Baby has used car



Finally after nearly six months of looking at cars, our daughter has her first car. Everyone is excited. I think Mike and I because it is finally done, we have been dealing with the tightest used car market in years. When we set up our parameters for a used car, we thought it would be easy to find a safe and decent used car for 5000 dollars, but we were wrong. We found very quickly that used cars between 4-6 years old were almost nonexistent and when we could find one they were either horribly trashed or exorbitantly overpriced. What we found were a large number of recent model used cars 2006-2008 ($7500-12,000), and a large number of 1999-2002($3500-6000) models. The years we were targeting were 2003-2005 and those nice clean with moderate mileage(less than 100,000) were either wrecked, trashed, had questionable titles and when there was a clean decent one, either close to 7000.00 or sold before we could get out to look at it. Eventually we broadened on scope of cars to include 2001 and 2002 models. Even so it took us another two months to find one. The struggling economy is the reason why people with 2003-2005 cars are holding on to them, unsure of the job market, they are opting to hold on to good quality older cars (the same reason I am holding on to my 2003 Caravan), and because of the cash for clunker programs, many used cars did not make it the used car lots. This is 2002 Ford Focus (Rach's first choice was the Focus) with 69,000 miles, it met all of our criteria, except no side impact air bags and price ( walk out price including, ttl was 5916.00). Even without the side impact airbags it has a good safety rating, and Rach loves the car. The inside is pristine, the steering and brake tight and controlled, no odd smells and rattles (this criteria became more and more important as we test-drove cars these last six months), has never been wrecked, and has received all of its scheduled maintenance at a Ford dealership(got to love Carfax). It has a bit of the Ford problem with peeling clear coat along the hood. I wanted it to be perfect, Mike and Rach were both sold, and finally Mike said to me, if the only problem with this car is cosmetic, then we have no worries. We told Rach if she remained accident free for a year, we would spring for a new paint job.

It is Thanksgiving and I am making bird with all of the trimmings, Rach and Mike are likely going to Car all day, Kim and I will likely eat and talk and drink lots of coffee. I miss the noisey Thanksgiving of our early married years, when all of my family was still in Texas, and we would do the East Texas Tour, with Kim and Mike's folks and my Mom's with all of my sisters, how we end the night with a loud game of Dammit or Dominoes and the blender always had something frozen and alcoholic in it. I have one of those noisey love filled loud families and sometimes I just miss them like hell. I am thankful that my family is safe, sound and loved this day. Hope the same for you.