Day 43

I spent most of today at a dealership in Wichita.

First, never trust Google directions from Manhattan to Wichita.  It tells you take the most obtuse roundabout travel route.  There is another route that can get you with a half hour to spare.  Plus, Google tells you that same route will take a half hour longer than the route it wants you to take.  Sometimes you steer me very wrong dear Google maps.

Back to the action.  The dealership was fantastic.  All of the salesmen there were kind and attentive - compared to the dealership we went to in Kansas City a few months ago.  It is one of the first Volvo dealerships in the country.  How crazy is that!

This was my first foray into purchasing something without Andy here.  Needless to say a bit of a mishap.  Everything went along swimmingly until it came to the loan.   I tried first just to get the vehicle on my own - but with the mortgage and my teacher's salary it didn't work out.  But my credit is great from what they told me.  So I said okay, let's include Andy and his income.  Here comes the whammy - it's Saturday.  If you don't fit the easy bank formula for the understaffed bank on Saturday, you are not going to get financing.  Me and my power of attorney (ie, extra bit of paperwork) were not going to win the day on this one.  Can't process it on Saturdays.  If it was Monday, no problem.  But I can not get there on Monday.

Plan B.  Call up USAA.  I will sing their praises up and down the snowy streets of the Little Apple.  They are a fantastic bank.   Right there, on the spot, I (and my power of attorney) get approval for the loan with a lower monthly payment then the dealership was giving me (which was pretty dang low to begin with).  Then, USAA squares away all of the insurance paper work as well.  I did it all by myself on the phone.  The salesman was impressed - he said I was extremely professional on the phone.  I guess because I didn't get entirely mad at the situation and start yelling and screaming at people.  That is an accomplishment for me - normally I would have been an uncontrollable mess.  Wow - zen and buying a vehicle.

This trip started at 9 am.  By 4 pm, I moved everything from Happy car to a new black XC90.  Happy Car has served me well, and I think will now have the opportunity to serve someone else well.  But we have been ready for a new car for a long time.  The time was right.  Goodbye  Happy, and welcome to the family - well damn I don't have a name for this new car.  I'm sure one will come to me in time.

Since I passed most of the day in the dealership, this means that tomorrow I have to spend the day hunkering down on work.  Boo.