Black Beauty Sold Yesterday!

I’ve had two people come to ask about the Buick. I ought to add two more, though they were rather vague so I had not thought they were seriously interested.

Then, last Saturday Ike brought a Chinese man from our ESL class. But he was quite shy and though I went with him for a test drive, he only went around 3-4 blocks. I wasn't sure if he found the car too strange, or if he was too shy.

Sunday night a man came to the door, and said, his daughter, a university student, had seen my Buick earlier in the day and asked him to check it out. He planned to come back early in the morning. He indicated he has mechanical experience.

This turned out to be true yesterday morning. He arrived before 9 am and after some chat, he looking over Black Beauty like a mechanic would, he gave me his truck key for security (proof he would return), while he test-drove the car. He came back to offer me $1100 cash.

(I’d just been praying that I was eager for this car-selling stuff to be over; I wanted to get back to my usual schedule, and I had Christmas mail to get out, it would would take many more hours.) I had not expected $3000 as I'd put on the poster, but his offer was the first real one. I'd had almost 11 years use of the car, so I accepted and we shook hands.

Within the hour we had all the details/forms worked out. He went to register the car, and brought me back my plate. Bingo! All done! Praise the Lord!

Then I discovered that not everyone understands the process for a private sale of a vehicle.

I called cousin Gary to replace the backyard motion-sensitive light bulbs (I had an extra pair ready). He was disappointed that I had not offered him such a much lower price on the car.

He had hinted last Saturday that his grandsons needed a car for their young families. But he had not made me a counter-offer. So I assumed they were not interested; they had not come to see or test-drive the car.

vehicle sale, I, as seller, was to set a good price, even if I

Besides when I researched online about how to conduct a private didn't expect to receive that much. It was up to the new potential owner to make a clear offer. If I liked that offer I could accept, or refuse and wait for another prospect to show up.

This other fellow "G" who had bought so many aloe vera plants from me had hinted that he might be interested in my car, but he did not make an offer either. He just wanted me to let him know if I lowered the price. Well, I hadn't reached that point.

had appeared to be interested to see if they'd make a higher

At an auction, the auctioneer might turn his eyes on those who bid, but I had not understood this process to be an auction - especially if the other parties were not standing nearly by to jump in with a higher bid.

had accepted too low an offer. I replied, "But my prayer was

A relative, when I told her about this on the phone thought I answered! The car sold within an hour of me praying as I did. Black Beauty didn't owe me anything; I had got almost 11 years use out of it, and it was a fantasy to expect to get as much as I had paid for it. So I have a clear conscience."

All I have left to do is go collect my rebate on the 2 months of my car insurance that I'd already paid, and to deposit the cash I got into the savings account to start saving up for the next car which is likely to be double what I paid for Echo. (That's IF I'm still driving 10-11 or 12 years from now.)

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