Worst thing that can ever happen to a MINI owner

[russgriz]

I thought I recognized you. 21 years myself so far. Think I'll do a few more.

Thanks for setting the pace.

[CR&PW&JB]

Yeah, we probably ran into each other somewhere.

Thanks for your service !

[investigator]

Originally Posted by CR&PW&JB

Very cool... 23 years, USAF, retired.

Maybe that's why we both thought the OP would benefit from the military. We've both Aimed High and enjoyed a Great Way Of Life.

I second that comment. I was in during the days when the draft was in place. The military was one of the best ways for a young man to mature into a fully functioning adult. Too bad the draft is no longer. I spent three years at Keesler as an instructor in the early 60's and met my Mrs there. I only wish I could get her enthused about riding in the Mini. She says it rides like a truck.

[Porthos]

Military is a great idea. Miami sux. I am from Florida and to go anywhere in life you need to get the hell out of dodge as fast as possible. You can't sit at home gripe and complain that life sux or you can get up and do something about it. I am Navy so I am going to lean toward joining the Navy. But whatever you do don't join the Army. Trust its a job with a paycheck and if you play your cards right you can make a lot of money in the military.

[Kimbo80]

You need to come up with a backup plan quick! Your car is going to auction. To this point you have been self reliant with the payments but until you get back on your feet, you might want to ask your folks ,if they can help you out. Hopefully, you are not already too late. Good luck.

[iwashmycar]

wow sucks to hear bigtime.

find some cash...if they actually took the thing, rule is you were probably at least 60 days late.... IF you dont pay them (hopefully its not too rediculous a fee) then your credit (that you dont really even probably have yet) is fvvvvcked.

While its not thier problem, it is a shame your parents would let that happen... Dont know or care to know your story, but if your as nice to them as you stated earlier, I wouldnt want to watch my kids dig a hole for themselves

(no i dont even have kids yet lol)

[slinger688]

Mini for Life

Please listen to Dave Ramsey on the radio/TV and heed his advise before buying another car.

[Sketch]

Good advice slinger^

Im sorry to hear about your trouble man. Im 17 now and love my mini to pieces, but if I woke one day to not find it in the garage I would be miserable. I have already gotten it taken away once due to poor school performance but that was quickly turned around after not having my beloved car to drive to school/work in. Keep your head up and keep pushing forward.

Bradley

[MrTIer]

Wow, it seems everyone has big eyes these days. The 18 year old kid without a job that can't wait until he saves up first and must have an expensive car to the finance guy who doesn't care who buys it because he can "chalk up another loan". Sounds a little like our current bank/mortgage dilema, doesn't it. I guess everyone deserves instant gratification without any reprocussions! Sorry to come off sounding callis, but I think someone needs to!

[Agent.COOPER]

I don't know what I'd do if someone took my MINI.
I'm 20 and I've had mine for a month now.. cheap payments so I'm not concerned about it. $220/month. =) I put $7,000 down on it... worked hard to get it.
But still, just the thought of someone taking it away devastates me...

I'm terribly sorry that happened to you. I wish I could give you some advice but unfortunately I'm not too good in that department...
But I would have to agree with Slinger. Dave Ramsey is a very intelligent person with amazing things to say.

[aafflyer]

You have more problems than the car, namely maturity.

In this post two months ago (http://www.northamericanmotoring.com...ubman-jcw.html) you said you were going to get a JCW after having the '07 MCS which you got rid of for an '08 S2000. Not sure what you were drinking or smoking, but as someone else said you are likely 60 days or more behind in payments if your car got repossessed. And if that is the case, talking about a JCW was poppycock, which this whole thread may be too.

Regardless, true or not, get your act together and then and only then maybe think about a late model car.

[daemon2]

Take a bus, work hard, save. Cars come and go.
Sounds like you have some things to work through.

[UA777222]

19 here and just got my MCS 3 weeks ago.

When you purchase a car, it's not just a "I want it, so let's get it" sort of transaction. You find the right car, figure out financing, and hope that the joy you get out of it proves to be worth more than the monthly sacrifice you're making for it.

In the months that I decided that it was the car that I wanted to save for, I set the price I was willing to pay, and started saving. After negotiations, my MCS came to $27,000.00 before taxes, a little under what I had saved/planned for. I booked tickets to Southern California (afforded due to the amount saved on the final price), made a day trip out of it, and drove the car home. Since then I have driven the car as normal and gotten nothing but 100% joy out of it.

This afternoon, I spent over an hour just giving it a basic cleaning. When I was done, I took the car for a drive for about an hour. When I got back and cleaned up, I couldn't help but think how that one hour of driving alone was worth the sacrafices in montly my finances and extra hours at work.

