by Tina Sink, Finance Manager, Chaos Coordinator, and Accidental Therapist
I’ve been at Cars To Go for a long time — long enough to see cars come and go (literally), customers come and go (sometimes in handcuffs), and employees come and go (some faster than a tank of gas in a Dodge Ram). Along the way, I’ve learned a few things. Actually… 20 of them.
Here’s my list. Buckle up — it’s going to be a bumpy, funny ride.
1. Customers Will Always Wait Until 5:59 PM
We close at 6. Guess when people like to show up to pay, sign a contract, or argue about a payment? Yep. 5:59. Every. Single. Time.
2. Working with Family = Therapy + Comedy Show
I’ve worked with my daughter, my husband, and even my best friend. Some days it’s heartwarming. Other days it’s like an episode of Jerry Springer. Either way — it keeps life interesting.
3. The Owner Exists… Allegedly
Yes, there is an owner. No, you’ll probably never see him. He’s like Bigfoot: people say he’s around, but the evidence is shaky. He was spotted once in 2024.
4. The Repo Truck is Faster than the Customer’s Excuses
Funny how people suddenly find the money right after the car gets picked up. Miraculous, really.
5. Bug Spray, Paper Towels, and Duct Tape Fix Almost Everything
From wasp in the office (don’t get me started) to that loaner car with a loose mirror — if you can’t fix it with one of these three things, you’re probably in trouble.
6. Caffeine is the Real MVP
No caffeine = no sales, no paperwork, and no patience. Pretty sure Cars To Go should have a Igloo Frozen custard line item in the budget. (Vanilla Cokes all the way!)
7. The Customers Can Be Hilarious
One lady told me she couldn’t make her payment because she “loaned the money to her cousin who was abducted by aliens.” I didn’t even argue. You can’t fight that kind of logic.
8. The Customers Can Also Be Terrifying
I’ve been yelled at, cussed at, and even prayed over… sometimes all in the same afternoon.
9. Insurance is Apparently Optional in People’s Minds
Despite what the lease says (and common sense), some folks think insurance is just a “suggestion.”
10. My Daughter is Smarter Than Most Adults
When she helped out, she picked up the processes fast. Also, she taught me TikTok tricks that made our dealership look almost cool. She has a memory like a steel trap… usually a good thing, not always!
11. My Husband is My Teammate (Even in the Chaos)
We’ve had our fair share of “tag-team” moments with customers who thought they could act wild in our office. Let’s just say there’s been a time or two when we’ve politely (and firmly) guided someone out the doors… or, when they really pushed it, right into them. Teamwork makes the dream work.
12. My Best Friend Keeps Me Sane
We laugh at the ridiculousness so we don’t cry. Also, she’s the one person who can tell me to chill without me biting her head off.
13. The Copier is Evil
It knows when I’m stressed and chooses that exact moment to jam. Every. Time.
14. Every Customer is an Amateur Lawyer
They’ll quote “laws” they made up on the spot, usually involving how I “can’t” repossess their car because they really need it.
15. No Two Days Are the Same
One day it’s peaceful. The next, three cars get impounded, someone pays in all quarters, and another person calls to ask if we rent cars “by the hour.”
16. The Owner’s Favorite Word is ‘Budget’
Doesn’t matter what you need — new chairs, better computers, an exorcism for the copier — it always “wasn’t in the budget.” Luckily that budget opened up this year and we got a building makeover! The facelift was over due…. just like the one I need!
17. Customers Love to Overshare
I’ve heard about divorces, arrests, medical conditions, and one guy’s conspiracy theory about squirrels stealing his checks. I’ve had more than 1 person get naked in my office… to show me a bruise, a scar or their fresh stitches. The first time or two or five I was shy / embarrassed, now it doesn’t even phase me.
18. Employees Become Family (the Good, the Bad, and the Dysfunctional)
We fight, we laugh, we roll our eyes — but at the end of the day, we’re all in this circus together.
19. People Will Always Complain About Their Payments
No matter how small, how fair, or how clearly it was explained at signing — payments are always too high, on the wrong due dates (that was set up on their pay schedules), or just “not due”. Always.
20. You’ve Gotta Laugh, or You’ll Lose Your Mind
At the end of the day, the only way to survive this wild ride is with humor. Cars break, people flake, printers jam, and wasp invade — but if you can laugh through it, you’ll make it.
21. The Long-Term Customers Make It Worth It
For all the chaos, there are the loyal customers who keep coming back year after year — and bring their friends and family with them. They’re the salt-of-the-earth, truly good people who remind me why we do what we do. Without them, none of this would be worth it.
Final Thought:
Working at Cars To Go has taught me patience, resilience, and how to dodge flying insults while typing a payment extension. It’s also given me hilarious stories, a thicker skin, and lifelong memories with the people I love most.
Would I trade it? Nah.
Would I recommend it? …Let’s just say it’s not for the faint of heart.