Many parts of the economy are having difficult times, but the two we hear about most often is the real estate market and the auto industry. Naturally I know first-hand the issues with real estate, homeowners who are upside down in their mortgage, and changes in the lending programs.
I have heard certain issues about the auto industry but today I saw some of the effect in person. I had to take the WEENR-mobile in for repair of a non-working heater fan. I bought my Cherokee from this dealer 10 years ago and have always been satisfied with their customer service and pleasant employees.
As I sat at a table, working on my lap top, I could overhear one of the salesmen calling potential buyers, who apparently had visited the showroom previously. It’s the last day of the month, so I’m sure the quotas we hear about were coming into play.
The salesman started out with the normal spiel. After a short time, the topic would switch to “we’re not going out of business”", yes, the warranty will still be honored”, yada-yada. Then he would mention the new relationship with Fiat. Add the gas mileage issue on SUV’s onto those issues, and you have one tough job.
The more I listened to the salesman, the more thankful I was that I’m in real estate and not in the auto industry.
After a couple hours, the fan was repaired and I paid my bill: parts & supplies = $73; labor billed at $95/hr = $190. Hm-m-m-m-m.
Copyright © 2009. Elaine Reese, Real Living HER. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.
I think I’m responsible for the “Big 3′s” troubles
Well, at least if I’m not totally responsible, it’s people with buying habits like me.
I haven’t owned a Ford product since 1971. It was a red ’65 Mustang. It was wicked on slippery roads, and I wrapped it – and me -around a guard rail that winter, so that was the end of it.
The last Chevy product was a ’72 Impala … yes, it replaced the Mustang. Had it until ’77 when it was replaced with a VW Rabbit for a couple years. BAD! BAD!
I kept that Jeep until ’98 when a guy on a motorcycle ran into me and nearly totaled it.
So I bought another Jeep – the WEENR-mobile, and I still have it. It’s been a great vehicle that requires very little costly maintenance, it’s paid for, the insurance is now low, it still looks good, it gets me through the snow and it’s perfect for hauling real estate signs. At 126,000 miles, I figure “it’s only broken in”.
Plus, all the cars now look like jelly beans.
You other folks are going to have to be the ones to bail out the Big 3, as I’m sitting tight. I’d rather continue to drive my “shoe box” than a jelly bean.
Copyright © 2008. Reproduction of any portion of this blog post or the images is prohibited by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. If this post is being viewed on any site other than www.ReesesPiecesOfRealEstate.com then the material has been stolen without permission. Violators will be reported.
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Posted in Commentary, Transportation
Tagged Big 3 auto makers