Found On Road Dead

The Ford Mustang was a mere six years old but it was falling apart in more ways than one.

I should have seen the signs in the first few months, I think it was a cold April when I arrived at the Ford dealership for an oil change, slammed the car door and it broke.

I think before I detail the small dramas in 1994 of my trips to Menasco, Oakville in the thing, I should highlight (again) that previous financial stupidity of mine, an oversight that should never have happened and a very good lesson in life regarding the need to pay attention to details.

Rewind to January 1988.

I had choked at the salesman quoting 48 months at $297 and he "worked his magic" so that the monthly payment was $272, but in the excitement of expectation of that new car smell, I had overlooked that he had not done that by changing the interest rate, he had merely changed the term to 60 months.

In a flash, I was unaware that I would pay an extra $2064 in total, but I was certainly pleased that I was paying $25 less per month...

I would not really come to the realization of monthly payments 49 thru 60 until the January of 1992 and before that I had boasted to my workmates that I was about to pay off the car, then eat humble pie a month or so later when an envelope arrived with the extra 12 months popped through my letterbox.

So much for me being a financial genius...

Fast forward to June 1994.

The Ford Mustang, with around 147000 kilometres on the clock, sat dejectedly on the side of the 401 highway on my way home from Menasco, the engine silent from fuel starvation, the fuel pump dead and gone.

It was almost time to see the signs...