New Car

For the first time in my life, I purchased a brand new car. For some of you this may be a regular occurrence every few years, but for me this has been a once in a lifetime thing (so far!). Almost a year ago, I walked into a Chevrolet dealer near where I work sign some paperwork for my ex-wife. She finally traded in the car we had when we were married, and she needed my signature on the title. As I was walking through the show room I saw a cool looking car, and since I had a few moments, I stopped to admire it. Of course the first thing I looked at was the sticker price, which I found was very reasonable. After a very few moments, I realize I must have been drooling, because it didn't take very long at all for a salesperson to stop and talk to me. I told him I had never seen a car like this, and I asked him if it was new? He said "Yep, brand new, we just got it in, and we haven't even sold one yet." Well, I was more than intrigued, so I asked a bunch of questions, and I liked all of the answers. I finally asked if I could take it for a test drive. He arranged it, and away I went. I have never been one of those people who "love" a car... To me it's always been just a piece of machinery to get me places. But car was different, I really liked this car... I wanted it. Spurred on by the fact that my ex-wife just got a new vehicle, and that I hated my current car, I started the process of purchasing the car. I was excited when the salesperson told me that I could trade in my current car, purchase this new one, without much difference in my monthly payments! I was in heaven. Well, the pull of gravity from my credit history brought be back down to Earth. After he did the credit check, he found he could not get me in the car for the price I wanted, it would cost me much more a month, well out of my price range... (sob)... I left the dealership with a sad feeling, but hopeful that some day soon, I would be able to "turn that frown upside down"... (My Stuart Smalley quip of the day) I talked with people at work, friends, and family, and most of them had never heard of the car. I looked it up on the Internet, and found a few sites about it, and one that had setup a "Fan club" for the car. Now, before I reveal the car, let me just say, this isn't a sports car, or some other "power-mobile" like a Mustang GT or a Hummer. In otherwords it's not the "must have" car of 2006/07, but it has become one for me. It's been available for almost year since I first spotted it in the dealership showroom. You have most likely seen one or two of them on the road. You might even think it is a PT Cruiser at first glance. When I point it out to my girlfriend says it reminds her of a "hearse". I am not sure how she gets that.... I mean I know the car is long, and it is a station wagon, but do you think it looks like a hearse?

Well, this past Tuesday, after many months of waiting for the right time, I was finally able to do it. I now own a 2006 Chevrolet HHR LS model. Actually, I share ownership with the bank, but I get to drive it! Because it has a retro Chevy Suburban body style, it reminds people of the PT Cruiser. It's bigger than the PT, but not it's not a full SUV size. I got the 5-speed stick shift with the "sport red" body. To keep the costs down, I did not get any of the addons (spoiler, luggage rack, running boards, foglights). I drove it off the lot with the odometer reading "000005", and when the odometer read "000006" it's value had gone down by about $3,000 according to Edmunds.

I won't be able to eat lunch for the next 5 years, but I can go outside instead and enjoy my new car. It's one way to go on a diet.