We are once again a 3-car family. Yesterday we picked up another vehicle to round out the Disher fleet.
Wait for it…
A Mini van…
A gently used 2003 Pontiac Montana.
Keeping on the Ramsey debt free strategy we added another clean used car to the stable, and paid cash. This puppy is fully loaded and well cared for. Every option, including DVD stuff for the kiddos. We really only need to get 2 years out of it to break even, but it should last longer.
If you know me, I know what you’re thinking.
“What the hell? A Mini van? and a GM product no less?“
No I didn’t bump my head, and I’m feeling OK.
This is a strategic move.
(a) It gets Claudine into something more fuel efficient for all the driving she does. It’s actually easier for her to get Matthew into the car seat in this thing. If Molly decides to resume gymnastics, all the driving that Claudine does will be better in this over the Excursion.
(b) It allows us to park the Cirrus for a while. It’s been nickel and diming us to death, and quite frankly I’m just completely sick and tired of driving it. It’s still a decent vehicle and Maggie will be 16 soon so she’ll need something to learn in. The Cirrus is a good choice for this but if I had to drive it much longer it may very well have ended up in a lake or river.
(c) It allows me to take over the Excursion and recoup some man-points that have been lost from driving that Cirrus for so long. Since I ride as often as I can the fuel burden won’t be as bad.
(Sorry tree huggers, we will never, ever, get rid of the Excursion, it is the Ultimate utility vehicle for hauling people, vacation/trips, and pulling the horse trailer, etc, etc.).
The most interesting part of this is that it is a GM product. I’ve been anti-GM all my life, but this thing fit the bill and we just didn’t like anything Ford had to offer in this space. Time will tell if that’s a mistake.
Since it’s a 2003 and was manufactured before the whole bail out crap, we’ll allow it. Can’t say you’ll be given a second chance though…