I'm such a yuppie.

[DiosaBellissima]

Oh, mi amiga, Bakersfield has changed! It’s full of Beemers that people can’t afford and million dollar homes that people REALLY can’t afford. Norris is Oildale and, well, Oildale is still Oildale, I suppose :). We probably have 15 Starbucks now. High, high, high end boutiques (think Versace, Gucci, etc.). The works!

Dinsdale, no worries. We all have different priorities and such. And, I mean, I don’t want you to think that I’ve dug myself in some horrible financial hole- I can assure you I haven’t. We didn’t pay cash for the car because leasing was a better deal (we almost exclusively lease our cars for three years then buy). Anyway, I’m more then capable of paying the monthly payment on my own, but just today my dad asked if he could drive it part of the time, on the condition that he pays half the payment. I said sure and voila! $350 (which was doable) is now down to an even more doable (doabler?) $175. I’m not a math person, but I believe that’s less than 11% of my monthly income.

And as far as not having to much credit, I can again assure you that my dad also hasn’t dug himself into some financial hole. All of his houses are paid off, all of his cars are paid off, and he has perfect credit (hence me getting him to cosign!). We’re fine, I promise :).

We aren’t really a family that buys old clunkers and barely keeps them running, only to buy new old clunkers. We buy a nice car and keep it for years and years and years. For instance: my dad still has his 1985 Honda Accord in perfect condition (it’s older then me). Then there’s the 1994 Ford and the six year old BMW. The old Honda is loaned out at the moment and, as I explained, the other two vehicles aren’t particularly useful for my purposes. I suppose I could have gone out and leased a Honda Accord (what I had before the accident), but that would have been about $100 a month cheaper. $100 that I can afford to spend on something I like.

I’m quite the accountant’s daughter. Before looking into this car, I figured out my finances. After allowing for rent, food, utilities, spending money, and saving 15% of the gross, I had more then enough to pay for a car payment. In fact, even with the full car payment, I would have still had an extra couple hundred bucks to save or spend as I wanted.

[dangermom]

@DiosaBellissima

Oh, mi amiga, Bakersfield has changed! It’s full of Beemers that people can’t afford and million dollar homes that people REALLY can’t afford. Norris is Oildale and, well, Oildale is still Oildale, I suppose :). We probably have 15 Starbucks now. High, high, high end boutiques (think Versace, Gucci, etc.). The works!

Oh, well, I guess I’ll just stay a hick. Chico–though much nicer than Bakersfield (or Oildale either)–is too out of the way for anything fancy like Gucci. I’m having a hard time imagining Versace in Bakersfield, though. That’s OK, we have a creek to play in and you don’t.

I actually still have relatives there, but since my grandmother died a couple of years ago I haven’t been back. Most of them are gone, though; we have a lot of family history there but everyone younger left. My grandfather worked his way through college by working on the oil rigs there. And, my grandmother was the oldest graduate of Cal State Bakersfield for her bachelor’s and then her master’s.

[SnakesCatLady]

@DiosaBellissima

SnakesCatLady, thank you for the good advice. Of course, people are idiots and will walk in front of an 18 wheeler without looking, so I don’t think there’s much I can do about that one.

I’m still getting used to the turning it on by barely turning the key and getting no noise. So weird! But exciting.

Turning the key? You turn a key? We don’t need no steenkin’ keys! The Prius has a little black box. You, if you wish, can insert in in the dash. This is not necessary, so Mr. SCL usually keeps it in his pocket. You then push a button on the dash to start the car.

I am so still not used to driving it. I drive a V-6 Wrangler 5 speed, and have grown accustomed to feeling how my car is running through my rear end. The first time I drove the Prius and the gas engine cut off at a stop sign, I thought I’d killed the damn thing before we’d had it 24 hours.

It’s a nice car. I still love my Wrangler and tell her so every time I drive her.

[tashabot]

envy I have what would be considered a decent job and I’m just now moving out. And I drive a 1990 Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback that I paid $400 for. It sucks (although it gets 40 mpg, which is pretty good for a non-hybrid).

Although I did just take out my first loan to boost my credit. I am now the proud owner of a MacBook. pets it

~Tasha

[Rigamarole]

@DiosaBellissima

I spent two hours haggling with the salesman. The MSRP on this particular model was $36,000, but I- being the smart little shopper I am- knew the invoice was $30,000. I ended up getting them down to a price of $31,000 flat.

It was then that I realized they had a leasing special, so we went that route. After much debate, I got the sales manager to go down from $500 a month payments, to $350

(emphasis mine)

2 hours? How does this work, exactly? I think “debate” and I think arguments, counter-arguments, citing references. You know, that stuff. I’m trying to picture it, just help me out here:

*DiosaBellissima saunters into the Toyota dealership. Grubby Car Salesman rushes to help her.

GrubbyCarSalesman: “Can I help you?”

DiosaBellissima: “Why yes, in fact I’m looking at purchasing a new Highlander.”

GrubbyCarSalesman: “Excellent choice! The price on that one is $36,000 and with the fabric protection service and extended warranty, which I highly recommend…”

(DiosaBellissima snaps her fingers in a 3-snap “Z” shape)
DiosaBellissima: “Don’t even go there, honey. I know what you’re paying for this baby and it ain’t even close to that.”

GrubbyCarSalesman: “You got me. How about 34,5?”

