Car Quest - The Results - Upside Down

I recently wrote about the problems I was having with my car and my attempt to stay calm. This problem resolved itself two weeks ago but it is only now that I am ready to talk about it.

Part 1

I had an appointment to meet with the sales manager to discuss my options. Last November, I bought a Certified Pre-Owned car from a local dealer. During the first seven months my car need numerous, expensive repairs. My brother went to the meeting with me. When we arrived, we were told the sales manager left for the day. WHAT?!!! They called him on his cell phone and we were told that the salesperson X would take care of us. USELESS!!!! He tried to sell me a new Mazda 6.

My brother, who was fabulous throughout this whole process, asked the dealer to show us the service paperwork for the 130 point Pre-Certification. No one in the entire dealership was able to access this report. The salesperson explained that I was upside down. They offered $4000.00 less of a trade in that I owed on the car. They told me that I could just roll-over the difference on a new car loan. We then found out that this dealership has a reputation for sending out cars that they know will break after 30 days. Their BBB report shows 16 complaints in the past 3 years. I checked all the local dealerships and no one came close to the number of complaints this dealership had.

Part 2

We decided that we would check out another dealership. I was told that July was a great time to buy a car because there were many incentives. My brother and I went to another dealership. They were going to help me. They were going to get me in a new car TODAY! I told them that I was not going to rush into buying a new car because it did not work so well last time. They called me and emailed me twice a day. They offered me a deal but it was not good enough. My brother was the negotiator. He is the CFO of a construction company and deals with bids all day long. He went into the meeting prepared and knew exactly how much money the car was worth. The end result ... No Deal.

Part3

New strategy .... go back to dealership #1 and get them to fix the car they sold me at a reasonable price. My brother went to the service manager and still could not get the Pre-Certification report. The manager offered me a 10% discount. Seriously! They already charged me two $70.00 diagnostic fees to confirm what I already told them ... a broken window and a broken wheel hub. He tried to explain to them how valuable a gesture of goodwill would be for the dealership. It would be worth every penny of word of mouth advertising. The dealership did not care. I will never do business with them again. I am telling everyone about my bad experience.

Resolution:

I got my car fixed. My brother found me a different mechanic that fixed my car for $250.00 less than the dealership. My car is upside down. It is not worth what I paid for it or owe on it for that matter. I am stuck with it.

Post edited 08.15.08. The following links describe the tricks and scams car dealerships and salespeople use.

Top 10 Car Dealer Scams

Car Dealerships Tricks, Scams and Tactics

Focus on Basics

In the dojo, over the last two months, we were focused on black belt testing material. We worked hard on kata, weapons and bunkai. The kyu rank students had a brief opportunity to work on a more advanced curriculum. Now, it is back to basics. I love to teach basics ...strikes, blocks, movement and drills. Last week we spent thirty minutes on how to move in the first kata. A few years ago, I taught a class that included several teenage brown belts. After warm-ups, we would begin each class with moving drills. They would groan and I told them that they would thank me one day. They had a particularly rough black belt test but passed with no problem. One of the students came up to me after he received his belt and thanked me for the all the moving drills we did in class.

There were several students that attended the 2008 Annual Training. They returned to the dojo inspired and enthused. Several kyu rank students watched black belt testing for the first time. They saw for themselves the level of commitment required to do well. The instructors have explained the process many times but it was not until they saw the testing that they truly understood.

In August, I will focus on the basics but not just in the dojo. There is much work to do at home. I spent the better part of the weekend school shopping with my daughter. I am exhausted from shopping. I am lucky that she wears a uniform to school every day. I can not imagine taking her shopping for back to school clothes. I have enough trouble finding shoes and a backpack. It took us three trips to the mall to find the perfect backpack. This is the first year that she did not get a Disney Princess or Fairie backpack. We bought a backpack with wheels because of the amount of books she is required to bring home each day. She weighs 60 pounds and last year she was carrying 12-15 pounds of books. I actually put the backpack on the scale!

Enjoy the rest of the summer!

2008 Training Camp

I have been at a loss for words when trying to write about the 2008 Annual Training. It is not because there is nothing to say. It is because I could not find the words that would do it justice. There was something special about this years training. I felt it and I heard others remark on it. I tried to identify what made it special but I could not isolate the source. I soon realized that it was the combination of inspiring instructors, training, friends and accomplishments.

I am fortunate to belong to a Federation that promotes the sharing of information across styles. Hanshi and Kyoshi invite amazing guest instructors; Hanshi Miquel Iberra - Aki-Jujitsu, and Kyoshi William Hayes - Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo. I cannot say enough about these instructors. If you ever have a chance to attend their seminars…take the opportunity. There were many outstanding sessions focused on Okinawa Kenpo taught by Hanshi and Kyoshi Heilman. Several Federation Kyoshi ran excellent sessions on kobudo and bunkai.

I am proud, yet often feel unworthy, to be a member of the Renshi-Kai. This is a Federation advisory board of licensed instructors. The Renshi-Kai comprises the formal Yudansha Testing Board. It is a privilege to be part of the testing board. I see the testing candidate’s hard work, determination and perseverance. There were several triumphs this year at testing. One candidate was victorious over a serious illness and another demonstrated true warrior spirit.

There is a strong sense of camaraderie at the training seminars. I only see these martial artists a few times each year. Even though we do not see each other often, we fall into the natural rhythm of friendship. We are there for the same purpose…to learn… to share… to train. We are in the moment.

It was an amazing weekend.

