It may sound strange, but I don't like to shop. I endure grocery shopping because I like to eat. I put off clothes shopping as long as possible even though, like most women, I like something new to wear. Shoe shopping is torture. When it comes to household furniture and appliances I find myself wishing I could make them once-in-a-lifetime purchases which would never wear out. Yesterday I found myself doing the worst kind of shopping of all--car shopping.
I have absolutely loved my little Saturn Ion which I bought seven years ago. Terrific gas mileage, looked nice, paid for, dependable, very little maintenance required, an all around great car. But my husband finally convinced me I needed to trade it in while it still had some resale value and before I had to buy new tires or it required major work due to age.
Buying the new car was an all day production. I soon discovered most new cars are ugly. Car salesrooms are filled with over-priced impracticality. In some, a squad of salesmen hover at your elbow and in others there isn't a sales person to be found. We eventually found a dealership where the balance felt right and the salesman was helpful rather than pushy. I checked out the Cruze Eco online and at several dealerships and liked what I saw, but everywhere I looked they were all manual transmissions except at this one place. I learned to drive on a manual, but most of my driving is city and in the city I like an automatic much better. At last I'd found a salesman I liked and a car I liked. Even the color was good--a bright crystal red.
Unlike with other shopping where once I find what I like, I pay for it, and go on my way, buying a car involves hours of filling out papers, waiting for this and that, deciding whether to go with this guarantee or that, this service or that, and with today's cars there are lessons on learning to use On-star and operate satellite radio along with which button opens the trunk and which starts the engine. After spending two thirds of the day at the dealership before driving the new car home, I still have to take it back for some treatment I think I agreed to because I was tired and wanted to go home. By the way, on the drive home I discovered On-Star doesn't know the best way to my house and satellite radio sounds the same as plain old FM. It was a smooth comfortable ride, however.
After all that, I just hope my Cruze proves as dependable as my dear old Saturn. It's a cool looking car and if the gas mileage lives up to its hype, I'll be happy. And with any luck, I won't have to go car shopping again for a really long time.
I have absolutely loved my little Saturn Ion which I bought seven years ago. Terrific gas mileage, looked nice, paid for, dependable, very little maintenance required, an all around great car. But my husband finally convinced me I needed to trade it in while it still had some resale value and before I had to buy new tires or it required major work due to age.
Buying the new car was an all day production. I soon discovered most new cars are ugly. Car salesrooms are filled with over-priced impracticality. In some, a squad of salesmen hover at your elbow and in others there isn't a sales person to be found. We eventually found a dealership where the balance felt right and the salesman was helpful rather than pushy. I checked out the Cruze Eco online and at several dealerships and liked what I saw, but everywhere I looked they were all manual transmissions except at this one place. I learned to drive on a manual, but most of my driving is city and in the city I like an automatic much better. At last I'd found a salesman I liked and a car I liked. Even the color was good--a bright crystal red.
Unlike with other shopping where once I find what I like, I pay for it, and go on my way, buying a car involves hours of filling out papers, waiting for this and that, deciding whether to go with this guarantee or that, this service or that, and with today's cars there are lessons on learning to use On-star and operate satellite radio along with which button opens the trunk and which starts the engine. After spending two thirds of the day at the dealership before driving the new car home, I still have to take it back for some treatment I think I agreed to because I was tired and wanted to go home. By the way, on the drive home I discovered On-Star doesn't know the best way to my house and satellite radio sounds the same as plain old FM. It was a smooth comfortable ride, however.
After all that, I just hope my Cruze proves as dependable as my dear old Saturn. It's a cool looking car and if the gas mileage lives up to its hype, I'll be happy. And with any luck, I won't have to go car shopping again for a really long time.
4 comments:
I love to shop - as long as it's online. I can't wait to see your new car.
I hate shopping, too - except book shopping. Somehow, that is never a problem for me. :-)
My sentiments exactly.
I love online shopping too. The Cruze looks snazzy! I had to go look it up because I'd never heard of it. I hope it stays dependable Ü
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