The New Ride
I’m not convinced that God cares what kind of vehicle I drive. I do think He cares that I’m responsible with the money He’s given me and not go in debt.
I say that because as much as I would like to say that God had nothing to do with the purchase of our “New to Us” vehicle…there are certain circumstances of the process I just can’t explain.
After two weeks of research and dickering with car salesmen, I was about done. Going to get a scooter and call it a day. The last exchange about did me in. We go to a place in Denver and it’s got a Xterra but it’s more than what we want to pay. Besides that, when we get there – it’s not really taken care of. It’s got dings and scratches and the carpet is ripped and it smells funny.
As we leave the guys says – “What’s it going to take to get you in this car today?”
“A miracle. It’s poorly maintained and I’ve got two more on my list to look at that are cheaper, in the same mileage range and in better shape.”
Instead he offers us to look at a BMW SUV.
“You can get me in a BMW SUV cheaper than this Nissan Xterra?”
“Oh no, not even close but it’s a nicer car.”
I just got in the car and left. Amy and I laughed for a good three blocks at him. Enough so that I missed my turn where I was supposed to go. No worries. I found another street – Broadway – and just headed up it instead. Here’s where it weird. There’s like 3 used car lots on the road. I recognize a couple of them because of their websites. The third one had a Xterra.
I guess we might as well look.
It had 10,000 more miles but was pristine. New tires, no scratches or dings. The ’02 looked like it was just off the showroom floor. But the price was the same as the one we had just looked at.
Here comes the car salesman..”What’s it going to take to get you in this truck today?”
I think there is a class or secret code that they teach this phrase to every car salesmen. It’s annoying. No other salespeople use it. “What’s it going to take to get this laundry detergent in your basket today?”
I rolled my eyes and he saw it. “Okay. No games. I gotta get rid of this car, I’ve got 14 new ones coming and I don’t have room for them.” He took a few hundred off the price. I shook my head.
He talked me into test driving it while he looked to see what he could do. Amy is still in the car at this point. I walk over to her. She says – you can blame this on me – just tell him I want the loaded one in Castle Rock and what it costs, then let’s leave.
I go back and tell the guy that. He immediately takes $1500 off the price. It’s within $100 of what we got for the Hyundai.
I go back to Amy. “Get out of the car. I think we just bought an Xterra.”
Voila. {The original post had “Viola” as in an instrument or girls name. I guess you could name a girl Voila as well but that’s not the point. This is to better explain the comments below.}
The car salesman name? Jesus.
I’m not making it up.
(Btw – if you’re local and in the market – here they are. Great people to work with.)
47 Responses to “The New Ride”
let me tell you from experience, you would not have gone wrong with the scooter.
nice work, i suppose you need that kind of car… when you have mountains!!! here in the lower parts of kansas, not so much… an old buick century does fine.
After spinning the Hyundai around on I-70, yes…it’s going to be nice to have this kind of vehicle in the family.
And it’s yellow. I like yellow.
It makes me feel pretty.
A couple of things:
1) Picturing you on a scooter in the mountains brings to mind Dumb & Dumber. Sorry. . .got to wipe the tears from my eyes.
2) Can’t go wrong with a vehicle that comes with it’s own first aid kit.
3) Yellow making you look pretty? Hmmm. . . .
4) God is so cool
5) Congrats on a man-car. Whip out your man card immediately and go to the front of the line.
first, nice vehicle.
second, since jesus sold you the truck you should have worked in a deal where he would turn water into fuel for you. that’s not to much to ask of the messiah.
Welcome to Xterra club man…you’re gonna love it!! And like Mike says…it’s a MAN’S CAR!
what’s Jesus telling you to do gluv?
Jesus told me to buy the yellow xterra.
right……..
xterra, a man’s car…NOT. Anyway, what does a “viola” have to do with all this? did one come with the xterra — after all, it’s such a manly instrument.
I had a hunch that the whole man-card issue would come up with the comment about yellow…
Xterra’s are a nice ride and 4 wheel drive is necessary for mountain snow. Your gonna love it.
p.s. my 24yo administrative assistant just bought an Xterra because it was a “cool chick” SUV. You are in good company.
wayne, i like the comment about the viola. the fact he is talking about the viola means we definately need to check his man card.
Now when you run off the road into the snow….it will be easier to see you.
BTW, who the heck is VIOLA? Does Amy know about her?
I came here to say all the things that Wayne, Roland and Clay have already said. Good job guys.
Nice ride there, Tammy.
(This from the guy who is probably about to go buy a freaking Yaris)
I got the xterra to pull Rowland’s land rover out of the snow come next winter.
And I can’t believe you guys did all these comments while I was watching Dancing With The Stars so I couldn’t even comment back.
Ya’ll need to leave Grant alone about the viola, the yellow xterra (which is very manly), and start worrying about his watching Dancing with the Stars! Now that concerns me!!
