Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Car Drama

We are having some car drama this week.  Currently we have two vehicles:  A 2007 Nissan Pathfinder and a 2000 Ford Focus.  The Pathfinder is our main vehicle just because we all fit in it!  Our Focus is our "old woman" (yes, the car is a she).  She is ten years old, has over 160,000 miles, and idles so low that you feel like you are riding in a washing machine.  We have known that her days are numbered and few, but since she has been paid off for several years now, we are trying to avoid having another car payment for as long as possible. 

This week our Old Lady decided not to start.  We tried giving her battery a jump, but still, no go.  Plus, we just put a new battery in her last month, so what could we do except call a tow truck to take her away.  I watched the tow truck driver load her up feeling slightly embarrassed that her passenger side window is being held up by clear packing tape.  She is a little ghetto, I'm afraid to say.  So now we are awaiting a call from the shop with the final diagnosis.  Once we know that we will have to weigh the pros and cons of having it fixed vs. buying a "new" used car.  Buying a car is a big decision.  I don't do well dealing with overly-aggressive car salesmen.  I go in thinking that I will be tough, decisive and firm, but somehow I just wither into a spineless jellyfish who doesn't know what she wants. 

Sometimes I wish we could just float everywhere.  Jimmy Fallon said on his show last night that he wished his superpower could be floating to work, or "air skating" as he put it.  How cool would that be?  I guess my kids could just float along with me.  Or maybe we could get around in those big plastic bubbles (although rolling uphill could be tough)?  Teleportation could work as well.  I'm just throwing out some ideas here.  :)

Really, though, I am grateful that we have at least one working vehicle.  Many people struggle to find a way to get to work or around town, so even if it inconveniences us for awhile, we will figure it out.  We always do.

5 comments:

Angie said...

I hope the old lady is fixable. I can't believe it's lasted that long! We are thinking of getting a bigger van/suv and Brian's been studying this website for when we go to the lion's den (aka car dealership).
http://www.negotiationdynamics.com/Newcar.asp

Maria Rose said...

Alas I feel your pain!

affectioknit said...

Oh I do hope your old lady is able to be fixed...Best wishes!

k_stin said...

I have been thinking about getting a different car this week, but I have pretty much decided against it for the same reasons you gave... I also am trying to avoid payments, and I don't want to deal with the salesmen. I can definitely relate to this post!

Have you read the book Uglies? In that book, they use hoverboards (they might have a different name in the book, it's been awhile) to get around. I think those sound pretty good!

Buffy said...

We plan to drive our old lady until her wheels fall off! I'm so excited! I know that sounds crazy, but we've never done that before!