Today I am celebrating one year since purchasing my new car. Well, new to
I had been driving the 2004 Nissan Murano that I had purchased brand new after Hurricane Charlie. I loved this car, it was the first brand new car I had ever bought and it had been really good to
It was a beautiful April day, and for the 4th time in 3 months, I was retrieving my car from my mechanic for yet another issue. This time, however, that repair was going to cost me at least one thousand dollars. When the repair on my car was going to cost more than the car was worth, I knew it was time. There was no way I was going to see 200,000 on the odometer. Besides, we had just had my father-in-law move in with us and I was being forced to sit in the back seat of my car between the kids when he was with us. A bigger car was really a necessity for our now family of five.
I called my friend’s husband who worked at the local CarMax. I had known for some time that my next car was going to be a min-van. I knew I wanted a Nissan so I was very specific in my request. Although my friend’s location did not have a Nissan Quest he was able to locate one about 20 miles away at another CarMax and had it transported. In the meantime I got the trade-in value for my car and would be returning the next day to sign the paperwork and pick up my new car.
The next day I received the call my car was ready. I was so excited! My husband, myself and my father-in-law (who needed full-time care) all hopped in my Murano to drive to the dealership. Before even leaving our neighborhood my Murano gave up the ghost. I couldn’t believe it! I had to have my car towed to CarMax to trade it in, not knowing if the value they gave me yesterday would be the same today since it was now not even driveable.
My husband stayed to have my car towed, while I drove my husband’s two-door sports car with my father-in-law in tow off to the dealership to begin signing paperwork. I had to pick up kids from school in two hours, would I make it? Let me tell you, trying to sign paperwork while chasing down an old man with early-stage dementia and primary aphasia with a walker in tow proved to be a very comical situation. That could be a blog post all on its own.
None the less, it all worked out, paperwork was signed, kids picked up on time and I got my new Nissan Quest. I officially became a mini-van driving PTA mom and I also got to mark new car off my 100
Here I am a year later, celebrating having a new family vehicle and remembering my father-in-law who has since passed away and the wonderful adventure and memories I had with him on my car buying adventure.
