gcvmom
Here we go again!
I got my '99 Astro van cleaned up last month to get it ready to sell. It's old. It's a gas hog. And husband bought a new car in September and we really don't need three.
But I really do like driving it, despite the rattles and dings and little annoying stuff that's broken on it (like the glove box, and the missing radio knobs, and the passenger door window button that husband broke). It's just so dang handy to have. Like tonight, when I decided to go buy the new water heater because our other one has been leaking for a few months. husband took the seats out so we could just slide the whole thing in. Perfect! Saved a delivery charge.
And when the kids are bugging the crud out of eachother I can put one in the back, one in the middle and one up front with me -- problem solved!
So I had the carpet and upholstery washed, the dashboard got a dose of armorall, the outside got a good wash and light wax. It doesn't look half bad now. Almost all the strawberry shake stain came out of the carpet. There's nary a mouldy french fry or squashed Skittle to be found in it! I'm actually not afraid to open the sliding side door anymore for fear of what might fall out (dirty sock, nosebleed tissue, fast food wrapper, etc.)
Last week I got a window marker and wrote my For Sale info on it, and listed the latest refurbishments I'd made: new tires, brakes and shocks. Wrote our phone number and a plea to "Make Offer!"
Wednesday, one of the workers who was here removing our attic insulation that got contaminated during the brushfire asked how much I wanted for it. We went back and forth and he gave me his bottom line and I countered with mine ($700 below Blue Book value for it's current condition). His offer was $500 below my bottom line. He said he'd think about it.
Then a guy painting nextdoor was asking about it, too! I told him my high end price, but didn't get a huge reaction. He didn't even counter.
Then we got TWO phone calls tonight asking about it. One guy wanted to trade us his used Jeep he just bought for roughly what we were asking. (Sorry, don't NEED three cars -- NEED MONEY!) Another guy called and grilled me on it's condition. Said he'd think about it.
husband just wants me to unload it. But I just put $1,000 into it with the recent repairs, and I LIKE it, so I don't want to just give it away. That's the car we bought the month before easy child was born! The car she came home in from the hospital! Sniff.
But on Friday... it nearly wouldn't start. It finally did, but I think the starter is going out. So I may have to either get that fixed and keep it a while longer, or factor it into my bottom line and discount it heavier if I don't get it fixed (although, I may be forced to soon).
I'm still trying to figure it all out. Oh, I just wish someone would come along and pay what I want and be done with it all! (I know, I'm a dreamer, what can I say).
Okay, well I just needed to get that off my mind so I can go to bed...
But I really do like driving it, despite the rattles and dings and little annoying stuff that's broken on it (like the glove box, and the missing radio knobs, and the passenger door window button that husband broke). It's just so dang handy to have. Like tonight, when I decided to go buy the new water heater because our other one has been leaking for a few months. husband took the seats out so we could just slide the whole thing in. Perfect! Saved a delivery charge.
And when the kids are bugging the crud out of eachother I can put one in the back, one in the middle and one up front with me -- problem solved!
So I had the carpet and upholstery washed, the dashboard got a dose of armorall, the outside got a good wash and light wax. It doesn't look half bad now. Almost all the strawberry shake stain came out of the carpet. There's nary a mouldy french fry or squashed Skittle to be found in it! I'm actually not afraid to open the sliding side door anymore for fear of what might fall out (dirty sock, nosebleed tissue, fast food wrapper, etc.)
Last week I got a window marker and wrote my For Sale info on it, and listed the latest refurbishments I'd made: new tires, brakes and shocks. Wrote our phone number and a plea to "Make Offer!"
Wednesday, one of the workers who was here removing our attic insulation that got contaminated during the brushfire asked how much I wanted for it. We went back and forth and he gave me his bottom line and I countered with mine ($700 below Blue Book value for it's current condition). His offer was $500 below my bottom line. He said he'd think about it.
Then a guy painting nextdoor was asking about it, too! I told him my high end price, but didn't get a huge reaction. He didn't even counter.
Then we got TWO phone calls tonight asking about it. One guy wanted to trade us his used Jeep he just bought for roughly what we were asking. (Sorry, don't NEED three cars -- NEED MONEY!) Another guy called and grilled me on it's condition. Said he'd think about it.
husband just wants me to unload it. But I just put $1,000 into it with the recent repairs, and I LIKE it, so I don't want to just give it away. That's the car we bought the month before easy child was born! The car she came home in from the hospital! Sniff.
But on Friday... it nearly wouldn't start. It finally did, but I think the starter is going out. So I may have to either get that fixed and keep it a while longer, or factor it into my bottom line and discount it heavier if I don't get it fixed (although, I may be forced to soon).
I'm still trying to figure it all out. Oh, I just wish someone would come along and pay what I want and be done with it all! (I know, I'm a dreamer, what can I say).
Okay, well I just needed to get that off my mind so I can go to bed...
But it says they're hard to access, in an awkward spot.
