January 9th, 2007 by Atomictumor
Final deal:
Car: Talked down from $16900 to $15000.
Van: Talked up from $2500 to $2750
Loan: A little bigger than I thought, because I forgot that I owed money on the van still (HOW, after all this friggin planning, did I forget about THAT?)
I don’t like that van, and I never really did. We figured, at the time, that we needed one, and they’re all pretty suck, just on account of they’re minivans. It was extremely good at what it did, was comfy, etc, but by the end I was so sick of its electrical woes (power windows that don’t work, door open light constantly on, etc) that I was ready to light it on fire.
It was BJ’s vehicle, tho, and it was a little bittersweet leaving it. She didn’t like it much either, but never bothered to learn to drive a stick, so we never swapped out.
When I cleaned it out yesterday, I found some things. I found some of those little notebooks that she always kept around her, with things like to-do lists, and sketches and stuff. It made me smile. I found a hair scruntchy with a lot of hair in it, including on of her slightly multiplying, but still rare grey hairs. I put it in the Volvo, and I’ll put it in the Mazda some other time, somewhere deep in a pocket, just to have a little bit of her around.
When we were dealing, or rather, waiting for people to do things in the back, the used car guy (Glen, I’ll admit, at Mazda Knoxville. If anybody googles it, so far, I give em a mighty good rating) asked what happened to her. I asked him if he really wanted to know, and told him. It feels good to tell the story. I start with the renewal, and her flu, and progressive degeneration. Her bleeds, that shut her brain off, and the stroke, that broke it. I do it with just a little bit of emotion in me, that I keep locked up in my jaw, because I don’t let it out around people, and particularly not strangers.
He gave condolences, and said that he had a girlfriend that worked at another dealership, and that that would really be hard, if he were in my shoes, what with kids and all.
Its not, really. Not yet, maybe not ever.
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I typed a bunch more that wouldn’t end this post on such a down note, but somehow it disappeared. C’est le vie. I’ll pop some pictures up later.
Night folks!!!
(PS: Woot! I got a new car!!!)
January 9th, 2007 at 9:41 pm
Yay!!!
January 9th, 2007 at 9:46 pm
Good job, Jake. I’m impressed.
January 9th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
i hope you got the WB magnet off of the back of the van … wouldn’t wanna forget that. i am sure it will look snazzy on the mazda. :D
January 9th, 2007 at 11:16 pm
I can hardly wait to see it!
January 9th, 2007 at 11:54 pm
Congrats. I’ve not had the balls when it comes to buying cars that you do. When we bought our van it was apparently so in demand that people were paying above sticker (2002 Odyssey). Local dealer wouldn’t budge when I told him I wouldn’t buy the rustproofing package. I walked. He let me. Buying cars sucks. Though you seem to have made a nice sport of it.
January 10th, 2007 at 12:39 am
woot! Enjoy! :-D
January 10th, 2007 at 7:09 am
Sweet! AT has Zoom Zoom!
January 10th, 2007 at 7:26 am
Congrats big guy. Enjoy.
January 10th, 2007 at 9:18 am
Enjoy your new toy!
January 10th, 2007 at 9:30 am
Congrats, and have fun! It looks good on you, BTW.
January 10th, 2007 at 9:58 am
i’ve been lurking around here for months now. thought i’d finally say hey! congrats on the new car. this morning on my way to work i saw a silver mazda 3 and thought of you. first time i’d seen one on the road. take care! -C
January 10th, 2007 at 10:08 am
Thanks folks! Its a pretty sweet litte bastard.
January 10th, 2007 at 10:10 am
Congrats on the new baby!!
Jason - Odysseys are always in demand and always super expensive. But there’s a good reason for it, they’re rock solid family trucksters! Sienna’s are too, but not as “in”.
January 10th, 2007 at 10:10 am
Congrats on your new ride. Hey I drive a mini-van, it’s not so bad. Of course it does scream M-O-M.
January 10th, 2007 at 10:16 am
One word: Pictures!
January 10th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Congratulations!!!!! Great job Wheelin’ and dealin’. Are you gonna post pics? :)
January 10th, 2007 at 11:01 am
That’s cool about the scrunchy. Mike had an air freshener hanging on his mirror in the shape of two eight-balls. It long ago ceased freshening the air, but it’s been in both of the cars I’ve purchased since his death. (We met playing pool at a bar.) Since I also use his old keychain (a pool cue shaper on which he engraved “I LOVE VAL”), I always feel just a little bit safer on the road.
I can’t speak for the others around me on the road….. ;)