Our Justifications are up to here ... told our oldest Son ... he doesn't yell either :)
Dear Macadam,
Thanks for your concern over the wagon. I've heard it now called several things such as box, toaster, X-box, urban utility vehicle, cross-over, and my favorite, Boxy Budget-mobile. It is a 2006 (pre-owned - 14,000 miles), Scion xB - Black. It has some of the accessories listed out of that huge list such as:
4-speed automatic, nice audio, armrest, cargo cover, cargo net, cup holder illumination, illumination under dash, molded dash applique, silver sport pedals, door applique, fog lights, rear spoiler, European tail lights, (don't know about underneath car car stuff), am/fm/cd/mp3/iPod radio, first aid kit, daytime/nighttime mirror, ashtray and lighter, keyless security, and titanium shift knob.
All those extras came with the car ... put on by the last owner. Like I said, I don't know what he did for things like protection packages or struts and stuff. She looks like the picture above. It also comes with stuff like power window and mirrors, rear privacy glass, air conditioning, tilt steering, front airbags, anti-lock brakes, stabilizer, and stuff like that.
http://www.scion.com/assets/media/pdfs/xb_minibrochure.pdf
http://a230.g.akamai.net/7/230/2320/v001/toyota.download.akamai.com/2320/scion/media/flash/inside/index.html
Here's a couple of extra links that have good information. I looked it up it seems we financed 18,200 ... our car was traded in for a thousand and we told them we'd give them another 2,000 from our taxes, but got to refigure that because taxes received are 1500. The downpayments are $392 and the interest rate is 15.9%. We are going to try fixing that tomorrow ... Our friend suggested that we call our agent at State Farm and see if we can re-finance for lower.
I've read a couple hundred reviews AFTER we got the car ... didn't know anything before that hadn't woke up that mornin thinking we needed a car, and went into the dealership thinking we were going to look at Hondas. The dealer knew how much we were thinking and clued into this one because of ease of getting in and out. The car is like just under 13' long and 5'5 across, so is really a midget parked next to most things, but she has tons of room inside because of the box frame. I like how I can get in and out without climbing or falling. The seats are like dining room chairs - your legs are at 90 degree angles, I like sitting above and having panoramic views, I like the way the seats in back fold down 60/40 split and can be even taken out. It really is a wagon. She's got a 11 or 12 gallon tank, we think, but we went in when the light came on - gas empty and filled her up for 9 gallons $22. She is given a lot of credit for 30- 33 mpg and upward. She feels very good to drive. I went out with Jacob last night and he agreed. She starts off the line nice, but I think she has a little lower power in passing people at hi speeds - no complaint though in getting her up to my comfortable 72 mph. She's supposed to be 0-60 at 9.9 seconds.
There was problems in getting her as to money and Our friend's frustration with us for having done this. We were later able to talk to Dr. M. of the experience in being in that situation. You know we are impulse shoppers and when put up against high pressure we choked over and above our own detriment. We had thought about April, we'd have $300 extra holding ourselves to the minimum and having $40 a week to spare. We had barguned down to $360 with the dealer - we didn't seem to be able to get over deposit, which we had wanted to spend on other bills, and then we lost ground at the money persons hand, because we added gap insurance (explained as if car was stolen or totaled, whatever the insurance didn't pay off the gap would conclude the balance of what was owed) and extending to a 6 years 72,000 mile warranty on what seems like everything.
A couple of things are going to help, but its not going to be easy. We are going to school and getting a couple thousand each quarter over and above, but we got to KEEP GOING to school. We had made Jacob a graduation gift of paying his last school loan at $5000, which was $62.50 a month, but on Friday they said because we were a student it was going to be deferred. So, that helped. And, the last thing we hope is going to help is that we had previously budged ourselves for $120 a month gas so we're hoping we save on that about $60 worth.
Idealistically, we had wanted navigational, but now we are thinking looking at many options that our own navigational GPS with the Dell Axim will be fine ... It really is a very good unit. Though for now we gave it to Jacob to use ... He says it has been all the difference in the world. He's been to about 20 houses over the last two weeks in Chicago, and it is really helping him to get around. It's just on loan though. He will get something for himself when he is up to speed. Really proud of him for the effort he's put in.
So, that's it for now ... will look forward to talking to you and answering any questions you might have. And, talking about things in general ... I would have talked more the other day, but Our friend had been over. At the time he was on his phone. As to a summary of the above. I know that I did something really stupid in going out to the dealer on my own. I get to feeling that I'm in control, but at those times we're not looking at our vulnerabilities, or that parts not knowing all the problems could be helping us to make decisions. We had tried to call the deal off, but the manager said that the only way to do it is wait for the payment book and call for a voluntary reposition. I know from experience that would have cost me more and he was already saying he owned the other car and that they'd sold it that day. So, I would be without car completely. Dr. Marvin had been willing to state something in writing as to my disability and he'd given me the number to the attorney general's site. That wasn't promising either, because in Illinois there is no buyers' remorse with cars. We still have a slight option in filing something with the Better Business Bureau and I am thinking at this moment I might do that. I think what those people did was pretty suspicious. Three times I had said absolutely NO. But, each time he went back and got a couple dollars off. Then he had me sign immediately, even though I had the paper saying what I could and could not afford, then before anything else could happen somebody apparently who had been watching and listening in the rear of us, came swooping in and grabbed the contract off the table and left quickly. That's when I knew I was in real trouble.
We're still working out in our mind that it is going to be ok. We've put some good time into looking over the package and trying to believe we are ok, but we think they elevated the price when they saw us coming. Because new the cars are supposed to only be about $14,800. That kind of information we didn't have going into it. Our friend helped hit us at a very deep place in that what happened shouldn't have and it is our fault. We were crying for about an hour and a half straight, couldn't think just in pain. Dr. Marvin tried to work with us on Thursday in understanding what indeed had happened. At that time we were still in deep shock (It was Thursday and car bought on Tuesday). We didn't want to tell anybody what we'd done, because we were so embarrassed over our lack of control and common sense. And, there is a profound loss for having given up on our Grand am because she was such a very good car ... and in trade we'd gotten something for so much apparent "LESS" value we were really, really not sure we wanted. We've always loved the Grand Am. There was a few things building up though with the Grand Am ... She'd just hit 11 years old, heat was hard of hearing, no air, the front window wouldn't roll down, the front driver's door wouldn't open with remote or key, and just that morning the trunk stopped working. Those kind of things are very wearing and all the time you are thinking over time ... how am I going to get to work if anything happens to her. Oh and one last thing. Someone had scraped up aside her and knocked off the driver's outside mirror, so for a couple of months she's been lying crippled on our dash (cords were still attached). I'd found out from a peer who had gone in to check costs of hers and it was supposed to be an $800 expense. I know safety wise I needed the mirror, but there's never enough money for that kind of thing, because its not an emergency like the air wasn't an emergency. But, it all adds up.
Ok, we're going on much too long here and should be going, but ... I needed some time to work through this again. I'm glad you asked. Thanks for listening. Trying not to feel bad.
Mom
Oh yeah Scion awarded 3 years most wanted wagon under $15000, lowest true cost to own, editors most wanted, small multi-function best value, lowest car ownership, motorists choice awards, lowest depreciation, lowest fuel costs, lowest maintenance, lowest operating, lowest ownership costs, and best small wagon. Sorry ... still trying to convey that it's not a totally bad deal ... Just my black x-box cost a little more than yours?
posted by Ann Marie @ 2/12/2007 08:02:00 AM
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