When we got accepted to med school and then found out Lily would be joining our family, we decided to upgrade from our car to a van. It was a tough decision and even harder because we knew we better get it done before moving to WV where the pickin's would be slim! I was sick so Nate went out on his own and found us our van. It was a good van and all, but it was never what I wanted. He did good, but the one thing I had really wanted was rear air. I had heard that to have a can without was torture. It wasn't pleasant. In the summer the kids in the back roasted while we in the front froze. In the winter they froze while we roasted. And then there was that it was a Dodge Caravan and we knew that it wasn't going to last. Sure enough this year after the move things started going wrong. It was getting close to the time when the engine would need to be replaced and that was something we were not financially prepared for. Nate was able to fix a few things to make it run a little better, but the kids and I were terrified to drive it. On a whim one day we decided just to go looking. We ended up at a Toyota dealership and found the perfect van! It was the same year as our van, a '06, but it was a Toyota for one. It had rear air, power locks and doors that open with the push of a button, leather seats (so much easier to clean up), it even had a DVD player!! I had no idea what would happen. We had to leave to get the kids from school and when we got home we had a family prayer that things would work out. We got back to the dealership and they told us a price. I said no. I told them I wanted payments to stay where we were at. I knew it wasn't ideal, but we couldn't do it any other way and I was willing to walk away. And walk away we did. However two days later I got a call saying they would do it for what I wanted. I really couldn't believe what I was hearing. We still had 2 1/2 years on our old loan (ya Nate did a 7 year loan... it wasn't ideal) and it wasn't worth much. But they gave us high blue book value for it after all! We got down there the next day Nate had off and ended up with payments just a few dollars above what we were already paying and only adding 2 1/2 more years to what we would have been paying!!! AND I get everything I wanted in a van!!! I still can't believe it happened!! Every time I get into the van I am just so thankful! Now my kids have a chance to stay warm this winter as I have heard winters in Cleveland are brutal :)!
Here is the old van:
And here is the new (to us) van!! I LOVE IT!!
It still amazes me how everything just fell into place for us and worked out. Just one more thing I have to be thankful for, especially at this time of year!!
6 comments:
Yay! My parents had a 1990 Dodge Caravan, from way back when minivans were just on the rise. They finally got rid of it 3-4 years ago. In that time, they put seven -- yes, seven -- new trasmissions in it. Fortunately, five of them were under warranty. Later they had a Plymouth Voyager (basically the same thing) that had a lot of problems, too. Never buy Chrysler.
On a Toyota note, if you haven't seen the commercial for the Swagger Wagon, you totally have to watch this.
We love Toyotas! We have a Grand Caravan - it is toasty in the back only because there are no windows! Congrats to you and your new wheels
I'll miss the old van! 26 hours of memories in that van ;) Congrats on the new ride!
So exciting! Congrats on your new family member! I am so glad that you got just what you wanted/needed! You deserve it! Yippee...yippee...yippee! Enjoy.
Woohoo! So happy for you guys!
Miracles never cease! I am waiting for my miracle with a new home. We are three bedrooms, one bath to seven people. Yes I know it could be worse! :)
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