buy a new car

I went to the auto show yesterday and was blown away by a Hyundai SUV. The fit and finish were on par with much, much higher priced vehicles from other manufacturers. And they have a super warranty and reliability has improved dramatically from the Hyundais of several years ago.

Maybe I will be able to afford a new vehicle that is practical, safe and comfortable for me and the dogs. Not going to do it before I pay off my credit card debt, but it’s nice to know there’s an option that won’t require unreasonable compromises.

Last weekend I took the hounds up to a lure coursing trial about an hour away. It was miserable in the car. I had to fold down the seats, load in the gear, then put as much padding as I had down over the stuff because the dogs had to go into that space.

The big guy (80 lb. male greyhound) is a great car rider and doesn’t seem to mind the hatchback too much, except when the female greyhound (who is a terrible car rider and won’t lay down no matter how long the trip) stumbles over him or steps on his belly. Sheesh.

Even though he likes riding in the car it gets old just sitting in it. We had to wait around for over four hours in the biting cold before my dog could have a turn at the lure. Greyhounds just do not have the padding to be able to hang out in the cold like that so it meant sitting squished into the Integra hatchback for a looooooong time. I let the big guy out a couple of times but had to drag, pull, cajole, push to get him back in the car to stay warm. It made me reluctant to let him out for fresh air because trying to move 80 lbs of dog that does not want to be moved is not an easy task. The female got to chase the lure she was so crazy for, and wore herself out, so she was eventually happy. Big guy isn’t in good enough shape to do it safely right now, so he pretty much just spent the day in the car. He was not a happy camper.

Last weekend’s events prompted me to start checking facts and figures to see if there was any way I might be able to swing getting an Element any time soon. My previous assumptions were that it would be a long way off, and unfortunately I didn’t find anything to indicate I could get one for at least another year. Bleh.

One of my other goals listed on 43 Things is to pay off my credit cards, which I’ve almost done. I was hoping to then buy some furniture for the new house I moved into in July, at least for the living room, which hasn’t a thing in it except a framed print sitting on the mantel. But after last weekend and the prospect of having to grit my teeth every time I take the dogs anywhere I think I would rather have a completely bare living room if it meant getting a suitable vehicle.

It’s not just the dogs that are influencing my choice of vehicle; riding with them is just the most problematic of all the functions I try to make it handle. I can’t shop yard sales or Craig’s List to save money on furniture because I have no way of hauling it without paying someone. The Integra looks sporty, but I find the road noise and the lack of lumbar support annoying and sometimes painful. Yes, dearie, I am getting old! It does have a kick-@$$ stereo system but really anything beyond factory is probably wasted on me.

So I looked around at the Carmax web site and some other sites and found what on the surface look to be pretty decent deals on the Element. Slightly used so you don’t take a bad depreciation hit but with miles low enough to possibly qualify for new car financing rates. Figuring in what I might get if I sold the Integra myself and used that plus a few hundred for a down payment and then using the financing calculators on the Carmax site I found pretty much what I expected: my car payment would be right about what I’m paying on the loan I took out against my 401(k) to get my ex out of my house. Argh. Of course I’d have higher tags and insurance, but the car payment is the big thing. I guess I know I can handle a payment of that size ‘cause I’m paying it right now for the 401(k) loan. And unless I get an unexpected windfall, I’ll have to continue doing it for another year and a half before it’ll be paid off and I can think about a better vehicle : (

While I really appreciate the reliability, sporty look and kick-ass stereo system in my Integra hatchback, it leaves much to be desired when it comes to road trips, going out with the dogs, or actually, even riding around town. It is not comfy, and the dogs are squished against the hatchback glass everytime we go out, looking at me with big, brown eyes…”help! let us out of here!” : (

I think a Honda Element would be a good all-around vehicle.