Our New Old Car

[rebeccajo 14]

Ok....I inherited a 1998 Subaru Outback Limited in my divorce. It was a car my ex had picked out for me - I wanted a Ford Taurus. After he overruled my choice of cars and purchased the more expensive Outback, he then informed me that I needed to make the payments on it. He also had dark tint put on the windows, even though I begged him not to because at that time I mostly drove the car at night.

Are you starting to see why I divorced him?

At any rate, I've always hated the damn thing. It has a mega blind-spot and is hard to back up (I'm short and backing is never my strong suit because of it). I had managed to scrap both the rear corners when backing. It sucked gas (AWD) and was expensive to insure and repair. Everytime I looked at it, it pissed me off. But it was paid for and they are SUPPOSED to be reliable. I was hoping to get four or five more years out of it.

Last summer it began to profusely leak oil. And I'm not talking a little. I was constantly checking the dipstick and adding oil. When I finally decided to get it fixed, I was told it was the front crankcase seal. And since the car was approaching 100,000 miles, it was recommended that I replace the timing belt. $300. Then about a week ago, we started hearing a funny noise under the hood. Four days later I took it to a mechanic, who raised the hood and was alarmed to see the pulley that drives the accessory belt literally jumping up and down, rather than turning smoothly. He had no plans to repair the car that day - he was busy and was just going to give me a diagnosis. But he was afraid the pulley would break off and fly through the radiator. So $193 later, I was repaired. I was actually lucky because the pulley alone was $140 - he only charged me $40 for 2 hours labor.

Here's the bad part - when you remove the oil cap, you can feel air coming up through the tube - lots of air. I'm told this is called 'blow-by' and is a sign of an engine heading south. I researched the web over the weekend and learned that the 98 Outback and Forester engines are prone to blown head gaskets.

So what do you do with a nearly 9 year old car with 109,000 miles on it? Take a beating on your trade most likely.

We spent the better part of the last 36 hours looking for a car. In that time, we were lied too, nearly cheated and insulted by at least half a dozen car salesmen, one of whom told us we were wasting his time. Late Saturday evening we finally found a nice guy at the Pontiac/Kia dealer who seemed to really want to put us in a car we could afford. We tried a new Kia, but frankly we can't afford another payment. And this salesman honestly told us that we would get more for our trade on a mid-size car. Right now compacts are hot and the deals on those are not as good.

Now, on this car lot was - yes - an old lady car. Literally. A nearly perfect white 1995 Buick Skylark with (what I am told by my dad and Wayne, my son's girlfriend's dad) the famous 3100 V-6 engine. The best part - 24000 miles. The previous owner was an older woman who had since had a heart attack and was now afraid to drive. She gave the car to her granddaughter who was appalled to drive it. She traded it last Thursday on something sporty. It has been stored in a garage and has nice shiny Michelin tires on it.

And now it's ours. When we took the car to Wayne to have him look it over, he gave Wes some advice on how to make the deal. Being Irish, my Wes isn't afraid to play a little game of bullsh*t. We went back to the car lot and handed the man a check for the amount we wanted to pay. The salesman said 'I dunno' and we had the customary back and forth, with Wes holding out for another $100 at the end. We ended up taking delivery - tax, title, plates and all - for about 25% less than their original 'bottom line'.

Sigh. I'm happy, Wes is happy and we still have a paid-for car. Our wallet is a bit lighter, but it cost far less to buy this car than it would have to put a new engine in an aging Subaru. Plus even though we are three model years older and a bit 'frumpier' looking, we have a car that is cheaper to insure and less expensive to work on whenever it does need help.

So, who says all the little old ladies live in Pasadena?

[LaL 418]

hehehhe congrats on your new car Bec! I know just how you feel. Abdel & I just bought a new car and we spent 5 and a half hours at the dealership to get the quote we were given on the phone. how rediculous was that?? the only reason we did not leave was because my poor little lima bean (altima) had just DIED on their lot!

lets hope you can get another 9 years out of the *lark*!!!!!

:dance:

[Tim and Bethanie 1]

Great story, and good wheeling and dealing!

[Ban Hammer 14,193]

sounds like you recovered gracefully on that deal. i'll scratch subaru off my list

i've got a 96 camaro with a 3.8 liter, it's been pretty good to me so far, about 94,000 miles

[rebeccajo 14]

Oh, did I also mention that I have two more pieces of paperwork (sales contract and car title in both names) to use for lifting of conditions?

...hee hee...

Edited June 13, 2006 by rebeccajo

[TracyTN 237]

HA ! As always, you tell a story in a very amusing way.

I'm just glad you have a new old car that is reliable. Old lady-ish or not.

[almaty 19]

good job as always... too you

[MrsWhizz 0]

Good job, rebeccajo! Not only am I from WV, but I'm also going to buy a car this week. I will take your good experience to heart!

[sukie175 1]

Great story Becca, I am sure it is a car with great dignity and in my book a paid for car is better than any flash car mainly bought with credit.

Enjoy

[*Robert* 2]

Definitely a great story with a happy ending! Congrats on your "new" car and on hubbie's wheeling and dealing techniques!!!

[MichelleandCraig 1]

YAYYYYYYyyy! Good on ya Becca...I know you weren't sorry in the least to see your old one go!! Happy for ya! M.

[sadie33138 0]

Love your story. I learned long ago to take a spare set of keys with me if I was trading a car in. (You know how they take your keys so they can "appraise" your old car but they are really holding you hostage) Last time I bought a car with a trade in, I got angry at being talked down to as a woman and used my spare set to get in my old car preparing to leave, the salesman and Manager came running and apologizing, lol.

[munchkins 1]

Nice one Becca,

[ChristinaM 0]

Nice job!

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Great buy! Hehehe, my best and favourite car was the one I had to sell when I moved to the States, but it was a 'grandmother's car' as well - she used to babysit her grandchildren and she found herself with one more grandchild than she had room in the car, so traded it in on a van. That car had been babied and loved and cared for -so even though it was several years old, it ran like a dream!