Wednesday, July 08, 2009

no planes, no trains, just automobiles...

I need a new car. It doesn't necessarily have to be NEW, just new-to-me. We've got a car guy doing the auction thing, looking for one for me, but he wanted an idea of what to get, since he doesn't know me well enough to just choose.

We narrowed down the makes and models - I'm a suburban working mom without a car fetish - I need 4 doors, enough room to cart kids and the crap of my life around. Must get good gas mileage. Pretty straightforward, and I'm not that picky. So it was assumed that I would be pretty easygoing about any car. They we started talking about colour. Currently, I drive a silver grey Civic. And I've mentioned before to the guys how difficult it is to find in parking lots some days, because EVERYONE drives a silver grey sedan. So he assumed that I wouldn't want another silver grey car. Wrong. I like grey. So when I was talking to the car guy he figured that since I liked grey, white would also be okay. Wrong again. I hate white cars (sorry for any of you with them - they just don't do it for me). It was brought up that birds like to poop on my car, so white might make sense. Maybe, but I don't want a white car. Nor will I drive a blue car. (Again, sorry if you like blue cars). Red is good, but only certain shades of red. Bright red - good, burgundy, not good. (I may be pissing a lot of people off here...) So according to the guys, I have made it difficult to buy a car at auction. Most people have specific demands on make and model - I'm picky about colour. Charcoal, silver, black, some reds, and only specific metallic taupes are good. Some reds, all whites, blues, and anything in the yellow family - not good. Green, while my favourite colour, is not always good for cars. A vintage Triumph TR-6 in British Racing Green - good. Anything else, not good.

After this conversation, Car Guy and Husband just shook their heads. "Keep your cell phone on" is all Car Guy said to me. "I'll check with you before I do anything..."

You'd think I was being difficult or something.

7 comments:

Needles said...

I understand perfectly. Of course colour is THE most important thing. (well except for gas mileage) I tried for a red car this time (a Fit, check them out)but so did everyone else, and sadly, this model did not come in yellow, my personal alternate. Or Green. Only blue was available so I have blue. At least it is a good cheery sort of blue. but next time, I'm going to have a hissy fit if I don't get red.

Philosophical Karen said...

"A vintage Triumph TR-6 in British Racing Green - good. Anything else, not good."

I totally agree with you on that one!

(Some of your other specifications, not so much.)

TracyKM said...

I have tried many times to open strangers' metallic beiger 4Runners. You'd think I'd clue in to the lack of carseats in their trucks...

Carol said...

all I want is a car that goes when I turn the key. The hubbunny, however, wants another Crown Victoria,....,,,.

katrynka said...

I can totally feel you on the color thing!! I am not really picky either, I want safe and reliable, decent amount of space. Once I have the car, I really do not care what it looks like, as long as it keeps being reliable! My current car has quite a fair number of cosmetic "issues", but I am totally happy to run it into the ground regardless of what it looks like!! (I hate white too!!)

AlisonH said...

I am so with you on this one. And laughing, too: when we told our kids we'd bought a Prius that day, our two sons didn't care about the color, they just thought it was a cool car; our older daughter, away at college, went, oh, I hope you got that really pretty aqua color! Her little sister went, Oh, I really hope you didn't get the really ugly aqua color, at least.

Aqua it was. (It had been a rare chance to drive one off the lot when there was otherwise a three-month waiting list, and that was the color it came in. The person it was up for no longer wanted it, and it was first come first serve.)

Anonymous said...

i am totally with you on the colour issue!stick to your guns!
great to see you tuesday night!
helga