Car
I
was thinking of buying a car, so I visited a local car dealer. As
I looked around, my gaze was fixed upon a dark blue Saab, which appeared
different from the models I had seen. The car was sporty and sleek.
The rear tyres were large and wide at the rear end of the vehicle.
The car was not more than ten years old.
'I'll
take this,' I said to the seller.
'5,000 euros.'
'Suits me.'
We
sat down to sign the papers. I paid by debit card. Then the seller
handed me the keys.
Sitting
behind the wheel, I started the engine. I put on a CD, when a friend
of mine walked in, so I opened the door. We then drove out and headed
towards the city centre.
I
had hardly driven a few hundred metres, when the front door opened.
I tried to pull it back, but the door wouldn't close. Banging the
door a few times, I eventually decided to stop in order to push from
the outside. The door remained open.
'What's
the matter with this?' I wondered.
'It's broken,' my friend said. 'I hope you have a warranty.'
'Forgot to ask.'
'Surely you inspected the car before buying it.'
'Not really.'
"Well, then you probably didn't have a test drive either.'
I
continued driving despite the half-open door. 'By all standards you
made a lousy deal,' my friend concluded. At that didn't need to answer.
Approaching
the city centre, I kept looking at other cars. Most were new, European
cars, with four doors suitable for a family. My car, by contrast,
was a stylish but damaged sports car. It attracted glances, when I
drove slowly along the main street.
Not
used to being the focus of attention, with a car that was not quite
my style, I felt uncomfortable. Particularly, as the door hanged off
the hinges and now, to embarrass me even more, steam was evaporating
from the engine. I leaned deeper into the bench so as not to be seen.
5,000
euros was a lot of money. All wasted, as the car was of no use. Disappointed
and remorseful I drove back to store.
'I'd
like to return this Saab.'
'Why?'
'It's faulty.'
'It was in perfect condition when you bought it.'
'But the door doesn't close and the engine is smoking. And the metal
is warped.'
I
noticed it only now: the bonnet above the engine was twisted and full
of holes. Steam rose from the cracks. Surely the vendor knew of the
defects.
'Besides,
the bench is too low. I can hardly see out.'
'That is not a malfunction. The seat can always be adjusted. Do you
have a certificate for warranty?'
'No, I don't.'
'Then I can't help.'
I
asked then how did the seller see the situation. Did he think anything
out of the ordinary took place when I purchased the car?
'Undeniably
you bought the car rather hastily,' he replied. 'You chose the first
car that caught your eye, without bargaining or even checking its
condition.'
I
protested. I begged. I pleaded to the car dealer's ethics and morality
to get my money back.
In
the end, the seller gave up. 'All right. I can see that you're not
happy with the product.'
The
man took the car back on the grounds of "Satisfaction Guaranteed".
