No More Catching Rides!

We finally bought a car today! An Xterra, actually. It's not new, a 2000, but the mileage is low, and it's been well cared for. We bought it at the dealership Nick works at, and he spent most of yesterday hammering out the details. I had to come down to sign the paperwork today because our trade-in (my still-not-running pile of crap that we got $500.00 for) was in my name.

I'm usually a pretty mild mannered person in dealing with strangers. But when it comes to finances, I can be a tigress. I took apart the deal Nick and the salesman had come to and put it back together with a couple fewer pieces. I wouldn't back down when the salesman tried to talk me back into the really-not-worth-it warranty, and I insisted on getting a full tank of gas. When our insurance company tried to give me the run around on getting an updated quote, I raised hell with two departments.

Tonight when I got home, Nick was waiting up to give me the grand tour (it was getting the tires mounted and balanced when I had to leave for work, so he drove it home). He showed me all the bells and whistles, and I took it for a test drive. I haven't driven a straight shift regularly for several years, and I was surprised at how right it felt again.

When I got back from my spin around the neighborhood, we sat and talked. I told him that I was sorry if I had embarrassed him and come off as bitchy in front of the salesman. He said, "You know, I was a little embarrassed, but I was really proud of you too. You really don't take crap from anybody."

That made me feel ridiculously happy. Not that I embarrassed him, of course, but that I also made him proud. So what do I care if the salesman made a smaller commission? I didn't let us get screwed. Not that Nick was going to, but he has to work with these people, and I made it so that he didn't have to be the bad guy.

And it makes me feel really good to surprise people. When Nick and I were dating, I drove a very sexy hunter green Camaro. Even though it was just a V6, it had a surprising amount of power, and I felt like a goddess in it.

One day we decided to test drive the more powerful Z28 model, and we went to our local Chevy dealership. The salesman was an absolute jerk who barely looked at me. Nick told him from the beginning that the Camaro belonged to his girlfriend (me), and that I was considering trading up. After shaking Nick's hand (without glancing at me), he said, "Sure, buddy! Let me get a copy of your driver's license, and we'll take it for a test drive!"

"Well," Nick said, "she's the one interested. Don't you need hers?" "Nah, that's okay," the jerk answered. A few minutes later we were in the Z28, Nick behind the wheel, me beside him, and Mr. Big Smiles For The Man Customer in the back seat. Nick took the car through it's paces, testing all six gears while the idiot in the back chattered on about how much he loved a powerful car and how his first vehicle was a '69 Camaro. After a few minutes, I said, "Honey, why don't you let me try it out?" Miss Sweet and Innocent.

The salesguy gave an indulgent chuckle as I climbed behind the wheel and buckled up. He lost the stupid smile 10 seconds later when I white smoked the tires, skipped second, then dumped the clutch in third and took off like a bat out of hell. The picture in the rearview mirror of his bloodless face was especially gratifying.

He seemed to be trembling a bit when he climbed out of the car. "So," he offered shakily, "what do you think?" I flashed him a huge smile.

"I think I need something with a little more power."

Nick still tells that story seven years later, bursting with pride as he describes his little hellion. Sadly, my Xterra is only a four cylinder.

But it is a very sexy hunter green.