After a mindnumbing 2 week search for a car to replace Gracie... I finally found Sylvia yesterday. She's a 1996 Toyota Camry.
I am convinced that car shopping cannot be fun. Unless you can walk into a dealer with $40,000 and say... I want that car - it can't possibly be fun.
My experience was made all the more distressing by the fact that I wasn't prepared to buy a car. Gracie and I were getting along fine. Then suddenly, she was dead. No time to research or comparision shop. Worst of all... I was limited to the cash amount the insurance company gave me for Gracie. $3,000. Yeah. If you think it stinks looking for a car to begin with - try sticking to that price range! Thank heavens the insurance company gave me a rental car for 5 days.
The first few cars I saw were disgusting. I felt as though I wanted to put on a hazmat suit before sitting in them.
So I didn't even sit in them!
I told the salesman no freaking way - that's unacceptable and I expect something as clean and pretty as Gracie or don't even show it to me. I don't want to feel like I have to boil the car to disinfect it!
I did not make friends.
I won't even go into the disappointment of Craigslist scams... Scam after scam... ugh! And the the many people who either don't bother to meet you after you've agreed upon a time... or schedule an appointment with someone else... and sell their car even though they told you they wouldn't even be available until the next evening.
It was disheartening even though I did eventually find Sylvia through Craigslist.
My mechanic checked her out... found just a few problems that are worth fixing... and deemed the car a winner! I went back to my new Craigslist friend with the inspection report and repair summaries and he took $500 off the original offer.
Sylvia and I were united (the paperwork actually says: To have and to hold!) upon the exchange of $3,300!
And now, a moment of reflection for Gracie.
There will never be another like her. (Wish I could put a music montage here!!)
3 comments:
Car shopping is SUCH a pain! So many times you have to make a big decision within days (like you). Congrats on Sylvia!
aw, congrats on finding a good car! my brother has a similar car and loves it.
Hey! :) I sent you a couple of emails the other day in response to your comments on my site, but then it occurred to me that maybe you wouldn't get them that way. Feel free to send me an email at kristarae [at] gmail [dot] com :) I'm thoroughly enjoying your blog! And I find myself going, so true... so true... as I read.
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