Since 2006, I’ve been driving a 2002 Ford F-150 truck, whom I have lovingly named ‘Gus’. This has been a great truck, and I haven’t had very many problems with it. If I recall, it had only been in the shop two or three times in the last 11 years. I couldn’t be happier with Gus! Even so, I have a feeling that I’m overdue for some major vehicle problems. That tends to happen when trucks reach Gus’ age.
Over the last several months, I have been thinking that it’s time to get rid of my truck and get a vehicle that has better gas mileage. When my Ford was brand new, the internet tells me that it only got about 17 miles to the gallon. I don’t know exactly how much it gets now, but I do know it’s less than that.
Three nights ago, I was doing some research on the web, looking at different cars that I might be interested in purchasing. I decided to check out some Kias. I really like the look of their hatchbacks as I’d seen quite a few of them on the road. I thought maybe I can find one that isn’t going to be a total gas-guzzler. I filled out some of my information and submitted it, expecting to be contacted in a day or tow.
Ten minutes later, a Kia salesman from Layton called me. I told him what I was looking for and he said he had a model on the lot from that was one year old, and it only had 2000 miles on it. I set up an appointment to come and take a look at it. I told him that I wasn’t quite ready to buy, as I was waiting to receive my federal tax refund. Still, he said I needed to see this car and if I was interested, at least he’d know what to look out for.
When I got to the dealership, I asked to speak with the guy who I had talked with, and the receptionist told me that today was his day off. I found it odd that he would set up an appointment with me on a day where he wasn’t even coming to work. Another salesman overheard me talking and quickly offered to help.
This salesman didn’t know about the car that the first salesman had told me about on the phone, but he told me we could walk around the lot and if there was anything I’d like to take a look at, he’d show it to me. The very first car that caught my eye was a beautiful blue Niro. This is the first year for the Niros, and since I’d been taught to never buy a brand new car off the lot, I made the comment, “I’ll have that one in about two years!”. The salesman told me he’d be right back, and returned with the key.
He showed me the car, and it was pretty much my dream vehicle. I’m not a car person, but this thing had everything you could ask for. I told him I wasn’t interested in anything with the number ‘2017’ in the name. He then handed me the key and suggested we take it for a drive. I knew where this was going- and I did not want to be pressured into buying this car!
The test drive was wonderful! I have never driven anything so smooth- maybe this is because I’ve been driving a V-8, half-ton pickup for too many years. At any rate, I wish I could to report that I stood my ground and left the dealership with nothing more than a brochure or two. In a moment of weakness, the evil salesman ran my credit and crunched some numbers.
Meet my new baby. He doesn’t have a name yet.
Update: February 11, 2017
I have been trying to think of a suitable name for the last two days. This morning I decided that since I have such a love for Scotland, I’d give this car a Scottish name. I pulled up an online list of Scottish names and decided that this vehicle will now be called Calum.
DavTravels 