hello Friday and some updates!
I've been totally MIA these last two weeks. I've had a bit of what you would call... car drama-- I took my car in because my check engine light came on. That worried me a bit. Well, the diagnosis from my mechanic wasn't good. He said, "I think it's time for a new car." No kidding. He estimated the repairs to be over $3,000.
I had no engine mounts, the check engine light was attributed to something wrong with the catalytic converter and misfiring in the engine, and there was something wrong with my axles, my right side rims were really bent (thank you Chicago potholes)...the brakes I needed were the least (and cheapest!) of my repairs!!! I *just* plunked down over 1K for her last year. She had a good life-- she was a 2001 Hyundai elantra with over 137,000 miles. She was a fabulous car. I couldn't justify spending more than 3K on repairs. (seriously, every time I've gone in for repairs, they've been costing more and more!)
So.... I decided I would take the plunge and went shopping for a new car (a Hyundai, of course!) My wonderful friend john and I went to a Hyundai dealership in Glenview, and it was not a pleasant experience (I don't know, should I call them out?) They did every car salesman trick in the book! They were really trying to pressure me into buying a car that evening ("the cars are flying off the lot!") Worse yet, I told them the monthly payment I was looking for, and the salesman LAUGHED at me. Sure, I low-balled it. I could have afforded a little more, but they were not willing to make me a better deal. "The numbers are the numbers, and the numbers don't lie" (this was brought up because John kept thinking that something was fishy about the "numbers.") Needless to say, I did not buy a car from them. And I would NOT recommend them.
ever.
John called Rosen Hyundai in Algonquin and talked to the manager (he did some name dropping and worked his negotiation mojo) and told him what I was looking for in terms of car and price. wouldn't you know it-- they were able to give me a price that was really could to what I could afford! So we went out there on Wednesday, and I bought my car--a GORGEOUS 2009 elantra!!! (we had to go back and pick up Thursday!) I would DEFINITELY recommend them to someone who is looking to buy a car.
They were fabulous. They totally could have screwed with the price since the man who john spoke with wasn't there the night we went in, and the car he put aside for me wasn't there anymore. All they had was a sheet of paper with some numbers scribbled on it, and they totally honored it.
(this is the car I bought!!!)
It's sooo nice to not have to worry about the check engine light, or about the axles that could break at any moment, or have my steering wheel shake like crazy... This car is beautiful, and rides like a dream. (I am so in love with it!)
Friday I was able to take mom out to the Scrapbook expo in st. Charles. While I was disappointed with the size of the expo (really, it seemed...smaller...this year) Mom and I had a fabulous time!!! It was really really awesome to get to go out with her!
The weekend was spent TAKING PICTURES. Saturday- a date with some pirates and dinosaurs at the field museum. Sunday was a mini road trip to the boerner botanical gardens. Total highlight of the trip was seeing (and trying to photograph!) a hummingbird, and some ultra cute frogs (you can see both in my flickr photostream!)
I had no engine mounts, the check engine light was attributed to something wrong with the catalytic converter and misfiring in the engine, and there was something wrong with my axles, my right side rims were really bent (thank you Chicago potholes)...the brakes I needed were the least (and cheapest!) of my repairs!!! I *just* plunked down over 1K for her last year. She had a good life-- she was a 2001 Hyundai elantra with over 137,000 miles. She was a fabulous car. I couldn't justify spending more than 3K on repairs. (seriously, every time I've gone in for repairs, they've been costing more and more!)
So.... I decided I would take the plunge and went shopping for a new car (a Hyundai, of course!) My wonderful friend john and I went to a Hyundai dealership in Glenview, and it was not a pleasant experience (I don't know, should I call them out?) They did every car salesman trick in the book! They were really trying to pressure me into buying a car that evening ("the cars are flying off the lot!") Worse yet, I told them the monthly payment I was looking for, and the salesman LAUGHED at me. Sure, I low-balled it. I could have afforded a little more, but they were not willing to make me a better deal. "The numbers are the numbers, and the numbers don't lie" (this was brought up because John kept thinking that something was fishy about the "numbers.") Needless to say, I did not buy a car from them. And I would NOT recommend them.
ever.
John called Rosen Hyundai in Algonquin and talked to the manager (he did some name dropping and worked his negotiation mojo) and told him what I was looking for in terms of car and price. wouldn't you know it-- they were able to give me a price that was really could to what I could afford! So we went out there on Wednesday, and I bought my car--a GORGEOUS 2009 elantra!!! (we had to go back and pick up Thursday!) I would DEFINITELY recommend them to someone who is looking to buy a car.
They were fabulous. They totally could have screwed with the price since the man who john spoke with wasn't there the night we went in, and the car he put aside for me wasn't there anymore. All they had was a sheet of paper with some numbers scribbled on it, and they totally honored it.
(this is the car I bought!!!)
It's sooo nice to not have to worry about the check engine light, or about the axles that could break at any moment, or have my steering wheel shake like crazy... This car is beautiful, and rides like a dream. (I am so in love with it!)
Friday I was able to take mom out to the Scrapbook expo in st. Charles. While I was disappointed with the size of the expo (really, it seemed...smaller...this year) Mom and I had a fabulous time!!! It was really really awesome to get to go out with her!
The weekend was spent TAKING PICTURES. Saturday- a date with some pirates and dinosaurs at the field museum. Sunday was a mini road trip to the boerner botanical gardens. Total highlight of the trip was seeing (and trying to photograph!) a hummingbird, and some ultra cute frogs (you can see both in my flickr photostream!)