Tom has apparently been promising to sell his car to George Wilson for some time. George owns a garage in the valley of ashes, the economically depressed area that exists between New York City and the Eggs (East and West, where the Buchanans and Nick live, respectively). When Tom and Nick arrive at the garage in Chapter Two, "a damp gleam of hope sprang into [George's] light blue eyes." He is clearly hopeful that Tom has come by in order to discuss this sale, but Tom delays, saying that he can't bring the car until next week. Poor George hopes for a financial boon, something on which he can make a bit of money (as the Wilsons are clearly not well-to-do people), when Tom has actually shown up in order to tell George's wife, Myrtle, Tom's mistress, to leave now and meet him in the city. Tom speaks "coldly" to George, indicating his total lack of respect or concern or even pity for the man, a feeling confirmed by the way Tom and Myrtle describe George later in the chapter. The whole transaction really shows how little the upper crust cares for the working class.
In chapter 2, Tom Buchanan takes Nick Carraway with him to visit George Wilson's garage, which is located in the Valley of Ashes. George Wilson is a mechanic who owns a garage and repairs vehicles. Wilson also buys and sells vehicles in order to make a profit. When Tom enters George's garage, the two men begin discussing a vague business deal that concerns Tom selling a used car to George. George is enthusiastic about buying the car from Tom, who seems to dismiss George's concerns about when the car will be available for sale. When George questions Tom as to when the car will be ready for him to purchase, Tom says, "Next week; I've got my man working on it now" (Fitzgerald, 15). When George comments that Tom's man works pretty slow, Tom responds by telling George that he will just sell the car to someone else. Tom's lack of enthusiasm about selling the car to George suggests that he will not make much money from the deal and does not care about it. However, George seems desperate to buy the cheap car from Tom in order to resell it because he needs the money. Overall, their business deal concerns Tom selling a used car to George Wilson, who plans on reselling it to make a profit. It is suggested that the only reason Tom even wants to do business with George is so he can visit his wife.
Mr. Wilson owns a garage in the valley of ashes. He sells gas and repairs cars, but he also buys and sells cars, as we learn early on in the novel. Tom's business with him throughout the novel is vague. Wilson wants to buy a car from Tom. Tom, presumably, can make a little extra money on the sale. The deal is more important to Wilson, who thinks he can make a decent amount of money reselling the vehicle.
Tom has contempt for Wilson as a low-class person who is easily deceived, and he seems to simply be stringing Wilson along with the car sales talk. We know he lies to Mr. Wilson: for example, he tells Wilson near the end of the story that the car he is driving, which is Gatsby's, is his own. He even asks Wilson if he wants to buy it. It seems clear that dangling a supposed car deal in front of Wilson is an excuse to call and come around to the garage so that he, Tom, can be in contact with Myrtle. As usual, Tom shows himself to be nasty, arrogant, and callous, with no concern for the feelings of the little people of the world.
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