Out with the old, in with the (kinda) new

The time has come to finally retire the police cab. Between the AC going out, the steering pump crapping the bed, the front end needing alignment and rear shocks, it just wasn't cost effective for us to do the repairs.

That and it has 350+K miles on it. (I'm kinda proud it has so many miles on it and still runs!) Plus it needed emissions testing for the renewed registration last month. I knew it wasn't going to pass on account of the 'check engine' light being on, not to mention whatever else may be wrong with it.

Like also needing new brakes. But that has noting to do with it failing emissions testing.

So, anyway, I've been looking on Graig's list for ever (okay, it was only since February) for a new car. I started my search saying I'm not picky, it just needs to run, have good AC, and no leaks.

Turns out I was lying to myself.

I am picky.

Very picky.

 I knew I did not want a little sedan. I hate little cars!

I told Sean I had a Napoleon complex.  I feel the need to compensate for my lack of height buy driving a big car!

I've always liked Jeeps, and the more I saw of them, the more I wanted one. So I began my search for a Jeep Cherokee.

I was having no luck. If it wasn't gone with-in an hour of it being listed, it had issues. Like engine knocking. Or no AC, or "a small oil leak". But I kept looking.

And looking.

And looking.

And looking....

Finally, about a month ago, I decided maybe I should expand my choices.  So I began looking for an Isuzu Trooper, Nissan Pathfinder or Ford Expedition.

Then Thursday morning at 7:30, guess what I did?

I bought a new car!!!

It's not the Jeep I wanted, but it's a sweet 1997 Mercury Mountaineer all wheel drive SUV. It has a little over 151K miles, but after the Police Cab, anything under 200K is good in my book!!

Chuck, the guy who sold it works for a repo lot, so they had limited history on it. It has AC, no leaks (it was in their lot for 3-4 months while they did a title search & you could see the spot it was in was clean), and runs well.

The body is in really good shape, but as with any car that old, it does have a few flaws. The back door on the driver's side doesn't open, the driver's side back-up light need a new bulb, the driver's side door doesn't lock with the remote, and it needs new front break pads and rotors. Oh, and the back hatch was replaced with one from an Explorer. (It has the Ford logo and says Explorer on it which really, really bugs Sean. It don't matter to me.)

On the plus side, it runs well, has cold AC front and back, and a nice Pioneer stereo that I have yet to figure out. (The manual is in the glove box, thank goodness, I just have to pull it out and read it.) And enough room for 3 kids, a husband and all the junk that comes along with them!

Stuff that can't be taken care of with a few dollars (Except for the breaks.That's going to be a few hundred dollars.).

Sean now has car envy. Although, for me, it's going to take getting used to a car that's not as wide and roomy as the Crown Vic, it's huge compared to his teeny, tiny station wagon...