New Car! - Karen's Musings

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			New Car! - Karen's Musings Random Rambling




			12:43 am June 30th, 2004

estherchaya


	New Car!
	Well, I've finally had it with my Saturn. It served me well for 5 years (give or take), but so far this year I've spent close to $3,000 on repairs for the stupid thing, and it broke down in Crystal City Sunday night (in a hotel garage, thank heavens). The mechanic wasn't able to find the problem, but there were $600 worth of repairs to be done on the brakes alone, let alone the problem that left me wondering if I'd be able to keep the car running until Seth's car is paid off next year. Fortunately, knowing that my car wasn't going to last too much longer, I had already pretty much figured out that I wanted a Honda Accord, so Seth and I went to a Honda dealership tonight to at least price one, and we went ahead and bought it. I'd already done a fair bit of research on the car, so I wasn't going into it blind, exactly, but I hadn't really been expecting to buy a car tonight either, so it was a bit sudden. I don't like making purchases that large so suddenly, but on the other hand, it was either tonight or not for another week (given our schedules and Shabbos restrictions). Since I'm currently driving a rental car, it made more sense to just go ahead and buy it. Since I've got the rental car, I didn't drive my new car off the lot tonight (Seth and I met at the dealership in separate cars, so we didn't have enough drivers anyway), but it's officially mine and I'll pick it up tomorrow afternoon. Whoo hoo! Anyway, I got a 2004 Honda Accord LX with a manual transmission. It's beige, which I didn't want (I wanted Blue...second choice would have been Silver), but it was the only manual on the lot, and I really wanted a manual. I actually test drove both, thinking that maybe I was being silly about the manual, but I didn't get far in the automatic before deciding that I didn't like it as much. It's just got a different feel to it. Besides, I'm weird about that. Something about driving a standard makes me feel...I dunno... empowered. I like that I can drive standard. It makes me feel more independent (e.g. I can drive any car within limits...not just automatics). It's a strange reason to want a standard, but it's what I wanted, and besides...it's cheaper, and I really did like the feel of it better. Anyway, I'm very excited about it. Go me! Current Mood: happy

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	Comments




			Thread started by Jennifer/Rivka

	From: ichur72	Date: June 30th, 2004 04:16 am (UTC)		(Link)

I know what you mean about driving a standard. My car has a standard transmission, and I really enjoy it. Part of it is just feeling accomplished that I managed to learn it despite nervousness, and part of it is, well ... it's like the feeling I get when I can get the car to roar up the little hill that leads to our apartment. It's just neat.

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	From: estherchaya	Date: June 30th, 2004 04:32 am (UTC)		(Link)

Glad I'm not the only one!
It's really weird, but it really makes me feel more accomplished...mostly because I never figured I could learn to drive standard.

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			Thread started by Leah

	From: leahmiriam	Date: June 30th, 2004 04:28 am (UTC)		(Link)

Mucho Congratulations on your new car! The one thing about Hondas is that if you maintain them they really don't break down. The new Hondas require oil changes every 5000 miles!! You knew exactly what you wanted when you went to the dealership so it isn't that surprising that you went ahead and bought one, even if it is beige. At least it is manual--that's what you wanted the most. They don't usually have many of those (manual) on the lot anyway...losers like me prefer automatic. Why think when you don't have to? I agree, manual is a better ride with more control, I learned on manual. I just sucked at it.

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	From: estherchaya	Date: June 30th, 2004 04:31 am (UTC)		(Link)

I agree, manual is a better ride with more control, I learned on manual. I just sucked at it.

I didn't say I was any good at it; I only said I liked it! ;)

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(Deleted comment)

	From: estherchaya	Date: July 4th, 2004 07:41 pm (UTC)		(Link)

I can 100% understand why people wouldn't want to drive manual transmissions in city traffic. I still think the benefits outweigh the annoyance, but I can understand why for some people it does not.

Fortunately, my current commute takes me around the beltway against traffic, so it's not so bad.