ACL Reconstruction – Month 15 – Approaching Closure

It is time. I am ready to put this injury behind me.

It has been fifteen months since my ACL reconstruction surgery. When I began this journey, I had no idea how long recovery would take. I scoured articles and blogs to find information about others working through ACL recovery. Everyone is different due to graft choices, brace and PT protocols and the individual patient. There was an abundance of information about the surgery and the first six to nine months. I found very little written about what to expect after the standard six to nine month recovery period.

This weekend I will be attending a three-day training camp. I will not be wearing a knee brace. The brace will be in my karate bag hidden out of site. Someone told me that I should bring it to training for good luck. An ACL brace as a good luck charm … who knew? I have no intention of thinking about my knee. This is the hardest part because thoughts just creep in my brain. When I am tired, I catch myself ascending stairs one leg at a time. I do not do this intentionally and immediately stop when I realize that I am doing it. I will do my best to enjoy the weekend and train in the moment.

Most people find my site searching for knee related information (knee crunching, knee pain, ACL recovery, functional bracing etc.) At the base of the site, there is a disclaimer, which states that I am not dispensing medical advice. The initial purpose of this site was to document my experience with ACL surgery and recovery. The physical recovery has been over for months. My knee is healed with full ROM, no swelling or pain. The mental/emotional recovery took me fifteen months. I worry about re-injury but it is no longer a daily concern. In addition to karate, I go to the gym three times a week to keep my leg strong. I know that I am doing everything I can to keep my body strong and prevent injury.

To those going through ACL surgery and recovery, please remember it WILL get better. This injury will try your patience but with hard work and determination, you WILL get through it!

Grand Master Seikichi Odo, 10th Dan

I was recently informed (thank you) that there was a DVD available from Yamazato Productions featuring Grand Master Seikichi Odo. It is the complete system of Okinawa Kenpo Karate and Kobudo. If you study Okinawa Kenpo this video is a must have. Master Odo demonstrates all the open hand and weapon kata. It includes weapons kumite. The video was filmed in a dojo and outside on the grass. It appears to be taken from a personal video library. My amazon.com package arrived a few days ago and I could not wait to sit and watch. This video is a gem for anyone practicing Okinawa Kenpo.

I was fortunate to meet Master Odo in 1994. He travelled to the Honbu for a training seminar. What an amazing experience! I was a green belt and a bit overwhelmed. I never had a photo taken with him (kicking self). There was an outside demo that year and Master Odo accompanied the dojo. I remember that I demonstrated a tunfa kata. He told me that I did a good kata and when he left he called me a strong green belt. The next time he was at the Honbu, my husband was starting the dojo. We had a picnic at our house and Master Odo came. Master Odo, Grand Master of Okinawa Kenpo ... in my house! He approved of the house/dojo combination. Master Odo suggested that we train outside behind the dojo. He enjoyed the picnic and even helped at the grill.

I have two sets of Shodan (1996) certificates. One set was issued by my instructor and the Federation President. The second set is signed by Master Seikichi Odo, 10th Dan.

Obi - Under Construction

I mentioned in a previous post that I felt my obi was in a perfect state of wear – worn but not worn out. I commented that I never added the gold stripe to my belt. I recently decided to buy a new Renshi belt and keep my original belt stripe free. I have been so busy; I have yet to place an order.

My plans suddenly have changed.

Last Saturday, I went to the black belt workout at the Honbu. I was asked to stand up front and lead the group through Odo No Tekkos Ichi. At the end of the kata, my instructor came towards me. I thought that he wanted to inspect my weapon. My tekkos were hand made from ebony. He did not want to see the tekkos.

He wanted to see my belt.

My belt will soon be under construction. My instructor told me that he would mail me what I need. Therefore, I am expecting an envelope in the mail any day with the supplies I need to retrofit my obi. I will be adding a stripe and updating the Federation logo. I need to do this before the Federation training camp next weekend.

Did I mention I do not sew?

For those interested, I am including a link to Crane Mountain weapons. They specialize in custom traditional wooden martial arts weapons. I am fortunate to own a pair of steel kama and nunchaku made by Crane Mountain.

From Crisis Comes Opportunity

On Saturday, I went to the Honbu for a workout. I often mention Hanshi, my instructor and President of the Federation. Today, I want to talk about Kyoshi. Kyoshi is one of my instructors and Vice-President of the Federation. She is a pioneer for women in the martial arts and an excellent role model. I have been fortunate in my karate training to be taught by a strong female instructor. She promotes and encourages women in the arts. She wants women to succeed! She has blazed a trail and my path has been made easier because of her.

I was able to talk to Kyoshi for a few minutes before the workout. During our conversation, she asked about my knee. I told her that the injury/recovery was difficult but it has made me stronger. She smiled briefly and said, “from crisis comes opportunity”. This is a saying that I have heard her say many times before but it really stuck with me on Saturday. The claim is that the Chinese character for Crisis is composed of the characters for Danger and Opportunity. There is much debate on the translation as discussed by Victor H. Mair.

I have been thinking about the statement “from crisis comes opportunity”. It was the right time to be reminded that our approach to situations greatly determines the outcome. When I teach karate, I use the word opportunity often. If I am focusing on beginner material, I tell the green/brown belts to use the opportunity to refine their technique. When we practice self-defense and a student cannot get a technique to work, we look for other opportunities that would work for them. When examining bunkai, we examine how different opportunities present themselves when we vary partners, strikes or grabs.

Tonight, I am going to approach my meeting at the car dealership as an opportunity. My conversation with Kyoshi helped to put things in perspective.