My point is this: clearly, regardless of if the parts were free or not, you need to rearrange yourself to be able to assume responsibility for this vehicle. Regardless of who has the ability to pay for the car or not, it is your car. Through my months of savings, I set myself for the down payment + 3 months of payments. I understand that the employment situation in America is bad but you need to be prepared for that.

Call the finance company, explain the situation, and see what they'll do for you. At worst, you'll be without the car but will still pay for it for a month or two. If they won't work with you on the payments and release the car to you, try to have them stop the billing for the storage for the car while you work off your balance and then have them work something out for future payments. Pay for the balance (they don't neccessarly repossess a car when you miss one payment), get the car back, and take care of it.

Word of caution: don't go to the finance company as the victim. Approach them with a mature attitude, assume responsiblity for the delayed payments, and committ yourself to the repayment. DO NOT let them sell the car, you will be sent to collections for the difference between the account balance and the final sale price. You're going to be looking at another $4,000-$10,000.00, which they'll want up front from you or whomever is on the title.

I feel for you, I turly do, but you can't have your cake and eat it too.

Good luck.

[ricbow]

time to grow up. you need realistic, more important things in life. things are things they come and go.

[misslindsey]

Good on your parents for letting it get repossesed. Why should they throw money down that black hole?

The worst thing that could happen to a MINI owner wouldn't even involve my car. Be thankful that you're only 18 and have a chance to learn (the hard way) how to manage your finances more responsibly. Many of us live in neighborhoods full of empty houses that are evidence of people who learned the really hard way not to buy things they couldn't afford.

There may be a way that you can get your car back but it's probably too late. You surely had plenty of warning and ignored it (or did nothing more than whine that your dad wouldn't give you money). You're still on the hook for everything you owe though, so you should keep trying, because it'd be better to have what you're paying for.

[minihune]

Sorry to hear about your situation.

Solution-

Find and marry a rich girl.

Problem-

Besides being behind on car payments,
what other significant debt do you have- loans or credit cards?

I like the idea of having 3 months finances in reserve to tap in case of unforeseen emergency or circumstances. Unfortunately it's not easy to make sure that gets done when you have other things to do/finance.

You CAN find a job. Put your energy into it.

[norwichbyrd]

i'm a merchant marine and i spent 8 months in the persian gulf and the gulf of aden/somalia refueling warships 7 days a week to pay for my mini and it is worth every damn minute i spent in those waters!

[#20Works4me]

Originally Posted by Mini for life!

my mini has has been repossesed. ....

pretty short life!

"worst thing that can ever happen to a mini owner"

If you were truely an owner it wouldn't have been repo'd in the first place.

Good for your parents for not taking the easy way and bailing you out financially. I'm sure most of us have been in similar situations around that age. Sometimes the best lessons learned are the hard way so sympathy isn't really what you need here. YOU can fix this! You know what YOU need to do so......DO IT and take pride in that.

[ricbow]

did your dad co sign for the mini ?

[ChipG]

Seems this post shows what's wrong with this whole country. "I bought something I can't afford, I can't get a job and nobody wants to help me" There is work out there and you CAN get a job. If you lived near me I'd put you to work tomorrow, but it is WORK. Something I'm sure you have no interest in

[Pinky Demon]

This sounds more like a case of stupidity and poor money management than anything else. The person I feel most sorry for in this situation is your Dad. Now his credit has to take a hit because of your immaturity. Stop sitting around and whining about life on this message board and get a job. Maybe, if you would have thought about that in the first place, you wouldn't have had to start this thread.

[pilotart]

"^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^"
not only will dad's credit rating take a hit, he will have to pay the difference between the auction sale price and the amount of the loan plus penalties.

[Tron Chief]

I wanted to pay off my new 08 MCS prior to getting out of the Navy after 30 years. With only 4 years left to go I ended up making a payment of over 700 per month. Make sure your credit is good and you have a secure job before you take on a obligation like that. I also sold my first one to my daughter which I did co-sign on when she joined the USCG rather then just give it to her. She takes pride and ownership in it.

[wandrur]

Originally Posted by Mini for life!

trust me im here cuz i hav no car to go out and look for work in. and the area i live in is practically OUT of work for any one. all they want is more older experienced people.

So get a bicycle. Walk. Jog. Take public transportation. There are many options out there. If you haven't considered or tried them, then you're not trying too hard. I suggest trying harder to get that car back if it's so important to you, then get your financial **** **** in a pile.

Good luck.

[PatM]

Seems the OP has disappeared. I think this thread is dead.

Pat