Requiem for a Sentra

I own an old car. A very, very old car. She was born in 1994, back before I could even drive, during a time when my biggest worries were surviving Freshman Day without actually participating and hoping that I got an A in Civics. At that point, the Sentra wasn’t even a twinkle in my eye...I hadn’t even begun to think about driving yet, because I am a girl and a nerd and was much more concerned with the important issue of why my mom wouldn’t buy me clothes from the Gap. So someone else purchased the Sentra and took pretty good care of her for the next 6 years.

When 2000 rolled around, I was beyond ready to own a car and the fact that she already had quite a few miles and a couple of interior problems didn’t even faze me. I am my father’s daughter and as long as I got a car that ran and had cruise control, I was fine. And run that car I did. The Sentra and I have had a healthy 100,000 mile relationship. She and I have been in it for the long haul and have traveled across much of the south and parts of the midwest together. We’ve driven through tornadoes and hurricanes and floods together. I’ve gone to her when I needed to de-stress and have made her listen to my tears and frustration and loud, loud singing. So I love her. But here’s the rub: I’ve abused her. She was a little dinged up when I got her and I haven’t helped any. I only know how to be hard on my possessions. From my iPods to my computers to my cars, I beat the crap out of them. So I couldn’t seem to be gentle with the Sentra and it shows. The windshield is cracked, the upholstery needs help, and the trunk leaked. In short, I needed someone to pimp my ride. But I didn’t care before, because she was paid for and reliable. My plan was to put as many miles as possible on her before I had to finally give up and let her go. So when the sweet Arkansas boy rear ended me, I totally cried. Not because I was hurt or scared, but because I knew that this was the end for me and the Sentra. She is now officially damaged goods. And this dear friend who has seen me through so much drama is now ready to retire and be gone from my life. I’m excited about getting a new car, but it’s still sad. I don’t want to think of the Sentra sitting in a junk yard and being stripped or crushed or whatever they do to old cars.

But this leads to a whole new problem about purchasing of a new vehicle. They’re all too nice! I test drove a ’02 Sentra yesterday and nearly bought it on sight. Why? Because it’s GORGEOUS. It’s new and pretty and stuff! It has a trunk that closes and DOESN’T leak. It has a windshield I don’t have to squint or duck to see through. It has a CD player! It has an air conditioner and heater that work on all 4 levels: 1, 2, 3, and 4! And the ceiling fabric isn’t coming down! And the front visor isn’t torn up and hanging in my eyes! And the vanity mirror on the passenger is still in tact! Holy crap! It’s like...a new car! The guy at the dealership was pretty sure that I would buy this car, so he let me take it on a long test drive, so I decided to bring this beautiful piece of machinery to my boyfriend who I’ve been hinting about for weeks but won’t actually MENTION on this blog because I can’t think of a good name for him, nor have I decided how I want to deal with having a boyfriend AND a blog since blogging is new to him and he doesn’t get the internet thing as much as I do, even though he’s a total computer nerd, but just not in the strangers reading about you and looking at pictures of you kind of way.

Where was I? Oh yeah, the car. So I got a man (MY man, no less) to look at the things that matter on the car (hint: not the cup holders that I was gushing over) and we drove around some more and he talked to me about test driving more than one car before purchasing and I was like, “Blah, blah, responsibility-cakes.” And then the check engine light came on.

Y’all, the check engine light came on while test driving and I was still like, “Maybe I’ll buy it!” I mean, I know, deep down, I won’t buy that car. Because it’s not reliable, per se. But it was a good deal and PRETTY and I want it NOW. And I don’t want to test drive other cars....forget Toyotas or Hondas or Mini’s (Hi Leah!). I just want to get a car that has a trunk that closes and makes me feel less white trashy. And Nissans have been good to me and my family, so why look around?

But, alas, I know I need to do more research and browsing. So, slightly against my will, I’m going back to AutoTrader.com and Cars.com and looking more. And my handsome boyfriend is looking for stuff too. (Because he’s a stud. ..... That was for you, honey.) But it’s hard for me not to be overly eager because ANYTHING is an upgrade. Seriously. I’m limiting my search to cars made this century, which automatically makes them 6 years newer than the Sentra....which automatically makes them feel like a luxury car.

:sigh: And let’s not forget that my brain automatically thinks, “Will a carseat fit in this backseat?” Cause that’s a whole OTHER issue.