Tuesdays with Nate | The New Hotness
Well we did it. I didn’t think in the beginning that it would happen, but we got a new (to us) car and we are both completely in love with it. It began a few months ago when Becka’s car (our shared ride) started making a strange popping noise every time we turned to the left. The popping turned to snapping and then progressed into a continuous noise of death so loud that neither of us could talk on the phone while traveling at speeds higher than 15 mph or even to each other without nearly shouting. And the most recent developments… sporadic AC failure, and a mysterious oil leak. We were at a point where it was becoming dangerous to continue driving it. We were at an impasse. With the crazy busy nature of our fall schedule and all the driving it promised, we couldn’t risk such an unreliable vehicle. To fix or to trade?
Naturally, my taste in automobiles varied greatly from that of my fiance and searching for a used car was not going so well. Becka limited our color options to white, black, and silver and was extremely picky about body design while I cared more about cost, power, and how the machine ran. I doubted that we would ever find anything and tried to talk her into just biting the bullet and forking out the cash to fix up the old Saturn. A few weeks later she sent me a link to a 2003 Pontiac Vibe located at a dealership in St. Augustine. A dealership that, without her knowing, I had grown up by and actually new the staff at. We made an appointment.
Well, by now I’m sure you can guess how it ended. After only a slight panic as we raced the clock to beat bank closing time, we signed the papers, transfered the titles, and drove off in this little beauty that our good friend Melanie Watson so affectionately named The Silver Bullet. Becka said goodbye to her old Saturn and we’ve been falling in love with our new Bullet ever since. Now we just need a new CD player so we can play music from our iPhones…. ;)
A last hug goodbye for the ol’ Saturn. Becka’s first and only car. She was a little sad to leave it there I think.
Yes she wore boots. Yes it was approximately 135 degrees outside.
Jingle them keys, go on jingle them keys…
Tell me… what was your first car? When did you have to say goodbye to it?
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@Uncle Steve Be still my heart! Did my Uncle Steve just read and comment on our blog?! ;) I can’t wait to see you guys in November. CANT WAIT! xoxo
My first car was a 1969 Mustang . I left it IN the telephone pole. Not fun but will never forget it. Love you sweetie! You look good in anything. Uncle Steve
I still have my first car. It’s a Honda Accord ‘97 and it has 235,000 miles on it. Only major thing replaced was the transmition which didn’t die until 190,000. lol. My car’s a trooper! or more like the Energizer Bunny. It keeps goin’ and goin’ and goin’….
Have fun with your new car! :D
CONGRATS! Getting a new car baby is something I enjoy, happy for you & looks like you are happy!! :)
I totally loved this post for totally selfish reasons… and oh how I (I mean my bank account) wish I had kept my first car till it had died (on it’s own… I actually ended up killing it). Bear with me, I am a HUGE car lover and this post has inspired a bit of reminiscing…
My first ride was an ‘85 Silver Toyota Celica with the pop-up headlights. I thought it was SO cool. I ended up rolling it 3 months after I got my license, it was totalled.
#2 ‘85 Toyota Corolla, white, also hatchback coupe with pop-up headlights. Again, thought it was the coolest.
#3 92 Toyota Paseo, red, no pop-up headlights but also very cool in my book…except for the fact that the little red sporty number tended to make me a cop magnet… not for dates, for tickets.
#4 2001 VW Passat Blue Anthracite… my first brand new car, I felt like I’d made it as an adult. If only I’d realized I didn’t need a horrendous car payment to feel that way. Had this car the longest of any other before or after… it was a GEM!
#5 2005 Chrysler Crossfire – Quarter life crisis car – purchased immediately after very unpleasant divorce. It made me feel better. I felt cool again.
#6 2005 VW Touareg, black. Purchased a short two months after buying my house and realizing that I could only fit a can of paint in the Crossfire… not handy when you have bought a fixer upper and your 2nd home becomes Home Depot :) I loved this car more than any I’ve had. I want it back & I dream of it daily. DAILY.
