A Bittersweet Purchase

Well, we've got a new ride.  

It was a purchase we were kind of forced into after being 20 year Hyundai customers.  The alarming uptick of theft and being randomly dropped by our insurance company was more risk than we were willing to take on anymore.  The current car is getting uncomfortable on our long road trips so over the past year, for research sake, the Mr has brought home various contenders to test drive.  Most of the time I know within 30 seconds if it's going to be considered or not.  One of them I didn't even let him leave the garage and said "absolutely not" it was so uncomfortable.  The only one that I instantly liked and was comfortable in was the VW Atlas.  My legs didn't feel crunched and when we were on the road, it was SO quiet.  When we take our Hyundai into an automated car wash, my eyes always get as big as saucers because it sounds like the water is chipping the paint off the top of the car.  Think the sound from Grease when the hubcap metal spear things from the hood's hubcaps rips into the side of Greased Lightning.  

That's always been the one to beat for me and nothing had.  The problem?  Because of the pandemic, the prices have gone bat shit crazy, inventory is scarce, dealers have the upper hand and the consumer has zero buying power.  This car is easily $20k over what we paid in the past.  Granted, it's a higher notch than anything we've owned in our lives but that doesn't make the price easier to swallow especially when you've never had a car payment higher than $320/mo.  I'm not willing to double that or even go up $100-150 more a month because every aspect of living is out of control.  We'd already been saving our car payments from once it was paid but I knew that, along with selling my car, would be nowhere near enough to not have us in the $600 range.  I'd always planned on giving a chunk of my meager earnings I saved over the years when business was better and never told him.  He reluctantly agreed.  The final thing to put it into our old payment bracket that I planned to do but never told him was using some of the money Mom left toward the down payment.  I never would've considered this before but when my Grandma passed away, Mom did the same to put toward a new car to pay in full so she could retire with no car payment.  It's one of those barf inducing full circle moments that came much too soon but I know that she would be thrilled to help us take the burden off.  Any time she came into a little extra, she would give us a card or envelope telling us to spend it on something fun. 

The worst part is she's the only person who ever got excited to see our new cars when we bought them.  She'd look it over, sit in it and maybe ask for a ride.  The Mr said there's no one to share that with anymore.  I know you might be saying me but my dad traumatized me with my first car buying experience and ruined what should've been a happy time planning my graduation leaving me in the lurch with no car.  (Thank God, Grandma to the rescue and I would've given anything to see the look on his face when he pulled up to my grad party to a brand new car with balloons all over instead of the shitty used car he pulled out on.  He literally had to go for a walk after seeing it.  Pffft!)  Any time the subject of car buying comes up, I am instantly transported back to a time of extreme stress for both Mom and I that left us in tears nightly, a man hellbent on his last power trip involving his ex and betrayal.  If that wasn't enough, that old process of dickering, "talking to the manager" and crap was absolute torture with the last time I participated being held hostage for 6 hours by the dealership with a migraine.  (Thankfully this was about 90 minutes with me waiting in the car because I can't even be in a dealership anymore because of the above.)

I want to dig deep and give him genuine happiness but it's hard to do given the history and now the way we're able to afford it.  We did stop by to visit Mom and Grandma.  We showed them the ride.  The headstones are flat so we just drove three rows in so they could see it.  (Just seeing if you're paying attention.)  We talked to her and told her what we liked about the car so far.  When the Mr remote started it, I yelled "OMG!" and he looked over horrified and I busted out laughing and he said to the pic on Mom's temporary marker "she got me!"  It kind of felt like talking to her but, you know.  I cried.  We thanked her for allowing us to get it because we never would've been able to without her generosity.  I really wish she was here to give him what I know his heart needs which is to show it off to someone who appreciates it.  I am happy for him.  It's a car he deserves and has worked hard for.  I hope it takes us on many adventures and is comfy for our treks large and small.  

Congrats hon.. I'll still be watching the speedometer.  😘

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