Stardate 18/8/2025
A short update and stuff

So my car, technically not my car as no monies have been exchanged, is still on the lot. Today is the 18th. This was the day that we were told that the car would be ready.

Operative word is told. Nothing in writing, just the good word of the salesman.

Last week, Monday if I recall, my wife got a call from the dealership asking if we still wanted the car… Um… Yeah.

Wednesday I asked her to call to ascertain whether they would be making the due date of the 18th.

What due date they asked? Quelle est la date d’échéance ?

The car will be ready in 10 to 15 days. By my reckoning, that is August 25th to August 29th. Peachy. Mind you she is off to Paris to visit our grandson and family for 10 days from August 23rd to August 33rd.
Meh…

Reasons for the delay: I will categorize by suspect, understand and supposed fact.

Fact: This is August in France. That’s fair. 1/2 of France is on vacation at any given time in August while the other half are also on vacation. Employees are lawfully required to take 5 weeks vacation (suck on that, ‘Muricans.)

Fact: You insure the car, not the driver.

Fact: You can’t drive off the lot without insurance.

Understood: There is a 3 month Warranty. In order to comply, the vehicle must have been updated to meet the requirements of a government mandated vehicle inspection and service items which are past due must be performed.

Fact: The inspection, called a controle technique (CT) is good for 6 months.

Suspect: They don’t do the CT until the car is sold so there isn’t a 6 month running fuse on a car they put on the lot. Fiscally sound.

Fact: They will also be replacing the timing chain, bringing the effective cost from 6990€ to closer to 6000€ and doing a lube and some other stuff.

Suspect: There is a bizarre tax on timeliness because it is woefully clear that we are not trump supporters, unlike the owner of the establishment that though he looks like a grain fed country boy does not in fact speak any English, and upon questioning, would earn an ICE sponsored vacation to the Everglades.

Fact: Payment is by cashiers check or bank transfer. Neither of which is an overnight affair. Cashier’s check… Go to the bank in person, order it, it is mailed to your home. Direct deposit from French bank has a delay, I believe it is a week…

So we are potentially looking at August 36th or even August 40th depending on when we are notified of the final price, assuming they hold to their end of the bargain…

That is the update on the car.