Elder Is Dodgy Used Car Salesman

by pale.emperor 22 Replies latest jw experiences

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  pale.emperor

  Just thought I'd relate this story for any lurkers out there.

  Here in the North West of England there's an elder called George Ashton. The Ashton's are a big family, most of the men are appointed as elders or at least min servants. George owns a used car dealership and almost all JWs in Liverpool looking for a car have heard of him. Most of his business is from word of mouth from other JWs because, hey, a JW elder wouldn't rip you off right? Right???

  Except George would.

  In fact, George does. Habitually.

  I remember when my sister passed her driving test and was looking for a car, it was as if "Jehovah guided things" and like magic she was handed a business card from another JW referring her to George Ashton in another congregation. My sister turns up to his dealership. He sells her a car for about £700. Great. What could possibly go wrong?

  The car breaks down two days after she bought it. The breaks are dodgy. There's rust in the joints of one of the doors. Sometimes it just refuses to start.

  So she takes it to a mechanic, it fails it's MOT. The mechanic advises her to sell it for scrap and asks when she bought it... "two days ago".
  

  So she goes back to George Ashton (the elder), and explains the situation and can she have either her money back or a different car and he scrap the one he sold her? He hit's the roof and claims to be offended and it's not his problem.

  So she's lost her money and is left with a write off of a car. She tells this story to her friends. One brother from another congregation calls her one day and relates a similar story and says "people in my cong have a saying "you do not buy a car from George Ashton"".

  Anyway, the elders get to hear about it and guess what - my sister is counseled for accusing this man, this "gift in men" of being a crook. She's offered a study (she baptized!) and told not to tell people about her experience as it could put Jehovah's organization in a bad light.

  This was about 6 years ago but he's still in business here in the North West.

  So, lurkers in England beware. George Ashton is a crook who makes money off the fact the no JW will report him to police.
  
  
  
• 

  stan livedeath

  and his excuse would be--" i'm just an imperfect man " ...which was just what i got when i challenged a manager of a double glazing company--who i knew to be an elder---of lying, dishonest practices, and swearing.
• 

  Amelia Ashton

  It was crooked elders helped me wake up.

  So much for Jehovah keeping his congregation clean....or Holy Spirit can be fooled year after year after year..
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  Still Totally ADD

  Nothing new Pale on what some eders are doing. I could go out and buy a new car with the money that has been rip off from me by elders. This takes place everywhere with no questions ask. Still Totally ADD
• 

  Phoebe

  This happens regularly. I've seen elders take advantage of people not just in business but privately too.

  Elders over charging for work or making the person they are working for feel so bad that they give them extra.

  My JW dad said he would NEVER do business with witnesses.
• 

  WingCommander

  JW's who run businesses (especially Elduhs) are to be avoided like the plague. They are some of the worst crooks around.
  
• 

  sir82

  I learned pretty quickly, even when a full-on believer, that it was generally a bad idea to do business with other JWs.

  Some are OK, but I'd say the proportion of "lemons" is at least as high as those found in "the world".

  The problem occurs when there are problems. Make any waves and you are "causing divisions".

  No thanks. Would rather take a chance dealing with someone "worldly" so if/when things go wrong there is recourse.
  
• 

  AverageJoe1

  Here in Spain you have a 15 day window to return products, even if there is nothing wrong with them.

  Is there not something like that in the UK? I would have thought that most garages have a guarantee with their cars. Again, here in Spain, you usually get a one year guarantee with any second hand car you buy through a dealership that covers all physical and mechanical faults.
• 

  fulano

  Joe, that's when buying on the internet, not when you buy in à shop or showroom.
• 

  under the radar

  My own rule is that I never do business with a JW unless it's a personal friend that I have complete confidence in and who just happens to be a Witness.

  Of course, that situation doesn't arise very often. Those that know me are well aware that I no longer consider myself a JW. In fact, several in my family consider me a "dangerous apostate." Dangerous because I can out-reason the vast majority of them and know the Bible better than most. (Know as in "have knowledge of," as opposed to "belief in.")

  Paradoxically (and thanks to Simon and this board), I often know more about the "current truth" they're supposed to believe now (after all the changes) and be ready to die for than they themselves do. More than once, when I mentioned something about the latest "new light," they scoffed and called it apostasy. The few who actually looked it up then claimed I misunderstood what they said. What they meant was...

  Then it's, "Where did you get that information? It hadn't been released yet!" The source is more important than its accuracy. Go figure...

  Sheesh! This forking cult is a festering boil on the butt of humanity. And so are all the others!