New Wheels

Jason and I made our first major purchase as a married couple yesterday. Or, shall I say, we obtained our first joint loan. We've been looking for a car to replace our 10 year old hand-me-down Bonneville for a couple months - something gas efficient and more reliable than a car that was starting to have major things break on a regular basis. We knew we wanted something compact and sporty, in a low price range to fit our budget. My stepbrother purchased a Mazda Protege 5 a few months back - a super sharp "sport wagon" that seemed to fit our criteria. So we had been looking online at prices of those. Yesterday we test drove a variety of makes and models, including a Chevy Cobalt, two Ford Foci, and something else, before randomly stumbling onto the one used Protege 5 in town. We went to several dealerships, and the Mazda dealership is where they had the one we found. Not quick to jump into major purchases, we talked about the car for a while before deciding to test drive it. I drove it, and loved it - but it's a 2002, and we were hoping for at least a 2003. After hemming and hawing for a while, and deciding it fit all of the criteria on the written list I had in my purse (always go shopping with something specific in mind! Else they will tempt you into making a sucker purchase), we entered the building.

We got the dude to see how much the financing would be, knowing damn well that we were going to say no to whatever he offered. Because we were really just browsing. Knowing that we would be getting rid of the Bonneville, we let them play their game and see how much they'd give on trade-in. I had planned on selling the Bonneville to a private party rather than trading it in, because you never get the full value on a trade-in. So during this little charade of "well, let me see what I can do for you - I'll go talk to the Big Man in back" we soon found out they were lowballing us on the trade-in value. See, I had done my Kelly Blue Book research, and I knew, I KNEW what that car was worth, and it ain't what they offered. So we said hell no. Not dead-set on making this purchase, we decided to play hard-ball with the salesman. He came back from the "Big Man" the second time and said they were trying to clear the lot, blah fucking blah, what would it take to get you to buy that car? And we told him it would take selling the Bonneville to them way over the blue book trade-in value.. the price we gave him was very close to the private party value. And he kinda laughed, knowing damn well we wouldn't get THAT, and he disappeared to talk to the Big Man. Jason and I said if we got anywhere near what we were asking, we'd consider buying the Protege on the spot.

So we had a lot to mull over when he came back and said we got the price we asked for.

This time, Jason took it for a test drive. I had driven like an old lady, afraid I might wreck someone else's property. Jason took the curves like a champ - I was gripping the door handle the whole time. Back from the test drive, we talked and talked, and went through every detail of the car. We pushed every button, looked under the hood for a while (for what, I don't know - I just thought it was a good idea), scolded ourselves and then reassured ourselves for being impulsive, and we bought it. Who knows - it may have major mechanical failures sooner than our now-former Bonneville would have, but I look pretty cute in it. And it has a sun roof! I've never had a car with a sun roof. And a rack on top - for a kayak! And the air conditioner works! And the seats fold down for large cargo space! I grew up fairly poor, so I'm gonna feel guilty about this purchase for a while, but once that wears off I'll be super pleased. YAY!!!