Howdy world, it’s a good day today!
I’m reaching out because I’m in a bit of a situation. I want a new car. Not a new car, just new to me. The reason I can’t get it is because I can’t afford it. Now, that doesn’t sound like much of a problem. And to most people, it wouldn’t be – they can take out a loan or ask friends or family to help them out and that’s that. But I don’t have friends or family who can help. Or, more accurately, the ones that can help would turn me down the second I opened my mouth. Because it is a silly idea at first glance.
The car that I want is a 1978 Chrysler New Yorker with 57,000 miles on it.
I want this car because I look at modern cars and I don’t like them. I also test drove this car and fell in love. The handling and ride quality are just nothing I’ve felt before. To put it short, I fell in love with this car. The butterscotch interior and exterior, the leather upholstery, the classic dials and gauges – everything fits my bill. This car is what I want people to think of when they think of me. I want to stand out from the parking lot of beigemobiles and I want people to know that I’m there purely because my car is unique.
There’s another reason I want this car. My current car is a broken Hyundai Blue Elantra “gift” from my abusive ex-boyfriend in Utah. The steering wheel rattles back and forth so hard on the freeway that my wrists ache after driving for long, there’s no noise deadening so the wind noise makes my ears ache, and the upholstery is so stained I’m ashamed to have passengers. I got the car because my ex wanted me to get him a Chrysler 300m a coworker was offering to me for cheap. So I got the Chrysler and traded for his Hyundai, with the understanding that I could trade it for something better eventually, since he didn’t have many options while living out among the sands. Well, that day never came. My boyfriend crashed and totaled the Chrysler 300m in the desert, then had me drive him up here for Christmas, wherein he crashed the Hyundai while driving too fast on an icy road. It didn’t total the car, but he couldn’t afford to fix it and I couldn’t either. So I’ve been driving this broken car and feeling very broken the entire time. I want to have a car that makes me excited to drive it and happy to be in it, not one that hurts me and forces me to relive all the miserable times I spent with my ex.
And yes, I have tried to get a loan and a different car. I’ve been turned down by nine different credit unions in person, three online, and four dealerships. I’ve thought seriously about taking on a payday loan just to get out of this car, but I don’t want to ruin my life any further.
Speaking of my life, the reason I keep getting turned down is because of my credit score. Which is as low as it is because of two credit cards a few years ago. I had just started a new job as a contract employee and I thought it was a good idea to start building my credit. I was making small purchases and paying it off, like you’re supposed to do. After three months, my job told me they had decided to hire me on as a real full-time employee. I was excited! None of my previous positions had ever done that, and I was looking forward to the future. I was going to be a new salaried employee for the first time in my life and thought things would be good for a long while. So I started taking care of my neglected dental issues, using my card to pay it off. After eight months, it turns out the company couldn’t afford me anymore, so they let me go. Just in time for the new year. So, being jobless and not knowing how long it would take to get a new position, I thought the responsible thing to do would be to call the credit union up and let them know, and ask if they could do any kind of forebearance. They said no, they can’t do that, and that since I told them I lost my job, they were going to cancel my cards. So they got canceled and I had to immediately start paying back. Which I fell behind on because of no job but I’ve been doing my best. Every time they call, I give them what they ask, but it’s taken a heavy toll on my score.
Even with my new job, everything I make goes toward maintaining things and I’ve struggled to hold on to any kind of savings. And since the car is priced so cheaply, there’s a real danger of it getting snapped up before I can get it. The seller wants $2,800 for the car, and I know it needs work. It needs hoses and belts replaced in the engine, along with new spark plugs and wires plus distributor cap maintenance, and the door seals need to be replaced because the passenger side leaks when it rains. I knew all this from the start and I’m willing to take this on because I don’t want to lose out on this beautiful piece of history. At this price and everything, it’s something I feel I would be stupid to pass up, and would regret it for a very long time. But I haven’t been able to get any help!
I was trying to get $5,000 so I would have enough to cover any basic repairs and the cost of the car itself, so if any one of you have it in you to help me get this car and help me feel better about driving in general, I would be incredibly grateful.
My PayPal link is PayPal.me/FoxStuff
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and I hope you have a magnificent day!