Her registration came due recently, so I took her in for a pre-smog check oil change and filter. The OC&F was $29.95, but the multi-point check came back with a quote for fixing the coolant system: $1850. Since the system had never actually overheated - at least, not in the last decade or so - I was a little skeptical, but they insisted. "I need to go to Las Vegas to see the Dead Weather next month," I said. The dealership assistant shook her head.
Sbs passed the smog check with flying colors, and still wasn't showing the slightest sign of a coolant leak, but yesterday I bought a 2011 Hyundai Sonata LE. It has all the features the Olds had, and in almost all cases, in exactly the same place. It's like sliding into a slighter bigger version of Sbs - but with XM radio, mp3 player capability (Sbs had an adaptor via the cassette deck, of all things), moonroof and a silly but fun way of opening the door, which is to recognize you when you approach so you don't need to get the keys out of your pocket. (It also starts with a push-button, so you still don't need to get your keys out of your pocket. The drawback is that, of course, you have already taken the keys out of your pocket by force of habit, so you drop them in the cupholder for lack on anywhere else to stick them. This means that the keys are no longer in your pocket when you leave the car. The salesman intimated that the car is clever enough not to lock you out under these circumstances, but I don't necessarily want to have to find out the hard way.)
It drives very well, with its silent engine and decent handling. It doesn't have quite the oomph the six-cylinder Intrigue did, but it seems capable of accelerating if needed.
It came with a free (actually $30 non-optional extra) iPod cable! But iDon't have an iPod!
Oh, and it doesn't have a cargo net. Sbs had a lovely cargo net. Grr.
3 comments:
Oh my -- this is the third old car/new car post I've seen from friends in as many days. My poor dear "Thelma". ('92 Oldsmobubble wagon) Her days are definitely numbered, but she's holding on for dear life. Registration renewal arrived last week and I took "no smog check required this time" to be a sign that she may have one more good year left in her after all. Hard to believe, but apart from all the modern new gimmicks and gizmos they contain, there's really nothing on the road that I would rather be driving right now. Besides, our dog considers that car to be his personal "happy place". No way would a nifty new model have quite the same...je ne said quoi. It certainly wouldn't have the same deep cozy layer of dog hair!
(sigh)
Have a wonderful time getting to know your new wheels!
PS: You've actually met Thelma, but she only told me her name a few months ago. It was on a road trip with my friend Louise from New Zealand when the car finally whispered quietly and informed me that it was about time I figured out her actual identity. Turns out it suits her perfectly :-)
It's sad to say goodbye to them! But I need to have a reliable car for the next roadtrip, so alas, she had to go.
Yes, I've met Thelma. So, she was named when you were driving with Louise...hmm.
The Olds being driven in the desert with the Fight The Future soundtrack played by an orchestra is unforgettable. I`m still a big XF fan by i guess I`d have bought a 94 Taurus at the time instead.
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