Car Shopping

So I take the green car, 1995 Saturn SL2, to Saturn for an oil change. I tell them that I've also noticed that the windshield wipers have gremlins (they go on and off all by themselves - no controlling them at all) and the coolant fluid level light just went on. Ellen, who works in the service department at Saturn gives me the eye - you know that look - it's the "Oh, no. What else could be wrotng?" look. I give it right back to her. Yes, I just brought the car in because I blew out a tire on a curb. Yes, the last oil change included putting on a new front axle boot arm thingie that was wicked expensive. Yes, the car has almost 120,000 miles. Yes, please, can we keep it going until the spring, I really can't deal with this and everything else...

She comes back out in 30 minutes and heaves herself onto the couch next to me. Yup, needs a new radiator. $650. Yup, needs a new windshield assembly. $400. Nope, leaving the car windows open during the amazonian rainstorm didn't cause it. (phew) Brakes OK, clutch OK, everything else OK. They don't have the windshield assembly so I'll have to come back, but they can do the radiator today. It's that time in everyone's life when one's anthropomorphic sense of guilt can overwhelm one when deciding to euthanize a car.

Hmmm. Think quick. The green car is in Jill's name, and it will be traded in for a laughable amount, or it will be donated. Jill and Jasper leave Friday morning for a week in Wisconsin - she'll need to sign the car over to me. While she's gone I can drive the Vue, so maybe I can limp along for a bit. I ask Ellen how long I have and she suggests maybe a week before the radiator completely self destructs. Great. Think again. Next week I'll be PMS bitch from hell - not a good week to make decisions, because I'll drive off a car lot driving a Mini Cooper, Toyota FJ or any number of other idiotic, though fun, car choices. OK, I should start looking now, see what I find, and if I don't find anything great then I still have a few weeks. Hopefully the weather will cooperate and I can just ride my motorcycle for a bit.

Saturn has a 2002 Vue, 6 cyl. AWD. ORANGE. Cool. I make an appointment to go back Sat afternoon to take it for a spin. I also decide to take a look at the Honda Element and Honda Fit. DOn't have any other options, but there's a million dealerships on Rt. 1, I can just stop at them all.

The Vue is fine. Just like the one Jill drives, feels totally familiar. It has 62,000 miles, but is only $11000. It will get me through the next few years. The Element is out (sadly) because I can't get a baby seat in it in a way that makes me comfortable. Too bad, because you can get it in a modely that is almost completely washable - all rubber plastic all over. Great for me, great for messy kid. The Fit is also out because I can't adjust the driver's seat so I can see over the hood. WTF? Otherwise I loved it. While I'm at that dealer I see a few Scions. They are cute. I like the xB - really boxy, funky. They had a green one - wicked green - like M&Ms. It was a standard, so it was right out. However, they have a fun blue one in the showroom - 2006, pretty punked out, less than 10,000 miles for $16,000. Hmmm. A bit more than I was thinking, but might be workable. I'll take that for a drive Sun.

Also stopped to look at Subaru - nothing jumped out. Nothing else jumped out anywhere else - except this big burly dude who was pissed at me for staying on the phone with my mother while walking around the lot. Like he is more important. (Thanks, Mom, for being my shield against moronic and slightly scary used car sales freaks) As I drove out of the lot, still on the phone he gave me such a look! Like scaring me into buying a car from him is a good idea!

So today I'm going to drive the Scion. This is what it looks like, though it's not this exact car.

This is the Orange Vue


Final Note: Jasper and I went to the grocery store this morning. On our way home I noticed the Low Coolant Fluid light on. I might have less than a week....