Searching for the Right Car

We have been on a quest for a car ever since we got back from Florida. It hasn’t been easy for me for a few reasons.

First, I loved my car! It had its issues but I loved it, and it went and betrayed me. How could it die on me when I foresaw many happy years ahead of us? However, the rational, logical side of me says this is a good thing since we now have a baby coming. Its so high putting a car seat in it is hard and the back hatch doesn’t stay up, so you need to people to load groceries.

Second, between my wants and our budget it’s hard to find a car I want. After feeling disappointed by my options I even considered fixing my car, all of its issues, but the rational side of me won that battle. Its stupid to spend over $6000 to fix a car that is only valued at around $3000, but isn’t my love for the car worth that extra $3000?! Everyone assured me it wasn’t. So I expanded my search to older cars, and luckily I can get a car I want in my budget if it’s older with more miles.

Third, the pregnancy has made me an emotional wreck so the simple task of buying a new car has left me in tears over sentimental things as well as trivial things!

But my biggest issue is how do I know if I'm getting a good car? I check the safety ratings of the model, the reliability of that model year, and they are great, but what if a particular car is a weird fluke? I hope that since I'm looking at cars over 5 years old (the one I'm leaning toward is 8 years old) this would weed out those cars with flukes.

Then I wonder if I'm getting a good deal. Well the Internet tells me what the cars in my area are going for and this is within range.

But what about trade-in for my car?!? Are they giving me a good deal?

Should I ever try to trade in my car? I know it has issues.

Why couldn’t it have just been Vince’s car that died? I love my car and he has no strong attachment to his. But alas it’s my car and I am forced to part with a beloved friend.

This is the car that drove me to college, the car that parked in the garage of my first house for the first time, and drove us to our wedding. It has small tears and scratches from DIY projects and moved furniture. It still has dog hair from dogs that are no longer with me, and scratches in the leathers from where they sat. It’s the car that brought Isis, both ferrets and numerous baby chicks home, and the one Cleo saw from the side of the highway and ran to.  

I don’t do well with change. My only comfort is it won’t take long for the car to be covered with dog hair and scratches, and it will bring our first child home.  

Isis' ride home

Cleo on the way home after a stop at the store to get her a harness and some much needed food.