Monday, November 9, 2009

Not a Fan

I despise van shopping.

Really, truly despise it.

And yes, I am saying despise a lot. My mom told me never to say hate.

As you can probably tell, it's not going so well. I am praying and trying to listen, and I think I am getting frustrated that I am not finding anything. Well, I found one great van at a reasonable price with tons of bells and whistles, but it was on Consumer Reports list of The Worst of the Worst and Vehicles to Avoid.

Why is it that shopping for a new vehicle is so hard? Especially shopping for a new minivan. I am not a picky person. If I don't like the color, but is is what I need and in my price range, I will live with it. I don't need fancy features, a van without gizmos is fine. Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of doors that open themselves and hooking your phone up to the car and having hands-free cell phone use through your car, but it's certainly not a requirement.

I have a short list of must-haves for me. And it is as follows:

1. My new van must have a working speedometer and gas gauge. Call me picky, I know, but after three years of guessing how fast I am going and trying to remember when the last time I filled up was, and how many trips have I taken since then? I am going to get particular here.

2. My new van must have tinted rear windows. Ben is sensitive to the sun, and we moved the twins into the backseat of our van because he would scream when the sun would shine through the windshield and get in his eyes.

3. I need to be able to crawl into the back seats easily. Having those huge comfy captains chairs in the front-back row is nice, but I have to be able to get to the back to buckle the twins in their seats sixteen times a day. And if you think sixteen times a day is an exaggeration, well, you've never been with me on payday, as I am running to Costco, Target, the Green Barn, Safeway, and on and on.

4. It needs to have low enough mileage that I can drive it for a long time. I am not interested in having a cheap, 120,000 mile van that might leave me stranded on the side of the freeway in the rain. I would rather spend a bit more and get something that lasts for a longer time, which will be cheaper in the long run.

5. It cannot be previously totaled, flood damaged, have ever been on fire, or sucked into a tornado. Yeah, this one's kinda obvious, but I wanted to add it to my list. My old Cavalier caught on fire twice and I still drove it for seven years. Not going there again.

That's about it. My complete list of requirements. I don't think I am being too picky. So why is this so stinking hard?

And what is there about me that makes sleazy car salesmen think that they can get me suckered in by telling me, "You know what you really need is a Cadillac!" And that has happened twice now. If I were the type of person to cuss people out, that second guy's ears would still be ringing. Instead, my Dad and I walked away. And the salesman was still talking as we drove out of the lot.

I am tired, I am frustrated, and I am sick of it all. I am praying and I do have peace that the right van is out there, and I know God knows where it is, but I want Him to clue me in right now.

"Come on, God! Can't you give a girl a break? I now that your timing is best, and I'm supposed to be learning patience here, but I don't wanna be patient! I want to know now!!"

"Be still, my child, and wait. I will take care of you."


*sigh*

1 comment:

DJan said...

You can't know how much I empathize with you. This sounds gruesome,and it probably is. I am glad to hear your dad is going around with you. It seems the problem is that you are still going to car salesmen. Are there no prospects in the paper or on craigslist? Very few people have ever gotten a good deal from anyone who qualifies to be called "sleazy." In the immortal words of a previous president, "I feel your pain."