What’s it gonna take to get you to spell ‘voila’ right?
well the fact that the viola is his favorite stringed instrument is just disappointing. it has to be the fiddle, or at least the bass, both of which are more manly than the viola.
It’s a tough call to change the spelling of viola. I could but then the comments wouldn’t make sense, right?
I think that topic deserves a post in itself
Blogging etiquette on fixing misspellings when the author has been abused on it in comments.
Alrighty then… I think I found a workable solution.
I corrected the spelling but inserted a comment explaining.
so, you’re coming to visit this weekend to help us go car shopping, right?
loved my xterra – i actually have not really forgiven my wife for making me get rid of it for a murano and now a mini-van.
that being said. yellow? really? it takes a special kind of man to pull that off! character, thick skin, etc.
rock it!
yeah, that’s a great idea.. do you think Jesus might have a 4 door Yaris 5 speed?
Let me know. Those suckers are hard to find!
A Yaris??? You’re jamming me about a Xterra???
Why bother with it. Just go catch 4 squirrels and hook them up to a red wagon. Spend the money on walnuts and ponchos.
hmmm…i think even the consideration of a yaris requires revocation of the man card.
When I bought an Escape a while back, they had 1 blue and 2 yellows on the lot. I wondered if the yellow was too bold, and went with the blue. And always wished I had gone for the loud yellow.
Now I roll in a red Tracker…
As in a Geo Tracker? Kurt, I could put one of those in the back of my truck. A Kawasaki Mule is more manly and probably goes faster!
Look, if you’re not driving a truck, at least get an SUV-type vehicle (preferably with 4-wheel drive) or something that is really cool and/or fast. Grant did, even if it is bright yellow (guess this helps people see him when he is pulling other people out of the snow, eh?) and as such, gets to keep his man card. And technically, a Tracker is an “SUV-type” vehicle. So Kurt does get to keep his man card.
Have fun!!!
Whew! Man card intact…
All I know is the Tracker kicks boo-tay in the snow and gets great gas mileage. But, yeah, driving up the hill from my house to Park City…feels like I’ve got those squirrels Grant wrote about under the hood.
Kurt – just get a big bag of peanuts and keep pouring them in.
See, Mike, I have to disagree. While SUV and trucks typically fall in the manly category; however certain genres of these vehicles are more along the metro-sexual genre and darn near feminine. Xterras, Geos, and Escapes are definitely not in the manly genre of SUV type vehicles!
Wayne – what’s your opinion on the theory that those that drive HUGE SUV’s like say…
An EXCURSION..
Are really compensating for something else?
I personally think the theory is lacking substance…but I can only speak for myself as I know I have absolutely no reason to compensate for anything. However, the inverse of that proposes a new theory — namely that those that drive huge suv’s actually have something to … well, you get the picture — although I’m sure you could live without visualizing it!!!!
Mmmm. . .Wayne, good point. We will definitely have to take that into consideration.
Then, we will also have to take into consideration Grant’s point of compensation – kinda like the Napoleon Complex.
Once again the Mighty Chevy Tracker got me to work through an early May snowstorm! Just so happened to pass by a big ol’ Jeep stuck in a ditch…
According to Wayne’s theory I’ve never owned a manly enough car. I’m sure my Pathfinder was too fem as well.
I wouldn’t worry about the Italian Stallion.
He has to use a couple of Houston phonebooks to see over the steering wheel of his Excursion.
HA! according to “the office” you always see girls driving exterras. that settles it. TEAR UP YOUR MAN CARD!!!!
In defense of the Yaris… I spent nearly $600 on fuel last month. There is no public transportation to get me to/from work. I would save $125/month, even when you factor in the new car payment.
Sucks, but one must do what one must do.
Heath — Hmm, but there are other alternatives. I think this warrants a poll on your blog.
Robert — YES! Thank you!!!! Finally a little support.
Heath – if you drive that Yaris in North Alabama, they are going to think you’re some kind of communists or something.
Be sure to get in rust color…that will help it blend in.
[...] Grant: Heath – if you drive that Yaris in North Alabama, they are going to think you’re some kind of communists… [...]
Heath – to help in Alabama remove a couple of hub caps if you’ve got ‘em. And get a NASCAR sticker or something that says “In Memory” of someone to put on the back window. AND. . .either a rebel flag or an “Ain’t Skeered!” sticker.
That should keep you from hearing “Get a rope!” if you drive your Yaris in North Alabama.
You should also have a little Calvin peeing on a Honda or a Ford. And take the front right quarter panel and paint it with primer.
Do any of you men have real jobs?
Kitty – define “real job”. Be careful, Grant may come up with a whole new post defining “real jobs”.
[...] MikeS: Kitty – define “real job”. Be careful, Grant may come up with a whole new post defining… [...]
[...] there was the story on My New Ride and all the comments therein. Next, we tried to get some handles on what exactly made a car manly, chick, or metro. Then we [...]