Double Trouble
.
Hi. We're sisters and we're here to buy Priuses please.
Here's mine.
Here's Gretchen's.
Here's mine.
Here's Gretchen's.It sort of feels like a non-event since we only put down a (refundable) deposit and won't get the cars for up to six months. (And they'll be 2009s, by then.) But we did it and we could not be happier.
There about 50 people on the list ahead of us and this dealership receives 8-10 cars/month. Gretchen might get hers first because she is flexible in her color choice but I really want red and red only. (Lime green is really my new color of choice, but it's not offered, dammit.) But we told the guy we'd really like to get them on the same day, please sir. ;-) Merry Christmas to us!
My current car is a Saturn I've been driving for 13 years. Gretchen has been driving her Sebring for 11 years. And they are both in decent enough shape that ordering a car is not a problem for either of us.
Simon's been bugging me to buy a new car ever since he learned to drive, so yeah, I've been listening to that for 4 years now. (And it wasn't so he could have my Saturn. He drives it if he's desperate but he's embarrassed to be seen in it.) Steve bugs me less about it because he knows how I am. My standard answer is, "My car is perfectly good, paid for and I'll know when it's time." Part of me had a goal of 200,000 miles or 20 years, whichever came first. Wouldn't that be cool?? (I'm at 136,000 miles now.) (Do you know there are people who have never not had a car payment their entire adult life??)
I've always had to put oil in the car once/month, which seemed to annoy Simon and Steve, but it is just something I live with, not a big deal. (No mechanic has ever found out why I have this oil problem.) But a couple of months ago I noticed the car has lost it's oomph, especially driving up hills, which I do everyday, near work and near home.
Steve and I went out for ice cream last Friday night and we had to stop to buy oil for my car. (I usually buy it by the case, but was out.) He nudged me perhaps, but I knew it was time. He said, "And don't Dave this to death now." That means his brother is like someone in my family (hi Dad!), who will research something to the nth degree.
I went home and logged into Consumer Reports. I realized that I've never bought a car that hasn't been highly approved by Consumer Reports. To me, a car is just transportation, not a fun toy. (Hi Simon!) Obviously, I have to like the look and feel of it but it's really just transportation, not a statement of who I am. (Hi Simon!)
I was happy to find, btw, that I could subscribe to Consumer Reports online for just a month, for $5.95 I think it was. I rely on them so heavily for a car purchase, that I was willing to subscribe for a whole year if I had to, figuring it was a worthy investment. But the month thing is perfect for me - and lots of people, obviously. So my serious research took 2 hours. But I've been back to the site many times since.
Gretchen and I both knew we wanted our next cars to be hybrids, even well before gas went over $4.00/gallon. And Prius was our car of choice, but I really did research all hybrids and non-hybrids too. I narrowed it down to the Prius and the Honda Fit, which is a non-hybrid that is actually rated higher than the Prius. I planned to test drive them both so I could say I made a fair comparison but we all (Steve, Gretchen and I) really wanted the Prius to "win".
From all non-biased sources, consumer and personal reviews, we just couldn't find any downside to buying one. Once Gretchen and I started talking about it with each other, other people and finding more articles to support the Prius, we decided, yesterday afternoon, "The hell with it. We know what we want, let's go get on the waiting list. Want to go together? Yeah, let's do it!"
We could have bought it over the phone but we decided to go to the dealership, just because. They don't even have one to test drive. So yeah, we bought cars without driving them once.
The deposit is refundable so in the off-chance we don't like it when it comes in, we can get our money back and the car will go to the next person on the list. The Prius is best for those who do mostly around town driving and keep cars many years. That's us!
As we walked into the dealership yesterday I said to Gretchen, "I am 1000% confident in my choice. This feels so right, it's easy." She agreed.
.
There about 50 people on the list ahead of us and this dealership receives 8-10 cars/month. Gretchen might get hers first because she is flexible in her color choice but I really want red and red only. (Lime green is really my new color of choice, but it's not offered, dammit.) But we told the guy we'd really like to get them on the same day, please sir. ;-) Merry Christmas to us!
