Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Time for a “New” Car

I must confess that I am a terrible car owner.  Filling it up with gas and semi-regular maintenance is about all the worry I can muster up for my car.  The car is used as a means to an end for me – it carts around all my crap and gets me where I’m going.  Washing, waxing, vacuuming, and decluttering it are never at the top of my to-do list.  Case in point…
The car has not been washed in ages. 
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There are so many bugs splattered on the windshield I could study entomology.
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My coffee mug doesn’t fit in the cup holders so it sits on my seat on the way to work.  The stains are the results of sudden stops and quick turns that dumped the mug all over the seat.  Very inviting to passengers don’t you think?
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These coins are stuck in the cup holder, and look at all that dust!
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Just the other day while driving my visiting mom around town, I mentioned that I was getting a little tired of my car.  However, the car is paid for and to buy something new and acquire a car payment is not the least bit appealing.  After stating all my reasons for not buying a new car, my mom looked at me and said, “Maybe if you cleaned it, you’d like it a little better.”  Touché!

This week I took my car in to have it totally detailed while I was at work for a meeting.  It was well worth the $100.
stuff 014 stuff 015 So clean and shiny, and no splattered bugs!
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The coins are unstuck and the caked on dust  has disappeared. 

stuff 013 The best part of all!

Paid for and clean?!?!  I can handle this car for a little longer anyways.

14 comments:

  1. 'Paid for' does remove a little knot doesn't it.
    Do a lot of off-roading do you.

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  2. It looks spectacular. My car always looks ok until the summer and then...well there are towels and shoes and flip flops and happy meal toys and bags of treasures and books and goggles and gum and bubbles and every kind of crap you can imagine that children hang onto. It is insane. Gary had to get in it the other day and he told me he was creeped out for the rest of the day. I told him we are lucky to have a dirty car because it means we have happy children : ) and he told me it actually meant there were sloppy children about. That Gary. Crazy.

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  3. Yay! Congrats on the "new" car....don't mom's always know best :)

    I am at Columbia University's Teacher College Reading and Writing Project...this week's reading. It's run by Lucy Calkins. I do Writer's Workshop from NOYCE training but having this training all at once is so cool.

    HAPPY SUMMER!

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  4. All that for only $100.00? That is incredible! I should drive out to CA to go to that same place to get my minivan detailed. Can I crash at your place for the night? Don't worry, I won't try anything. m.

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  5. Amazing what $100 bucks can get you now a days! Your car wasn't that bad. There's a reason why they call my daughter's van The Crapmoble!

    That looks like an Escape. I'm on my second!

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  6. Holy smokes! You can totally hang on to it...with the state of our jobs, better not spend any money we don't have! ;)

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  7. @Vince - Yes, it's a good feeling to not have to pay that bill every month.

    @Becky - Kids add a whole new meaning to not clean don't they. Once while riding in Jlo's SUV we had to remove a banana peel from the seat. By remove I mean she threw it into the back of the car. We still razz her about that one.

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  8. @Marey - Ahhh, that Lucy Calkins is a guru isn't she?!?! What a great opportunity.

    @Mark - Then you can't come! ;)

    @GJ - Yes, an Escape. I think mine is the noisiest car I've ever ridden in. Everything about it is noisy. I've literally opened up my wallet and told the mechanic to take what he needed to fix it, but he can't ever figure out what is wrong. I just listen to the radio loudly.

    @Jlo - no kidding right?!?! After this year I'm tempted to tell them they can keep their crazy job. Why not? I have nice clean car to live in now. :)

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  9. O.M.G.

    I have never said anything about that front passenger seat of yours though I have sat in it maybe a thousand times. But your mom was right! It looks beautiful, like new. I can't wait to plop my ass down on that seat again.

    Maybe you could give JLo your detailer's number. *Smirk*

    When Mark comes to stay with you, I want to come and spend the night, too. *Wink*

    And M is with Lucy Calkins? Wowww.

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  10. @Jason - I know you've never said anything, but now you don't have to. ;)

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  11. Nice. So worth it and much cheaper than another car.

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  12. Mr Bankerchick does not understand why my car does not mean as much to me...Mine looks just like yours, but as soon as it gets too bad Mr BC finally gets it washed for me. Mine is compounded by dog hair as well.

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  13. @mami-definitely cheaper

    @bankerchick-that's why I need a mr pumpkindelight! :)

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  14. It looks fantastic! It's quite refreshing to get that kind of cleaning done for the car, no? Getting rid of all those minor kinks removes a ton of unnecessary weight, which is more or less miasma to the vehicle. It looks a lot younger now and more ready to serve you well on the road.

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