Chapter 16 Ashamed to Be Driving the Same Brand

Having boasted really loudly but being unable to afford the car was simply embarrassing, but Zack, who was a master of such scenarios, was not at all fazed by an awkward accident like this.

“There’s no hurry. One can’t just look at the honor of buying a car. There’s a vibe too. I’ve got to pick one that matches my vibe.”

As he tried to pave his way out of the embarrassment, he walked around and browsed through the other cars. Looking at the price tags placed atop the cars, Zack was distraught when he saw none cost less than hundred thousands of dollars. However, refusing to show his distress, he shook his head at the GLS with his fingers clasping his chin.

“Nah, I don’t like the 9AT gearbox.”

When Zack came to the G500, he put on a deep frown. “What the heck is this? Its corners are so angular that it looks like a coffin. What a bad omen…”

The man did not even stop in his tracks when he passed the performance line of the brand, the AMG GLE-class. “I don’t like coupes. Horrible combination. The engineers must have lost their mind when they were designing this trash…”

Whatever car it was, as long as the price went over several hundred thousand dollars—whether it was the retail price or the out the door (OTD) price, Zack would find reasons to dislike it. And of course, none of the reasons had anything to do with the cost of the cars. He tried to make it sound as though he was rich enough to afford them, and that he just did not like them.

As he picked and complained, he finally came to an area of the showroom that had models within his budget of not more than several hundred thousand dollars OTD.

“This is it! These match my vibe and status with their lofty and exquisite looks. Its luxury is low-profile and muted. What a gorgeous car…it’s like they were designed specifically for me. The designer knows exactly what I was looking for. Brilliant!”

The saleslady felt that this man was absolutely despicable and wanted to put on a grimace, but out of her professionalism, she had to plaster on a warm smile.

“Sir, this is an AMG GLC-class. the 3.0T costs 101 thousand dollars, the 4.0T costs 152 thousand dollars…”

The saleslady droned on about the car but Zack was not listening to her and was doing the calculations in his mind.

‘Buying the low spec would make me look cheap but the full spec…sales tax is about 10%, I’m guessing insurance goes up to around three thousand dollars, the registration fee is probably some 50 dollars…’

After some calculation, Zack concluded that he would need a little less than 173 thousand dollars for the car. That’s fine, he had that amount. He had 15 thousand dollars extra from noon, so that would cover it.

Now assured, Zack began to bluster.

“Save your speech. I’m not petty with my purchases. I’ll buy it if I like it and I’ll buy the best available! I’ll take the 4.0T. As for discounts and whatnot, do as you please. I won’t ask about it, just get it done for me.”

With a confident wave of a hand, Zack sent the saleslady to get the contract.

He kept his hands clasped behind his back as he strolled to where Javier was and preened at the latter. The saleslady who was serving Javier greeted him politely, “Sir, have you decided on the car you want?”

“Of course. A full spec AMG at over a hundred thousand dollars, OTD. I liked it so I bought it. Such a small sum doesn’t matter to me!”

Zack then continued to tell the saleslady, “But I feel bad for you. If you’d served me, you’d be counting your commission in glee already. You didn’t, though. You’re serving him. He’s so poor that his wife ran off with someone else and he’s here looking at Mercedes?

“I’m just putting this out there for you. The man his wife ran off with? He was crying and begging me to give him a job just this afternoon!”

The corner of Javier’s lips twitched. He had not wanted to bother with the guy but he couldn’t hold himself back anymore.

“Man, just admit that you don’t have the money. Why are you making up so many excuses? Did you hear yourself just now? How embarrassing did you sound when you talked about vibe and status? And as if you know so much about cars… You said you don’t like the 9AT gearbox, but don’t you know that the car you picked has the same exact transmission spec, a 9AT gearbox?

“And to boast here about buying a full spec AMG…AMG my *ss! It’s only a GLC-class and you’re crowing about it?

“When you pranced around the showroom earlier, you must have been thinking which model would cost less than several hundred thousand dollars at OTD price, huh? What? Don’t have enough money for it?”

Javier’s retorts were snarky and were aimed right at Zack’s sore spots. It flustered the latter and the man glared back at Javier.

“Bullsh*t! Since when do I not have enough money? Money’s all I have! It’s just a stupid car. How much would it cost me? It’s like a drop in the ocean for me!

“Do you think everyone here’s like you? Spending so much time here just to find some stupid A-Class that’s over 30 thousand dollars? Good job!

“I’m not even trying to make fun of you at this point. You can’t even afford an A-Class. You best put your hands together and pray. Oh, dear lord, please. Let me make a big fortune so that I can afford a Mercedes in the future. I don’t even mind if it’s an A-Class!”

Not only was Zack putting on a high-pitched whine as said those last words, he even put his hands together as if in prayer to drive home his mockery of Javier, as if he wouldn’t relent until he made sure he had quashed Javier completely.

Before he continued with his taunts, the saleslady that had been serving him came back with his car sales agreement.

“What a waste of my effort talking to you. Scum! I’m not bragging but you won’t be able to afford my car your entire life!

“And you’re still checking out the A-Class. If you actually get around to buying it, it’d be a humiliation to my car. I’m ashamed to be driving the same brand as you!”

After another round of tirade, Zack went off to sign and pay in glee.

Javier scoffed. He actually had no intention of buying the A180L, he just found the new sedan pretty nice looking. The saleslady attending to him spoke up, “Don’t mind him, sir. Some people are just like that.”

Javier paused and turned to glance at the saleslady. She wore a kind smile that could warm anybody’s heart. He felt she was rather decent. Since he had already taken a look at the cars he wanted, Javier decided to buy a car and let the lady earn her commission, figuring that a kind person should be repaid for her kind deed.

“I saw that you have a special edition G63 in your inner foyer just now?”

The saleslady nodded. “We do. It had just arrived in the showroom. It’s a display unit for an auto show which is in two days from now.”

Nodding in comprehension, Javier continued asking, “Can it be bought?”

The saleslady answered with a chuckle, “Who knows? It’s over 300 hundred thousand dollars. It’s hard to tell if anyone could buy it.”

What Javier meant was that if the car was for sale but the saleslady’s reply had indirectly answered him. Hence, he pulled out his Messer card and passed it to her.

“There’s no password. You can just swipe it. I’d like to drive off with it today.”

The saleslady was astonished. She thought that Javier was joking but his serious look did not look like he was at all. Skeptically, she went to the payment counter with the metal bank card.

A while later, Zack came out holding an envelope and his car key looking smug.

“Ah, I’m only buying a car. Look at you guys insisting to throw me some sort of celebration ceremony. Hah…it’s just a car over a hundred thousand dollars. It’s not worth that sort of formality. What an exaggeration! I don’t even care for that amount of money!

“It’s not even money. It’s just a drop of water, a drop of water in the ocean. Hah, that’s how rich I am!”

Javier watched Zack blow his own trumpet and could not even bring himself to scoff at the latter.

A few minutes later, the staff at the dealership was done with preparing the small ceremony, had put out the red carpet, and had driven the new car over. There was another one of them holding a big ribbon to put on the car.

Zack threw a victorious glance at Javier. “Scum, you want to drop the act now? Come on, buy a car. Come stand next to me too!”

While he gloated, the manager of the dealership came out to instruct the staff farther away. “Hey guys, come here. Put that pause on the ceremony. Put out another red carpet. We’re ringing the bell twice today!”