Finally yesterday someone turned up with a car for me to look at - bigger than mine, only 20 years old (??!!) but claiming to be an import direct from Europe, which means better shape than cars that have spent years on the harsh roads and in the harsh climate here. I'm looking for solid cars with good road clearance (to go into all the holes that make up 60% of the roads here), factory aircon that could stand up to the heat without failing due to inappropriate installation, and diesel to cut down costs. He wanted 3.75 million CFA for it ($A10 000), about $700 more than I had said I could afford (would take all my inheritance, and for that price needs to be on the road, all customs and government papers paid, in good nick), didn't even seem a smooth ride and looked like its front end had been smashed in and redone. And then our business agent said it wasn't factory aircon, he doubted that it was a European import (4 tyres different brands, papers suspiciously absent, didn't 'smell' like a European car, dusty interior looked suspiciously like inground local dust) and it was too expensive. The seller was all "you can't get these anymore, better get it today, I have another buyer interested" which made me even less interested.
He brought another today, clearly from the port, and only in the country a few days, cleaner inside, theoretically with factory aircon (though lack of an Aircon button inside made our office doubtful), cleaner, much smoother ride. This time for 4 million ($1333 more than I have) "plus just a tiny profit" (probably another $666 so $2000 more than I have). Again 20 years old, but in better shape. He offered to sell my other car for me (at much less than what I hoped to get) so I could buy this one at the higher price 'which would give me another 10 years' - and when do the mechanical problems start??? Again, 'I need to grab it since it could be gone tomorrow' and 'you can't find cars like these nowadays'. I told him I never made snap decisions (especially where $10 000 is involved) and to feel completely free to sell it if someone else had the money.
While looking at it another local car agent was near the office, and asked again if I'd like the small car another expat is selling, after having used a few months. Later the expat rang me and said he'd reduced it (to my budgeted price) but they were getting rid of it since they needed something better for the roads - exactly my problem. I politely declined.
Unfortunately, the money I had budgeted (all that I received, i.e. this inheritance) doesn't seem to translate into much in the local car market. The secondhand small 4WDs like Rav4 are twice as much ($20 000), and 10 year old sedans seem to be about half as much again, unless for brands that are known to deteriorate quickly or be difficult to repair here.
Being called out to look at cars when I should be marking papers or preparing Bible studies is also getting to be stressful, since my schedule was already tight, as is the pressure starting to come from all these directions to buy their car (and quickly). The guy across the road from the mission, my mechanic's contact, even someone visiting SIM while the car was there, and my landlord. I'd rather just call a halt until I have time to think through everything without the urgencies of my other duties. But, as my mechanic said, I shouldn't really keep putting money into repairing my old one but replace it as soon as possible with something that won't need repairing for some time. Last week it was $150 for parts alone and it has been amounts around that each week now for a month ... Luckily the mechanic is working off a loan I'd already given him, or labour would increase the costs.
