the sempre fedele Ypsilon 10
I think I may have jinxed the sempre fedele Ypsilon 10 with the kooky car post....it's leaking oil.
This evening il marito is off to look at a new car. I knew this day would eventually come, and until now was eagerly awaiting it...
Ten years together, us and the ypsilon...that's longer than some marriages last! The kids have always squeezed themselves into the backseats, with no wiggle room in the last year or two...
The seatbelts always popped up over your breasts to 'caress' your neck while driving, and knicked you in the neck when braking...
The heater doesn't work anymore, and the air conditioning is pretty much lowered windows.
The stick shift wiggled a lot when we put it into 4th gear, the rearview mirror sometimes fell off without warning (help!), and the door handle was jury rigged on the drivers side.
On the positive side, (yes, there are positives!) we had snow tires on it, and man, it whizzed over the roads like a marble with those! Plus, you could park it practically anywhere, 'cause it's so small. I know in America with those mega parking lots this might not mean a hill of beans, but here in the Old World, where they built roads in cities that a horse could be proud of, parking is a serious thing.
Why did we keep this junkyard car? Most importantly, because it was already paid for, and we still have a mortgage to finish (my husband is not of the Credit Card School of Thought...he graduated from the Pay It In Full, and Keep Your Soul Institute). Also because insurance is less than 400 euro a year. As long as we could, we patched it up and kept it going. Ten years of patching. Ten years of coddling and pleading for it to go 'just another year longer!'
Alas, the day has come to replace it. I'm a little depressed about this. Me, who was always bugging my husband to buy a decent car, who was embarassed to be caught getting out of it.
Sigh.
Caro, vecchio Ypsilon 10...I will miss you!
6 comments:
I think your husband has the right idea. When I think of all the money I wasted paying credit card fees and interest I want to sob.
I smell new car smell.....You could always keep it for emergency use..My assistant likes to keep his cars for the long term as well...Good luck with the new addition
@jen...yep, I remember family members going deep into debt over credit card purchases...not the way to go. The credit system is an irrational way to do business.
@Queen...tonight the hubs is putting a hold on a car...I'll fill you all in when it's officially ours. Hint: it runs on liquid propane gas.
I understand completely! We have two Renaults, a newish one, and an old clunker the Boyfriend drives to and from work. They are both paid in full (must be a European thing) and are small enough to park anywhere. A very important factor to consider while living in these teeny tiny old countries :-)
@Sara Louise...exactly! We looked at a few Renaults, too, but have decided on good ol' Fiat. I can't imagine winding up the tiny, twisting road to my village in my mom's Crown Victoria...Stick shift is not an optional! I've practically forgotten how to drive an automatic.
Oh small cars... I fail so miserably at driving small cars. However, this could be because I am indeed a dreaded American...and while bigger may not always be better, I prefer to be bigger than whatever smacks into me. And as I have been hit twice in the past year, this potentially irrational view is going no where soon. But, getting a new car is exciting!
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