Say Hello To My New Wheels

Ready for many years of use

I bought my 2002 model Honda CR-V back in 2006. It's been a great ride, but it's starting to show its age. The steering wheel was shaking at highway speeds, and a couple of months ago the axle began making funny noises when I turned the corner.  Besides, Hubby Tony is within a couple of years of needing new transportation himself, and we wanted to spread out the costs. It was time for me to start looking for a replacement.

Based on my last experience of buying a Certified Used vehicle I wanted to go that route again. After I figured out I wanted another small SUV I went to the library and looked at the latest Consumer Reports list of best used cars. Based on that information I narrowed it down to one of two models. Coincidentally, one was a newer version of the Honda that had served me well for so many years. The other was a Mazda. 

On Monday night I went to the Mazda dealer to ask about their preowned CX5s. The salesperson that helped me didn't look like he really wanted to be there. He showed me some information on his computer, then after I decided on a specific one he was reluctant to offer a test drive. (He actually told me I could take it out by myself!) The car drove very smoothly, but I thought the driver's area felt a little claustrophobic. At the end of the drive I decided that I could make it work, but wondered if it was the car for me.

Tuesday morning one of my work assignments fell through, so I decided to go to the Honda dealer where I made my last purchase. This salesperson was energetic and professional. He showed me all the Certified models they had on the lot; after I chose the one I liked the best he offered a test drive. And he went with me.

This vehicle felt perfect. It helped that many of the dials were in the same place as the one I've been driving for more than a decade. Halfway through the drive I decided that this was the one for me, but I didn't let my excitement show. Instead, I told the salesperson I would think about it and maybe come back.

Even though he rarely drives my car, I still needed for Hubby Tony to weigh in on the purchase, so after dinner we went back to the dealership. Tony drove the car and said he liked it as much as I did. We sat at the salesman's desk, where there was some dickering back and forth over the price. Twenty minutes later I felt like Tony and I had won the dickering, and I had myself a new car!

The finance person was with another customer, so after a lengthy wait for him to free up we completed the final paperwork. By the time we were done my new car was ready to be driven home. As excited as I was, it was also a little sad to say goodbye to the old model that had served me so well.

Five years ago today: Absentee