My Convertible Life

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Subaru Love

Turns out you can't get a convertible with a third row.

Or at least you can't get one unless you're the guys on Top Gear and you saw the top off of a minivan (or a "people carrier," as they call it). And although the effort is admirable (and the episode linked there is brilliant), that's not so much the look I'm going for.

So today we bought a Subaru. It was love at first drive.

When we went to the dealership over the weekend to test it out, I came armed with two high-back boosters and one regular booster seat. The salesman looked at me like I had three heads instead of three seats, but I was determined to know whether or not they would fit.

Ta-da!
A little snug, but it totally worked. Then Junius proved that having the extra booster seat wedged into the middle wouldn't interfere with his comfort by promptly falling asleep during the test drive. Seriously, he just turns his head to the side and starts snoring.
Four days and several emails later, we were back at the dealership to trade in our Honda Accord and bring home the new car. 

This exchange marked the end of an era -- a decade with a car that saw us from newlyweds to new parents and beyond. It was the first big purchase my husband and I made together, then the first ride to bring home each of our days-old children. It saw us through interstate travels and tiresome commutes and at least a million trips to the grocery store. We have a lot of great memories tied up in that old car. 

But still, who could have predicted this?
That's Pippi trying to be brave while completely falling apart as I tried to take a photo of her and Junius in front of the old car. 
And that's Pippi sobbing on her daddy's shoulder while we wait on the paperwork. She cried for the better part of 20 minutes, only stopping to tell us that she wanted to keep the Honda until we died. (She's also wearing a turtleneck on an 85-degree day, but that's fodder for a different blog.)

It's hard to explain to a four-year-old that it's a good thing when we out-live our cars.

Junius managed to hold it together until we were pulling away in the new car. He teared up, looking over his shoulder as we left the Honda behind in the parking lot. Thanks to some Rock-O-Matic on the fabulous new stereo, he found his smile until bedtime, when more crying over the long-lost Honda ensued.

Who knows why they're suddenly so attached to a car that was slowly but surely falling apart from more than 137,000 miles worth of serious use -- maybe they're soft-hearted, nostalgic people or maybe they never realized that getting a new car meant giving up the old one. Maybe they just don't like change, even when it involves an upgrade. I really don't know.

What I do know is that, even though it's not a convertible, I'm going to love driving this Subaru.
Share your story... What car do you still remember saying good-bye to? Or how did your kids react when you bought a new family car?

13 comments:

  1. Now that is definitely class, Really a great look.

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  2. B cries over this stuff, too. He can still speak wistfully of long departed cars, toys, books. It all makes him sad.

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  3. We went through this in December when we had to get rid of my 11+ year old PT Cruiser that my girl LOVED - it was a cute car. When your dashboard cracks in two and the a/c is coolish then you know, as much as I hated to admit, it's time to move on. We traded it in (yeah they actually gave us money for my old car) for a VW Tiguan. The best comment she made when she had her first ride in the car? "What's that SMELL?" (the new car smell) "YUK!" I guess she had grown accustomed to the questionable smell of the old ride. Every time we ride by the dealership she always asks where our car is now. Makes me sad sometimes.

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    1. Went by the dealership today because we'd forgotten something and they'd already sold our old car. Amazing. Just trying to convince the kids that it's someone else's turn and that Atticus (the Accord) will take good care of a new family. Hope you're enjoying your VW!

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  4. Aww. Thanks for the music props. I'll be sure to share it with the boys. And congrats on the new car. My girl gets the same way when we give up an old car, an old hotel room, an old outfit - you name it! :)

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    1. That's a good point -- neither of my kids ever want to give away baby toys or outgrown clothes or anything. Guess I shouldn't have been surprised. Thank goodness for the Movers!

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  5. I didn't mean to hit enter, did I? Where hath my comment gone? To continue:

    My first car was a '95 Civic hatchback CX named Javier (the Spanish pronunciation). When I upgraded to a Civic sedan I sold Javier to a friend. That was in 2002. When my friend texted me a photo of a recovered, stripped, totaled Javier in 2007, I bawled my eyes out. Jav deserved better.

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    1. Oh no! That would have done me in. I prefer to believe that Celie Belle (my '93 Toyota Celica convertible) is living comfortably in some little old lady's garage and enjoying Sunday drives -- could not imagine having to see otherwise.

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  6. It seems like you found the perfect car for your family! =) The extra booster seat made the car roomy. And it seems like a reasonable car acquired at a reasonable price. The car has space, it runs well, and it doesn’t look like it eats too much gas. Over all, the price was pretty much worth it.

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    1. We love it -- and yes, definitely good on the gas mileage.

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  7. Bringing the booster seats is actually very clever. At least you were saved from the trouble of being regretful of having a car that can’t carry your booster seats. Plus, you have all the right to a car which will fit your needs. The new crossover seems perfect for your family though. It’s spacious and efficient, and it’s definitely good looking.

    Clint Moore

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    1. Yes -- the salesman really thought I was crazy, but testing the seats was the only way to do it.

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  8. Looks like your kids are having so much fun with the new Subaru! It helps a lot that you were able to trade in your old car and get the car your family needs. The space at the back is definitely a great thing for the kids. They wouldn’t feel cramped at all while at the back, even if you go on long trips with them. And congrats to you for entering a new era in your lives! Every ending has a new beginning, as they say. :)

    Regards,
    Erwin Calverley

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