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Saturday, March 29, 2008

A Snapshot of the Future?

We were out buying a new car with J. today. Not for her mind you, but last time we went without her to buy a car 6 years ago, we came back with a lemon (2003 Chrysler Voyager. The transmission blew up last year about this time. $3500.00 later. Need I say more?).

She's always blamed us for buying this piece of junk. If only we'd taken her. Soo, this time we took her and came back with a 2008 Honda Civic. I like the car already, and plan to drive it until the wheels fall off. J. was disappointed it wasn't red. I told J. and Gary that I DON'T CARE. Good gas mileage (the van was doing good to hit 21 mpg) and low maintenance (read above). So we got dark beige. Taupe, I think, is the official color. Fine by me, won't show dirt.

But as we were waiting for the sales guy to "go talk to his manager" (yeah, yeah, we know this game, but we also know that we have the upper hand. We know how much blue book is, trade in is, and the dealer mark up thanks to Consumer Reports. And we're in a recession and we can walk.)

Out in the parking lot was a family and a young girl, maybe in her 20s. She was having her dad, I think, take pictures by a new Honda CRV (this was at the Honda dealership in Auburn).

J. let it be known that she'd like that to be her in 2 years. I told her try to picture herself NOT in the sportscar she had her eye on (a black and gold number that she said would match PLU's colors) but the blah Civic she just bought. Most likely, that will be her first car. And we'll take a picture then.

3 comments:

MommyCheryl said...

OK, wait a minute! A new car!?! And you didn't mention it?!?! (It was great seeing you both, by the way. We need to get together with the Cafazzo/Froshauers sometime for dinner where we can talk more.) That's exciting. I can say this because we've recently paid off our va -- a completely different kind of exciting. So we have a 1999 CRV and a 2004 Odyssey and no new car in sight. (We're not like some people we know who seem to change cars like most folks change underwear.) So we're definitely in the drive it 'til the wheels fall off camp, which means a new car is a rare and thrilling bit of news.

Anyway, you've chosen well. We love our Hondas and they haven't given us a bit of trouble.

New cars rock. Love the smell. Love the feel of a virgin wheel. But not as much as I love the naive optimism that leads J to fantasize about mom and dad buying her a brand new sports car when she turns 16.

Barbara Clements said...

Well, we were hoping to drive the Voyager until the wheels fell off, but we were afraid that between now and then, that darn car would cost us big time.

So we opted for the Civics. And no, J. isn't getting a sports car for her 16th b-day. Maybe a 3-year old civic.

Anonymous said...

Angela's getting a big fat SQUAT for her 16th b-day. That is, unless her first novel (now in progress/ I am not making this up) hits the big time. In which case she can buy whatever the hell she wants. And hopefully she'll buy me one too.
For now, she is working w/ a friend to open a home made fiber art and crafts booth to earn spare change. We aren't sure where the booth will be. Already turned down by one neighborhood farmer's market that said they only want her if she's pushing produce.
I told her that when she turns 14 (less than a year!) she has to start earning her own $ to buy books, nail polish, cool hats, etc. b/c 14 is the age of reason. She doesn't want to babysit (hates little kids, she says). I doubt if she wants to sweat as much as you have to for yard work, so what else is left at 14?
Wait. Don't answer that. I don't think I want to hear about all the illegal activities you're thinking of just now.
And yes. We should definitely plan a dinner-fest soon. I miss you all.
To Chas & Eddie's moms: Sorry I couldn't get to the auction. It was actually on the calendar, but my mom had to go to the hospital that day, so I spent most of the day on the phone coordinating.
She's fine now and is back at the nursing home. Well, as fine as one can be when one lives in a nursing home.