To Georgette:
I've been thinking a lot about selling my car, Georgette, a silver 2001 Hyundai Accent. This is hurting me greatly. I bought that car brand new the last month of high school and it was the first thing I ever bought that was all mine (well, also the bank's, but that's another point). And we've had some amazing times together over the last 5 years. She faithfully got me to the University of Calgary every morning (a 45 minute drive from Airdrie) for four years, and then across the country to London, our last minute road trip to Florida, and everything in between. I'm not ashamed to admit that I've talked out all my problems with her, made plans with her, asked her about her day.... She's the only one who's allowed to hear me belt out some off-key pop song. She's really been as much a friend as a car, over these years.
And yet, I'm taking her to used-car dealerships tomorrow to see what I could get for her.
Here's my dilemma: I have a great car that needs a little work (new pipe in the exhaust system, new tires) but still has a lot of years left in her. I am also moving to England for the next year. I need money. I don't particularly have the money to continue paying registration, insurance, and storage on a car that I'm not going to be using for the next year. I also think it would be particularly cruel to let my baby sit in a parking lot in some self-storage yard next to a bunch of boats and RV's for an entire year. Both cruel to her as a vehicle, and cruel to her as my friend.
However, I am coming back next summer, and I will definitely need a car then. So, if I sell her, I'm just going to put myself out next year when I need to buy another car.
Oy.
James tells me that selling her right now would be the smart short-term decision, but would screw me over long term. He's probably right, but what guarantee do I have that I won't come back next summer to find that I need to completely over-haul her, because she was left sitting outside all winter.
There's also the emotional attachment. I may be crazy, but it actually *hurts* to think of selling Georgette. She may not be much, but she's mine. And I spent 5 years paying her off; I only finished paying off the car loan this March (and there's that point). I don't want to go back into car debt.
Sigh. I'm going to work. And tomorrow, I will begin to visit used-car lots. As sad as it makes me.
And yet, I'm taking her to used-car dealerships tomorrow to see what I could get for her.
Here's my dilemma: I have a great car that needs a little work (new pipe in the exhaust system, new tires) but still has a lot of years left in her. I am also moving to England for the next year. I need money. I don't particularly have the money to continue paying registration, insurance, and storage on a car that I'm not going to be using for the next year. I also think it would be particularly cruel to let my baby sit in a parking lot in some self-storage yard next to a bunch of boats and RV's for an entire year. Both cruel to her as a vehicle, and cruel to her as my friend.
However, I am coming back next summer, and I will definitely need a car then. So, if I sell her, I'm just going to put myself out next year when I need to buy another car.
Oy.
James tells me that selling her right now would be the smart short-term decision, but would screw me over long term. He's probably right, but what guarantee do I have that I won't come back next summer to find that I need to completely over-haul her, because she was left sitting outside all winter.
There's also the emotional attachment. I may be crazy, but it actually *hurts* to think of selling Georgette. She may not be much, but she's mine. And I spent 5 years paying her off; I only finished paying off the car loan this March (and there's that point). I don't want to go back into car debt.
Sigh. I'm going to work. And tomorrow, I will begin to visit used-car lots. As sad as it makes me.