Hallelujah!

Can it be? Is it true, the Larsen fam is no longer a one car family? YES! Oh the excitement of not being stranded at home all day anymore. We finally decided on the Pilot that I mentioned in the earlier post. (I am going to let Eric give you all of the specs because let's be honest, I am a woman he is a man. He is much more equipped to tell about the car.) I do love it though and I still feel like I am driving a tank, but I am positive that it is the right car for us!

I am so excited that there will not be anymore, "What is it going to take for us to get you in this vehicle today?" or "Help yourself to free (amazingly flat) soda and (stale) popcorn. I mean after all it's all on Larry (Larry H. Miller)." No more hitting twenty dealerships in one day, and test drives where I wonder if a dead body has been in the vehicle. In commemoration of this GLORIOUS event, I have decided to share my favorite dealership/test drive story.

My mom was coming to pick me up and shuttle me off to all of my errands (Thanks Momma J, I would have gone crazy without you) when Eric called and said that he saw this Pilot at a super great price. In our search for the perfect vehicle, we have learned that if you see a deal, you must act on it ASAP! So I asked Mom if she would mind taking me to test drive this car. So, we head on down to State Street, now I realize that State is not all total trash but we were headed to Ghetto State. But, I tried for the life of me to keep an open mind. We finally found the dealership, if you could call it that and turn in. Mom starts laughing.... hysterically. I guess I should have picked up that something was amiss when not only were there many vehicles on blocks, but I guess the "dealer" was also had a soft spot for Pawn Shops. That's right the Pawn Shop and the Dealership were one business. I kept on repeating the mantra in my head that I am open minded and totally non-judgemental. We found the Pilot in the parking lot, and I am not kidding it was SO nice. I mean not even a scratch or blemish on the outside. We ran into get the keys to test drive and found this secretary at the front desk (who keep in mind that I called earlier asking if the vehicle was clean and in good running condition). She came and pulled out the car and then gave me ten bucks to fill up at the gas station next door. Okay, whatever so it was low on gas. I fill up the tank while mom waits in the car. I hear the door locks and then buzzing. Huh, cars aren't supposed to buzz. I look inside and once again mom is laughing hysterically. She has locked the doors and can't unlock them to get out! Once again I repeat my mantra, so maybe we would have to buy a motor for the locks, big deal. I get back in the car and notice that even though I put in the ten for gas, the gas light is still on and the little lever thingy has not moved. Great know the lady is going to think that I am a thief and pocketed the ten. We pull out of the gas station for the drive. Not only do the doors unlock, the radio doesn't work, power windows are dead, mirrors... take a guess not moving. What? The body was is such great condition. So I try to call Eric, and he doesn't answer so I put in a call to Pappa Jones. He immediately says to take the car back and don't look back, definitely a flood car. We pull over and get out to take a closer look. Well sure enough the body was in great condition but, then we started noticing rust. Inside the wheel wells, under the trunk. So of course, what do we do but laugh. Except my imagination starts to run wild. I start to think that maybe someone got murdered in the car and then the murderer drove the car and the body into the bay. I DON"T want to get back in the car! Thankfully mom was there to drive the car while I was having major heebie jeebies in the passenger side. So we get back to Pawn Shop, I mean Dealership and I go return the keys to be attackedd with a thousand questions. "Didn't we love the car?", "Isn't the body in great shape?", "When was I bringing my husband back?" I told her that there were a few problems with all of the electrical stuff, like everything. I then told her that I filled up the tank but nothing happened, and then she replied with, "Ya, that doesn't surprise me that much." What? When I called earlier the car was perfectly clean and working completely soundly. I guess that is what you get for going to a Pawn Shop for a car. I just know that some poor old sap is going to buy that car. I am just glad that the sap isn't me!