What business transaction is going on between Tom and Mr. Wilson?

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...

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.