My current car is a Saturn I've been driving for 13 years. Gretchen has been driving her Sebring for 11 years. And they are both in decent enough shape that ordering a car is not a problem for either of us.
Simon's been bugging me to buy a new car ever since he learned to drive, so yeah, I've been listening to that for 4 years now. (And it wasn't so he could have my Saturn. He drives it if he's desperate but he's embarrassed to be seen in it.) Steve bugs me less about it because he knows how I am. My standard answer is, "My car is perfectly good, paid for and I'll know when it's time." Part of me had a goal of 200,000 miles or 20 years, whichever came first. Wouldn't that be cool?? (I'm at 136,000 miles now.) (Do you know there are people who have never not had a car payment their entire adult life??)
I've always had to put oil in the car once/month, which seemed to annoy Simon and Steve, but it is just something I live with, not a big deal. (No mechanic has ever found out why I have this oil problem.) But a couple of months ago I noticed the car has lost it's oomph, especially driving up hills, which I do everyday, near work and near home.
Steve and I went out for ice cream last Friday night and we had to stop to buy oil for my car. (I usually buy it by the case, but was out.) He nudged me perhaps, but I knew it was time. He said, "And don't Dave this to death now." That means his brother is like someone in my family (hi Dad!), who will research something to the nth degree.
I went home and logged into Consumer Reports. I realized that I've never bought a car that hasn't been highly approved by Consumer Reports. To me, a car is just transportation, not a fun toy. (Hi Simon!) Obviously, I have to like the look and feel of it but it's really just transportation, not a statement of who I am. (Hi Simon!)
I was happy to find, btw, that I could subscribe to Consumer Reports online for just a month, for $5.95 I think it was. I rely on them so heavily for a car purchase, that I was willing to subscribe for a whole year if I had to, figuring it was a worthy investment. But the month thing is perfect for me - and lots of people, obviously. So my serious research took 2 hours. But I've been back to the site many times since.
Gretchen and I both knew we wanted our next cars to be hybrids, even well before gas went over $4.00/gallon. And Prius was our car of choice, but I really did research all hybrids and non-hybrids too. I narrowed it down to the Prius and the Honda Fit, which is a non-hybrid that is actually rated higher than the Prius. I planned to test drive them both so I could say I made a fair comparison but we all (Steve, Gretchen and I) really wanted the Prius to "win".
From all non-biased sources, consumer and personal reviews, we just couldn't find any downside to buying one. Once Gretchen and I started talking about it with each other, other people and finding more articles to support the Prius, we decided, yesterday afternoon, "The hell with it. We know what we want, let's go get on the waiting list. Want to go together? Yeah, let's do it!"
We could have bought it over the phone but we decided to go to the dealership, just because. They don't even have one to test drive. So yeah, we bought cars without driving them once.
The deposit is refundable so in the off-chance we don't like it when it comes in, we can get our money back and the car will go to the next person on the list. The Prius is best for those who do mostly around town driving and keep cars many years. That's us!
As we walked into the dealership yesterday I said to Gretchen, "I am 1000% confident in my choice. This feels so right, it's easy." She agreed.
"This traffic cost me 0 gallons of gas. You?"
.
Labels: Life Update
posted by Stefani at 4:43 AM
3 Comments:
Done like a true Stahlman. Think about it for a while, research, then bam! do it! Beautiful cars there ladies. I asked about one at Van Bortel's but they don't have a hybrid yet but since they may be hooking up with Toyota maybe in the future. It seems an ideal car for me except I need the cargo space for transporting, full length mirrors, sewing machines, costumes, etc. for Pittsford Musicals. That is why I love my Forester so much, it is perfect for me. My car is 10 years old with only 48,000 miles, so I am good for another 10 years at least. Oh dear, will I still be driving at 85?
Aren't you glad it's Friday????
To quote Scarlett...tomorrow is another day!!!!
Ol Dad (reader of Kinderspam)
Great car. I especially like the red one!
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home