So in my last post I said I would talk about some of what is going on. Well I don't want to bore people (those that actually read) and do want this to end with a happy note, hence the title. Anyway, I won't go into it all but I have gone through so much during this deployment. Some only the Lord, my loving husband and drs will ever know. But since Jes deployed a year ago, I've had some medical problems that are finally getting properly addressed this month. Without proper medical diagnosis, I believe right before school restarted, I passed my second kidney stone. I was asked by a friend of mine, "Is it like giving birth?". To my reply, "very close".
Now on to the title and how it came about. So of course we live in Texas where cars need to be inspected every year. It was time again to get the Audi in and we had had problems with this last year. This year, its just me to deal with it though. So, knowing right off there is a safety issue that won't pass (we paid over $200 for Firestone to fix the highbeams last year and they quit working after they put them in, they just passed us anyway), I take my car back to the place that had fixed that exact issue, even though throught the year I had tried as well. See this place does not to appointments. They open at 7am and when you have kids in school, young children and its just you, no other car, its quite hard to just go there and sit all day waiting. Let alone leave your vehical for them.
So I take it in, being the first day back to school I figured they would be pretty slow and they were. But what do they tell me?! Sorry the warrenty is all void and we would have to fix it. The price quoted to me was over $400 this time. Oh and yeah, I needed to have something else fixed to, unsure what, but it won't pass until done. So I was looking at $800 to over $1000 in repaire costs. Now Jesse and I had discussed getting a different vehical at some point. Well that point came. I didn't see the point in throwing all that money into the car. We are hoping to go home for his leave and I didn't feel safe taking this car round trip (it was giving my signs, like all the panels inside started falling off, hmmm). Needless to say, I went shopping. This is all in that first week of school as well (yes it was a TON of stress, but its kinda how the deployment has gone).
Now since we hadn't fully prepaired to buy a new car or anything right now, we didn't have a full amount of cash to put on it (yes we try to buy free and clear as much as we can ~ see Dad, Dave Ramsey would be proud). And of course we are still working on our credit, plus my husband is deployed so we have limited banks to even try since not all work with POA's (power of attorneys). Needless to say, by the end of the week I had found a place, a dealership, with a warrenty (certified pre owned) vehical that would finance us. The bank just decided to be a little uptight about it and I had to have poor overworked Jesse get my another POA with the vin # from Iraq (but he was my hero and did).
Now that you have read through this big blog, here is the best part. Our new to us SUV:
A 2003 Ford Expedition! It has 3rd row seating which with our kids has become a must. Cloth interior (so much better then the leather I had where you stick to it everytime you get up, ugh). The back seats even have their own climate controls. And one of its best perks, we can tow Jesse's car:-)
Oh and if you are thinking about the fuel economy, sad to say, as bad as my car was running after Jesse left, it took premium gas. I did the math, we are still right at about the same amount spent for twice the size putting regular gas in the new beast.
Now on to the title and how it came about. So of course we live in Texas where cars need to be inspected every year. It was time again to get the Audi in and we had had problems with this last year. This year, its just me to deal with it though. So, knowing right off there is a safety issue that won't pass (we paid over $200 for Firestone to fix the highbeams last year and they quit working after they put them in, they just passed us anyway), I take my car back to the place that had fixed that exact issue, even though throught the year I had tried as well. See this place does not to appointments. They open at 7am and when you have kids in school, young children and its just you, no other car, its quite hard to just go there and sit all day waiting. Let alone leave your vehical for them.
So I take it in, being the first day back to school I figured they would be pretty slow and they were. But what do they tell me?! Sorry the warrenty is all void and we would have to fix it. The price quoted to me was over $400 this time. Oh and yeah, I needed to have something else fixed to, unsure what, but it won't pass until done. So I was looking at $800 to over $1000 in repaire costs. Now Jesse and I had discussed getting a different vehical at some point. Well that point came. I didn't see the point in throwing all that money into the car. We are hoping to go home for his leave and I didn't feel safe taking this car round trip (it was giving my signs, like all the panels inside started falling off, hmmm). Needless to say, I went shopping. This is all in that first week of school as well (yes it was a TON of stress, but its kinda how the deployment has gone).
Now since we hadn't fully prepaired to buy a new car or anything right now, we didn't have a full amount of cash to put on it (yes we try to buy free and clear as much as we can ~ see Dad, Dave Ramsey would be proud). And of course we are still working on our credit, plus my husband is deployed so we have limited banks to even try since not all work with POA's (power of attorneys). Needless to say, by the end of the week I had found a place, a dealership, with a warrenty (certified pre owned) vehical that would finance us. The bank just decided to be a little uptight about it and I had to have poor overworked Jesse get my another POA with the vin # from Iraq (but he was my hero and did).
Now that you have read through this big blog, here is the best part. Our new to us SUV:
A 2003 Ford Expedition! It has 3rd row seating which with our kids has become a must. Cloth interior (so much better then the leather I had where you stick to it everytime you get up, ugh). The back seats even have their own climate controls. And one of its best perks, we can tow Jesse's car:-)
Oh and if you are thinking about the fuel economy, sad to say, as bad as my car was running after Jesse left, it took premium gas. I did the math, we are still right at about the same amount spent for twice the size putting regular gas in the new beast.
5 comments:
Hi Diana and kids. The car looks great, beautiful. You done good. Hope it gives you reliable and dependable transportation. I think you got it so you could do battle with the drivers in El Paso and feel protected. Now you won't have to utter things under your breath. Also, now the kids can be more than an arms length away from each other. You have to do all you can to help yourself. Love, Mom, Dad and David
The new vehicle looks beautiful. I bet the kids love it. Sorry you had to go through all of the pain with the Audi, etc. all by yourself. Hope you are feeling better soon, Diana! I've never had the kidney stone thing, but have known people that say it is worse than childbirth ... I'm sad to hear you have had to deal with this! Love you.
Awesome new car! Love the color of that and the added assurance for you that it won't break down as easily. I've driven a SUV to MI before and they work great! SO sorry to hear about the kidney stones- yikes!!! Are you feeling much better now?
Great looking car. And with warrantee, don't let Jesse do too much work on it, use the free dealer service.
Hope to see you, Jesse and the children in Michigan soon. That will give the car the real test.
Great SUV! We recently purchased a van--I guess we were thinking that with three kids, that third row would come in really handy! I know you can relate. As for gas mileage...I think its just a killer no matter what you drive.
I have heard that kidney stones are unbearably painful. I hope that the docs can find a way to prevent them from reoccuring.
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