Using the Flea Market Rule to Replace a Vehicle

I thought it was time to follow up on the continuing saga of how the traffic accident and recent developments.

Although it has taken eleven days for the insurance adjusters to decide that my vehicle is a "total loss." I was also informed yesterday that they will only continue to pay for my rental vehicle for another seven days. That nearly put me off the deep end. I am expected to find and purchase a replacement vehicle, from a standing start, in seven days or less.

Thanks so much. It is like I always know what is out there and an ready to walk into a dealer and buy a vehicle--without thinking. Thank you for your consideration. I guess it takes time to find the right vehicle--even more so when the purchase was unplanned.

And the victims continue to be victimized.

I am going to have to take time off from work to get this done. It is not easy and we have some specific requirements for the replacement vehicle. We have also canceled our weekend plans to attend our High School Reunion--for which we have already purchased (at no small expense) tickets, in order to locate and purchase a vehicle.

I continue to be insulted by the incredibly low valuation placed upon my vehicle. When it is all said and done, I will likely spend many extra thousands replacing my vehicle with a different one. I have been out car shopping two nights in a row.

We just missed the vehicle of Chris's dreams last evening. It was sad, we saw it driving off for servicing just as we pulled onto the lot. We had known it was there from the internet and the salesman confirmed that it had just been sold! Chris was crushed--but I reminded her that the Flea Market rule applies!

What it the Flea Market Rule?

The Flea Market Rule was developed during a time in our lives when Chris and I used to frequent a lot of flea markets. Upon arriving at the market, we would walk around the market first to see what was available. Often we were tempted to make a purchase at one of the first tables--but we knew that prices or selection might be better somewhere else in the market. We forced ourselves not to buy and to complete the tour of the entire market before making a purchase. The rule is: If it is meant for us to have it, it will be there when we get back.

That rule works in so many places in our lives.

We do not need to make a snap purchase decision without surveying the landscape or the availability, first. Although it did hurt last evening to the the vehicle of Chris' dreams driving off the lot as we were arriving.

There are others out there, this was was not meant to be ours!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD