I'M DUMPING MY TRUCK AT THE BANK-WESTLAKE FINANCIAL IN LOS ANGELES

[morongobill]

How about taking out a writing pad and list all the what if questions that occur to you?

Examples might be:
what if I just return the truck to the bank
how will I get around if I do
where would I stay
can I afford to live
FIll the pad up and sleep on it. Maybe some answers will come to you.

 

[SoulRaven]

23114[/ATTACH] Cammalu pid='441777' dateline='1553730166']Mario won’t that cost a ton to ship the vehicle to Hawaii?


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WARNING: THIS IS A LONG POST. IF YOU DON'T LIKE READING LONG POST HIT THE BUTTON WHERE IT SAYS "NEXT." 

Hi Cammalu, Its not going to Hawaii. I decided to dump the truck after all. Its just impossible to continue paying for this thing and pumping over 200 bucks of gas (and gas is going higher, again).

My insurance has already been notified, AAA is reimbursing my road side plan, and I have only paid a partial payment to the bank, 100 bucks.

I am technically homeless and will wait it out until I can save and buy a vehicle in cash and no payments and then see where I'm going to go. I am technically homeless in USA, I have no home, only an address for mail. The truck payment was not an issue, its the gas plus...

Shipping to Hawaii is $1025.00 (very doable) but once there, I return to the nightmare of gas, it really sucks a lot of gas and leaves me with nothing.

I'm going to simply wait and see what happens after I turn it in voluntarily. What are they going to do, go after my SSDI? How? I don't own land, cars, nothing except my music equipment and its all I have, all under $1000. I've been reading an enormous amount of legal info online thanks to (can't remember the name, but someone who posted a link through this thread-thank you). I truly believe I can get away from repaying and sent to collections because I have enough evidence to fight it and if not then the final solution would be bankruptcy but thats's if you can qualify for it also, I did not know of that side until now. Federal law says that you should have enough money left for living expenses. If you tally up my expenses for the the truck cost, plus living, its on the negative side and I can prove it.

After I return the truck, what do I have left? I'm technically 100% homeless and where do I run to for survival? Hotels, shelters, eat extensively at restaurants or build my shelter under some wooded area and light up a flame with a propane canister to cook and my solar panels to get power, or go to food lines, etc...etc...etc... You think a judge is going to demand me to pay back something under those living conditions? I'm not concerned much about survival, shelter, food, after the truck and whole procedure to collect the balance of the tuck. I actually feel some relief this whole month by not paying insurance, filling up with gas, or made a full payment to the truck. I've been amazed at how much food I've been able to afford and still have money left to go see a movie, and eating very good food also. I'm about to buy a surfboard, a mountain bike to get around, and I get a disabled bus/trolley/and the express lines with Coaster/Amtrack buss/MTA monthly pass for a month at only $38 bucks!

Eventually I'll buy another vehicle but it will be in cash, and under $2000 bucks but I have to wait it out a bit and see where the "SCUM" bank is going to do to me. PS, I've called the bank several times to negotiate and they are so nasty and cold when they talk to me that all they say is "we don't negotiate, refinance, or re do contracts, find another bank to help you" click!

There's a guy here where I'm temporarily staying who's got an RV with everything it and I'm going to see if he sells it to me and pay him in cash. It's a chevy Sprinter (have not see it inside or mlleage) but it runs he says. I could take that RV and pay $150 bucks a month at a beach front campground in Mexico and sit watching the sunset with a cold beer if that's what I have to do to survive, fine! And... and who knows, if the RV is in good conditions I may just go to the next RTR and meet you all, meet Bob and pull on his beard a little, and have enough to offer you all a cold beer! How do you like me now? By the way, just for another laugh.. I had my B day a few weeks ago and thought I was 50 going on 51 but it ended up I was 51. I look good for 52yrs old huh? Hahahaaa...

 

[Crazyoldgringo]

This hurts my ears just to read it.

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[highdesertranger]

Mario I took the liberty to break your post into several paragraphs so the it wasn't one long paragraph. makes it a little easier to read.

I didn't edit anything out but I was tempted with the scum bank line. did they force you to sign the loan agreement?

