After 5 years with my Malibu … I traded it in today for a 2007 Saturn Ion (in golden cashmere, if you’re curious) and am now proudly driving, yes, My First New Car. Some observations about the car buying purchase.
- It was nice to have a reference point (via Edmunds.com) of what my trade-in was worth so I felt like I was getting a decent offer there.
- Always call for a payoff amount for a car loan. Although I thought I had paid it off, I actually owed $1.67 on my Malibu. (One dollar, sixty seven cents. Seriously.) The Saturn guys thought that was priceless and gave me an extra $2.00 for my Malibu so we could pay it off. Ha, ha, ha.
- Fabric protection from dealer: $499. A can of Scotchgard from Target and a headache from the fumes: $5.67 and 2 Advil.
- How much crap could I possibly have accumulated in my car? Two shopping bags worth. Good god.
- Finding a tater tot under the front seat was a little embarrassing. I told the Saturn guys they could keep it as part of my trade-in.
- Saturn really was as nice and pressure-free as their rep says they are.
- The personal demonstration of dent-resistant door panels involves a Saturn guy kicking the $%^@%$ out of the door and me cringing. Door 1, Foot 0.
Anyway, I’m traded-in and upgraded and whatnot, and I am considering camping out to give evil looks to anyone who gets too close to my baby.
