I still have trouble believing it myself. As of yesterday, we are now the proud owners of a 2008 Chevy Equinox. The 2002 Ford Focus that I have been driving since high school is off to live the remainder of its life somewhere else.
Before I headed off to college way back when my parents had gotten me a more reliable car to get me back and forth and thus the beginning of our eight year relationship began. It was sometimes a bit of a rocky one. Like the time the transmission slipped right as I was getting onto 435 from I-70. And it was scary scary scary! There were numerous other things that had happened with my car. Brakes. Engine. Transmission. We even replaced every single window switch because they got stuck. The headlight switch, so I couldn't turn on my headlights. And of course we discovered this after it was already dark. So I blinded everyone on my way home that night. There always seemed to be something. But I guess that's how it goes sometimes.
We had talked about a new car for me but it wasn't option until we paid off at least one loan. Well, that day came and we started talking about it more seriously because once again something else went wrong with my car. This time the engine. It was shuttering really bad every couple seconds and the engine light came out. Basically it scared the crap out of me. Well, we stated talking about getting rid the Focus, which I named the Death Trap, and going with one car. My sister and brother-in-law do the one car thing and it seems to work pretty well for them. The problem is that this isn't a small town and one of them isn't a Marine. Our work schedules work out that I could drop him off then pick him up, but he then can't come home for lunch. He can't run an errand - like getting his hair cut for drill weekend at lunch. He couldn't go to a dentist appointment in the middle of the day unless I picked him up. Plus, what about drill weekends? Do I get up at three in the morning and take him then try to guess what time to pick him up or do I let him have the car and just be stranded in the apartment for the weekend (not a happy thought for me by the way)?
So we started talking about actually getting a new car for me. We got my car when I was in high school and I was barely aware of the whole process, so I had no idea what all went into it. But I did find the type of car I wanted. I knew what I wanted - I wanted something taller because the Death Trap sat so close to the road. I wanted something safe - this will be the car our kids will be in the most and we knew that there was no way our kids would ever ever ever be in the Death Trap. And let's face it I wanted something that was more than just basic like the Focus. I had been driving Rob's Impala and it is nice. It has some nice features that I decided I wanted. Including remote start for those cold snowy winter days. I was always envious of him just starting his car from the apartment then just being able to run out to a nice warm car, instead of sitting there waiting for it to warm up enough to actually drive it.
We started looking around, but all of this depended on what they would give us for the Focus. And after going in and having them look at it I was pleasantly surprised because we got more out of it then I thought it was really worth, but then again they did really want to sell us a car. After much debate, we made our decision and found the car we wanted and Rob spent a good amount of time talking to them and working it out.
Yesterday, we went in in the afternoon to actually trade in the Focus and get the new one. And was overwhelmed with an odd feeling of sadness. Not one I was expecting. But I had my car for eight years. That's a long time to have a car. It's been everywhere with me and it became like a second (third, fourth - whatever) home because it was my car. I hate it most of the time but it was my car and I had it for a very long time. High school, college, job, Rob. Everything. It's like an old friend. I was so excited to get a new car but it was a little bitter sweet. It's still hard to believe that my Focus is really gone. I will never again drive it....insert small, fleeting tear here....but once I got into my new car it was awesome and I forgot about my Focus.
We spent probably three hours at that place last night working out everything, but now it's done and over with. And now a beautiful black Equinox is sitting in the parking lot. After eight years in a basic, slowly-becoming-run-down car I'm super pumped!
I know, it's a sweet car. You can be jealous now.
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