Extended Test Drive
March 31, 2014
Posted By: Shaunescy
I have a car that I love. It's a Prius V . As mom, I am quite the taxi service and I can't even begin to tell you how much I love driving by gas stations.
I am stingy.
I look at cars in a funny way. I think of the price that I will be paying in terms of usage. How much per month does it cost me to get everyone from here to there, and the like. We were a one car family before the kids hit school age and then, that became difficult and we picked up the most practical daily driver that we could. Maybe it's not 'funny' but more like hyper-pragmatic. I like the size, control and view-shed. It is a straight-forward and andriod-like emotionless exchange. I know what it is, I know what it will do and that is exactly what I wanted. Zero nuance or romanticism and fabulous gas mileage.
Although, it is pretty slick from the inside.
Recently, we realized that we have to replace hubby's car. Not something that we are psyched to do. We are emotionally attached to it and it has served us really well. When we were pregnant with our son the car we were driving lost it's brakes one day while we were out to do the grocery shopping. We rolled right out into the street and were narrowly missed by an observant F150.
Awful, unpredictable and despite constant and vigilant maintenance, happened.
The car we replaced it with is the car that carried both of our kids home from the hospital.
During the awful hailstorm that damaged everything in the Gallatin Valley a few years ago, it was totaled financially, for cosmetic reasons. Divots and pock-marks all over the roof, hood and trunk.
My son was 4 at the time. My daughter a year old. Everyone was taking an afternoon nap when the storm hit and I leapt up, grabbing a raincoat as the icy golf-balls pummeled down on the roof of our house like a herd of mustangs. I was just about to step off the porch, keys in hand to drive it into the garage and my sweetheart grabbed my shoulder and said, "Honey, it's just metal and glass and plastic. Stay here."
The damage was done. Afterward my sweet son and his dad went out to survey what had happened. Windshield broken, so many dings. A hailstone had broken out one of the high impact plastic headlight covers. I mean, really, they are designed to take hits from rocks on the highway, ugh. My little boy leaned over it, hugging it with his arm and said, "oh, poor Friend Red Car."
We decided to buy back the title from the insurance company and keep driving it, warts and all.
You don't turn your back on a trusted friend, right?
All to lead up to this little evolving gem of an anecdote.
I am on the hunt for a 'cream-puff'. A low mileage used-car that I can buy a reasonable few years of usage of. But my other requirements are less cold than of the Prius. I want the comfy minivan or staunch cross vehicle with leather seats that we can take on road trips. I have the more flexible work schedule, so I am the one who does the initial car shopping recon.
What that means, is that I research something I think will work and then I go and sign out a car for an extended test drive. So I can take the car for the afternoon or overnight. This requires a copy of my license and a credit card or proof of insurance.
I may be the only person on the planet who is psyched to renew their license. I get to in just about a month and a half!
My last renewal was 3 weeks before my son was due. I weighed in at 183 pounds. Which is not a point of shame, but for the entirety of my adult years outside of pregnancy I was 65 to 70 pounds lighter. I have always been and am again a 'sleight' person. I asked the lady at the DMV counter if I could have it re-taken and she said no and it's digital, so they'd just re-issue the pic they had on file if I misplaced my license.
I think she was lying.
My next question was, what weight I should write down. What I am today, or my 'normal' weight?
She shrugged.
I landed somewhere in the middle.
In the past couple of days, I have had the pleasure of giving copies of my DL to two salesmen and the have both commented on my 'great' picture. lol No doubt, I am smiling and happy, but sheesh. I can see you double taking on my size 4 frame buddy!
One of the salesmen told me that he could see my 'glow'. The other, well. . . he was jokier. And weirdly, I liked that better because it felt like more of a real human interaction. His wife had taken a copy of my DL earlier in the day so I could later take a car that he had out. When I met him late that afternoon, he said that he was expecting someone bigger.
My darling DMV, you and I have a date. Should I get my hair done?
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All my best, BunnyFufu ~ The Housewife
