Back Door Eating Car

I forgot how much I hate shopping for cars.  I like looking and driving them, just hate the rest of it.  Why would I possibly need a 2nd car?  We haven't had a 2nd car in over 13 years since I don't really drive.  Here's why a 2nd care would be helpful, but not essential.

Remember a couple of months ago when I had the feeling DH would be getting a new job?  It happened.  DH started a DAY job today with NORMAL hours of 8-5.  No more nights.  No more corrections.  No more worries about him getting hurt while working with inmates and any of the other crap that goes with that job.  My DH looks like he's de-aged a few years just after the weekend.  Hopefully; his blood pressure will drop to normal levels now.  Only catch is he has to commute to Lincoln with around an hour drive to and from.

Since it's a day job, I'm left w/o a vehicle.  The town I live in is small enough to walk to where I need to go, but there are times when I will need a car or really have to ask for someone to drive me.  I walked over to the local used car dealer and looked around.  For the prices he wanted I could buy a brand new Huyundai Accent.  I asked about a car that was around 3000 or less.  A junk car that you "dump when it dies on you" car.  I just need something to get me to the grocery store and a few other places.  He said he had a Sable (don't remember the year but in the 1990's) that he would sell me for under a thousand.  I took it for a spin up to a friend who does mechanic work for a look-over.  It needed the left back brake replaced, a heating part replaced and something else but the A/C worked and it ran beautifully.  Only other catch was the back doors don't exactly work so you get stuck back there.  My friend said he wouldn't pay more than 500 for it.

I drove it back and drove a 2001 Chevy Malibu.  He wanted 5000 for it and again I went back to my friend and had him look it over.  A cover for an oil thing needed replaced as it was leaking oil and it needed a new hose for something else.  We did a Blue Book check and it ran up around that price.  I came back and asked about those parts and I asked what he would go down on in price.  He said he'd take 4500 for it claiming that he paid 4200 for it.  Hmm.  Why suddenly go that low without even dickering over the price?  He said I could take it home and show DH the car.  WHO lets you drive off with a car overnight?

DH took a look at it and drove it.  We figured out why he was so happy to go to 4500 so fast.  The A/C doesn't quite work.  It comes out cold but the A/C button keeps turning off/on by itself and wouldn't let you change how the air was circulated.  I had a Dodge Neon that played this game and the dealer kept insisting nothing was wrong.  This could be an expensive fix if it's a stupid sensor or not depending on the problem.  I'll take it back tomorrow as I'm not about to deal with A/C issues.

I went on Edmunds.com to fiind out more and it appeared the car was only worth close to 4000 not 5000 like the Blue Book said.

As silly as it sounds, I loved the rusted, brake needing, insane back door eating Sable much better.  Probably because it reminds of me of my 1970's F-250 truck I drove while in high school.  Not much to look at but it drove beautifully.

No car today and it's one of those things that isn't neccesary, but when I do need one, it's there.