In September, we had the clutch replaced in Kevin's 1995 Pontiac Sunfire. We had already put some money into it for other things, and the clutch seemed to be the last major problem, or so we thought. We had nothing but trouble with it from there on out! For some reason-which three different mechanics could not figure out-air was getting into the clutch cables and making it difficult to shift. We continually had it bled about every two to three weeks. I felt so bad for Kevin driving that car...it was just a royal pain. It finally got to the point where he was fed up as well! We researched it on the Internet, and discovered that the tires on the car were probably worth more than the actual vehicle! That's when Kevin started his research.
My husband loves to research things before we buy them. He spent hours on the Internet finding different reviews of vehicles, got the Consumer Reports Vehicle guide, asked friends, and generally spent many hours finding the perfect car for us. We weighed the pros and cons and finally came to a decision, we wanted a Toyota RAV4.
Once we decided on a vehicle, we had to figure out where to get it! We figured we wanted to import from the States, because it is so much cheaper right now, and finally found the right place. We went to Autoway.ca. They are wonderful...we totally recommend them! You basically tell them what car you are looking for and they find it and let you know when they have found one. They take car of the entire importing process for a minimal fee and you can put down a refundable fee that holds the car for you. Once it is imported, you can test drive it and make sure it is the car for you before making the decision to buy. Once you actually buy it, you have a 15 day moneyback guarantee...it's fantastic! They made the process really easy for us.
This was a big decision for us. We don't just go out and spend big amounts of money. Our couch is second hand, most of our other furniture is IKEA. In fact, the only furniture that is of good quality that we actually bought in our house is our bedroom set. I purchased it when I moved to California and got my first real job. It was my dream set and I still love it. We also love our kitchen table. It is beautiful, good quality, and just the right size. That was a wedding gift from Kevin's aunts and uncles, and the two extra chairs for it were birthday gifts from his parents a few years ago. We do not have a mortgage because the housing market is ridiculous and we would rather save money and consider the future than be in something we can't afford. We analyze and agonize over purchases...in fact I have been looking and looking at various websites to consider the best stroller, etc. for the baby. I don't even know if we will buy a glider rocker because I think they are just so much money. So, buying a car was a big deal for us! We feel like we are growing up. Kevin says it's the baby...it is making him realize that he has to step up and be responsible and make good decisions, especially financially.
After all of the analyzing, researching, hemming and hawing, we finally found the perfect car, and we are so happy with it! I love seeing Kevin's excitement when he drives it. He has waited a long time to be driving a car with no problems. His Sunfire served him very well. When he got it, it had about 10,000 kilometers on it. When we dropped it off to our friend to sell for parts it had over 200,000 kilometers on it. Wow! We hope that this RAV4 will do even better! We plan to run it into the ground and use it for YEARS to come.
So, Craig, here it is...the long-awaited pictures of our pre-baby "baby!"
The side view of the car
The dash, everything is right where it should be!
The back cargo space...so much room!
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