The Oldfield 6

What a day to pick to go car shopping. It was sprinkling when I left the house, although I did know it was supposed to rain all day but I didn’t want to hold off another week.

So I left the house just after 9 and stopped to get gas, while paying I realized I never received my new license from when I renewed in January and the temp. one I had expired April 22. oopps. When I picked up my Mom I made quick call to the one MTO office I knew would be open and it was and of course I had to go in to find out what happened. We left my Mom’s and headed to the MTO, firguring I wouldn’t be allowed to drive any vans with an expired license and it should only take a few minuites if the line up wasn’t bad. Well was I ever wrong, I got up to the desk really quick and since they couldn’t help me they had to call a help line which meant being on hold for about 20 mins or so as I sat fumming to the side, not a good way to start what was supposed to be a fun morning of car shopping. So after a total wait of 30-45 mins I was told they mailed it out and I would have to pay $10 for a replacement card since I never got it, personally that makes no sense to since I filled in all the papers right, paid my $75 and they were the ones that screwed up. But I paid it and got a new temp. slip and as they hand it to me they say to make sure and come in before it expires if I don’t get a new one, I just looked at her. Mind you I had already done some loud complaining about having to pay more and it not being my fault, no yelling or cursing just loud (I was a drill instructor as a teen so I don’t always realizde how loud I can get).

From leaving my house just after 9am I finally got to the first car lot at 11am, and not in the best mood, not a good start to the day. Of course I pull into the lot and all they have are 2007 vans nothing older and about $7000 or more higher then I want to spend. Finally a sales guy comes and shows what I am told is only 1 of the 2 vans in the price range I want. So I look and one of the guys is using it to move right now so the rear seat is out and there are empty boxes in it, oh well I take it for a drive to see how it is and see if I even like this make and model. The other one they have just came in and  can’t see it until Monday, no I won’t go back Monday with all the kids to see 1 van I am not insane. So as I leave this dealer thinking their website is very deceiving I find a second lot belonging to the same company with about 5-6 more vans in it and in my price range, not too impressed, I just left to go some where else.

From this point on my day got better but the rain got worse. At the next one we drove a gorgeous van, little older then I want but in better condition then the newer ones and really low mileage. Drive was great and I really liked it, next place I took out a newer vehicle which drove nice but I wasn’t impressed with the interior set up or anything.

 So after a few more stops I came down to two final choice for the Make and Model of van I will be asking my friend to find me at the auction.. I liked the Dodge Grand Caravan Ext. and the Pontiac Montana Ext., with captains seats for the second row, built in DVD if possible and tow package(put I can add this after if I have to). I told D’Arcy this when I got home and he said no to the Dodge but figured he would be fine with the Pontiac. He has also told his Dad what we are looking for because his Dad has a dealer that he gets vehicles from all the time but D’Arcy also told his Dad that we want to see it before we agree to buy it this time because we are being really picky about certain things. I think his Dad was a little insulted we wouldn’t trust him but neither D’Arcy or I are happy about getting a van, so we want to like what we are getting and not just settling. We bought my Suburban sight unseen and it was great but things are different this time.

So next Saturday I am going to go and seat down with the dealer that I know and see what he can find for me, ideally the sooner the better although I am not in that big of a rush to have a new loan payment.

 All and all it was a good day although I could have used with out the down pours but at least the temperature was warm.  On to another week of being stuck at home, at least the weather is going to be nice, maybe I can get some yard work done…

Tell next time……

Make a postcard - it’s easy!

Well I am taking a little break from my Clutter Club Day 4 of boot camp, check out the before and after. We are still under renos and I am on hold to fully finish my entry  way until D’Arcy gets the last of the wiring done but it is pretty much what it will look like just no cloest doors. I still need to pick up a floor shoe rack and a hangy thing that isn’t for stuffed animals, like the one currently there but I will have to wait tell I can use the car as the truck was acting up yesterday.

 And that brings me to my mini anxiety attack or at least that is what I think it is because there is no other explanation for it then that. I was headed to town with the twins to do a bunch of running around, wasn’t worried about the truck as it had behaved on the drive to Titia’s the day before, one of the things I had to do was head to another village via back roads. So as I started out a did my first stop no issue (5min from house) then as I am headed to town doesn’t the truck, I don’t no how to explain it almost like it down shifted, the whole truck and me rocked forward and slowed just a little but kept going. To say the least my heart was in my throat and pounding a mile of a minuite. I was ready to cry, this was the frist time anything had happened while I had the twins with me. So instead of going to the back roads I kept going straight to the city maybe another 5mins and to my Mom’s work to see if I could borrow her Van to finish up my running around, she wasn’t there.

 So with my heart still pumping and my chest feeling tight and holding back tears I turned the truck around and headed straight for home. I stopped at the community centre to let the boys play a little and try and calm down but it didn’t work at all. After 45mins  at the park I still felt awful and wanted to cry so I loaded up the boys and drove the last 5 mins home.

I didn’t do anything yesterday just sat in my room, looked at the computer and took care of the boys (lunch and nap time so not that hard). I just couldn’t get out of my funk and my chest was tight all afternoon, it didn’t calm down tell after dinner when my oldest and I took the car to town to do some shopping I didn’t get down earlier in the day.

To say the least my Mom is booked to come out with me Saturday with no kids to test drive vehicles. We are going to keep a fact sheet so I can go to my guy and say this is what I want and what I would like to pay or better, find it, and the best part is that he probably will.

Anyway just had to share my stress and now back to moving all my winter gear to the basement closet for the final step of todays work. 

Well it seems that I will be writting here maybe once a week if time allows.

 From my last post after over $300 in repairs my truck is back in the driveway, did they fix it, not necessarily. They checked it and found things wrong and probably the reason why it wouldn’t start but no idea why it stopped in the first place. D’Arcy took out the alarm system this weekend and I have started cleaning it out. I figure by the mid to end of May I will be looking for a new vehicle full force. I just can’t trust my truck anymore and I am terrified that it will stop on a highway somewhere and I will have 2 or 4 of the kids with and no way to get home.

D’Arcy wants to get another Suburban but even though I don’t like mini vans I think that is what I am leaning strongly towards. He likes the truck idea and the storage room and such and so do I but I don’t think we will be able to afford the gas to go any where it by summer. So, for at least the next few years I will be driving a mini van. So I think my blog over the next few weeks will be about the joy of car shopping and picking out just the right one for me. One positive thing is that we have a family friend who owns a used car dealership so he will be able to get me whatever I want for my price once I decide what I want.

So I will keep you all posted on my joys and down falls as I look for a vehicle…. Test drives start next weekend I hope…