Easter Weekend Randomness

When the driver's side power window of my Found-On-the-Road-Dead Focus crapped out on me after work Wednesday evening, more than a couple of four-letter words flew from my lips. I could feel my blood pressure rising and my frustration mounting. The weekend prior I unexpectedly had to replace two tires. Now, the power window was dead. Based on my own experience with my Saturn, and watching how my sister's Focus met its eventual demise, I knew it was only a matter of time--the seemingly innocuous repairs were the start of an avalanche that would include replacing the entire break system and alternator and end with a total of about $20 million in car repairs and me living out of my POS car because I couldn't afford to make rent. My Focus was almost 5 years old. It had 61,000 miles on it. And already I've had to replace all four tires (two a few years earlier!) and deal with a dead power window. I. Had. To. Jump. Ship.

Problem was, I wasn't planning on buying a car for awhile--I didn't know if I could afford it. My parents graciously bought my Focus for me, and the plan was to transfer the title and deed over to me when they finished paying it off next month. It was my responsibility to get car insurance. I was perfectly fine with that plan until the avalanche started. Then I wondered just how much a used car would actually cost.

When I got to work on Thursday, I pulled up Carmax.com and perused the used cars. I found one that I liked, a 2009 Pontiac G5 coupe, and plugged in the numbers on the car payment estimator. I was pleasantly surprised--the payments were well within my budget. I got excited and called my dad to tell him of my plan to buy the car next month. My dad was on board, but suggested I get the car as soon as I possibly could, since it might not be there next month. And he pointed out that I would only be waiting a few weeks anyway--why not just go ahead and buy it now? He also suggested I get financing through my credit union.

A few phone calls, some signed documents and one test drive later, I was the proud owner of the Pontiac G5. My first solo car-buying experience turned out to be the most random experience of my life. It was exciting and nauseating, but when I look at my little red car, I feel a swell of pride and a sense of relief that I had put off the avalance of car repairs a little longer.