During my rural ministry years, I found it more economical to lease than to buy a car.  The dealership I leased from gave us 20,000 miles for a year, which worked out well for me.

One time, I leased a new Pontiac Grand Prix . Four weeks into my lease, the alternator died as I was on my way to make a hospital call. A few weeks later, one of the sensors went out. There were little issues and big issues with the car. Warning lights flashed. I kept returning to the dealership for fixes. I’d had the car about four months when I was shopping in a town about 25 miles from home. After a couple of stops, I got in the car and it wouldn’t start. AAA came out and tired to get it going, but they couldn’t.  I had the car towed to a dealership in that town.  Their technician concluded, I had  yet another bad sensor. It would take a few days to get the part.  Fortunately, with teen drivers in the house, I did have an older car to lean on.

The Pontiac was finally ready, so I and my family went to claim it. We split up with my son driving the lease car and me following him.  Halfway home, the Pontiac died on the road. The only positive thing was that it was close to a scenic site with a parking lot we could push it into. (Years later, this son refuses to consider any GM products. His memory of a car losing power in the middle of the road haunts him.) My original dealership, drove the thirty miles or so to claim it and fix it. Two new sensors later, the car was running reasonably well, with only a few minor problems. Turning it in at 20,000 miles, I was relieved and grateful to be done with it.

Imagine my surprise a few weeks later. A man called to ask me about the car. He was considering buying it and wanted to know how it ran. He’d gotten my name from the salesman, as a person who could recommend it.

What on earth were they thinking!!!  How could I not warn him about the lemon car he was thinking of buying?   I hope he found a better car. One without so many lemons built into it.

“Those who state the truth speak justly,
but a false witness deceives.” Proverbs 12:17