Vanessa

It all began with spreadsheets......

Buying a car is no small task.  Still and all, the thought and introspection around this purchase seemed a little excessive around here.  I'm reminded of the "Portlandia chicken episode" in which the couple wants to see the chicken's papers, learn its name, and visit its farm of origin before eating it.  Well, meet, (or meat) our chicken, who I have named VANessa.  Mason thinks it's pretty silly to name a car, and I appreciate his gravity at four years old.

With my 300K mile Subaru leaking oil all over,  needing a minimum of 2K in maintenance, and unable to safely drive further than City Market, we decided it was indeed time to "bite the bullet."  However, I kept torturing myself, wondering if I could keep limping along with the Suby.  "I could take the bus if it breaks down!  Summer is nearly here,  and soon we will be able to bike!  I'll just keep an oil pan under the car, so the river and soil are not at risk.  Let's put a new engine in it--who cares that I have to use a ski pole to hold up the back door, we can't use it to go camping as a family, and it fills with fumes every time we drive it!  Plus, who needs cup holders, a CD player, or AC.  Why spoil myself now?"

My husband's answer was lots and lots of spreadsheets about cars: true cost to own, reliability ratings, pollution readings, size ratios, gas milage, ownership records....you get the picture.

We found a nice, one-owner van in our price range in great shape.  The boy's friends fit safely when they join us.  We no longer have to unload ladders and compressors from Scott's work rig on a Friday afternoon when we want to go camping.  It has a million cup holders and I can listen to something other than my college mix tapes. She is about as long as our house, which I'm trying to not read too much into (think of the chicken...).

The reaction of our peer group has been humorously mixed.  Some quotes, with my commentary:

 "You are too young to be driving a mini van!" Hey, one of the coolest chicas I know drove a mini van when she was in her 20's,  single, and free.  For her, it was the perfect ride for her dog and adventures.

 "Those are the best, most comfortable cars for a family, but I wouldn't be caught dead in one."  Not only am I comfortable in the van,  I'm comfortable being dorky.

 "Get that thing paid off because we could be headed for another great depression and it would be a shame if you lost your house." This totally plays into the Armageddon scenario that loops through my brain nearly nightly at 3am.  If the van is going to be what breaks us, in the meantime we might as well have fun driving it to Moab!

"We are jealous of your van. You made such a good decision!"  Of course, this is my favorite.