I do have a question if you can't afford to put gas in a 1/2 to pickup, how are you going to afford to put gas in a motorhome?

highdesertranger

 

[SoulRaven]

Mario I took the liberty to break your post into several paragraphs so the it wasn't one long paragraph.  makes it a little easier to read.

I didn't edit anything out but I was tempted with the scum bank line.  did they force you to sign the loan agreement?

I do have a question if you can't afford to put gas in a 1/2 to pickup,  how are you going to afford to put gas in a motorhome?

highdesertranger but yes, it was practically forced after much arguing with the seller and by then I was in another state. The RV is just a thought and it be paid out cash. No debts to any bank, no insurance, pay a parking fee at one of the few places I know, and moving it would be almost unknown. 

Thanks for the grammar edumacation. If I told you the whole story how I got into this loan agreement you'd understand.  But yes, it was practically forced after much arguing with the seller and by then I was in another state. The RV is just a thought and it be paid out cash. No debts to any bank, no insurance, pay a parking fee at one of the few places I know, and moving it would be almost unknown.  Point is, I'd have a roof over my head and a place to park and permanent if I wanted. This month, by not paying the full amount of my monthly payment and very minimal gas usage, dumping my auto insurance, I'm eating well, was able to buy me two nice pair of shoes (really nice leather ones too), 2 nice pair of shorts, and still have enough to eat the rest of the month well. How many people that I've seen living in really crapy RV's or vans in San Diego can say that? The same stress they have every day trying to find a place to park, fill up with gas, sit around a park all day long, watching for cops, and all the other stress that goes with it, for me, its gone! 

Most of the people I have seen living in their vehicles are faced with all these stressors. And unless you have a sht load of $$$$ and drive up and down, state to state, and travel well to get to point B then those are few. And also a lot of those who live in their vehicles are with psychiatric issues and some sort of limited income and/or either/or on drugs. California has an almost 1 dollar gas tax and we all don't even know it. Does anyone here know how many fees go into that gallon price? anyone? Now they are pushing for another gas tax hike. Who is going to afford to travel up and down state to state and have a smile on their face by huddling in some desert? Before I fell into my financial mess I had enough to cover rent one month in advance and had no financial issues. Now, I can't even catch up to that level by paying for this truck. I refuse to live check to check and go nowhere, be stressed out, or taken again to a 72hr hold at some looney bin hospital because I was living in my vehicle. 

And its all even harder to do if your all by yourself. I don't have friends. I don't have someone to call and say "hey man, I need to build this on my camper, can you help?" nor do I know or have met anyone who has ever said to me "hey, join us." Last person I got info from was from this group and after getting a conversation on the phone once I thought they where a possibly future friend but i seem to have hurt his ears complaining about my posts (no not you moderator). 

Anyhow... I'm glad everyone here is great and dandy and your all able to afford your fifth wheels, no one has financial issues living the good life riding their chariots, RV's, or whatever your riding on. Think I'll keep the beer to myself since I have no clue who is a friend or foe anymore online anymore. Funny though, I thought this forum section of cheaprvliving.com was for chit-chat and "off topic" subjects so...! I mean, Jesus,I have no one to talk to in my life and thought this site was helpful (mostly for my mental health) but some people just got to much up somewhere. Anyways, thats my report!

 

[Cammalu]

Mario, where were you staying on the beach in Mexico? I heard there are some nice free beaches also




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[SoulRaven]

Mario, where were you staying on the beach in Mexico?  I heard there are some nice free beaches also




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Hi Cammalu, I cannot disclose where I am at but due to the fact there is a private investigator on this forum I'm sure he can find me if he wishes to waste his time on me. I've been doing very well with my mental health but now that a comment was made by this person I thought I had a "possible" friend so I once again cannot trust anyone. You just never know what can happen when you talk about ones personal life. I came in here to get advice and direction from my the terrible mistake I made with this truck purchase but now feel a bit threatened so I no longer am free to speak freely. 

