Our New Car

With the 2003 Malibu having topped 100,000 on our trip to Panama City Beach this past February, we figured it was time to get a new vehicle. This past Monday was the day.

We went to Ray Chevrolet and test drove four cars: a Cruze, Malibu, Impala and a Camaro. We were definitely considering a Malibu on the way in as I'd been watching ads for new ones in the newspapers for several months. From that, I knew the least we could expect was $16,000 to $17,000 with taxes and other fees on top of it.

Of the four, we liked the Impala and Malibu the best (well, I could have gone for the Camaro, but there was no way Liz would go for that, something about too hard to get in and out). However, the Malibu got the best mileage.

We had intended to trade in the Dakota, but they wouldn't give us an acceptable trade-in. We ended up buying the very same Malibu we test drove for $17,100 out the door after the GM Card's savings were applied. Took me two efforts to write the check (we paid in full) as that is a lot of money!

We now are a four-vehicle (and a boat and lawn tractor) family: 2003 Malibu, 2005 Dodge Dakota and 1985 Pontiac Firebird. I'll probably sell the truck later this summer because of the low gas mileage.

Set for Cruising Again. --RoadDog