Car shopping

Saturday DH and I went car shopping. Shocking, I know! Especially since for 2 and a half years I have said "No way no how!!" to any form of car shopping. Not because I don't want a new car. Because believe me I do. But because I hate having a car payment. It is so stressful. I have loved owning our car and knowing that no matter what it is mine. I loathe paying a bank more than what a car is worth for the privilege of driving it and having to repeat the process over and over again every couple of years. With that said I had a thought that maybe we should start looking for a newer car. DH was talking about how much money we needed to spend to make our two vehicles run right and comfortably. UGH!!! That seemed like a waste. I mean let's face it my van is almost 8 years old! It has no air conditioning. It will cost around $900 to fix the air (that is an estimate that is 2 years old by the way). The transmission is messing up. I keep missing gears I think. It sounds like it needs new fuel injectors, brakes and some kind of turning arm. It has 133,000 + miles on it. Oh yeah and it is really hard to get in and out of (possibly the very last van to come off the assembly line with only one sliding door). I am killing myself trying to buckle children into car seats. DH's truck is an even sadder story. It is OLD OLD OLD, UGLY and LOUD. He hates it. The windshield needs to be replaced as well as the front grill. The interior is really ugly. But it runs OK. I would rather trade DH's truck in toward a new car. That way he can drive my old van and we have two vehicles that the rug rats can fit in. But it looks like we may trade the van in because it is worth more. I am waiting to hear from the banks today to see if we will be able to get the loan.

Oh I need to back up and tell you about the the new van and our test drive. We went to a local car lot and talked to a sales guy who showed us a Chrysler Touring since we are interested in a Dodge Grand Caravan (we have a Caravan now). They didn't have the Caravan on that lot so we looked at the Chrysler (supposed to be nearly the same vehicle in style). It is a 2007 and very nice! It has duel sliding doors and air conditioning! I was sold immediately! Oh yeah and it has power EVERYTHING! Another upgrade from my van. So we loaded up the children and took it for a test drive. It drives very nicely. Lots of power! DH liked that. While on the test drive DH asked if we should get the little ones a drink (since they were still hot and thirsty from the drive over to the car lot) I agreed and we went through a drive through window. The plan was to get the drinks and switch so I could drive back to the dealership. That was the plan until DH hit a 12" piece of cement barrier as we were pulling out of the drive through lane! He was so mad. We pulled into a parking space and he got out to look at the damage. There was damage! Oy Vey! So DH marched into the chain restaurant and probably said some really nasty things to the manager. Because it was a totally unmarked and impossible to see curb (based on the number of marks on it we were definitely not the first to hit it nor the last I am sure). So needless to say DH drove back to the dealership and let the salesman know we had damaged the vehicle. Mean while Weewee was crying because her drink spilled when Daddy hit the curb. BB was crying because he did not want his car seat in the new vehicle (he hates change) and Princess Fairheart was using her loud voice to let us know she was still there. I was getting a headache and wondering what kind of idiots take three of their four children to a car dealership with them!?!? In the end we are still going to get a good deal on the van and the dealership is going to fix the damage at no cost to us! I am very hopeful that I will get a call today that we are approved for a loan to get the new van. At a rate that we can afford. Hopefully it will all work out. I know that if God wants us to get a new vehicle then we will get it. If not in my heart I am still thankful for the one I have. I am content. I have already survived two summers without air and will make it through another as well. So either way I am happy and content.

Until next time...