The Ecomony Effect

So me and Danielle are getting more serious. She currently drives a 1998 Kia Sephia that she only feels so so about. For the longest time, it had no radio, and the A/C was subpar. I wanted to get a newer car, and she was willing to make the payments. So we set out to two different used car salesman, both named Joe. Joe #1 is Danielle’s ex-uncle. He manages a lot in Mt Dora. We’ve been watching his stock, but some of the cars just don’t suit our needs. So we tried Joe #2, whom I bought my truck off almost 3 years ago. When I bought my truck back then, my credit was excellent, and they went by my word and gave me a $23,000 truck. Well, I assumed I’d have no problem getting another vehicle with my excellent credit, so we perused the Winter Haven Chevrolet lot. We found a great car with all the extra’s. It was $12,000. We sat down with Joe and filled out the preliminary paper-work. He handed it off to the finance guy, but you could tell that something wasn’t right. He didn’t feel good about it. He told us about how without putting money down, and not trading in might hurt us. Well, it did. Not only was I turned down by GMAC who currently holds my truck loan, I was also turned down by MidFlorida. Three years ago, they’d have been handing me the keys no questions asked. Now, I need paperwork, $5,000 and a vehicle to trade in since they did not understand why I needed a second vehicle. Danielle was devastated, and I was disappointed that my excellent credit means nothing these days. I was even talking to my accountant about it the other day. She needed a new car several months ago, and said it was the first time in 30 years that she had to provide “tax returns” to prove her income.

So back to the Kia. I like the Kia. I know it has it’s downsides. So I decided to fix them. This last weekend, I fixed the A/C. It was quite simple actually. The cable that opens the blower was loose. I put it in it’s place, and now the A/C blows like it should, air that is. It was always cold, just no air came out of the vents. The next, and more complicated, was the radio. I had a radio for the car, but no speakers. So off to two different WalMarts and I have speakers. I install them after quite a bit of MacGyvering, and even put in a cable for Danielle’s iPod, which she just loves. I also had enough time to install a spare tire cover in the truck, so that the groceries don’t lay on the tire. Oh, and I fixed the windshield washer. It had green gunk stuck in the left sprayer. Last, but not least, I gave it a good washing. Now, it’s practically like brand new, and Danielle actually enjoys driving it now.

I’ve noticed a lot of people lately sticking to their old cars and making them last longer. I’d have to say this is the first time the “ecomony” has affected me. Hopefully, things will get better. That Obama, he’s gonna fix it all!