Dear Maggie,

My brother sells used cars, and when I went looking for a new-to-me vehicle, his feelings were very hurt, because I was looking elsewhere, not at the dealership where he works.

My reasons were not personal. I just had a preference for a different make than the ones sold where he works.

Anyway, he was so put out about it, that I figured I might as well keep peace in a family, and went and looked, and finally bought a car from his dealership. And he was happy, and I thought I was too.

But I’m not. The car’s had one problem after another, and it’s been back there five times in as many months for various repairs. My brother seems to think that as long as the repairs are done, I shouldn’t complain. He doesn’t seem to understand the inconvenience to me to have to keep going back there, spending time waiting, making and keeping appointments, and phone calls and so on. And now, when yet one more thing goes wrong, he seems angry with me. He acts as if I’m being too demanding, as if I’m putting him in a bad light by making the dealership live up to its end of the bargain, no matter how many visits it takes. He accused me of expecting special treatment because he’s my brother.