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			Thread started by G

From: gingy	Date: June 30th, 2004 05:42 am (UTC)		(Link)

When I moved here, I went from driving my shiny new automatic to driving Dave's not so shiny new standard. After awhile it really started to mess with my tendonitis, if you can believe it. It got to the point where I would not drive anywhere if there was Traffic. That meant no DC, no Baltimore, only little Havre de Grace where we lived at the time. Isn't that sad? At any rate, I now have my shiny new automatic soccer-mom minivan that makes me happy, and I hope you're happy in your shiny new car!

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	From: estherchaya	Date: July 4th, 2004 07:42 pm (UTC)		(Link)

it bugs my carpal tunnel for sure, which is not really something I'd remembered to anticipate when I bought it. Still, it's fun to drive, so I'll suffer through the pain. It's really too late to do anything about it now anyway. ;) Anyway, I love my shiny new car. It's nice to have a reliable vehicle for a change.

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			Thread started by Zero

	From: rebelzero	Date: June 30th, 2004 07:40 am (UTC)		(Link)
	somewhat unrelated

but you officially own your house, as of last Friday
just in case your lender still wont believe you.

(Reply) (Thread)

	From: sethcohen	Date: June 30th, 2004 05:32 pm (UTC)		(Link)
	Re: somewhat unrelated

uh... I do? Who owned it before that?

(Reply) (Parent) (Thread)

	From: rebelzero	Date: June 30th, 2004 07:35 pm (UTC)		(Link)
	Re: somewhat unrelated

"not until the Deed is recorded"
well, it is now

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	From: estherchaya	Date: June 30th, 2004 07:51 pm (UTC)		(Link)
	Re: somewhat unrelated

I see. I figured that's what you meant. I was just curious who owned it in the meantime?

So how long until we can add Seth to the house? I'm wondering how much longer I can make him be nice to me. :) Not that he's not always nice to me.

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	From: rebelzero	Date: June 30th, 2004 08:54 pm (UTC)		(Link)
	Re: somewhat unrelated

well, as of tomorrow, the first half property taxes have to be paid first. If your lender is paying them, not before September.

So you probably have at least 3 months!

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			Thread started by Monica

	From: cellio	Date: June 30th, 2004 07:58 am (UTC)		(Link)

Congrats on the new car!

I also prefer manuals. They're less expensive, they get better gas mileage, they go up hills and onto short ramps without trouble, and they just plain do what I want them to. I test-drove some automatics when shopping for my car a few months ago, thinking that maybe automatics have gotten better since last I looked at them and that way at least Dani would have the option of driving my car, but no, none of them could meet my expectations on even simpler challenges like small hills. So I bought a manual, and Dani will just have to cope with his Saturn.

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	From: estherchaya	Date: July 4th, 2004 07:44 pm (UTC)		(Link)

I doubt that this car actually gets better gas mileage... the estimated gas mileage was the same for a standard vs. automatic accord, and I believe it. Fortunately, Seth drives a manual far better than I do, so at least he can drive my car in a pinch (hah! like I'm going to let him!). I've driven an automatic for longer than I ever drove a manual, but I still found myself trying to shift when I was on a hill or trying to pass a car on the Beltway, so I wanted life with a manual again for a while. Don't know that my next car will be a manual, but that's okay. For now it's fun.

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(Deleted comment)

	From: estherchaya	Date: July 4th, 2004 07:47 pm (UTC)		(Link)

Her name is Lucy. And I love her. I did not learn on a standard, though my first car was a standard. In my case, having a standard at that point was a lousy idea. I was still getting used to the basics of driving, but threw in the added stress of figuring out the manual. I had a one hour lesson from my father on how to drive it before I was on my own. Eight months later I totalled the car. Fortunately, I've not been in an accident since. But still, I do believe that my discomfort with the manual at that point in time contributed to the accident. Since I've now got several years of driving under my belt (5 years or so), I feel far more confident about the standard, and I'm thrilled to have it.

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(Deleted comment)

	From: sethcohen	Date: June 30th, 2004 05:33 pm (UTC)		(Link)

The Saturn is still at the mechanic, so nothing from it made it to the new car. But, alas, I believe the cactus has seen better days anyway, so I will not be transferring him over.

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