Used Car - Obtained
I think the phrase that has been thrown around most was 'meant to be'.
When I filed my 2013 taxes and knew how much I'd be getting back, I started looking for a used car. I didn't really find anything at first for that much money and realized I'd have to bite the bullet, get something out of my price range and use a car loan.
It was at that point that I searched the internet and found my dream car - a yellow 2004 Mazda 3 with a spoiler.
Now I'm sure a lot of things contributed to this being my dream car. I like colors that stand out, being able to find the car in a lot with ease... The only car I had ever driven in my life up until this point was a Mazda with a spoiler, so I liked the contours and design of that. The Mazda worked so well for twenty four years... Plus I wanted something more advanced than a tape deck.
So I got my hopes up, set my sights and gave it a shot. During the snow storm I applied for a loan with my credit union, but they denied it.
Heart broken, I tried to lower my sights. My dad and I checked out Power Buick/GMC and tried to find a cheaper car. They offered a wider variety of financing, cheese cake, personal service. I tried to be enthusiastic, but even the best cars they had left me feeling disappointed. Still, I was committed to trying - at least at first.
They had a sort of stealth pressure that was innocuous at first. "Oh, well you can take your time... but our inventory changes fast. Someone might get the car if you don't come in now." and things like "Oh, we can fill out financing and see what you qualify for. You don't have to pick out the specific car yet."
I didn't feel all too pleased about this and wanted my dad to postpone, but when they started trying to do that to him he canceled outright. And I felt oddly liberated... We checked out a few places on Lancaster and while nothing jumped out at me, I didn't feel as if my soul had been sucked out and feasted on so that was an improvement. Then, on a whim we decided to check out 'auto row' on 12th street down by bush park.
We passed the first lot over by the hospital and moved up toward the second. Sitting there, in the corner, waiting all this time... was the Mazda 3. The first car I had wanted was still there, waiting for me. Even more impressive, it was sitting on Waller street... a street I lived on for a few years before my current address, my old proverbial third grade stomping grounds.
My dad and I parked on the street and walked onto the lot and moved over. It was even better than in the internet pictures. Immaculately clean, looking brand new, every feature was amazing. It's an automatic but has this 'slap stick transmission' that somehow gives you the best of a manual transmission without the risk of roll back or any other problems that has. So best of both worlds.
It was Salem Auto and they're a pretty small outfit. Only two sales guys. He asked how we were doing, of course, but didn't go beyond that. Let us tell him why we were there, what we were interested in. I have to admit, I wasn't able to contain my enthusiasm but that was okay. They aren't a haggling car lot. The prices are set by the internet so they are competitive and fair and I already knew that from my earlier research. I already knew everything about the car. Carfax, history, maintenance. I'd read it all and it was another reason I liked it in the first place.
Even getting ready for a test drive wasn't as weird and bothersome as at the previous dealership. I took it around a bit. This was the second car I'd ever driven, and honestly it was a bit different but still very nice. We returned to the lot and made it clear we were ready to try for financing.
I filled out the various forms, we submitted them and went home. An hour later the loan had been accepted and we came back with my W2 and a pay stub and finished everything else. The very last thing necessary to take it off the car lot was to have full car insurance. I called Progressive on my dad's cell phone and got a VERY nice, amazing, efficient lady to talk with. Since I live at home still and we share driving of the white mazda, and since I'm already a listed driver on the policy, they just added the new car to the existing policy... which means huge discount.
We set everything up in a few minutes and she faxed over the proof of insurance and new ID cards. The dealer was absolutely stunned. He said it takes some of his customers three to four hours to get insurance lined up and we did it in ten minutes. The documentation was arriving on the fax before he had even finished filling out all the forms. My favorite line from the phone call was when she looked at the car on our existing policy and then what I was adding, both mazdas; "You know what you like!" lol
So insured, documented and forms filled out, they did a temporary license and taped it to the window... and it was mine. I drove it home, my first car... the car I wanted most, the car that I fell in love with.
Once home, I showed my mom and we went out for a test drive over to the gas station by my work (and filled the tank), then got KFC and came home.
I was struck last night as I loaded the cd player and learned how some of the various features worked at how unreal it all seems. The acquisition period was perfect. Took less than three hours to walk onto the lot, go "I want that one" and then have it. It was like the universe was protecting me from getting something less than ideal when we wasted time with the other dealerships.
Oh, did I mention because of my good credit I get an INSANELY low interest rate on the car loan? Lower than my student loans... I didn't know that was possible... 2.6%. That's it. And its only a four year lone with reasonable payments, my god! (And since Ty was asking, it's payments of 160 a month for 4 years.)
But getting back to the unreal feeling, its hard to believe. I mean there's this amazing car sitting out in the driveway... and its mine. It will be there every day, it will continue to be mine... and if I want to go anywhere, I can. It's right there. No more cabs, no more arranging for pick ups or waiting for anyone... I am for the first time in my life the master of my own destiny. I control when I get to places and when I leave. I can indiscriminately go to restaurant, go and get things... It is so very novel.
It also means that I can start visiting people I haven't been able to see much. Gabe at the coast, Johännah in Portland... Mind you I have to get more comfortable with driving. I still haven't done it a whole lot. I tend to take routes that offer the most protected turns and the least conflict with other drivers. I'm going to have to get more experienced, but that's going to get easier now. This is the start to a very different kind of life.
