More Auto Adventure

The post about car buying was the most viewed post of the year. No comments or even clicks on the buttons so I can only assume people do like good news or a tale that ends well.

This post is all about the new news, which I think is just as good a story, warts and all.

Over the holiday break the car people were calling me again. I had been back to the office multiple times tweaking the paper work because of errors and problems.

I knew I was a financial risk. Single mom, no job, not perfect credit, low down payment. Still I was going for a very affordable deal. Once I left the shop in a vehicle and was prepared to make the payments as agreed I thought it was a done deal.

Silly me. lol The final calls said the bank was refusing the deal. Between the debt ratio and the low income numbers they are not interested even at a very serious interest rate.

I tried not to panic. 

I did not want to get a co signer. 

I called my mother. 

She suggested her old mechanic might have a deal. She is big on that guy. He is a nice, honest and very capable mechanic. I guess she has dealt with some jerks.

Auto Man Dave is located in south Sacramento and I was out of a car for a year. Besides that, car repair is not something I have ever had a budget for. Having a mechanic with a shop seems like a luxury. Hahaha

I drove out to see him but he directed me to a guy who works close by selling a 20 year old car… It looked it...

From there on the 'find a new car journey' I went to some tow yards. This fancy dealership car thing was just so far out of my league. I am trying to finance a life here and a formal education. UGH one more lasting bill was daunting.

Finally I returned the calls from the Fiat store. When can we undo this deal and how, were the questions on the table. I was resigning myself to finding a street deal fast or retaking the bus for a few more weeks.

Suddenly there was a new option. 

A cash deal on another vehicle on the lot that I had not seen. 

A cash deal AFTER Christmas and after a financing deal just hurts.

Breathe breathe

The good news is it is actually a better, by being more manageable, deal. So I dropped by the dealership in a 2006 GTI. I drove home in a manual PT Cruiser that is four years older. This car is roomier and cuter but in the same color family. 

POUT I had just bought a delightfully fun purple and black zebra stripe fuzzy steering wheel cover for the icy mornings we are calling winter this year.

It does not fit the new cars steering wheel.

Thankfully I have two spare options.