However, I will tell you that I have been to Mexico and then left. Yes, I have stayed in certain campgrounds, I could be in San Diego or on my way back to Colorado to leave the truck at the dealer! Or I could be driving to Los Angeles and leaving it at the bank's front door with a letter! I could be anywhere really. All the "PAST" campgrounds where not free but where very cheap. All where 150 a month and one was 200. I am aware of one that is free but they did not recommend I stay overnight unless I was with a group of friends but since Mario has no friends (besides my dog) he had to leave that beach once it got dark. Mexico has no free beaches really! You could go to some areas and then leave but most places want money. You really gotta watch your vehicle if your in Mexico, you really have to be right next to it or watching it from near buy. If not, then your going to get either your battery stolen or broken into. Rosarito is a sht hole, Tijuana is the same, Ensenada is a bit nicer and more free beaches but watch your vehicle. 

I did have many pleasurable times driving along the coast before getting to Ensenada and drove up and down (North to South) to find the entrances to these numerous beaches and campgrounds. There are many rentals hidden and if your able to find the entrances (you might have to go miles just to make a U Turn to find that spot) and if your not in a hurry you will find places and can negotiate. There are numerous fancy campgrounds that cater to the "gringo" who have big RV's, they give you the works... tennis courts, hookups, and if you got the money then...! If one looks decent and approaches the campgrounds without the fancy amenities, be respectful, friendly and humble and you could get lucky and pay very little. If I ever get me an RV or a used 4x4 pickup and pay in cash I would most likely go to one particular spot  and stay for as long as I can and save money to reconstruct myself and better my  life and other plans that require money. 

And if anyone has any desire to get together and find a cool place to stay a lengthy time and trust one another and watch each others back my ears are open to you (except for anyone who works as a private detectives "investigators" or anyone with that "law" mentality because just like a pit bull dog you never know when they will turn on you). 

Finally, the last place I was staying at was in San Diego at a parking lot for people who lived in their vehicles and it was a very nice place. There was another place in the ghetto area that welcomed RV's and bigger homes but I did not care for it as the "brothers" hanged out to much outside at night inside the parking and heard a few unfriendly things. 

Here is a picture of one of the campgrounds I stayed for under 200 a month a while ago.

 

[Cammalu]

I remember when you were staying in Mexico in your truck camper but it’s been some time ago. I keep wanting to go spend some time in the winter visiting Baja but as of yet haven’t made that leap.

I’m in Kentucky for the summer but hope to be able to get south of the border come winter time.

 

[SoulRaven]

I remember when you were staying in Mexico in your truck camper but it’s been some time ago.  I keep wanting to go spend some time in the winter visiting Baja but as of yet haven’t made that leap.

I’m in Kentucky for the summer but hope to be able to get south of the border come winter time.

Hi Cammalu, 

Yes, I was staying in a number of spots and all where great. I did venture off later and found others but some are so close to the main pay high way (they seem to be not charging anymore thanks to the new president) that you sometimes don't have time to view them because their entrances are so quick that that you can't just stop on the highway abruptly, you gotta go all the way back to make a U Turn and sometimes they are far and then go all the way back to find another U Turn. I know the cold from Colorado so yeah, I'd rather be South for Winters. You must be freezing in the winter there.

If you want more info that I will not disclose on here for personal safety reasons (distrust) I am happy to tell you. My email is [email protected] I don't know if you can private message here also but ever since you began to reply to me for anything you have been very kind and ignored my rants with a kind reply. 

Below is a pic of another campground I was at. I was happy during those times and began to realize how much gas that thing used and the income it was coming to support that began to worry me and also just got so burned out on driving so many miles. I don't recall how many times I drove from Colorado to San Diego and those tireless hours and hours of hum drum driving through mountains, depressing heat along Yuma, Nevada, and other places then driving up to BLM land in Colorado (was gorgeous though). The world is a lonely place when your on your own and I got tired of it. It was also a mental struggle because i am a musician and began to get antsy not being able to play my drums or organ. One really has to have enough money coming in to afford all those drives and with luck find a place to park for months but I frankly don't find a hot desert or an Indian reservation fun. I've got much to see and live than to sit at some Algodones desert. IF anything, I'd rather be in Hawaii and still considering it. Besides, I can't continue to learn how to surf in a desert, I need water and waves ya know.

I am going to move ahead in life after this truck mess I got myself into and very optimistic about it.  I can't say where I'm at here on this forum but can tell you that it's very nice and going on a very long mountain bike ride and capture the view of the ocean from a pretty high elevation and see the possibilities of... 

