New device on cars - make the payment or it shuts down!
By coffeebreak
@coffeebreak (17797)
United States
March 31, 2008 5:32pm CST
When the light starts to flash, you had better have the cash!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/20080331/tc_usatoday/hightechgeardisablescarifborrowermissespayment
Used cars now have this device, that if you dont make the payment, it automatically shuts down, until you do! And makes it easier for them to be repo'd and hit your credit faster!
Scary. but I can see it could be necessary with all the credit and income problems going on.
1 person likes this
5 responses
@deannatroupe (172)
• United States
1 Apr 08
That is absolutely unreal and insensitive. I would walk right away from such a car dealership. Just because a person had credit problems in the past doesn't mean they should be harassed.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
1 Apr 08
Although I think it is available for a car dealer, I think that most that use it are independent used car places.
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
1 Apr 08
Thing is, now that it is "out there". make sure if you buy from one of these used car dealers, you ask if the car has this device on it and then you can decide if you want to buy the car or not.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
2 Apr 08
This the best thing a tow truck driver could wish for.But I can see all these abandoned cars stalled everywhere. Motorists having to swerve so they don't hit the cars.Or there will be cars double parked in parking lots. Or even worse there will be a big rush to get the cars before the thieves get them.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
2 Apr 08
Well that article didn't give all the details, but I'd surely at least hope it'd be something like it'd be shut off a minute after midnight of the day after it is due and not just ramdomly during the day. Then again, it'd almost have to be something like that as one has until midnight of the day it is due to pay, so they couldn't just shut it off during that day. But since it has been going on for some years now, I am sure there is accomodation for that issue.
1 person likes this
@vinaykiran28 (5149)
• India
1 Apr 08
Its really crazy. I amagine you are in the middle of the traffic and your cut off times comes in the road because of your busy shedules...
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
1 Apr 08
Well, let's hope they do it at like 1 minute after midnight of the day it is due so you can't leave the house or most likely aren't driving when it happens!
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
1 Apr 08
It sure is scary but as you say, I can also see it's usefulness.
Of course it would be better if what was fixed was the social and economical problems that lead to so many people skip payments, but it certainly makes sense since things are always geared towards the easier solution.
ON the other hand, if a car shuts down leaving the person unable to go to work, the ones waiting for the payments will also have to wait longer or might never see their money. Everything has two sides to it:)
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
1 Apr 08
Yeah, there's always two sides to every coin. Can't go to work cause the car won't start, means short pay and possibly fired, but at the same time, I can see their point. I think maybe they should have done it a day's notice. Like the day before it is due, the beeper goes off to remind you "payment due tomorrow", the if not received or a phone call or some contact with them, then shut the car off.
@kbourgerie (8780)
• United States
1 Apr 08
Hmmmm.....I'm not really sure how I feel about it. Even though it makes sense for the credit companies, I would hate for some kind of emergency to arise where I couldn't pay on time one month and then suddenly be shut out of my car. Life does happen after all.
1 person likes this
@coffeebreak (17797)
• United States
1 Apr 08
It can go both ways. I'd like to believe that people don't purposely just not make the payment on time, but maybe there are some out there. But this has been being used since 1999 so it is not new. Maybe it actually helps people remember to make the payment- that little bit of fear is enugh to motivate them to be responsible!
