Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-11-03
High Finance Charge
Skyrockets Payments
Continued From First Page

Continued From First Page
are like that" he said. Even
II they look all right on the
outside, you can't tell. A man
can ruin an engine in 20 min
utes-driving without oil. 1t
would cost more to repair one
Of these repossessed cars than
to buy one of our good cars.
Here, let me show you some
thing you'd like"
I was playing dumb, but ]
thought I could risk one ques-
ton.
Pointing again to the ad
where 1t said assume balance
due" ! asked. Doesn't this
mean on that Chevy, for in
stance, that the man had al
ready paid maybe $2.000?"
No. he said. 1t didn't meant
that at all.
"All repossessed cars" he
said with authority. ARE nc
good"
He tried to interest us in q
shiny blue 1859 Chevrolet
which, he said, was a bargain
at $1,895. ] admired the color
but didn't think could az
ford it.
We settled on a 1856 Mercury
for SLABS and he offered tc
drive us around In it. My COM
panion took the wheel and told
me later that the brakes were
so poor that the car halted
only after prolonged pressure
Complains Of Price
As we drove, I worried aloud
about paying for the car since
it was more expensive than
what I had come to see.
I'm not worried about the
terms" he assured us expan-
sively. I'VE can arrange those
That's no problem. All I'm in
terested in Is that you get the
car you want"
Before we completed our spin
around the block he said ]
could drive the car home in 10
or IS minutes. I told him that
would be nice.
When we returned to the lot
he Immediately ushered us into
an Office with a front and back
room, divided by a folding plas-
tic curtain.
He pulled out a data sheet
and started asking me questions
about my credit. I protested
that I didn't want him to write
anything down until I had
learned how much I had to pay,
This doesn't mean any
thing" he said. 1--WE do it all
the time. After I get this down
we can talk terms"
The credit picture I painted
for him didn't make me the
sort of risk a bank would rush
to finance. But it was good
enough for him. He went Oh
and 0Ot annther man.
We were now in the presence
of what is called in the trade
the "cloSe-out man."
I told him I wanted to find
out how much I would have to
pay a month.
Fills Out Forms
He Immediately started filling
out forms in a rapid scrawl
I protested that I wanted tc
know what it would cost me
before we went on. He said he
could explain easier when II
was on paper.
To forestall more questions
before he was ready, he kept
up a running stream Of chatter
Apparently the salesman hac
told him had pressed for Q
reposseSsed car.
THE kind of people who blu!
repossessed cars" he said
carry a tool box in their ca
with them and when the ca
stops. they just get out and fl
it. It's a hobby with them
They enjoy the sense of accom-
plishment. But you wouldn'
want that"
The loud sound of a woman
voice came from the next room
Through the partially CLOSED
doors, we could hear her: "I'l
60 back to the District Build
ing. You tell me one thing
then it's another. You're no
going to cheat me. I'm goinl
back and tell them at the Dis
trict Building"
The close-out man begar
tapping rapidly with his per
on the glass-topped desk to OBJ
scure the voices. When tina
didn't work, he got up anC
closed the curtain more firmly
When he had the papers
inished, he asked me about {
own payment.
WELL" said, "your ad say
l down. I have 1t with me.
r"Of course" he said, that
only where peoples credit Il
good. Now, I'm sure yours il
good, but can't you make
down payment? Don't yo'
have anything?"
$1OO in Bank
I pointed out that his az
said no payments until 1850
He brushed that aside. Unde
persistent questioning, I ad
mitted I had 500 in saving
account. He wanted to know
how soon I could bring it In
I told him I'd get 1t when tn
bank opened.
Now he was ready to show m
what he had written on tn
documents. He had filled on
a conditional sales agreemen
and a car order and bill Of sal
complete with his own sigma
ture and an K to show wher
was to sign.
He had written a cash pric
of SLABS and a down paymen
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