the worst car-buying experience ever.

Are you in the market for a different car?

Allow me to steer you as FAR AWAY AS POSSIBLE from Motor Inn in Spirit Lake, Iowa.

It was fall 2017, and it was time for me to get a different car. I had been driving my beloved six-speed manual Ford Fusion for years, but four years of commuting from Luverne to Sioux Falls and back every day were starting to wear on my poor sedan. Plus, it was time for me to obtain something with all-wheel drive. I’d had enough near-misses on icy roads for my liking, and winter was coming.

James LOVES to hunt for cars. I told him what I wanted – an SUV crossover-thing at a reasonable price with reasonable mileage with all-wheel drive in a fun color – and he was off. Within minutes, he had two "midnight blue" Ford Escapes for me: one in Worthington and one in Spirit Lake.

This is what mine looks like, except mine is now covered in liberal stickers and bug guts.

I don’t remember the real differences between the two, but the one in Spirit Lake had remote start. Living in the tundra, I had been lusting after a remote start vehicle for as long as I knew what remote start was. Could this be my big chance? Was I really fancy enough to deserve something like that?

The Spirit Lake car was more expensive than the Worthington car, but it was the “titanium” package. That meant heated seats… and some other stuff (it obviously meant more to James than it did to me). We decided to go and look at it – no harm in looking, right?

So James called the Motor Inn and made us an appointment to take a look at this car. When we arrived, the salesman popped out and greeted James… and only James. James and I both noticed, and James pointedly said, “This is CALLA – SHE’S the one buying the car,” but to no avail. I was invisible. No matter how many questions I asked and no matter how many times James said that I was buying the car, not him, the salesman continued to direct all conversation toward James. Because women obviously can’t buy cars.

Despite this douchbaggery, I really did like the car. The price was right, and it had everything I wanted. The temptation to walk away was strong, but the temptation to buy this car and be done with it all before winter was stronger.

We asked for the Car Fax. Everything was fine. We did a test drive. We were reassured the car had belonged to a non-smoker, even though there were several pine-tree air fresheners hanging here and there. I even haggled the price down – the salesman HAD to talk to me then.

Now, what about the trade-in on my Fusion?

My beautiful, beloved Ford Fusion.

Now, I knew it wasn’t going to be worth a lot. It was no-frills, and it was a manual transmission (which, it seemed, nobody but me was really interested in). It had also sustained some pretty rough hail damage from a massive storm a few years back.

What I didn’t except was to be met with a contemptuous sneer and told that they were being generous by offering me $1000 for it, since they would be more or less scrapping it.

OH MY GOD NO YOU WILL NOT SCRAP MY CAR.

I was still going to take the Escape home, but it turns out I was just going to take my Fusion back with me. (The Fusion ultimately ended up going to my dad and is now living happily as a well-loved farm car, but that's a different story.)

We did one last inspection on the Escape, were re-reassured it had just gone through a full check-up and interior detailing, scoured the Car Fax one more time, and then signed the papers. I felt as though I had done my due diligence. I totally hated everyone at Motor Inn, but I had done my best and had come away with a decent car.

Minutes after leaving the lot in my new-to-me car, the check engine light came on.

I called James, who was in the Fusion. He called Motor Inn. They said, “Tough shit. You signed the papers.”

This is decidedly NOT COOL.

If the check engine light comes on less than twenty minutes after I drive the car off the lot, it sure seems like that is something the car dealer should take care of.

The hour-plus drive home uncovered oddities. The pine tree scent was overwhelming, even though I had initially only seen two in the car. I also found myself sticking to everything – the dashboard, the visor, EVERYTHING. Where had this shit been on the test drive?

Upon arriving home, James and I wiped down the car – it was like a can of Coke had exploded and been left to congeal. We threw away the two pine tree fresheners and left the windows open all night, but the smell was still overpowering the next day. We lifted up the floormats… and found pine trees hidden there. Pine tree air fresheners were secreted away in every nook and cranny of that car, but in such a way that a cursory once-over wouldn’t reveal their presence. All said and done, we found more than 30 air fresheners hidden in that car.

And then – we figured out why.

(No, there was not a dead body hidden in there, though I was convinced.)

When the air fresheners were gone, the entire car smelled like gasoline. James looked it up, and it’s a piece of plastic melting on the undercarriage and causing the smell. However, when we called Motor Inn – AGAIN – they claimed not to know a thing about the 30 air fresheners. This time, they did GENEROUSLY (imagine me rolling my eyes right here) offer to deep clean the car at a discount if we brought it in that day.

We were both working and therefore couldn’t bring the car.

Even if we could have brought the car in, the cleaning should have been free.

And they still refused to look at the check engine light.

The car turned out fine in the end. It’s 2021, and I’m still driving it. It’s caused me no major problems, except it still smells like gasoline once in a while.

I really, truly thought I did everything right. I negotiated the price down and was prepared to walk away if I didn’t get the price I wanted. I asked the right questions – what I couldn’t prepare for were straight up-lies. Here’s the glaring error:

If the used car salesman will only talk to your husband and NOT to you, get out of there right now.

And stay as far away from Motor Inn as humanly possible.

I was so upset that I scraped off the foam sticker that said "Motor Inn of Spirit Lake" on the back of the car. I'd rather have that weird foamy residue (that won't even budge with Goo-Gone) than advertise for that place.

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

ten outfits under $35, part XIX

Fun fact: my cheap outfit blog posts come together a lot faster in the summer when James is around to take my picture!

This set of outfit photos is a healthy mix of thrifted pieces, small business items, and things I got on clearance. A true reflection of my closet, if you will.

(As always, here are links to the older outfits!)

