I faced my fears last Monday. I went to the dentist AND I bought a new car!!!
The dentist was routine. I had my teeth cleaned and I had no problems. After the cleaning the dentist checked my teeth, gave me the thumbs up, and I scheduled another cleaning for October. We all need something to look forward to.
After that I went to buy a new car. Well, not really new. It’s a 2016 Nissan Rogue with 7,323 miles. Practically new and very definitely new to me. As I wrote in March, I hate both of these experiences so I bit the bullet and tackled both on one day.
I looked at several cars on-line – not stressful – and in person – horrific. We have an Escape and a Tucson. We like them both. Our friends have an Equinox and that seems like a fine car as well. I had the chance to drive theirs and I liked it. I centered the focus of my search on two things: price and mileage. I have made it a practice of purchasing low mileage, reasonably priced, used vehicles. I can’t stand the idea of purchasing a “brand new” car, circling the dealership, driving back in and having it appraised at $5,000 less than I paid for it five minutes and a half mile ago. So I just avoid the issue.
I didn’t need to haggle with the dealer. I showed him my 2006 Hyundai Sonata with 210,335 miles and he showed me the 2016 Rogue with 7,323 miles. I told him of my “one number” policy and he obliged. No hassle, no name calling, no muttering under his breath. Me neither. Marty and I saw eye to eye.
I picked up the car on Wednesday. Before turning in the Sonata, I cleaned out everything from the glove box. I don’t know about you, but I seldom store gloves there. I did find my insurance documents for the last eleven years, receipts for tire purchases, registrations, a couple of pens, some reading glasses, a few napkins, a straw, a shoe shine polishing kit left over from my superintendent days (I retired ten years ago), a map of Michigan dated 2007, and two of Ruth’s casino players cards. I also found all of the instructions manuals and maintenance logs (some still sealed in plastic wrap). You probably have similar stuff in your glove box.
The side pockets were in better shape. I discovered three maps – Michigan, Georgia and Kentucky, a bottle of hand lotion and a bottle of hand sanitizer on Ruth’s side. I had a pair of reading glasses on mine. The center console had pens, a note pad, some cleaning wipes, a phone charger, and a recall notice for something called a “rear crossmember”. That’s been fixed.
The back seat pockets had three children’s books (Brady and Eva’s), some candy wrappers, a couple of CDs, and a few crayons (one melted in the side handle on Eva’s side).
My new Rogue has a huge instruction manual and I plan to spend most of today reading it. The car is pretty fancy. Push button start, full moon roof, back up bells and whistles, and about 1,000 buttons on the steering wheel. Reminds me a bit of James Bond’s ride in Gold Finger.
I have already synced my phone for “convenient hands free calling”. One of my friends called me while I was driving the other day and it scared the …….. out of me. I started pushing buttons, changed the radio twice, got navigation directions back to the dealership, was asked by the car if I want to sign up for Sirius radio, all before connecting with Bruce. I have to get better at that.
It’s black on black and looks like a short version of a secret service car. Very bad. (and that’s good)
I know it’s a bit vain, but I really like the name. Rogue It fits my self identified persona.
As for hemorrhoids, I told you in my March post that they came in third on my list of dislikes. I also said I didn’t have any. I lied. Turns out we all have them. In fact, we need them to aid in “the process”. What we don’t want is for them to become inflamed and swollen. It’s similar to having varicose veins “down there” and that’s the bad. A couple of additional interesting facts: people between the ages of 45 and 65 are most likely to get them, so I’m passed the age of great concern; and they are more common among wealthy people.
I’m guessing that’s one of God’s ways of leveling the economic playing field. Poor people can’t afford to buy the necessary creams and ointments to achieve relief and rich people can.