DanLog the ramblings of Daniel Pettit

We took delivery of our new Volvo 960 today. Can’t believe we spent that much. Eventhough this will be Lauren’s car she was afraid to drive it home from the dealer, so I got the priviledge of the maiden voyage.

We decided to go looking at Volvo’s today. Our local dealer didn’t have any 960’s in stock so we drove out to Irvine Volvo. We test drove a 960 sedan and really liked it, except for the price of course. The turning radius was sick! We then drove a 940, which looks just like the 960 less some creature comforts like leather and power seats. Not to mention 4 cylinder versus the inline 6 of the 960. First impression adjusting the seat, okay this is cheesy compared to the power adjusting seat with memory of the 960 but you’d be insane to pay the difference for a power seat. Then the test drive, we’ll after riding a stallion it’s hard to go back to a mule driven cart. In comparision, there was no comparison the 940 was a gutless wonder - no way. I guess the the 960 would be the choice if we go with a Volvo. Well the salesman could see the smitten look on Lauren’s face and went to a full court press. Mind you we just happened on a lark to go looking today. While we were pretty much presold on Volvo’s safety record, and that was the main focus after Lauren’s recent accident. We would probably at least checked out some others. Well we look at each other and could see that we both loved the damn thing, so I guess were buying a car.

Once in the ROOM we start talking price, trading in the Honda. They didn’t really want it, the salesman said we could get more selling it privately. Okay now the price. I did research prices before hand and had a ball park figure. Problem was they didn’t have the right color combo on the lot. He was getting very close to my price but for the car we drove. He was saying it even had pinstriping which was an extra cost. Lauren wanted tan interior this one had dark grey. Of course all through this he’d leave go “talk” to his boss come back the whole nine yards. Finally I said look there is no way a woman is going to budge on a color choice. He found our car in LA. This was our first visit to the sales booth. He kept coming down I’d keep giving him the silent treatment. Finally he got to within 500 of my target I got out of Money magazine and I bit. Not bad I felt for my first time, not to mention this was a brand new model a 1992 and it’s still 1991. Okay how am I going to pay for it. There was no way we’d qualify for a decent loan if any with our income, but he wanted to run the numbers anyway. Well if we put 50% down they could finance the rest. I said no thanks. We put a deposit down and we went home with me wondering where I’m going to come up with the cash.

I had more than enough in stocks but I really didn’t want to sell them. I figured I’d try my bank, then I thought I’d try mommy. She had some CD’s inbetween maturing. I proposed she loan us the money at what ever the going rate at Downey was for car loans. That way she earns more interest almost double and we can finance 100%, can leave our investments alone and keep the money in the family a win-win. She agrees, but wasn’t too keen on charging interest or least the rate I stated. But if I thought it fair shouldn’t she too? Just 60 payments and the Swedishmobile is all ours. Well technically it was ours from day one as we had the title, but not to worry there, were not a Springer Family.