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Carshopping Tales
What with all the excitement, I didn't sleep well last night, so I'm wasted tonight... and most of the day, too. But at least I got some useful things done at work, inbetween squealing softly to myself on the prospect of New Car. I feel so pathetic, really.
But the decision actually came pretty easily by my standards -- I met the cardealerphobia guy, who is a pretty neat character just by himself. He's spent time being an HIV counselor and done many other creative and or unusual things. For the past 12 years he's run his little automotive matchmaking business, buying between 45 and 55 cars a year with his clients, so he's pretty good at it, and knows more about different makes of cars than any individual salesman.
We met in my kitchen last Friday, and yesterday was our scheduled test drive. We had two prospects for new cars, and several used, the latter all at the Subaru dealership. I suggested going to the Honda place first, on account of rush hour traffic and also wanting to start with something that was a little more familiar.
Not that a 1994 and a 2005 Honda Civic weren't spectacularly different in many aspects, including height, which threw me a bit. My '94 was certainly low-slung by comparison. The model has gone high-tech (or higher tech) inside, with a digital readout for the MPH. I got to drive it out on Rt 9 and onto the Mass Pike, so we got it up to travelling speed, and it had all the oomph one could ask for and then some. I didn't take it much above 66 (the speed limit is 65) because really, I'd prefer not to risk a car that doesn't even belong to me.
My complaints were very few, including the clutch being a bit too sensitive: I kept gunning the engine unnecessarily. The bucket seat still offered crappy support. Other than that, I found it a nice ride, which was also very pretty.
Then it was back towards Boston to go to the Subaru dealership, which turns out to be off in Belmont quite close to McLean Hospital, so I knew how to get around that area a little. We tooled back to Rt 2 so that I could open the Forester up.
Immediately, I liked what I saw -- it's a handsome car more than pretty. I've described it to friends as "when a Daddy SUV loves a Mommy station wagon very much..." and that you an idea that it's sort of a station wagon on steroids. For all that I felt too tall in the Civic, I felt more at home in the Forester right away.
Also, and you've got to understand what a gadget freak I am, I was very pleased with how much of the Forester had been thought out really well, from the layout of the controls, the ease with which you can operate, say, letting down the back seat to increase cargo space. There's all sorts of handy storage tucked away here and there.
Also, I had a whole lot less trouble with the clutch this time. I ended up turning a couple of U-turns without trouble as well. I felt like the Forester puts the Utility back in SUV -- and the sticker maintains it will get 30 MPG for mileage. The Civic was 36 (highway) which goodness knows is damn good... but the Forester has all wheel drive, plus a bunch more safety features, and really great visibility.
So having a very good test drive, I decided to give up on the idea of a used one -- the prices were all of $3K less, which is of course a good deal of money, but if you are going to choose between a car that is brand spanking new (the odo read 247 -- versus 11 for the Civic) and a used one that is two years older, might as well go for the new, untouched model that will have the better warranty.
So that is my car-buying saga. Tomorrow I'll take off early from work and go pick it up with the insurance and all the other ducks lined up -- whee!
And then... Serenity. Whee!
But the decision actually came pretty easily by my standards -- I met the cardealerphobia guy, who is a pretty neat character just by himself. He's spent time being an HIV counselor and done many other creative and or unusual things. For the past 12 years he's run his little automotive matchmaking business, buying between 45 and 55 cars a year with his clients, so he's pretty good at it, and knows more about different makes of cars than any individual salesman.
We met in my kitchen last Friday, and yesterday was our scheduled test drive. We had two prospects for new cars, and several used, the latter all at the Subaru dealership. I suggested going to the Honda place first, on account of rush hour traffic and also wanting to start with something that was a little more familiar.
Not that a 1994 and a 2005 Honda Civic weren't spectacularly different in many aspects, including height, which threw me a bit. My '94 was certainly low-slung by comparison. The model has gone high-tech (or higher tech) inside, with a digital readout for the MPH. I got to drive it out on Rt 9 and onto the Mass Pike, so we got it up to travelling speed, and it had all the oomph one could ask for and then some. I didn't take it much above 66 (the speed limit is 65) because really, I'd prefer not to risk a car that doesn't even belong to me.
My complaints were very few, including the clutch being a bit too sensitive: I kept gunning the engine unnecessarily. The bucket seat still offered crappy support. Other than that, I found it a nice ride, which was also very pretty.
Then it was back towards Boston to go to the Subaru dealership, which turns out to be off in Belmont quite close to McLean Hospital, so I knew how to get around that area a little. We tooled back to Rt 2 so that I could open the Forester up.
Immediately, I liked what I saw -- it's a handsome car more than pretty. I've described it to friends as "when a Daddy SUV loves a Mommy station wagon very much..." and that you an idea that it's sort of a station wagon on steroids. For all that I felt too tall in the Civic, I felt more at home in the Forester right away.
Also, and you've got to understand what a gadget freak I am, I was very pleased with how much of the Forester had been thought out really well, from the layout of the controls, the ease with which you can operate, say, letting down the back seat to increase cargo space. There's all sorts of handy storage tucked away here and there.
Also, I had a whole lot less trouble with the clutch this time. I ended up turning a couple of U-turns without trouble as well. I felt like the Forester puts the Utility back in SUV -- and the sticker maintains it will get 30 MPG for mileage. The Civic was 36 (highway) which goodness knows is damn good... but the Forester has all wheel drive, plus a bunch more safety features, and really great visibility.
So having a very good test drive, I decided to give up on the idea of a used one -- the prices were all of $3K less, which is of course a good deal of money, but if you are going to choose between a car that is brand spanking new (the odo read 247 -- versus 11 for the Civic) and a used one that is two years older, might as well go for the new, untouched model that will have the better warranty.
So that is my car-buying saga. Tomorrow I'll take off early from work and go pick it up with the insurance and all the other ducks lined up -- whee!
And then... Serenity. Whee!
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Pictures, eh.
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That's the same dealer where I bought Scooby. It was great to run up Route 2 westbound and feel the car just take off! And you're gonna love the AWD.
Heh-heh!
Best of luck on your new addition!
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and the sticker maintains it will get 30 MPG for mileage.
Don't be surprised if it's more like 25, maybe a little less. AWD taxes mileage quite a bit.
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> a station wagon on steroids
That's exactly what I call my little guy. Hee!
And, I agree with DX, expect more like 23-26MPG unless they've really done some stuff to make the 2005 model better than my 2003 model.