Compromise: A Part Of Life Essays Example

Through a negative and costly experience, I have learned about the value of compromise. A couple of years ago, I bought a car for $37,000. Since its purchase, the vehicle has needed ongoing repairs. The approximate value of my car is only $20,000 now, due to depreciation and the fact that it has had significant mechanical problems. The dealer has refused to replace the vehicle, citing a number of excuses. Now, I am the not-so-proud owner of a fairly-new car with little mileage that is worth only half of its original sticker price.
I have tried every avenue of negotiation with the dealership, but they will not offer me a refund. In addition, the manufacturer will not honor their warranty because the mechanical problems the car has been having are not covered by the limited warranty. I desperately need a reliable vehicle, and I thought (erroneously) that I had purchased a quality vehicle, especially as its sticker price was relatively high, and the fact that it was a new car right off the lot -- with no mileage.
According to dictionary.com, compromise (as a verb) means "to accept standards that are lower than desirable". Indeed, I have compromised my standards by keeping this vehicle. However, since the dealer will not refund my money, I have had to settle on a clunker that is worth half of its original value.
Unfortunately, I have little choice. Either I sell the car and lose money, or continue to put more money into its repairs -- and lose money. This has been an extremely disappointing, yet illuminating experience. Compromise is a bitter pill to swallow because of my high expectations for a new vehicle sold by what I thought was a reliable dealership. Compromise has taught me to not expect as much because, then, I will never be disappointed.