Tuesday, August 11, 2009

de-clunking

As some of you know, we have been shopping for a new car for MP1 for a few weeks. She has needed one for some time and we've gone around and around with various options. Another good used car? A new car with payments she can (maybe) afford once she's out of school in another semester? Her '89 Acura Legend, which we purchased 8 years ago, has served her mighty well (even when she worried that it might not be worthy of her passengers). Back and forth for 2 years to Male Saint High School, then scooting around nearby-college-town for 4 years, and now--for the last two years--back and forth between college town (where she gives cello lessons) and our city (where she is finishing her Masters). Let us not forget the many trips to the greater Bay Area and wine country--where she plays in quartets and operas and weddings, etc. When she is not driving other musicians and their instruments around, she is being driven by them with her own instrument. Thus, a comfortable 4-seater was an absolute must, along with a trunk large enough to hold her cello (hatchbacks are not so good, as the cello can be spotted through the parked car window). Lots to think about.

We wanted to take advantage of the federal clunker program, but also knew that a used car would do and might well be a better deal than a new vehicle (required under the clunker gig). So we shopped and test drove both sides of that equation. In the end, we went with a new car. We got a super good deal at dealer north of town. They were having a $3000 rebate on 2009 editions and then took several hundred off the list price just to seal the deal. Plus we got another $3500 credit for ye olde clunker. It was sad to say goodbye to it, but it had started having reliablity problems that were nickle and diming her to death and worrying us all that she'd be stranded on a highway somewhere at 2 am). Plus, we worried whether or not the airbags were still good after 20 years. (This accident took place in a 1993 Acura Legend--which suddenly made the business of shopping for a new car take on a more urgent tenor.) Thus, we finally landed on a new Sonata. Here are a few pics to commemorate the event, which transpired Monday night (a week ago).
bye-bye Acura

before & after interiors

someone's happy!

and has transferred the goods from one trunk to the other

and finally (below), a daytime visit to our house the next morning

The color is "natural khaki" but reads differently in different light. Tomorrow: another post about related shopping adventures.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Way to go MP1. We hope to join your ranks of new-car-owners in the next 72 hours or so . . .

Anonymous said...

That's a beauty. I am definitely going to look into this Cash for Clunkers program.

MP1 said...

Thank you! Congratulations on your new car!!