My New Car is Up on the Roof

I’m one of those people who hates to buy a new car. The fact is, I don’t like spending large sums of money. On my husband —  sure. The dog — let’s do it.  On me — not so much.

Lease

And I’m too practical to lease. I tend to buy and hold, fully depreciating the investment. Plus, leasing would require that I walk into a showroom every few years. And I don’t like showrooms. The sales staff are too attentive. Asking all sorts of personal questions and offering me coffee at every turn. I wouldn’t mind a big glazed donut — but they don’t offer those. The baked goods are reserved for the suckers in the service area.

Car Blind

A close friend recently said that I have lousy taste in cars. I should be offended, but all cars do look alike to me. I can tell an SUV from a Sedan. A sports car from a luxury model. I’m not stupid. I just can’t tell one SUV from the other. Inside and outside, they all seem the same.

Detroit Car Show

You’d think after living in Detroit for so many years, I’d have developed a passion for cars. Well, I haven’t.

I regularly attended the North American International Auto Show in January. That’s big in Detroit. I remember it being so darn cold outside. The cars — left little impression. The truth is, there was too much new car shine going on. Too many bright lights, cars spinning, large crowds and music blaring overhead. The whole thing left me dizzy and exhausted.

Eight-Year Mark 

So why be concerned about a new car? Well, I’m at the 8-year mark. We all know that sooner or later things will go south. So I started to shop. That explains all the messages on my I-phone. Friends and family text — car salespeople call. Day and night. Week after week. I’ve become very popular.

And then, one of our two HVACs died. A few days later, in a symbolic show of unity, the other HVAC let out a death rattle. It’s been an expensive proposition.

So now, my new car is up on the roof. That’s where the HVAC sits. I have no idea why the HVAC is up there. I’m just grateful I didn’t have to test-drive it.