$40 or less
$30 or less
under $35, part I
under $35, part II
under $35, part III
under $35, part IV
under $35, part V
under $35, part VI 
under $35, part VII
under $35, part VIII
under $35, part IX

under $35, part X  
under $35, part XI 

under $35, part XII 
under $35, part XIII
under $35, part XIV

under $35, part XV 

under $35, part XVI

under $35, part XVII 

under $35, part XVIII

dress – Svaha – $32.49 (50% off sale)

shoes – DSW – FREE! (was $80, had coupons/discounts)

badass bracelet – Etsy – about $2 to make

TOTAL: $34.49

Svaha is a super cool site that sells nerdy clothes. They're all math, science, and literature-inspired - and EVERY dress has pockets. They start off awfully expensive, but they have some amazing sales around Christmas. So find the dress you want and just bide your time until then. My bracelet is a Morse code bracelet that I made - it spells out "badass." Secret swearing.

dress – Love Olive Co – $34.50 (clearance)

boots – TOMS – FREE! (post office lost)

TOTAL: $34.50

I am really into statement sleeves, so I was very excited when this dress finally went on clearance. (It was something like $80 originally, and you know there's no way I'm paying that much.)

top – Target via Poshmark – $5

blazer – thredUP – $8.99

jeans – Levis via thredUP – $13.99 ($10 off)

shoes – DSW – FREE! (buy one pair of sandals, get another free)

earrings – Etsy – about $6 for supplies

TOTAL: $33.98

Yes, I am very much still going strong on thredUP and Poshmark. I had been hunting for a yellow blazer for some time, but I could never find the right cut/shade of yellow/price (most importantly). Until thredUP saved the day. Less than $9 is exactly what I'm talking about.

jumpsuit – Modcloth via Poshmark – $14.18 (made offer & used credit)

shoes – Maurices – $17 (buy one get one 50% off)

hardanger collar – gift from Mom/Grandma

TOTAL: $31.18

First of all, this jumpsuit is one of my favourites. I had been eyeing it when it was originally for sale on Modcloth, but I think it was originally priced at something like $85. When it did finally go on Modcloth super-clearance, my size was sold out. But I found it on Poshmark a few months later and got it for even less than the Modcloth clearance price. And it still had its tags on. My collar is hardanger, which is Norwegian embroidery. My grandma Lorraine made it (how cool is that?!), and wearing it makes me feel like a Scandinavian Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

dress – World Market – $22.49 (clearance)

boots – TOMS – FREE! (post office lost)

earrings – Etsy – about $7 for supplies

cat - adopted!

TOTAL: $29.49

I'll be honest: the main reason I shop at World Market is for their amazing booze selection. Once in a while, though, I'll look past the alcohol and find some amazing and affordable treasures, like this dress. The cat in this photo is named Ned, and he was adopted (along with his sister, Mabel) from a farm. They were the runts who weren't going to make it, and now they live a life of luxury as spoiled house cats. Adopted pets go with every outfit.

jumper – Prairie Mermaid – $15.30 (clearance + $15% off)

sweater – Old Navy via thredUP – $16.99

shoes – Anthropologie via Poshmark – FREE! (was $6, used credit)

TOTAL: $32.29

This jumper is a cold-weather staple in my wardrobe. It's this lovely black velvet, so it's nice and thick. I got it from the Prairie Mermaid, which is my amazing friend Angie's small business. She never steers me wrong!

shirt– Lucy Avenue – FREE! (buy one get one sale)

jeans – Levis via thredUP – $21.99

sandals – Amazon – $11.05 (super cheap + 5% discount)

necklace – Prairie Mermaid/Etsy – FREE! (Hype Girl/post office lost)

TOTAL: $33.04

Speaking of Angie and the Prairie Mermaid, I am one of her "hype girls." It's the most fun thing - I post on social media about her store, and she gives me store credit in exchange (but let's be clear; I would sing Angie's praises for free all day every day). I used store credit on the necklace I'm wearing, and I added a little charm I bought from Etsy. The charm has black Icelandic sand in it, and Iceland is so close to my heart. The post office lost the first necklace, so the kind seller on Etsy sent me another one. When the original necklace showed up three months later, she said to go ahead and keep it. 

dress – Svaha – $19.24

shoes – DSW – FREE! (buy one pair of sandals, get another free)

bracelet – Etsy – about $5 for supplies

TOTAL: $34.24

Here's another Svaha treasure! Much like Modcloth's stellar super clearance events, when the items on Svaha get really cheap, they're usually final sale. That was the case with this dress, but it fit like a charm, so it didn't matter. Plus - it's a Van Gogh dress. Like I'd ever return that.

blouse – One Loved Babe – $22.40 (20% more off sale price)

pants – Modcloth via Poshmark – FREE! (were $15, used credit)

shoes – Modcloth via Poshmark – FREE! (were $15, used credit)

bracelet – Etsy – about $10 for supplies

TOTAL: $32.40

When you sell something on Poshmark, Poshmark takes 20% right off the top. Your money then goes into your account where you can use it as credit on other purchases or cash it out. It's awfully handy to buy something on Poshmark and see what your total is zero dollars. Really makes you feel like a bargain champion.

jacket – Target via Poshmark – $9

skirt – Prairie Mermaid – $10.80 (moving sale)

shoes – Chelsea Crew via Poshmark – $14

TOTAL: $33.80

I first met Angie at the Prairie Mermaid when she had her shop in Brookings. She has since moved to Sioux Falls, and when she did, she had a massive moving sale. I scored this gorgeous skirt (and so so so many other things) then - so this is far from the last you'll see of my Prairie Mermaid wardrobe.

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That's it for volume #19 of my outfits under $35! You know I'll be back soon with more!