Zoom-Zoom.
When I filed my 2013 taxes and knew how much I'd be getting back, I started looking for a used car. I didn't really find anything at first for that much money and realized I'd have to bite the bullet, get something out of my price range and use a car loan.
It was at that point that I searched the internet and found my dream car - a yellow 2004 Mazda 3 with a spoiler.
Now I'm sure a lot of things contributed to this being my dream car. I like colors that stand out, being able to find the car in a lot with ease... The only car I had ever driven in my life up until this point was a Mazda with a spoiler, so I liked the contours and design of that. The Mazda worked so well for twenty four years... Plus I wanted something more advanced than a tape deck.
So I got my hopes up, set my sights and gave it a shot. During the snow storm I applied for a loan with my credit union, but they denied it.
Heart broken, I tried to lower my sights. My dad and I checked out Power Buick/GMC and tried to find a cheaper car. They offered a wider variety of financing, cheese cake, personal service. I tried to be enthusiastic, but even the best cars they had left me feeling disappointed. Still, I was committed to trying - at least at first.
They had a sort of stealth pressure that was innocuous at first. "Oh, well you can take your time... but our inventory changes fast. Someone might get the car if you don't come in now." and things like "Oh, we can fill out financing and see what you qualify for. You don't have to pick out the specific car yet."
I didn't feel all too pleased about this and wanted my dad to postpone, but when they started trying to do that to him he canceled outright. And I felt oddly liberated... We checked out a few places on Lancaster and while nothing jumped out at me, I didn't feel as if my soul had been sucked out and feasted on so that was an improvement. Then, on a whim we decided to check out 'auto row' on 12th street down by bush park.
We passed the first lot over by the hospital and moved up toward the second. Sitting there, in the corner, waiting all this time... was the Mazda 3. The first car I had wanted was still there, waiting for me. Even more impressive, it was sitting on Waller street... a street I lived on for a few years before my current address, my old proverbial third grade stomping grounds.
My dad and I parked on the street and walked onto the lot and moved over. It was even better than in the internet pictures. Immaculately clean, looking brand new, every feature was amazing. It's an automatic but has this 'slap stick transmission' that somehow gives you the best of a manual transmission without the risk of roll back or any other problems that has. So best of both worlds.
It was Salem Auto and they're a pretty small outfit. Only two sales guys. He asked how we were doing, of course, but didn't go beyond that. Let us tell him why we were there, what we were interested in. I have to admit, I wasn't able to contain my enthusiasm but that was okay. They aren't a haggling car lot. The prices are set by the internet so they are competitive and fair and I already knew that from my earlier research. I already knew everything about the car. Carfax, history, maintenance. I'd read it all and it was another reason I liked it in the first place.
Even getting ready for a test drive wasn't as weird and bothersome as at the previous dealership. I took it around a bit. This was the second car I'd ever driven, and honestly it was a bit different but still very nice. We returned to the lot and made it clear we were ready to try for financing.
I filled out the various forms, we submitted them and went home. An hour later the loan had been accepted and we came back with my W2 and a pay stub and finished everything else. The very last thing necessary to take it off the car lot was to have full car insurance. I called Progressive on my dad's cell phone and got a VERY nice, amazing, efficient lady to talk with. Since I live at home still and we share driving of the white mazda, and since I'm already a listed driver on the policy, they just added the new car to the existing policy... which means huge discount.
We set everything up in a few minutes and she faxed over the proof of insurance and new ID cards. The dealer was absolutely stunned. He said it takes some of his customers three to four hours to get insurance lined up and we did it in ten minutes. The documentation was arriving on the fax before he had even finished filling out all the forms. My favorite line from the phone call was when she looked at the car on our existing policy and then what I was adding, both mazdas; "You know what you like!" lol
So insured, documented and forms filled out, they did a temporary license and taped it to the window... and it was mine. I drove it home, my first car... the car I wanted most, the car that I fell in love with.
Once home, I showed my mom and we went out for a test drive over to the gas station by my work (and filled the tank), then got KFC and came home.
I was struck last night as I loaded the cd player and learned how some of the various features worked at how unreal it all seems. The acquisition period was perfect. Took less than three hours to walk onto the lot, go "I want that one" and then have it. It was like the universe was protecting me from getting something less than ideal when we wasted time with the other dealerships.
Oh, did I mention because of my good credit I get an INSANELY low interest rate on the car loan? Lower than my student loans... I didn't know that was possible... 2.6%. That's it. And its only a four year lone with reasonable payments, my god! (And since Ty was asking, it's payments of 160 a month for 4 years.)
But getting back to the unreal feeling, its hard to believe. I mean there's this amazing car sitting out in the driveway... and its mine. It will be there every day, it will continue to be mine... and if I want to go anywhere, I can. It's right there. No more cabs, no more arranging for pick ups or waiting for anyone... I am for the first time in my life the master of my own destiny. I control when I get to places and when I leave. I can indiscriminately go to restaurant, go and get things... It is so very novel.
It also means that I can start visiting people I haven't been able to see much. Gabe at the coast, Johännah in Portland... Mind you I have to get more comfortable with driving. I still haven't done it a whole lot. I tend to take routes that offer the most protected turns and the least conflict with other drivers. I'm going to have to get more experienced, but that's going to get easier now. This is the start to a very different kind of life.
Zoom-Zoom.