Nu to U

So, my husband got a new job- YAY! We've been waiting for this for awhile and 920,000 resumes later he's got one and he's still interviewing for another- just in case! But now the task of buying a "new" car begins. Up until this point, he had been driving a company mini-van and it was "great". The van came with free gas, no extra insurance payments, and it was available for us to use all the time. But it's a piece of junk...always getting fixed, the transmission STINKS, and there are cracks on the windshield that his company won't fix until the windshield is practically falling out!

Now, we have to find a "new" car because the company car has to go back. I DETEST car shopping- seriously, I HATE IT!! We bought our mini van in July of 2006 and as much as I wanted the van because of space and everything else, I did not want to shop for it. We needed a new car, my VW wasn't doing the job of hauling my stroller and groceries at the same time, plus every 3 to 6 months we were dumping $2000 into the stupid car!! So, we started the process of shopping. It was between Toyota and Honda and both dealerships made me uncomfortable. I always felt like I needed to shower and go to confession after visiting them. We would go to one dealership, dragging Nicholas along- Addison had not been even conceived yet- where he would want to play in all of the showroom cars and play with their horns. Maybe we'd test drive one van and talk to someone or get brushed aside. Then the next night do the same and it just became too much! Finally, at one dealership I walked out. The salesperson was such a jerk and sleaze that I just could not take it anymore. I left. I left Pat sitting there with him, trying to negotiate and the guy just was not having any of it! Finally, I called Pat- from the parking lot of the dealership- and told him I had just called a different dealership and made a deal with a salesman we had been working with. I watched, from the car, as Pat stood and walked out, too. I hadn't actually made a deal but I did leave that salesman a message! :)

We're back at that square, whether it's square one or not, I'm not sure, although we can't afford a car now. We couldn't then but we at least had a trade in. This time we're going on our good looks and personality to get us a vehicle- God help us!! All I can think of are the times I would go down to West Virginia to do volunteer work and we would always pass the used car lot called, "Nu to U". The cars were not Nu or new, they were old and beaten up but that's what people could buy down there. I'm hoping that we can get something that's a little bit more than "Nu" but not new. I'm also hoping that this is a quick and painless process where I'm not chasing my 2 year old through cars that he wants to "drive" and blow the horns on. We're not looking for an Audi or Jag just something that doesn't make me feel like I need 4 showers and a delousing!