Sue's Blog - Some assembly required.

Poxy car

A picture of Looby Loo looking pretty - just to cheer me up.

The car.........sigh.
Well, they think they know what is wrong with it and it would cost around $8,000 to put it right.
They cannot guarantee that this will even work.
Oh....and they are charging us $800 just for looking at it.

So, the car is not worth throwing this sort of money at.  Philip has to drive to Chicago and back ever day, 140 miles round trip.  He must have a reliable car.  He must also have a car that can deal with Wisconsin winters.  
So, this week we have been looking at new cars.
We can't really get a used car as you can never be sure of what you are getting and we can't afford to have more car trouble.
Cars here are awfully expensive.  Even used cars cost a fortune.  Donna has remarked on it several times.   The petrol may be cheap but the poxy cars are not.
For us to get a mid size, reliable cross over, which will cope with our weather, we are looking at..........wait for it..........at least...........$26,000.

But, we have little choice.  We have been out the last two evenings looking at cars.  I don't say much about any of them as Philip is going to be the one doing all that driving every day.
But, out of the two test drives we have done there is little to choose between them.
We are doing another this evening and then we will probably make a decision on Saturday.
He has already sorted out financing but we could have done without a big loan payment every month.
That's squished any holiday plans we might have had.  It is a good job we didn't book anything.
Oh....and they won't give us anything for our car.
It has been suggested we donate it to charity and then we will get some money back on our taxes next year.
We bought that car new in 2006 and it has had every service etc since.
Pants.
One another note.

I have finished my last assignment for the archaeology course.
It has to be in by next Wednesday and we will have to wait a week or two to find out our results.
As much as I have complained a bit - I have actually enjoyed it.
It took me a while to get into the habit of studying, listening to lectures, taking notes, tests and actually doing assignments, but it got easier as I went along.
The pot above is mine.
I bought it years ago at a jumble sale in England.  I am pretty sure it is just something a student has made as part of an exam requirement.
But, I have often wondered about it.
I would like to send my course professor a photo of it and ask her opinion - but I dare not.  I expect she gets lots of people doing stuff like that and it would be too much of a cheek.
But what if it was worth something?
Of course I know it isn't going to be but with all the money we have to lay out soon I would hate to think I had 'treasure in the attic' I didn't know about.

posted by Sue Banks @ 11:04 AM