(DiosaBellissima crosses her arms and gives the cold stare)

GrubbyCarSalesman: “OK, OK. 33 but that is absolutely the lowest, definitive, rock-bottom price I can offer you.”

DiosaBellissima: “Fine, then I’ll just go to Super Toyota of Bakersfield…”
(she starts walking away)

GrubbyCarSalesman: “NO, WAIT! I mean, uh, let me speak to my manager, and I’ll be right back.”

.5 hours later…

GrubbyCarSalesman: “Now this is what he’s willing to do. Let me tell you, we don’t give this kind of deal every day or we’d be out of business, but I can see you’re a sharp cookie. So just for you, we’re going to do it for $32,100.”

DiosaBellissima: “I don’t know. I still think it could be lower.”

DiosaBellissima and GrubbyCarSalesman engage in a staring contest for the remaining 1.5 hours.

GrubbyCarSalesman “GAHHHH!!!AHH!$@# I can’t take it anymore, you win. $31,000 it is.”

FADE TO:

DiosaBellissima driving off into the sunset in her new Toyota Highlander. A smile of contentment radiates from her.*

Something like that?

[DiosaBellissima]

**Rigamarole **, we’re you there or something? How many times do I have to tell you: STOP STALKING ME!

Most of the time was eaten up by the fact that he (the salesman) had to verify all items by running back to what I like to call the secret, glass enclosed room of doom. See, you can see them, but you can’t hear them. My theory is that they are actually doing witch craft, but that’s just me.

The exchange went something like this:

Me: Why hello, good chap. I’d like to purchase one of your deuce double ought six Highlanders.
Salesman: Well, it’s a wonderful car. . . blah blah blah.
Me: So what can you do for me on a lease?
Salesman: Well, it’s a lovely car. What’s your credit like? . . . Ok, well, for a down payment of $3000, you can have monthly payments of $550.
Me: :dubious:
Salesman: Let me check with ymy manager.
**
10 minutes pass**
*
Salesman: Ok, here’s what I can: $2000 down, $500 a month.
Me: :dubious: Your website says you are having a sale on the hybrid Highlander- a lease for $369 a month, $2625 out the door.
Salesman: Really? BRB*

10 minutes pass

*Salesman: Ok, here’s what we can do. $2625 down, $369 a month. That’s on 12,000 miles a year with no gap.
Me: Uh huh. See, the small print doesn’t say that. See? It says I can have any variation I want. I want 15,000 miles a year with gap, for that price.
Salesman: But that’s more. . . so the charge will be–
Me: Nope. That’s what I want. Go find out if you can.
*
10 minutes pass

Salesman: Ok, we can do 15,000 miles a year with gap for $469 and $3000 down.
Me: Not happening.
Salesman: Ok, I’ll be back.

15 minutes pass
*
Salesman: Ok, ok. 15,000 a year, gap, $428 and the $2625 down. Does that work for you?
Me: Not at all.
Salesman:
Me: Get that payment down below $400 and we can talk.
Salesman: I’ll see what I can do.
*

On and on like that.

This was all blown out of the park when my dad came by and decided he wanted a 20,000 mile a year lease (like I said, out of town for work) and the negotiations had to continue.

In the end, I ended up glancing over at the financing guy’s paperwork (he stepped out of the room) and it showed the net profit for them at almost -$2000. I was quite proud of myself after that.

[Nava]

@SnakesCatLady

Warning about hybrids - when you are running electric only, pedestrians will walk right out in front of you because they don’t hear you and are too stupid to look.

Said by a Prius co-owner (Mr. SCL drives it most of the time) who has almost collected two hood ornaments in less than a year.

My Yaris is not a Hybrid and people walk in front of it the whole time.

I think it’s the grey, they just don’t see grey or something…

[Queen_Tonya]

Congrats on the new car, I just have one question. When you see other Highlanders on the road, do you ever feel a compulsion to run right the hell over them? Just mow them over?

There can be only one, after all.

[Shirley_Ujest]

@Queen Tonya

Congrats on the new car, I just have one question. When you see other Highlanders on the road, do you ever feel a compulsion to run right the hell over them? Just mow them over?

There can be only one, after all.

HAH!
You need to name your Highlander either " Conner" or " Juan"

Yanno. There can be only Juan.

[DiosaBellissima]

@Queen Tonya

Congrats on the new car, I just have one question. When you see other Highlanders on the road, do you ever feel a compulsion to run right the hell over them? Just mow them over?

There can be only one, after all.

I would, except it might mess up my pretty, pretty car. We can’t have that.

People keep starring at it, which is something I’m totally not used to. Like, I went to Walmart yesterday (read: my own personal hell) and, when I walked out, there was a family of people surrounding my car. Honestly, I got worried because I thought they had hit it or something (I mean, I parked WAAAAY in the back and walked, just so it wouldn’t get dinged, but they scared me!). As I walked up, the walked away.

I walked over to where they were starring, looked. Nada.

Then I realized they were driving a few year old Highlander. My guess is they probably hadn’t seen a hybrid one.

But yeah, once I get it broken in, I’ll totally mow over people- er- cars. Yes, cars. I mean, I am driving an SUV. So, really, it is my duty to become a total douchebag who disregards road signs- afterall, my car makes me so important that basic driving laws no longer apply to me. You epsilons just couldn’t understand .

[DiosaBellissima]

Please excuse my bastardization of the comma in that last post. I promise to never do it again.

. . . for the next hour.