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Hi-Tech Repo Man

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the as-long-as-they-don't-get-my-PC dept.

jhaberman writes: "MSNBC has an amusing article. It is a ride-along with a Silicon Valley repo man. You know, those guys who swipe cars from people who can't pay. He is taking cars right out of all the big players (Apple, Intel, Cisco, Sun) parking lots! Needless to say, he has quite a bit of work right now. Hilarious."

9 of 241 comments (clear)

  1. So... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5

    Has he taken the Andover Slashdot cruiser yet?

    1. Re:So... by sagacious_gnostic · · Score: 5

      I don't think he'd dare... even a repoman would not be seen driving that thing.

  2. Used vs. new by Eric+Green · · Score: 5
    It all depends upon how long you want to keep your car. If you are going to keep your car for 10 years, it doesn't matter how much it depreciates once you drive it off the dealer's lot -- what matters is how well it holds up for that 10 years. The best way to have that happen is to buy it new and properly care for it for that entire time. That's what my family typically does. My Mom's 1988 Honda Civic station wagon was only recently retired, with 288,000 miles. Her 1995 Honda Civic 4 door (she sold the station wagon to my brother at that time) has over 120,000 miles on it right now, and she plans to hold on to it for another 5 years. She can do that because it was taken care of, and she doesn't have to worry about whether the previous owner ran it for 60,000 miles without an oil change, and ....

    The problem is that we here in America rarely take the long view. It's always "Buy something, hope it lasts a few years, buy something else to replace it." I grew up in a part of the country where keeping old cars running for a long time was a part of the way of life. For some reason we've lost that part of our culture in our "buy buy buy" consumer feeding frenzy.

    -E

    --
    Send mail here if you want to reach me.
  3. This is why I drive a 4 door 4 cylinder family car by backtick · · Score: 5

    I can afford it :-) Sure, I work for a 'dotcom', and we're doing pretty darned well, but I'm not stupid enough to go out and spend a lot of money I don't have. Heck, I'm about to take a honeymoon, and it's all paid for. Now, did that come from money from the 'dotcom' craze?

    No! I saved this money into a savings account and some stocks for YEARS, just for either a honeymoon or a serious vacation. Go figure, I have a lot of 'dotcom' friends the repo man will meet, while I have no bills I can't handle on much above minimum wage, and I've even gotten ahead on most of the payments on stuff I do have (car insurance, house insurance, etc) so if I DO have to get a new job, I'm not scrambling for cash.

    I have zero sympathy for 'dotcom' geniuses who dug themselves into a hole. Dad worked in a factory his whole life, and I learned what it means to have a backup plan for when it all goes to hell! Thanks dad!

  4. The last line was the best... by BadmanX · · Score: 5

    Lottery tickets in the glove boxes of expensive cars purchased by once-rich executives. I love it.

  5. Interesting slant on the article. by AMuse · · Score: 5

    While right now the tech industry is in a slump, and I'm lucky to be one of the techs who was intelligent enough to live within my means, I still have to resent the tone of the article.

    "Whenever another company announces layoffs, we get all excited". Straight from the article.

    Yes, it means you get more business, Mr. Repo man, but slow down for a second and realize that the 8,000 layoffs mean two things. 1) They mean that 50 workers who lived too lavishly will pay for it. 2) They mean that the other 7,950 workers who were just trying to get by in the most expensive place on this coast to live, are now probably apartment/home-less.

    The sickening read of this article basically states what a high kick this guy gets off the human misery that is a round of layoffs, just so he can make a few bucks.

    The article portrays the tech workers in a very bad light by focusing on the lavish, stupid guys. But frankly, when I read the article, it puts this repo guy in a FAR worse light.
    ------------------------------------------ --------

    1. Re:Interesting slant on the article. by Alatar · · Score: 5

      He's a *repo man*, for God's sake...he's not exactly in the pity business. Think for a second about what he does...he takes luxury cars away from people who have not made a payment in ages (it takes many rounds of letters back and forth before they send the repo man out). Look in the article..."million-dollar house and can't make a car payment". It's hard to feel sorry for such people, seeing as they made in a month what it takes the honest tradesman (which is what repo men are) to make in a whole year. A little payback is sweet, and besides, the less yuppie-driven SUVs on the road, the better.

  6. Repo Man leads to odd perks by Puff65535 · · Score: 5

    Funny, even before the dot bust one of the perks I got working for a chip maker in colorado springs is "repo man protection". &nbsp Seems some of the fab workers had/have credit trouble so about the only thing security actually does besides endangering all donut species is chase tow trucks out of the parking lots. &nbsp Since some of the good ones can get in and out faster than security can respond, and w/o leaving license plate images on the security cameras (so trespassing charges can't be filed) there is a special locked parking area for those that really don't want to take chances. &nbsp Sounds like this practice may become more common

  7. In related news... by nick_davison · · Score: 5
    In related news...

    Mr. Kevern is offering prizes to all dealerships to hand over the names and addresses of all Microsoft employees buying 'clean' cars (ones without payment protection plays).

    While Mr. Kervern does not believe all Microsoft employees intend to default on their repayments, he feels he has a right to be ready just in case.