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February 23, 2008
A Mini-Van For A Growing Family...
No, no, we aren't expecting any more children. At the moment. But in advance of the small army we are planning on having, we decided to purchase a Mini-Van. This decision was not entered into lightly. All we had to do was look around at the crap in our cars, and that was the decider. We need a bigger car. Mini-Van. Whatever. (Seems strange that the Mini-Van is bigger than our other car, which wasn't a Mini anything.)
I have been a loyal friend and true (thanks Bob Barker!) of Saturn's (not the planet, though I like that too) since I bought my first one back in Orchard Park, New York, (outside of Buffalo) sometime last century. I have since owned a total of four Saturns.
Two sedans and two Vues. Loved them all. But the days of the Vue and Saturn are over. For now. Saturn has changed since I bought my first one lo these many years ago. At the time, they only offered small cars, with side panels made of fiberglass. It was revolutionary! Of course, back then gas was starting to creep up, and I wanted to head off the gas guzzlers of our not-too-distant past. Before I ended up at Saturn, I went to many dealerships looking for inexpensive cars, but all I got was high pressure sales, crappy cars, and desperate salespeople. That was until I met Mary Jane at the Saturn dealership in Orchard Park, New York. She sold me a car on her very first day as a salesperson, and I owned my first car on my very first day as a car buyer. I haven't looked back since. Oh yes, there were problems along the way. A busted fuel injector, while Vue #1 was still under warranty. (We had to have Megan's Step-Mom deliver my Vue to me, all the way from the 'Burgh.) Then Vue #2 had some odd fuel mileage that was no where near what Vue #1 was getting, and they were virtually similar! But overall, my experience with Saturn has been positive, also in thanks to my service advisor, Pat, who has saved us gobs and gobs of money over the years, by offering expert advice, and just looking out for a good, loyal customer. Thanks Pat!
As Saturn changes, so does my family. We are both getting bigger. (Again, we are NOT expecting...) They offer an SUV called the Outlook, but the well reviewed vehicle comes with a 38-thousand dollar price tag. Can you hear Megan saying, "No", now? I can. But I join her in saying "No." So, we needed a bigger car.
So last week, I took my car in for regular service at my local Saturn dealership. (I don't change my oil, since I will break my car. It's worth it to me to take it to professionals.) Whilst there, I noticed a Mini-Van with a price tag of $13,999. From the exterior, it looked good. I test drove it; it sounded good. We worked numbers, and I was thinking I was getting a Mini for my family. But Megan wasn't with me, and she is the family accountant, bookkeeper, and financial whiz, among all the other things she does. (Amazingly, I might add.) Upon my return home, she heard what they were offering, and flatly said, "No." "Too much." "Can't afford it." Thus, my balloon was broken. Oh well. We would return to the dealership, this time with Megan and the Boys in tow, and she would have to tell them "No.". Why? Because I am so bad at buying a car, that I would walk out of there with a 600 dollar a month payment for a bicycle with no chain and a flat tire. We get to the dealership, and there it is...
A 2005 Dodge Caravan SXT, with close to 33-thousand miles on it, in Magnesium Pearlcoat. (I am convinced that the same people who come up with the names for colors of cars, are the same people who come up with the names for nail polish.) I was all set to go home, and take my Vue with me, but then Megan saw it, and it was over. What changed her mind? Was it the color? Was it the windshield wipers that go from the center out, as opposed to right to left? No! It was the power sliding doors and a power lift gate! Neat! This Mini-Van would be ours!
(Okay, here's what really happened. The dealership said that another bank came through with a better offer, so our payments were lower. But you cannot discount the fact that Megan's eyes got as big as dinner plates when she saw those power slidy thingies that are, I am sure, destined to break, with constant use.)
To make a long story longer, we got to take it home for a couple of days, to see if this is what we wanted, and if it was what we could afford. Since we bought it today, the answer to both of those questions is, yes.
We ran a Carfax report, and it came back clean. The Mini-Van was a lease vehicle for the State Of New Jersey. It had been owned for a little more than two and a half years, so it was in pretty good shape. We also looked at Kelly Blue Book, and we determined that we got a good price for the Mini. It's got Stow-N-Go seating, room for seven, and most importantly, lots, and lots of room. How does it compare to my Vue? Here is a picture of a 2004 Vue. (I forgot to bring the camera, so this is one that is similar to the one I owned several hours ago:
Sorry about the wee-ness of the picture, but that's what you get for lifting.
This is the storage area of the Vue...
The picture on the left is where I sat each and every day for the last four years. Okay, maybe not each and every day, but pretty darn close! And the picture on the right is the rear passenger area of the Vue.
Now this is the interior of our new (to us) Mini-Van. Notice the two captain’s chairs, and the three seats in the way back. (For you young'uns, that's what we used to call the so-called third row of seats in our parents' station wagons. Wikipedia can help you there.)
This is a view of the radio/CD/tape player. (Tape player? What's that? Once again, refer to Wikipedia.) Under the radio is what I believe to be one of the best inventions yet: A dual climate zone control. (Megan is always hot {it's one of the reasons I married her} and I am always cold.) Now we can live in harmony. (Not that we didn't before, but now, it will be even better!)
This is where I will sit until we graduate from a Mini-Van to a full size van. That's kind of a scary thought, for many different reasons, but the bigger we get, the bigger our vehicles have to get, I guess. (Wait!! I think I've just figured out the meaning of life! No, wait. That can also apply to houses, so never mind.)
And here is a shot of the cabin. (I have no idea why some call it that. It's where the driver and passenger sit. I guess it just sounds cooler.)
And thus, another adventure begins. It should be a fun ride!
Posted by Jon at February 23, 2008 06:33 PM