wow! alot has happened!
September 13th, my car was stolen from in front of my house. Lets just say I was pretty devestated. As the days pass, hope dwindles of finding the car. I cant be without a car forever so I had to start my hunt of finding a new vehicle.
This means taking the bank book and school bill and estimating exactly how much I have to put towards a new car. Turns out to be around $4000 at the most. Then I had to decide where to start looking, figured it didnt hurt to check craigslist. They have some other interesting things, didnt cost anything to look anyway.
I know I wanted a standard, was looking at $5000 max just to filter the results more. Saw a 2002 Hyundai Elantra for $2650 that looked decent, had alot of pictures and detailed info, only flaw is its in Derby. But I flag it for future reference. Yknow give Norwich's finest a few more days to maybe find the Mirage.
Well when it doesnt turn up I have to seriously start looking for a new car. My neighbors a car dealer but only problem is I wouldve been looking at higher prices for not as nice cars. But we asked my neighbor what he thought about the Hyundai, he looks into it and asks a few of his repairmen, my brother asks his repairman buddy and everyone gives it a gold star. So I decide to shoot an email over the guy selling the Hyundai but after a couple of days I dont get an answer.
I get up the nerve to actually call him, Im not so good at talking to people on the phone I dont know, and ask him the basic rundown on the car. How long have you had it? What kind of work have you done? whats the cars history? and whether its a private sale or a dealership using craigslist. Find out its got a carfax, look it up and it comes back clean. Hes a guy with a side business of buying and selling used cars, so I arrange to see the car on sunday. He keeps the cars he has to sell at a warehouse out in Derby.
Hour and a half drive in the ran. What a beautiful sunday. Luckily my brother had the day off so he can go with us, seeing as my father and I are not exactly automotive geniuses. Everything checks out to him, drove it around on his warehouse parking lot and it felt really good, but I had to keep my "poker face". Pretty much I was in love. Brother manages to talk him down from his $2450 price to $2300. I should add the seller lowered the price twice since I first found the car, so that was in my favor :) Signed the papers, handed over the check and BAM! I owned a car. Then came the insurance which turned out to be cheaper to have my own policy than be on my fathers plan. So I did some quoting, and Esurance was the best deal.
Now us three wonders manage to drive 45 mins in the wrong direction in order to get home but we eventually make it. Then begins the fun of getting the car FROM Derby TO our house. This meant waking up at 6:30am to walk a mile to the Willi DMV, which is only open 3 days a week. They want $290 instead of the anticipated $238 because you pay tax on the bookvalue which they round UP to the nearest hundred. I have $260 cash and a visa giftcard for $83, but because my name isnt on the gift card I cant use it like credit and am therefore $30 short. Seeing as we were picking up the car next day, I needed some form of plate to drive it. My only option is to pay $220 and get a temp plate, meaning I go back on thursday to give them another $90 for a real plate.
Pick up the car wednesday, bringing my MomMom navigation of course, and she seems to like it. Lots of awesome things about this car the Mirage lacked. Power windows, power locks, power steering, 4 doors, fold down backseats, and AIR CONDITIONING!! what more could I possibly want in a car lol. It is missing the antenna but were gonna call around to some junk yards, Im sure well find one. Stock stereo but brothers got a stereo floating around he said I can have. So all in all, things worked out for me. Im very happy with my purchase, and I tell everyone that I bet $2300 that Norwich PD finds the mirage by the end of the weekend.
9am Sunday October 4th, the phone rings. Its Norwich PD, they found the Mirage... in Hartford... all they can tell us is the passenger door lock is busted and the stereo is gone. Bro and dad go today (monday) to pick it up where they have to pay the towing fee of $118, to find out theres more wrong than the lock and stereo. The brake and ignition lines are cut, passenger seat cover is torn up. The back seat was trashed in an attempt to access the trunk seeing as the Mirage didnt have fold down back seats. My BlueAnt, FM transmitter, and Emergency carstarter are gone. I had a Finding Nemo pillow and blanket that are gone, and a stuffed frog from my old seat covers that is gone. Oddly enough, none of my CDs are missing. Nonetheless, the car is not drivable and my dad decides to sign it over to the garage, not much else we can do.
Phew! that was alot in 3 weeks. So recap, Mirage stolen, Hyundai bought, Mirage found but worthless. Holy crap that was alot of typing lol and now Ive run out of things to say.
Allergy doctor appointments have been going smoothly thusfar, and had to see orthopedic for nearly crippling pain in right knee. Seeing him again tomorrow for a follow up, the stiffness is gone but the uncomfortable pain that keeps me awake is still here and it makes a crunch kinda noise when I straighten it, so we'll see what happens.
TTFN!
Chell
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