#7 1999 Subaru Outback, Silver. Purchased out of a feeling of needing to be financially responsible and not spend half of my paycheck on a car payment, exorbitant gas cost, etc. Oh practicality how I abhor thee. Being practical is sooo unglamorous, sigh ;) hee hee
#8 tbd but I can assure you there will be one within a year. I love cars, I’m addicted to cars, I get bored with cars hence I will end up with yet another notch in my car ownership belt.
Thanks for initiating the trip down memory lane :) xoxo
@Courtney I was totally sad leaving me car even though it was old and broken. As we pulled out of the dealership I looked at Nate and said “It doesn’t have feelings right? It’s not feeling abandoned right now right?” and I was only half joking. ;)
My first car was a teal 1995 Plymouth Neon. I loathed the sight of it for the years I drove it and was excited to sell it. It truly taught me a lot about what is under the hood of a car since I was always getting stranded when the thing broke down.
Congrats on the new car!! Such an awesome feeling, huh?! My first car was a 2000 VW New Beetle. I loved her! She went away when my dad decided to trade in my mom’s 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee and I asked if I could trade the Beetle in and take the Jeep instead… and he actually agreed. My dad can be a pushover when it comes to me sometimes! :)
God, Becka, you are SO friggin CUTE! Rockin the boots! Can’t wait to see the “Silver Bullet” – miss you guys!
My first car is still sitting in our driveway. It hasn’t been driven in years but the ol’ 91 honda accord is still with us in all it’s glory! :)
LOL Ooops I meant the ‘radiator’ was broken. ;)
OMG my first car was a 1992 Ford Probe. It was a piece o’sheet, for realz. But I drove it for about 3 years because its all I had and I couldn’t afford a car payment! By the time I got rid of it it had no working windshield wipers (rain-x saved my life) the driver’s side window would not roll down, and the radio was broken so I had to drive in the summer time with my heat on full blast so my car wouldn’t overheat. Is it weird that I was sad to say good bye to it when I finally could afford to buy a new car?! LOL
Congrats on your new set of wheels!
my first car was a 1998 ford taurus, the front bumper was held on witch duct tape and zip ties. had a leaky sun roof, trunk leaked. and the mirrors were different colors from the rest of the car. It was a pimp ride though. Its what i drove my wife around in for a long time.
My first car (on my own) not from the rents was a 1987 Acura Integra. I LOVED that car. I had to say good-bye because my newly minted fiance bought me a 2000 Acura TL. Well, I paid for half. :) I still see those old Integra’s on the road and wonder….. Last I heard, my brother’s friend who I sold the car to, wrecked it after having it for 6 months.
My first car was a Chevy Malibu. It was a great first car.. until that lady pulled out in front of me and my “go, go gadget brake pads” didn’t work.Now I’m still rockin a Chevy- trailblazer style!
Ooo geez…a 2001 Suzuki Esteem that i paid cash for at age 16.
It was ghetto, but i loved it. Had to say goodbye when some idiot rear-ended me at a stop light going 45 miles an hour. I was lucky.
@Alissa I laughed out loud at that.
Score–nice little whip!
My very first car is not even nearly as embarassing as my current car. I tell you the truth–I currently drive a 1990-something Ford Escort station wagon. Not unlike the lady above me, it goes about 30 mph without shaking. For a long time (I’ve been driving this bad boy for a few years now) I didn’t care at all how lame it is. But only recently am I starting to realize how much it sabotages my sex appeal. All I need is a canvas bag of library books and a straw hat and I’m a total grandma!
LOVE the new car!!! Sad to see the old one go… My first car was a 4 door Toyota, 1975 and I wrecked it within the first month away at college…. Got a Toyota Celica GT, liftback and had that until after Rebecca was born… Time flys…..
‘87 Ford Escort… went about 30 mph without shaking, anything over that it was like being in a blender. Got to say goodbye to it when my gracious aunt upgraded and decided to gift me her Honda Accord!