a new car!

I got my 2011 Honda Civic back today after 3 weeks of being in the shop.  The service adviser told me that they hoped that they had everything fixed but they were not sure.  Several additional issues came up this week and they barely had it ready for me today when I picked it up.  I drove it around and the burnt smell that was at the scene of the accident was not gone.  This smell was horrific and disgusting.  I was greatly disappointed in some issues it appeared to still have and decided that this was not a fight I wanted to deal with, did not want to deal with potential issues coming up and having to get another rental car while it was back in the shop, and in general this is not something I needed with my weekly travels around Texas.  I decided to see what I could get for it on a trade in. I have never traded in a car before, I always have sold them private party because I can get more for them typically.  However this instance was different.  It was paid for and only had $35k miles on it.  It still held a fairly decent price, though obviously much less since it had been in a wreck, even though fixed, it no longer had all Honda parts, many were replaced were after market and the lines and quality are not the same.  To find someone with cash to be able to purchase a vehicle like this would take work.  The risk of getting taken advantage of is higher.  The time it takes to sell a car for a good price can take awhile.  All of these things made me realize, trading it in was the better option.  I went to the new Honda Dealership located in Burleson.  The biggest thing besides with this dealership, besides the fact that it is in my hometown, is that they offer a lifetime power train warranty plan on any vehicle purchased through them.  Since I plan to keep this and drive it until it is dead [borrowing no other plans happen again like this last one], I will have it for years and that will be a well invested benefit.  We did some paperwork and then I took one for a test drive. [I had done this last weekend with a girlfriend because I would get a $25 Target Gift Card if I took one for a test drive].  We came back and did further negotiations and I decided to move forward with trading in my 2011 Honda Civic for a 2013 Honda Civic!  This was not in "the plans"...but it was the best thing in light of the situation.  The newer car has several options which I didn't have on my last one, some of which I will use, particularly one that will help me while I am on the road - the blue tooth to use my cell phone through the car.  This is beyond any "hands free device" you could get!  It syncs all contacts in your phone, will send text messages and make phone calls.  Talk about an incredible option!  I now have a $217 car payment, which doesn't make me happy after being debt free and working at paying down my house and doing repairs that need to be done to this place, but I made a mistake 3 weeks ago and it came with a price.  I will skim down the budget with less eating out [and any other things I can think of] and maybe even get a few more clients for my employees to work their accounts, and the goal will be to pay this off as soon as I can.  

My 1st was a manual four door white Honda Civic Sedan, that I bought two years old.  My 2nd was a manual two door eternal blue Honda Civic Coupe, that I bought brand new and took 2.5 years to pay off.  My 3rd was an automatic two door alabaster silver Honda Civic Coupe, that I bought brand new and paid off in 1 year.  This is my 4th Honda Civic, it is an automatic two door silver coupe and came with 92 miles on it!  I don't owe much on it since I traded in my other one so I fully suspect it will be paid for by year end.  I will post a picture soon!

more communication w/Mindy

text messages from Mindy:

If I had known you were in regular contact with our marked family I wouldn't have called you about Granma's death.  I would have known (assumed) you were contacted, fyi.

me:  What's regular contact?

Mindy: Years worth.  In person visits.

me:  Well that's an assumption. I am friends with Aunt Donna on FB & Carrie on FB.  1st time I talked to Aunt Donna was maybe 6 months ago.  I do not have email or phone numbers for Carrie & Trish.  D&D are no longer marked...not that that means anything to me anymore but don't know what you know.  Love you sis!

[My prayer:  Lord please help me to show your love to her through this!]

a true friend