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Of Mice and Men
The week was consumed with dollar signs, APR rates, color combinations, mpg, creature comforts, safety ratings and cost-benefit analysis. After Alex’s piece-of-oh, never mind dropped its transmission in the middle lane of rt. 50 going 75 miles per hour on the hottest day of the year, he finally had to admit it- I was right.
My argument was that his car was a 1999 Mazda, it smelled like an old car, it looked like an old car, it ran like an old car. It did nothing more than get him from point A to point B. It sat in a garage for years untouched before given to him in college. I didn’t think you had to be a rocket scientist to know that a sitting a car for an extended period of time is a bad idea.
His argument was that it only had 101,000 miles on it. He’d only owned it for 8 years and he hadn’t needed to put too much money into repairs and maintenance. He didn’t like me bringing up the idea that we would need to replace his car in the near future.
My idea of near future was spring 2013. After we got our next tax return, after that credit card is paid off next month, after his student loans decreased by exorbitant amounts thanks to year 5 high needs special education, after we put some money into my 130,000 mile car (ahem, tires), after I get my measly raise this upcoming fall. The best laid plans of mice and men….
If only. So here we are making a big decision. THE big, “our first family car” decision. The crossings of gas mileage, safety, solid steering and torque, size, and of course, price. I’ve surrendered my GM bloodline to have an open mind to just what is our best choice.
For Alex, every car drives great in comparison to his piece-of-oh, never mind. I’m more particular. The Hyundai didn’t have tight enough steering, the Chevy had touchy brakes, and I refuse to try to accelerate in any hybrid. We agree on one car for comfort and drivability- The Volkswagen Jetta.
Now our living room looks like this:
(Yes, you see Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in the background. I’m obsessed.)
Where is the breakeven point between an equally equipped Jetta SE with a TDI? The great, big, mpg diesel versus gasoline question. Days of research later, we have this. Gas savings (for us) will most likely amount to $40-$50 per month, making up for nearly all of the financing difference between the two cars. Break-even point is 7 years. The extra $15-$20 leftover after accounting for gas savings on a TDI can easily be argued for the super awesome trip computer, disc brakes and anti-theft wheel locks, right?
Oh, we laugh. This is ridiculous. We both over analyze every big decision we’ve had to make. You should’ve seen us talk ourselves into and out of the big decision to call ourselves boyfriend/girlfriend.
So the true reason this blog has not been updated in nearly a week surfaces. Car buying. Ten months too soon.
