I Love my Mustang

Over the years I have had the privilege of driving a large number of cars.  Thanks to my job at a car rental store in town, I get to drive everything from cars and trucks to sports cars and I get a rush every moment of it.

But my favorite moment of the day is when I get into my Mustang.  There is just something about sitting in a car that looks sleek and has the power you need to be one with the road.  I just love the rush I get when I sit in the car and step on the gas – it is like you are flying in a rocket ship.

I was just lucky enough to buy this Mustang when I was looking for used cars in Fort Worth.  I just about missed it, but I saw it out of the corner of my eye and I was hooked.  For me, the price didn’t matter – I bought the car that I had always wanted.

I have even babied it a bit, and have put a few Ford racing parts into it to give it a little more punch.  I love taking the time to work on it, and I think that I will continue to tinker with it to squeeze as much performance out of it as possible.  What can I say, I love my Mustang.

Finding the Silver Lining

This is going to be an upsetting weekend for my husband, as his big brother is leaving for Afghanistan tomorrow. We didn't find out all that long ago, and I don't think he's had time to digest the information completely and prepare himself emotionally.

It's also not helping that his going away is leaving us to pick up the pieces. We'll have to babysit his wife (whom no one in the family likes) over the next year to make sure she doesn't blow through all his money or drown the kids in the bathtub or some crap like that.

The silver linings are that when he comes back, he'll have the money to get a divorce, save for the kids' college, etc. He's getting paid pretty well for going, which is good for his family — though personally, my husband and I don't feel it's worth the tremendous risk he is taking by leaving a woman he doesn't trust in charge of raising his kids.

It seems we may benefit from our hard work keeping his wife out of trouble: We may get his second car, which he has been driving for the past year but certainly won't need while he's in Afghanistan. This will really help us since my car hasn't been running lately — I have yet to find a chance to work on it, and we can't afford the Toyota parts it needs, anyway — and therefore my husband and I have been sharing a car for quite some time now. I can't even tell you how nice it will be to have that car for the next year — it might even give us a chance to save up for the Toyota Tacoma parts we need.

All the same, I hope my brother-in-law comes home safe and sound in a year. No amount of money is worth his kids growing up without their father — and my husband living the rest of his life without his brother and his best friend.

Used cars a good deal in Michigan area

When people think about automobiles and the state of Michigan, usually the Detroit auto industry is the first thing that comes to their minds. Well, the used cars Michigan has to offer is actually some of the very best in the entire nation. Why is that, you may ask?

Mostly, the fact that most American cars and trucks are made in the state doesn't mean that everyone there drives brand new vehicles at all times. In fact, according to motor vehicle figures, registered drivers in Michigan have one of the highest ownership rates for used cars in the entire country. This is most likely contributed to the economic effects of slumping car sales.

Property values have sharply declined in the greater Michigan area as well. When your home's value decreases, you generally have less money to spend on a new car. As such, the sales of used cars has steadily increased in correspondence to the general auto industry's decline.

The good news is that folks in this area are actually getting quite a good value for their auto buying dollar. An increasing number of used car dealerships are backing sales with top quality in house service departments, Carfax vehicle history, and the best financing that might not be available to customers in this general area.

Mitsubishi cars beat the bail out

Mitsubishi cars are some of the best rated automobiles sold here in the U.S. Given all the challenges of the American automobile manufacturers, more and more people are actively considering foreign car makers when looking for a new car.

While some people may feel this is unpatriotic, the reality of the situation is that we live in a capitalistic society. Regardless of the fact that some have called the auto makers bailout an act of socialism, these companies still have to compete to win our business.

If a product or service is simply inferior to the competition, the competition usually wins. We all work hard for our money, and we want to be ensured that when we purchase something the company is going to stand behind it. With so many of the U.S. manufacturers filing for bankruptcy protection, it has consumers rightfully concerned.

If a larger percentage of immediate sales tends to land on the doorsteps of foreign companies for the next few years, it may end up having a very positive effect over the long term. Seeing so much of its potential income moving to the competitors should hopefully force higher quality standards out of the American companies that desire to stay in the game and fight for our new car purchases.

Relative Merits

I’m in a total dilemma. I’m getting a new car for graduation, and obviously it’s going to be a Toyota (I mean, with this economy I’m not putting my money on anything but Toyota car parts) but it’s a toss up between the Camry Solara and the Camry itself. I like the basic Toyota Camry parts: I think it has a nice wide interior with enough room for everyone sitting in it, a comfortable dash that doesn’t feel crowded but I can still reach all the dials, and it’s just kind of cute, really! The real difference comes down to the convertible top (on the Solara) or the regular car, which is obviously a little less expensive in contrast. I mean, everyone wants to save money, but to be honest I’ve already saved my money and now I want to make it work!

I’m attracted to the idea of a drop top, but that’s only because I picture myself driving through California in it with Keanu Reeves beside me or something; in reality I don’t even like to roll down the windows. Should I spend the extra green on something that I might not use anyway? Do you think it would increase the resell value? Or really, are there any other criteria that I should be considering and I’m not?

Truck tool boxes for my birthday!

photo credit: aka_lusi

For my birthday this year, I've decided to give myself a truck makeover. Realizing this is of course nothing more than an excuse to spend yet more money on my vehicle, I'm off to make it happen.

Having a ton of tools that I tote around, I definitely need to check out truck tool boxes. Making sure I protect the investment I make in my tools is definitely important to me.

Prior to installing any boxes, however, I am thinking that the time has come for me to also purchase a bed liner. Since that has to be put into place prior to the tool boxes being locked down, I'll want to make that decision first, and have that completed as soon as possible.

And while a new jobox isn't necessarily something I am considering purchasing for myself this birthday, the job site desparately needs a new one. Since I'm already in the marketplace for other truck accessories, I figure I can get away with making this purchase as well.

By the time I'm done spending money, I know that I'll be very happy with my truck, and can finally stop that nagging little voice telling me I need a new truck. With only 85,000 or so miles, there is plenty of life left in my truck!

Renting Cars Are Not Just for Long Trips

My husband and I live in Orlando. We actually rent cars on a semi-regular basis. We have two kids. We didn’t want to buy a minivan or big SUV because we don’t need one on a daily basis. If I need to drive my daughters and their friends to soccer camp, I can rent a minivan. My husband and I have even rented a convertible for a Saturday. Car rentals in Orlando are really convenient. We even rented a really nice car to go to our high school reunion. When my parents came to visit for the week, we let them use our car and I rented a car for myself. It was great because my parents weren’t stuck in the house all day while I was at work. They got to go out and I didn’t have to spend the day feeling guilty.

If my husband has to take an important client out to lunch, he’ll rent a nice car to do it. Using Orlando rental cars for daily purposes is great because you can rent a nice vehicle at a reasonable price. You can get a great, clean car at the last minute to use to drive a client around or if family drops in for a visit. Even if you aren’t planning a long trip, keep rental cars in mind for everyday tasks.