Returning Home; or back to "big car land"

It's always a bit of a shock to return to Denver after Europe.  I'm so aware of our "energy hog" profile in the world and understand well why they wish America would lead the way for green energy.  Climate change is not a myth and no one in Europe doubts it for a second.  We are the only civilized country in denial and it's being driven primarily from the same lobbyists and marketing nazis that brought you "we don't KNOW if cigarettes cause cancer" from the 60's to 80's.   Their new clients are Big Oil.  Happily raping our natural resources and then price gouging us since the 1960's.  Big Gov subsidises Big Oil.  

What was gratifying this time was the obvious movement of the light rail extension out to DIA.  That's a step in the right direciton Denver!  I love living in a city that has a plan, even though the state itself is still oil friendly and allowing fracking.  To hell with drinking water, let's get every last ounce of that oil out!

Ok, I digress.  But in the weeks that followed our return, I was still noticing how very large our cars are.  And our own cars were no exception.  I do have a Mini Cooper, ten years old now, but even that seemed big compared to European cars.  And with our 14 year old Jeep Cherokee in the shop more than not, it was time to start thinking about a newer car.  Or even maybe a new car.  Our seldom driven,  15 year old Jeep Wrangler is no bueno in cold weather unless we buy a new soft top.  The hard top leaks air like a seive.  It sits until summer.  And gas mileage is not pretty for Richard's long commutes.

As human beings, we are not "small".  We are "big", but we had fit comfortably into a couple of small rentals in Europe, so we went small car shopping.  We tried the following cars, with an eye out for four doors (Poppy and Nicho are frequently with us), but open to some newer two seater commuter cars.  Richard needs a car that'll get him economically up to Fort Collins and down to Colorado Springs.  And we want it to be reliable.  And we like camping in the mountains.  Ok, it quickly became obvious that my dream of a micro commuter car with great gas mileage may not work for our needs 100% of the time.  Two seaters were still on the list but fading fast.  And yes, using the Mini works for four, but getting in the backseat is really more like watching circus clowns get into a car.  It's a two door original.

Off we went to the Smart car dealer!  Turns out it's a Mercedes;/  I was shocked.  Who knew?  The bright side was it fit us both comfortably and is super affordable.  Reliability?  You can lease for $149 a month and then THEY have to deal with repairs.  And the Mercedes dealer picks you up, provides a loaner car and has amazing customer service.  Lease a car, not buy, never having to deal with repairs!  Option one.  But only room for two.  Gas mileage was good, but not outstanding.  It rode better on the highway than reviews suggested it would.  It meets 75% of our needs.  But the other 25% involves people we love and care about.  Hmmm.

Then the Nissan Juke.  Secretly Richard and I both thought this might be great.  Styling is like a micro version of a Murano, long a favorite of mine.  Richard liked the design detailing as well, mileage was good, there were four doors, and still room for a tent in the back.  And it's AWD.  This dealer was family friendly (I found myself concerned for flu germs in the pack of humanity).  Sadly, no loaner cars for any needed repairs, and no one was going to come pick us up for service.  Oh how quickly we get spoiled.  Gas mileage was reasonable, but the sticker was 10K over the Smart car.  Ouch.

Then an old favorite, the Fiat 500 or Cincacenta in Italian:)  We had test driven it two years ago and loved the zippiness.  It's styling is Italian for gosh sakes, and it seats four.  But only two doors again.  Truly, it's no better than the Mini and I prefer my Mini.  Maybe I can sacrifice my mini on the altar of Four Doors?

Back to the drawing board.  Richard develops a detailed spreadsheet with gas mileage, length of vehicle (parking ease is critical for him as he does all the errand running in a major metro area), number of doors and reliability or problems.  We are both on the internet non stop all evening looking at other options.  He's lobbying for a newer Jeep by now (he's owned 13 of them), but I am adamant, no more gas guzzlers.  We have a 4X4 Wrangler (21 years old) for camping and snow.  We go back to considering Honda, Hyundai, Nissan and Toyota.  The Famed four for reliability.  He calls me Friday to tell me he's found the car.  It's a Toyota Yaris!  And he thinks we can get financing!  And it's cheaper than the Nissan Juke by 10K!  Hallelujah!

We wait to hear on financing, although I am skeptical with the massive economic crash we both had four years ago.  But I'm loath to spend all our cash on a new car.  In the meantime, I start looking for used ones.  And to my surprise, they are not much less than the new ones!  Great news, they have terrific resale!  It's 10 to 12K for one with almost 100K milage and we can get a brand new one with a WARRANTY for 15K!  I'm so thrilled!  It makes financial sense not to take a 100K mileage hit!    This will WORK!  I didn't think this could happen and had resigned myself to never taking another depreciation hit ever, ever, ever, again.  Course I then realized all my new cars but one were American made.  Hmmm.

We qualify alright, for the exorbitant rates of a New York loan shark with double pinkie rings.  Thank you Guido Wells and Sonny Fargo for taking a risk on us at all, I promise to pay the thing off sooner than later to avoid lining the bloated pork bellies of the banksters.  And then we ask for just a smidgeon off the asking price.  Seriously, $200 dollars.  And they decline.  We're putting a third down, we have financing and they won't go down on a 2012 model year car that's been on their lot for six months?  So on the principal of the thing, we leave.   

I tell Richard they're sadly optimistic, it's early on a Saturday and they think they can still unload this baby.  But come Wednesday next week, we'll get a call.  

Now, we wait.