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| Highway 95 from the cemetery at Genesee |
The
weather has turned warm with daytime highs at 80+. It’s altogether warmer than
I remember the Aprils of my youth, but I hesitate to say “summerlike” because summer
temps are now 90 to 100+. At any rate, it’s warm and lovely, and Mike was ready
for a day trip.
Mike
is looking for a new “fun car” – one that would be more serviceable than the 1965
Barracuda. I guess I sorta hate to see the Barracuda leave our garage, but a
newer car is appealing on a number of levels – safety, economical mileage,
comfort, town usage, maneuverability, etc. Something smaller and more
economical would suit our needs, according to Mike. He has been armchair
shopping and likes the looks and ratings of the VW Golf GTI, a hatchback, and the
time had come to meet the GTI in person. However, the closest dealerships are in
Post Falls and Spokane, so we made a day trip on Friday (April 8).
Our
experiences were positive at both businesses. It’s just that we were there to
look, not buy. You know from the outset that you’ll have to deal with the sales
pitch. One finance manager asked what it would take to get us into a GTI that
very day. Not the plan, we said. We want to think about it.
“We’ve
learned our lesson on that,” I said. “We bought a refrigerator on the spot and lived
to regret it.”
“You’re
such nice people, though,” said the finance manager. “We really want you for
customers.”
“You
just don’t know,” I said. “Remember that refrigerator I mentioned?”
At
the next showroom, the salesman seemed more knowledgeable and Mike dickered a
little harder in order to hear the bottom line. Of course, nowadays they want
you to buy off the lot or they try to find a near match for your specifications
at other stores in the region. Failing that, they try to convince you the one
they’re showing you is the one you really want.
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| VW Golf GTI |
“What’s
wrong with this one?” asked the finance manager. So, Mike told him why he didn’t
want that particular model, but in truth, I’m not ready to say. There are lots
of considerations, including the fact that we have to drive a hundred miles for
service.
And
that’s all we did – shop for a car. We didn’t so much as stop at a fabric shop
or Target. As it was, we weren’t home until 6:30. Of course, the day’s activities
included a little geocaching, beginning with the cemetery at Genesee where Catholics are buried on one side and Lutherans on
the other. I don’t know what happens to Methodists and atheists. Mike says they
have to go to another cemetery.
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| Tensed, Idaho (pop. 123) |
Our
last cache of the day was outside of Tensed. Throughout the day, we saw lots of
farmers working fields. KW
5 comments:
What's wrong with the cars in the Lewiston, where you can get service?
I'm glad it was just a shopping trip. I am leaning toward a Hyundai Elantra GT, but that, too is a long time in the future.
A new car!! How fun to look forward to.
Hi Chuck! Well, as the result of his research, Mike wants this VW GTI. I guess when something appeals to us, often the drawbacks just don't matter.
Hi Chris! Well, replacing the Barracuda is going to change the way things have been for 20 years. We'll see what happens.
Thanks for your comments.
I've been a VW owner for 12 years now. I like the way they drive and I haven't really had reliability issues. We have a dealership in the area that we like. If you have to go to Sponane for service, you'll have time to go to Target. With a brand new car, you'll probably be eligible for their loaner car while they're working on it. Voila!
We seldom use the services of the dealer. Mike changes the oil and performs as many of the maintenance tasks as he can. In fact, one salesman asked him if he preferred to change the oil himself. You are right that a trip to the Spokane area is not necessarily a bad thing.
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