[Beodude123]

Knowing your car Larka, I would say trade it in. 99% of the time, I would be against it, but I know your 03 is cursed. Trade that beast in, get the new car. You will save money in the long run if you do so. The Z will be in the shop forever, one way or the other.

Ions might not be the most dependable cars, but they aren't necessarily cursed.

[dareall]

first thing, keep your money separate!!!! This will ensure that there is money when you need it.
Second, with the "mods" you have done (especially to the exhaust) I would trade it in for the amount they are offering. With the amount of driving you are planning, it will be nice knowing that you have a warranty again.

[inis]

how long have you two been together?

[Connal]

They aren't going to give you that amount for your Z. I've explained the whole process before. It just means they own the other car for cheap.

[rusty]

I'm sure this has been said, but I don't care enough to look to recent posts.

Usually the dealership will appraise your car for more than its worth and make you think you are getting a good deal as a trade, when really they are just removing a few grand off the car they are trying to sell you. Connal should know the fine print about that since he works at a dealership, but I personally think youd be an idiot if you traded it in. Sell the car outright for a few grand and don't think that the dealership is giving you "the best deal of your life" because 98% of the time, they aren't.

You should know this.

[Connal]

I'm sure this has been said, but I don't care enough to look to recent posts.

Usually the dealership will appraise your car for more than its worth and make you think you are getting a good deal as a trade, when really they are just removing a few grand off the car they are trying to sell you. Connal should know the fine print about that since he works at a dealership, but I personally think youd be an idiot if you traded it in. Sell the car outright for a few grand and don't think that the dealership is giving you "the best deal of your life" because 98% of the time, they aren't.

You should know this.

If a car is worth (say blue book value) 15k. The dealership will have it advertised as normally 15,995, with a security package. Sometimes it is free car washes for life, others you get oil changes etc and so forth. That is how they justify the slight mark up.

Now they may have gotten that car as a trade in, and only given the person 9k, and the put another 2 into it for a shop bill. That leaves 4,995 to either make as profit, or with a hard sale, throw extra on the trade.

So lets say they can sell your car at auction for 2k. With that extra 4,995 they have, they can say "Well, how about this. We will give you 4k for your trade. You say "Wow, that is a good amount for this car. I'll take it!"

So that leaves them with a around 3k in profit, and if they follow the standard commision guidelines that most places do, that would be 750 dollars give or take for the sales person. Not bad pay for an hour or two of talking to you.