So we left the house today to talk to the bank about a car loan, and ended up refinancing the house. Let's focus here, people!
Speaking of focus – Yesterday morning when we went to get a rental car the only thing they had was a Chevy Tahoe. Oh. My. God. but that thing is huge! I drove it yesterday, but I knew there was no friggin' way I was going to be able to maneuver that behemoth on a car dealership lot. We went back today, and now we're driving a cute little Ford Focus. It's cute, and drives ok, but it's definitely Not On The List. The Tahoe actually was really nice, but way too much car/truck for
We stopped by the car today to get our junk out of it. It really doesn't look too bad, but the guys there said the suspension was pretty well tweaked. Guess we'll wait and see what the insurance adjuster says on Monday.
The other car though – wow. Y'know, I've been lusting after a Sebring convertible – but after seeing the front end of that Sebring sedan Thursday – sheesh. Their front grille was ripped off, the transmission was completely locked up, the front right wheel was at a 90 degree angle of where it should have been… eesh.
I've also been lusting after a mini Cooper, but that definitely Won't Do for a primary vehicle. Ah well. :)
So if any of y'all have any vehicle suggestions, I'm listening! :)
I;m going to be totally predictable, but look at Subarus. I’m on my third now, and they’re pretty much indestructable. I drove a ’86 Leone (a sedan) head-first into an armcor railing, doing what must still have been 80-90 kph, and everything behind the radiator was still intact – we could still steer to push the car off the road.
We have a Forester and a RAV4 (both 5 years old) at the moment, and we’re going to trade the RAV4 in soon for something else. We’re debating between another Forester and a larger 4WD ute. The existing Forester we’ll keep. And you can get a surprising amount of stuff in a Forester – I carried a huge sofa in mine the other day!
Are you kidding? Get yourself a 2004 Toyota Tacoma truck and drive away happy! You’ll have plenty of room, get a decent rebate, and be able to haul your own stuff. Best of all, it is not bad on gas, which will be critical when gas prices hits $3.00 per gallon next year.
I know *I’ll* be getting one for myself in 2005.
I sure do love my ’00. But Subarus are also good. After that, your average Honda or Toyota car may be boring, but they do what they’re supposed to do, reliably, and for not a lot of money.
Honda CR-V! I hope I never have to drive anything else. :) The 4-cyl. are underpowered, but that makes for good gas mileage, and you can still go anywhere you want, just slower. Min’es made the 13k foot climb up Mauna Kea lots of times.. though at 3 mph in first gear in some places. :) EXCELLENT car/suv. Tons of room inside but not huge.
http://automobiles.honda.com/models/model_overview.asp?ModelName=CR-V
Might I suggest looking at a Subaru Forester? Smaller than a SUV, handles like a high-end car, all wheel drive, and reliable as the day is long. My parents have a Legacy wagon, my boss has an Outback sedan, and her son has an Outback wagon. I’ve driven all three and they are beautiful cars to drive. I know up here in snow country the Forrester is basically the car to drive if you can afford it.
BTW, to relate it to Jake: My folk’s dog is *big*. She is a Labrador/Collie/tree stump mix and she fits just fine in the back of the wagon. So Jake would fit great in a wagon or a Forester. The Forester might be better if you want his crate to fit.
Vehicles
Well, if you want an SUV, but don’t want to deal with the “hugeness” of it, I would suggest a Toyota RAV4. I think they are perfect for those of us who do not want this oversized vehicle making us nervous.
Of course, if you are looking for a smaller vehicle, I would suggest a VW Beetle. :-) Believe me, when I got the Beetle, I was amazed at the room inside of it. Also, even though the dash looks pretty long, it is still manageable. I love my Beetle and plan on getting a convertible in the next year.
Another car you might be interested in is the PT Cruiser. My best friend has one and it is pretty roomy without being overwhelming.
Those are just my suggestions.