Mario

Mario.

 

[Cammalu]

Well you did look happy there but I understand about having a gas hog. Do you know what kind of vehicle you may want to get next or are you just going to do without for awhile?

I’m surprised you didn’t make any friends in Baja. If I remember correctly you are fluent in Spanish.

 

[SoulRaven]

Well you did look happy there but I understand about having a gas hog.  Do you know what kind of vehicle you may want to get next or are you just going to do without for awhile?  

I’m surprised you didn’t make any friends in Baja. If I remember correctly you are fluent in Spanish.

I do speak Spanish very well. I did meet people, brief acquaintances. Quite honestly, I have not met anyone whom I felt worthy of long term friendship and mainly due to not having much things in common, sensing distrust, drunks, addicts, I feel like a total failure at meeting girls or I'm just unattractive. I carry many reminders from many failures and basically renewing my life. lI knew a lot of people before. But my life began new about 5yrs ago and cannot go into details why and been wanting to write an autobiography if I can ever find peace and the right environment to write and be able to get up and feel freedom to release my musical abilities without distractions I'd be somewhere! 

Farther South into Mexico there have been a few opportunities to reach certain freedoms but its either been one issue or the other and just not hit that spark to say a hard concrete "yes" this is perfect! I can release lots of energy with my musical abilities and under the right circumstances but i'm so picky and now been finding making decisions hard to jump into something that could be a good opportunity. Again, most of that fear is due to years of failure and wrong decisions. I mean, look at the situation I'm in now with the truck! There's more to my life which I cannot get into and if I could find the trust in someone to talk about it they would know. 

Right now I'm looking at the logistics of putting a trailer on top of a mountain overlooking the ocean and be able to have a place to return and leave on trips when possible and also what truck could pull it. I could of kept the truck if it was paid for but its taking about 600 bucks out of my income, more than 1/2, about 75% almost. I'm looking at many options to buy something in cash, stick shift, 6 cylinders, extremely good mileage, possibly pull 7000lbs, add either a quad or an all terrain motorcycle. Once I turn this truck in I might just buy me first something to comfort my heart and write music again, I must get back to the garden. I'm looking at a Taylor 6 string cutaway 314CE. But driving wise it can be anything under $2000 and must be stick shift, 6cyl, and 4x4. A vehicle is very important and a must. And if a Toyota Dolphin mini RV with a 22R/22RE engine ever came along i would not hesitate much, and stick shift!  

What do you drive? Is Kentucky your homebase? Full time traveler or...? Who is Cammalu and will the real Cammalu stand up please? Haha...

 

[Cammalu]

Mario I don’t think you’ll find a 6 cal that will be safe pulling 7000 lbs but I’ve been wrong before.

I’ve been on this forum forever. The last couple of years we have stayed at the LTVA in Quartzsite over the winter but have had to return to KY over the summer for medical (I have two operations this summer to look forward to) and we have rental properties to renovate.

I didn’t think I’d buy another rental but when three came up last year on the same five acres for super cheap we decided to go for it. Each one needed extensive renovation so last year we did one and that is paying the mortgage for the whole thing so we will not be riding too much to complete the other two.

We have visitors coming through from time to time that we have gotten to know through these forums or in Quartzsite and it’s fun to have them a few days here. We have room to put them although when the summer heat really hits I don’t think it could possibly be fun for anyone as it gets terribly hot in Kentucky. Spring and fall are nice but that’s about it.

We have a nice camping spot back at our farm pond.

If we didn’t have to get these rentals done or have medical to come back to we would spend a lot more time elsewhere. I moved my niece and her hubby into the house several years ago and she takes care of the rentals so we are free to come and go. I do have a room in the house for me but I never moved back in and prefer living in the RV here on the property. We put in hookups so are good. So we are sorta full time as we are in the RV permanently.

I’ve lived in about ten states and also South America and Hawaii. My Spanish is mas o menos but it’s mostly what we speak here at home as my niece’s hubby is from Mexico and his English is worse than my Spanish. I get by.

