cars, cars, cars

Henry Ford has a lot to answer for. The last few months (years) have been a journey of frustration and financial agony around here. First the wagon developed issues and then while it was sitting up on blocks in the driveway, (where it still is, sigh) the van decided to just quit. So there we were, Friday night and two undriveable vehicles. What to do? After much discussion and hair pulling we decided to leave the wagon as is for later repairs and ditch the van. It just needed too much work to get it going again and was still going to be a ten year old vehicle with high mileage and rust starting to spring up everywhere. And I hated it. Had since, oh, about the second week we owned it. No real reason, I just didn't like it. Was never comfortable in it. It was pokey, ate a lot, didn't like to haul the trailer and just generally didn't thrill me. I missed my red dwarf I guess.
So a shopping we go. UGH. Kijiji wasn't much help this time. We found an ad from the same curbsider we had bought the Caravan from, yikes, not going there again. Borrowed vehicles from just about every relative we have to get around to look at cars. We had several requirements. It has to pull the trailer. It has to be big enough to transport five for those rare occasions when all are here. It has to be high enough off of the ground for me to be able to get in and out. It has to be another minivan, sigh. It has to be cheap, real cheap. It has to be certified and I needed it three days ago. On the Monday I took two of the kids and my father for a tour of used car lots in the Hammer. After a very long morning I found him. OD (olive drab). Another Windstar, yay! I was happy. It looked good for a twelve year old. It had speed! It was certified and in my price range. I could have it on Wednesday. Yahoo! This may have been an emotional purchase....but I was instantly at home.
So call us paranoid. We picked the vehicle up on Wednesday and took it to our own mechanic on Thursday. Just to make sure ya know? Good thing. It was not properly certified. Emergency brake cables seized, tie rods needed replacing, a few other minor little problems. Not happy. So we gave the dealer a chance to fix the issues and for the most part he did. Begrudgingly, but done. Amazing what veiled reverences to the MTO will do. Back to our mechanic to confirm the repairs and off we go. Even after returning it we ended up paying for the front end to be aligned ourselves and have discovered the front springs need replacing. But, did I mention it had to be cheap?
OD isn't perfect. He is after all 12! But we are working on the things we aren't yet thrilled with and it is getting better. The gas mileage has been improved by over five to the gallon in only a month! And over all I am happier. This could be the next dwarf for me. I am comfortable. It moves when I step on the gas. And once I get a hitch it should haul the trailer with no trouble.
Think I can get eight years out of this one?