I needed a car...

Well I did!!! I am at college about an hour away from most of my friends and family, and it was getting really hard for someone to come and pick me up on the weekends, and then drive me back at the end of the weekend, and so my dad and I went shopping for cars!

We stopped at one place because we saw this nice blue, four door car sitting at the front of the lot. And it was in our price range, so we had to look, wouldn't you! It was a lot of what I wanted (but not as great as the red car at the other lot just outside of our price range that I really wanted!! hehe), but it worked and it was what I wanted. That one was a 1990 Plymouth Acclaim. The sales guy showed us the car, the only thing that I didn't like about it, was the one side had some damage from an accident that was never repaired, and it was starting to rust quite a bit on the other side. Otherwise the car was great.

So the sales guy showed us another blue Acclaim that had come in that morning, only this one was a 1989, a year older, but actually had a lot less body damage and less miles. So I took it for a test drive and fell in love with it. We took it back to the dealer and started to look interested. He told us $2500, I looked at my dad and shrugged and said, "we'll talk about it" and started walking away (see I'm a smart girl), so the sales guy now says "$2000 and I'll through in the new tabs it needs." I looked down and sure enough the tabs were due that month. I shrugged again, and asked about the engine checks and such which hadn't been done yet since it had come in that morning. He said he'd do that before we left the lot. So they took it to be looked at and my dad and I went in to sign the papers.

To make a long story shorter than it seems, I drove home my new car (well new to me!). I've had it for about 16 months now and have had very little trouble with it. I drive it back and forth almost every weekend from my parents house to my apartment (about 45 miles) and all over the twin cities. The only problems that I have had were some minor repairs (had to get new spark plugs and a new battery) due to the fact that the lady who owned the car before me didn't have the right parts put in the car when she had it repaired before bringing it in to sell it. Wasn't a big deal, and didn't cost too much either.

But now it runs great, gets me where I am going. It also handles pretty well in all the snow that Minnesota gets. I got through some pretty deep snow that even my mom's car didn't want to touch last winter! It is very comfortable and every one comments on the amount of room found. My car is also equiped with power locks, power windows, and a message board where it tells me all kinds of important things (like when my windshield washer fluid is low!!! cool huh??). There are also fold down back seats that can be locked in the upright position so that they don't fold down by accident.

Oh and there are so many windshield wiper choices and settings. I couldn't believe that there was basically a speed for every rain condition out there!! I have no trouble keeping my windows clear in a rain storm (unless its raining cats and dogs out there, man that sucks!!).

All in all I am very happy with my car. It is older than my dad's car, and has had so little problems compared to his in the same amount of time. I am going to keep this car until it dies on me, and that will be a sad, sad day indeed!!!