Hopefully we will be able to get outta here by October this year. I have to have a rod taken out of my femur and also a knee replacement on the same side and do a bit of healing before we can make a run for it again.

 

[Cammalu]

Oh, I forgot you asked me about our rig. It’s a Class B plus 2002 Dynamax and was built VERY well. We tow a little puttputt to get around on and I’ve put 3500 miles on that little thing just in the last two winters in Quartzsite.

 

[SoulRaven]

Oh wow, thats nice and set financially well. One question! If you did not have that RV, property, rentals, and all you had was approximately $11,00.00 cash and where in my situation what  would you do? Actually, no! Take out 1000, you want that Taylor guitar, make it $10,000.00. What would you do?

 

[Cammalu]

Buy something I could live in.

 

[SoulRaven]

Buy something I could live in.

Ya know, I really wanted to buy land in Hawaii and live off grid as possible. I even began to buy equipment for power and run up to 600 watts, I have 300 now. Today I told the finance department I was getting ready to return the truck and they said if I did I'd simply ruin my credit and it go into collections, they said also I could take it in to some dealer and trade it for a less economical but the new dealer would have to pay the balance of the current truck and I'd be given it as a trade in and I'd have two repayments, way to confusing for me and does not benefit me except to turn it then buy one in cash. 

They also did not sound like they where not interested in suing me. "After selling it you'd owe the balance and it probably go straight to collections" they said. She was very nice and was not threatening or demanding, offered even an extension and in a sympathetic tone agreed that gas was very high and taking 600 to afford the truck was very tough on me.I even told her I'd be willing to pay the payment if I did not have to have insurance and kept it under non-operational with DMV. I wonder if they would accept full coverage if I took it to Mexico and nationalize it! Hmmmm! 

Tomorrow I'm looking at a really cozy single level triplex apartment near a beach and a high "gringo" tourist traffic, incredible mountain views and partial ocean. $200 bucks! Amazing! The area is a perfect place to be near interested land and not drive hardly anything. 

A guy is selling me a piece of land on a slopped lot with a magnificent ocean view but I need to hire an engineer or someone who knows about land/terrain and tell me if It can withstand two pillars in the front to build one floor and have the roof as a future 2nd story with panoramic view. Plus, it needs a septic tank. It all have to be done little by little and get a small trailer to live in. I'd need to hire an excavator I was told and they charge 500 pesos an hour, very cheap. Labor is also very cheap and I know a few people from the campgrounds I was in whom I'm going to ask in the next few days. One of them built this huge house on the edge of a cliff and with a septic tank made of cinder block and cement, right on the edge of the cliff, looked amazingly well done. 

I wonder if this little tiny house would be doable on a slopped land and it be the main floor and one short room below?  

Its 1:30am and I'm so excited I can't sleep but I'll try.

 

[Cammalu]

I know labor is cheap but it still sounds like that might cost a bunch of money in the end. Maybe you can talk to a contractor in that area. There isn’t anything around already built ?

 

[WanderingRose]

It sounds exciting, and like it may be within reach for you, Mario.

I am going to caution you not to take on anything you can’t pay cash for, the mother and grandma in me just needs to say it.

Also spoken by one who has made impulsive decisions in the past, and none of them involving credit ever turned out to be a good idea in the long run.  :-/

 

[bullfrog]

I wonder how they deal with bad debts in Mexico, maybe a big guy with a knife? I would be really careful about deals outside the country.

 

[Seminole Wind]

mario, not sure the $ amount you are talking about still being owed on your truck. i would hope if you turned it in in good condition you should be "credited" some value as they are going to resell it. the rest is what they would send to collections. collections generally speaking means they "sell" your debt to some collections agency at a reduced rate and then write off the loss. then the collection agency tries to harass you into paying with phone calls and maybe letters. depending on the jurisdiction that applies will determine how many years they have the right to pester you. it will be a big ding on your credit for years to come. but there are ways around that. google debt relief and credit restoration.

you might even call some free debt counselors or free legal aid. there maybe things you can do to maximized the credit you get for turning in the truck and reduce the amount you end up owing. then after the fact, when it has gone to "collections" there are ways to work out payments towards what you still owed. just research a lot, and get any repayment plan in writing and very specific details.