Monday, March 22, 2004
RIP BabyCar; long live new car
My beloved, trusty, faithful, sturdy BabyCar died a week ago yesterday. Her transmission went kaput, and estimates on repairing it were $3-4,000. Which was at least 2x her Blue Book value.
Last week was a manic time of researching car models, contacting salespeople, and going for test drives. To make a long and stressful story short, I am now the ecstatic owner of a new Mazda 3 sedan, in Moonlight Green, w/ beige interior. I think the color is closer to sea foam green, myself. She's very pretty. She hasn't told me her name yet, but I'm in love.
I am also now very poor! Even with some very generous assistance from my uncle towards the downpayment, this car payment is going to take my budget from "comfortably tight" to "really next to impossible." I've always known that the only reason I could make ends meet is b/c I don't have a car payment. Well, now I do. I'm looking at my budget w/ a microscope to see what I can cut. Lunch will now be a rotation of PB&J, tuna salad, and ramen noodles....
But I do love my new car. And if I'd gone w/ something cheaper, like a truly budget econobox, I'd have been depressed every time I drove it, which would not be good.
BabyCar met a decent fate--I donated her to Father Joe's Villages and get to take her Blue Book value off my taxes. She'll be auctioned off and the proceeds will go to good works. Maybe she'll be bought by some fellow who can replace her transmission on the cheap and she will tool around Mexico or southern SD for a long while yet. I almost cried the day I signed her over and watched them tow her away, though.
Last week was a manic time of researching car models, contacting salespeople, and going for test drives. To make a long and stressful story short, I am now the ecstatic owner of a new Mazda 3 sedan, in Moonlight Green, w/ beige interior. I think the color is closer to sea foam green, myself. She's very pretty. She hasn't told me her name yet, but I'm in love.
I am also now very poor! Even with some very generous assistance from my uncle towards the downpayment, this car payment is going to take my budget from "comfortably tight" to "really next to impossible." I've always known that the only reason I could make ends meet is b/c I don't have a car payment. Well, now I do. I'm looking at my budget w/ a microscope to see what I can cut. Lunch will now be a rotation of PB&J, tuna salad, and ramen noodles....
But I do love my new car. And if I'd gone w/ something cheaper, like a truly budget econobox, I'd have been depressed every time I drove it, which would not be good.
BabyCar met a decent fate--I donated her to Father Joe's Villages and get to take her Blue Book value off my taxes. She'll be auctioned off and the proceeds will go to good works. Maybe she'll be bought by some fellow who can replace her transmission on the cheap and she will tool around Mexico or southern SD for a long while yet. I almost cried the day I signed her over and watched them tow her away, though.
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