We Bought A Car!

Jer’s 22-year-old Honda Civic was paid off and had already been through some major repairs before this latest rough patch. Then Jer stopped driving it because it would turn off after a mile, so there it stayed parked at home. After months of biking to work or carpooling in the van, we finally got it towed to a repair shop and waited for the news. Would it be worth the cost to fix it, or should we put the money into a down payment on a new car?

I made lots of phone calls, did my research, and ran the numbers for the current market and our situation. Turns out that buying a brand new car at a dealership was (get this) cheaper than buying a used car. Never thought I’d see the day, as we are fervent frugal kinda people, and I’m a stickler for fiscally conservative principles. This economy is so insane that all the rules have turned upside down.

We opted not to fix the Honda which had become a death trap with no guarantees that we wouldn’t be sinking more funds into a car that was getting too old/broken to be reliable. Jer looked at trucks, SUVs, and eventually settled on the small SUVs from Hyundai, a brand that’s been looking to prove itself in the auto industry with generous warranties and competitive value.

I looked at auto rates for every local credit union and financial institution around, disappointed at how high rates were for taking out auto loans even with stellar credit. The Hyundai dealership was doing a “low APR” promotion which would save us hundreds in interest over the life of the loan. The model of the car Jer wanted just arrived on the lot as the promotion was coming to a close. Everything kind of aligned so that we could keep our car payment reasonable, even with an extended warranty.

The first thing we did when I got in his car is he had me fix his clock. 😆 This has been a tradition of ours since the beginning when we met, and I fixed the clock on his first car! It’s a small thing that both of us laugh about together.

The kids were stoked to ride in the back! It’s funny how it only took 2 seconds for fingerprints to show up on his new car though! He has been benefiting from the Snow Mode with driving in all the winter storms. I’ve got my sanity back by not having to wake up at 5am to ride with him to work just to take the car home, and having more time to do errands instead of planning my day around Jer’s schedule. It’s been wonderful to be able to let go of trying to be in two places at the same time.

I notice this car has given Jer a sanctuary of sorts, somewhere that he’s able to make his own and get comfortable. He retreated to it when he needed a quiet place to study. The new tech allows him to listen to his favorite music, which really lifts his mood and gets him excited for whatever is ahead. He enjoys the challenge of parking it since it’s so small it’s easy to maneuver in tight spaces. He loves being able to take me in “his car” where it feels like a special date (and it is!!). He’s already got me looking into accessories, lol! After all, a black car with a black interior needs a good sunshade for when he’s leaving it in the parking lot while teaching summer school. I’ve been praying so much for help on this, what a blessing getting this car is for our family!

Love, Kat