Date:         Sun, 23 Jan 2011 12:04:01 -0800
Reply-To:     "Mark L. Hineline" <hineline@OCOTILLOFIELD.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Mark L. Hineline" <hineline@OCOTILLOFIELD.NET>
Subject:      Re: first time buyer
In-Reply-To:  <0b9701cbbb30$f41b1130$6701a8c0@PROSPERITY>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed; delsp=yes

tangentially ...

It's because of checklists and my lack of desire to be a seller that I
have a Westy today. Here's how it happened:

1. I had $800 in parking tickets (actually $400 in tickets, but
doubled) on my GTI that I had to pay in order to register it last year.

2. At the time I didn't have $800.

3. I was going to sell it, pay the tickets, and get a Westy, but I
couldn't face the selling process (I was thinking about having to
explain that, although the airbag light stays on, yes, the airbags are
there. Bad switch. "It's a car, shut up")

4. I took it to CarMax and they offered me 1/3 of its value. Nope.

5. I asked my ex to store it at her house and keep it safe until I
could pay the tickets.

6. A eucalyptus tree fell on it because her boyfriend, whose house it
is, would rather spend the day stoned that tend to his trees.

7. When I finally got the car back, I had an estimate done and the
insurance company totaled it out.

8. I bought it back with a salvage title and got my Westy with what
was left.

9. As long as I overlook the massive dimple in the roof of the GTI, I
now have a really fast, clean 2001 VW and a very cool 1982 camper.

10. And I didn't have to sell anything.

Mark