We've been talking about getting a new to us (but definitely not new to the world) vehicle. We were thinking that maybe by the fall we'd have enough saved to get something that would work. Troy's been driving around my grandparents old Chevy Cavalier for years. It's worked well but we just can't keep the air conditioning working. Each summer for three summers now, we've dumped money into the A/C just to have it work for five minutes and then turn into a hot box of horrendous heat. I used to think he was being dramatic. Then I drove it around.
It was a sweaty experience.
We're also taking our big, hairy golden retriever plus all of our camping gear to Tahoe in July. If we wanted to get a van (read: If I wanted to get a van because my husband very much wants a truck), it would make sense to get it before dumping more money into the Cavalier's A/C and, maybe, before loading our Santa Fe down with all manner of canine and Coleman.
We decided to look around and see what we could see.
We researched.
We asked around.
I watched vans pulling into the school parking lot and surveyed the drivers. Did she look happy? Did she look like she was going to kick her car in the tire? Did that vehicle bring her joy?
We searched the Internet.
Forever.
On Friday we took a friend--who knows about cars--with us to look at several options.
On Saturday we took a different friend--who knows about cars--with us to look at other options.
On Saturday night, when I'd just about had it with vehicles and all of them had started to look the same in my mind, Troy went out alone.
He found a 2006 Kia Sedona. We'd been looking mostly at the Sienna or the Odyssey but had realized, sometime on Saturday, that we could get a somewhat trashed (my standard, maybe not the world's) Toyota or Honda for the same price that we could get a mostly not trashed at all Kia. So he found this Sedona and he test drove it and he had our friend come check it out and our friend's wife (who is also our friend) was there too and she liked it a lot. Then I was sad that I had not yet seen it.
It was at a Hyundai dealer.
We went yesterday morning so that I could see it.
We had our kids.
We got there at 8:00.
We got home at 2:30.
(Swimming lessons were at 4:05)
(My music rehearsal was at 5:30 and Troy's softball game was at 6:00 so the boys came with me to the rehearsal.)
So. Yes. It was a loooong day.
But we got our van.
At the price we wanted. (Well, I mean, FREE, is the price I wanted but we did okay.)
And we didn't finance it. Although, at one point, the salesman was trying to explain to Troy that if we financed it we could save money somehow or something or other. That's when I got irritated and basically yelled, "We're not going to finance. End of discussion!" Or something like that. Because, frankly, Dave Ramsey was sitting on my shoulder lecturing away.
So now we're sort of broke.
But not completely broke, which is good.
The kids were reallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreally good. When we were finished, my mom said, "You owe them Happy Meals." Funny thing was, they'd just finished eating their Happy Meals. I guess great minds give birth to great minds and then they think alike.
On the way home, Garrett said, "Can we call it Vanny?"
I looked at Troy and said, "How 'bout we call it Vanna White?" (That poor man.)
It was a productive day.
But it sure was loooong. We've been driving the Santa Fe for eight years. Here's to hoping we get another five out of her and at least eight out of Vanna. Because I really hate car shopping.
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