To the Old Car, to the New Car

Sitting in our condo parking lot is a lovely, new 2008 Mazda3.  IP and I picked it up yesterday after signing a multitude of papers and clearing up our insurance issues, driving off into the noonday sun (or lack thereof) in a little bit of disbelief.  It hadn’t even been a week since our adventures on Rockville Pike last Sunday, but here we were, passing the same intersection where we had been stuck, cruising by confidently with no worries about a stall or a loss of power or the power steering seizing up — this new puppy wasn’t going to do any of those things.

“I’m a little nervous,” IP confessed as we drove him, a small grin playing on his lips.  “Don’t be,” I answered, smiling, “you’re an excellent driver.”

I’ve seen him navigate I-70 in Colorado, trucking up to the Eisenhower Tunnel with the best of them; I’ve seen him traverse Monument Valley in the old car that, after miles of road trips, grocery runs, and dirt roads in Michigan, has seemingly given up the ghost.  When did it decide to do this?  Not last weekend, as you might be inclined to answer.  The car was running again thanks to a new alternator and battery.  Nope, it gave up the ghost on Friday evening, when IP pulled into our parking spot after a day of car shopping.  “Something’s wrong,” he said as I joked about how his neighbors were lame because we couldn’t find a parking spot (note: they are now my neighbors, too — it’s akin to saying “What’s wrong with your child!?” when it took the two of you to tango).  The steering locked, the engine died, and the car came to rest, diagonally, but still in the parking spot.  The car would not turn on after a few attempts, and then we got out and stared at it, eyes and mouths agog.  “If there ever was a sign,” IP muttered; I concurred, thankful that the car had waited until we were home to die.  It had been acting a bit funny when we finished our pit stop at the local Giant, and I worried we would get stuck at a major traffic intersection again, but no, it waited.  Thanks, old car, for that favor.  “Well, I know what I’m going to do,” IP declared after we had both bowed our heads in recognition of the car’s now-abandoned but still noble tenure, “I’m going upstairs to relax and enjoy the rest of my Fourth of July.”  However, once inside, IP mused, “It couldn’t make one more goddamn trip to the dealership!?”

We had been planning to hand the old car over to the dealership, but that was out of the question.  Even if we could jump start the car again, the fact that the steering seemingly seized up worried us; we did not want to make the trek to the dealership in the car.  There were too many worries, and really, we didn’t want to have AAA tow us to the dealership.  Instead, once inside, we debated which dealership to go with, and ended up calling the salesman we had been dealing with earlier in the day.  We set up an appointment for Saturday and nodded to each other once the call was over.  ‘Twas done.

Still, though, as much as we were joking about how the old Mazda was furious about us bringing home a new Mazda, and about how it had been showering us with recriminations and resentment while we car shopped on Friday, the car really did last a long time.  It’s 20 years old and I’ve seen the last six of its life; it’s survived our road trips, which consist of about 1,500 miles in one week for us; it’s witnessed our little tiffs over directions and IP’s insistence that I entertain him while he’s driving; it’s survived cross-country drives numerous times, and it’s even survived the hoary days of Ontario, Canada (that’s a joke, Canada — check out Yukon Jack).  The car’s allowed us to enjoy a rail commuter existence during the week while allowing us to enjoy the benefits of having a car (i.e., shopping) during the weekend.  The old car held up pretty well under the circumstances.

We never explored the area with this car given how unreliable it’s been in the past year, but that’s about to change with the arrival of the new car. We’re planning to use the new car to head to a wedding this August — we had been planning on renting a car before that.  We’re thinking about heading to Shenandoah, perhaps Gettysburg, maybe even Colonial Williamsburg.  Come Monday, I’ll finally have some auto insurance and will begin driving again; as a Michigan gal, I’m pretty excited about that.

Anyone need me to go to the store for them?