The Reunion Adventure: 2013 Edition, part 2

My co-workers immortalized the occasion on my
whiteboard when they head that the COV was dead.

The Crappy Old Van was dead. It was sitting in a rest area in the Middle-of-Nowhere, Wyoming while we were back at my sister's house in Saratoga.

Aaron and Brian went back to the rest area the next morning to meet the tow truck and had the COV towed to Laramie (about 50 miles and $200 away). When the mechanic examined the COV, Aaron learned that it would cost nearly $800 just to fix the immediate problems... and then there would likely be engine damage to be fixed as well. But they couldn't even estimate that until they fixed the radiator. Oh, and it looked like the catalytic converter might be blown as well.

That was the last straw. We were unwilling to put another dime into the COV. So while I sat in Saratoga with my sister and the kids, Aaron and Brian went car shopping. I was a little worried about having no input on the decision, but really, there wasn't another option. So I just had to have faith that they would pick a good one. As it turned out, they did! A good car at a good price and excellent loan terms. I couldn't be happier with it!

 

 It's so pretty! And it runs so well! Here's a brief comparison of the old van and the new:

	Crappy Old Van	Pretty New Van
Engine runs		X
Accelerates without choking and dying in the intersection or onramp		X
Sits quietly at stoplights without jerking like it’s having a seizure		X
Radio/CD player works		X
Cigarette lighters (for charging electronics) work		X
DVD player works		X
All doors open AND close		X
Cruise control functions		X
Spacious seating		X
Automatic sliding doors		X
Lots of cargo area		X
All windshield wipers work		X
Air conditioning!		X
Interior gauges provide accurate information instead of randomly guessing at things like time, temperature, speed, and fuel level		X
Cup holders hold drinks instead of tipping them onto the floor		X

As you can see, the Pretty New Van is far superior in every way. Such an improvement! I wasn't ready to take on a car payment just yet, but since it had to happen, it really turned out pretty well overall.