Meet Evette: Our new Swagger Wagon

Nothing really makes your day like....
getting in a car accident and totaling your favorite car that you just paid off.




It indeed was a super sad day when we said goodbye to our beloved  Swagger Wagon  this week.

We graduated to  Swagger Wagon  when Bryan knocked me up with McCarty kid #2.
My dad and I were hanging out and I nonchalantly said:

Me: "So dad, when you gonna sell me the van?"
Dad: "You want the van?"
Me: "Yea I do!"
Dad: "I'll sell it to you."

Now, my mom LOVED her van. She should be the poster woman for Honda Odysseys. She bought it new in 2006 and the car was in pristine condition when I convinced my dad to sell it to me in 2012. I mean it was stunning! Barely a scratch (in fact if it had one I am sure I did it the ONE time she let me drive it)

My mom wasn't too thrilled when Dad made that deal with me.
He was kind of re-thinking it too until he'd see one of my boy's faces and he'd cave.

Dad: "They need the van Kathy. Elliot needs it."

He used her weakness against her: Grandkids.

So we got the van, paid for it and fell in love.



Swagger Wagon and us... we were going places... We had Adventures!     
We broke her in a bit, she forgave us... all in all she became part of the family

Now apparently, Texas is a hazardous zone for normal drivers so we should have just counted our lucky stars we were spared for 10 months for NOT getting in an accident.

Sadly, a car pile up in front of us caused a  GIANT F-250 to slam into our Swagger Wagon...

For a few days we were hopeful she might make it! 
(I was hopeful... the rest of the world that lived in reality just chuckled at me and patted my head as if it was a consolation)


She didn't make it. 



Well, now we were in it. We wanted another van and it kind of had to be a Honda Odyssey.
You can't eat Filet Mignon and than go back to Taco Bell. It just is too hard... and it will make you sick.

Thankfully the Odyssey is such an amazing vehicle you can get a used one pretty cheap because they LAST FOREVER!!
My brother-in-law is kicking it in a 2003 Odyssey, my Sister rocks it in her 2006 Odyssey and we would have kept our 2006 probably until 2016. Bummer.

Now I hate salesmen. I have absolutely no patience for them. If you come to my door I give you five seconds to tell me what you want. If you can't tell me what you want in that time, I'm going to close the door in your face. Seriously.

You can imagine how excited I was to meet car salesmen.

When we bought our Equinox eons ago Bryan did all the talking. He's older, wiser, handsomer and had all the money. I was just supposed to look indifferent. This time I ventured out and was pushy.
Bryan thankfully thought it was hilarious. He apparently doesn't like salesman either.
He at least was polite about it though.

We had our big Van looking day and after seeing over six different possible *new to us*
Swagger Wagons...

We met  Sal. Poor Sal... he didn't see me coming.

I knew exactly what I wanted. I don't negotiate. I take no prisoners.

He was this adorable Mexican that had so much energy he made me exhausted and when he got really excited his words jumbled together and we had to have him repeat himself.

So, now I know what I would be like as a forty year old bilingual man. Bryan cracked himself up.


Sal: "Here you go Mrs. Jessica. This is nice... very nice... beautiful..."
Me: "What is it?"
Sal: "It's an LX."
Me: "Nope. Next."
Sal: "Ok... Of course! Moving on."

He took us to a newer model Odyssey that we weren't really looking at and it was black. Bryan said from the very beginning he did NOT want to buy another black car. (We've had two and we aren't big on washing our cars and while black looks the best... it shows EVERY speck of dirt.)
First, I didn't even know they made black mini-vans... who knew?
Second, we shouldn't make preference choices... because we just end up buying them anyway. 

Sal: "Mrs. Jessica, this is the one you want. It's the new design, beautiful. Perfect for the kids."
Me: "Sal... you give me this car for X and I'll buy it right now."
Sal: "Are you serious?"
Me: "Yep. X and I'll buy it right now."


That man could run.  I was waiting for Bryan to fuss me for making such a huge promise but he was actually hoping the guy would say yes. That man loves me and he finds me hilarious.. 
Sal: "Mrs Jessica. We got it down to X,989 without certification. Huge deal Mrs. Jessica!"
Me: "That's not X. You rounded up. I want you to round down. I want X,0"
Sal: "Come on... really?"
Me: "Do I look like I am kidding you?"
Sal: "Ugh..."

We ended up making friends with  Sal. He was a hard worker and was excellent at his job and he thought we were a hoot. Though we didn't buy the van that day we told him we'd be back since we were looking at another one that was about to come on his lot from California that was a 2010.


Sal: "You must have the best time being married to her."

Bryan: "Oh I do."

Sal: "She crazy but she know what she want. I like her."

Long story short:  Sal would call me and update me about the 2010. It was scheduled to come in Tuesday which was good since our insurance didn't tell us until that Monday that Swagger Wagon had bit the dust. 

Bryan and I were going back and forth... confused as to which decision to make. There were at least three good options. Yet that Black 2011... it was the best deal by far. If we could get Sal down to X...

Me: "Sal! How are you?"
Sal: "Oh Mrs. Jessica! I am excellent. How are you? How are your boys?"
Me: "We need a van Sal. Give me that Black one for X,5 Sal with certification."
Sal: "You like me getting yelled at don't you Mrs. Jessica?" 
Me: "Sal never!" 
Sal: "Call you back."

Sure enough... Sal came through. 

Sal: "X,5. You got it. I'm gonna go wash it for you right now." 
Me: "Great Sal! Fill up her gas tank too."
Sal: "You want gas too? Of course you do. Tell Mr. Bryan he owes me dinner."
Me: "You got it Sal!"

Overall the Car buying process could have been eons worse. Granted, we bought a black van that will be dirty ALL THE TIME... but it still looks SWEET!





The best part though was meeting Sal
We did take Sal out for dinner and talked to him a lot about his life, his daughter and what he believed. Crazy man that Sal... but he's a keeper. I hope I don't have to use him again anytime soon to buy a car but I'm excited for him to come to church with us in a few weeks!!



Meet Evette. The Newest McCarty. 
Evette is one sweet looking ride. 
 She puts the Swagger in Swagger Wagon

I have a feeling she has a  wild streak  but I'm very thankful to have another Girl in my World of Boys



Evette  and I... we are gonna have a blast



God Bless and Much Love,


       Jessica



No comments :

Post a Comment