Introducing Pepper, my NEW CAR :-)

The Dorkanese Phrase of the Day: Feline Water Boarding: As a last resort when Lucky is being a brat (like scratching on the door and not letting me sleep or attacking me so no reason) I will hold him down in a standing position by the scruff on his neck and dump water down his body from his ears to his tail.

It's not that I didn't love my old car, a 2002 Kia Sportage (named Pretty Girl) its that, well, she was old, she got 16 MPG city (on a good day) and in the last few months she has needed 4 new tires, a new timing chain, a new battery and a new alternator. Still, I would have kept her a bit longer, but then when they started doing the Cash for Clunkers thing, Dad started talking about "maybe you should get a new car." We looked online at 2 models : the Kia Soul and the Nissan Versa, both of which my Dad had seen either on person or on TV and liked.
Then yesterday morning, while I was at the gym, my Dad just happened to go by the Hyundai lot and took a look at a 2009 Elantra SE (not the base model, the GLS, and not the super-nice hatchback, the Touring, but the middle "trim" package) and when he came home he told me we may be going to look at it later, if the dealer calls him back with "the right answer." Of course the car is a metallic "chili-pepper" red. Dad always points out red cars when we are car shopping. As if the car being my favorite color is some kind of deal breaker (in his mind, since I'm a girl, that must be all that matters, right? LOL)
After much haggling with the dealer and battling with the DMV (FYI if you plan on doing the Cash for Clunkers thing, bring 2 things: 1. The policy letter from your auto insurance company that gives a summary of what kind of coverage you have on the car and how many years you've had the coverage and 2. enough proof of registration certificates to prove you have owned the car for the last 12 consequetive months, because if you don't have them, you get to be on the phone with the DMV and your insurance company at the car lot like we were) Dad gave me the OK to start taking my stuff out of Pretty Girl and putting it into Pepper (so named because of her paint color.) While in the process, I found 13 cents in Pretty Girl. When I test drove Pepper, I brought her back with 12 miles on the odometer, so I thought the 13 cents I found was a lucky sign (12 miles and 1 to grow on) so I put the change from Pretty Girl in Pepper's ashtray. Once I finished putting all the random stuff I had in Pretty Girl (my fondue pot, my beach bag, some CD's, some books, etc) into Pepper's trunk, I said "Goodbye and thank you" to Pretty Girl, then pulled Pepper up to the front of the dealership and got Dad and drove away. I felt happy and sad at the same time. Pretty Girl has seen me through getting my AS degree, the end of my marriage, two jobs, driven around who knows how many friends and been there after dates and witnessed many a good night kiss over the almost 5 years I had her. That car was there for what has been a big transitional part of my life, and now her engine is going to be filled up with sand (that's what the dealer said they do to make sure the "Clunkers" aren't resold) and she will never drive again. She got me this far. But now, as I start at a new school and another new chapter in my life, I am fortunate enough to have this new car, with shiny paint, updated features (it has a hookup for my iPod and XM satellite radio free for 3 months) and best of all, it gets between 26 and 33 MPG, so I will be making less trips to the gas station.
Today Gregg got to be the first passenger and I played with the XM Radio a little bit. I found a 90's station right away that was playing "What Is Love" on it, and we drove down the street bobbing our heads like dorks while on our way to pick up Raven from a friend's house. Raven got to be the first in the back seat and she liked how much more room she had. Trina and I went on a couple runs to the store in it later and basked in the tornado-like AC. I can't wait to take it on a nice long drive on the freeway and really spend some time in it. I'm really starting to like my car. I especially like the fact that Dad paid cash, so no car payment. She's 100% mine and I am so grateful.