Diary of a Wolfeman

…but who knows how much longer she has?

The other day I happened to look down at the odometer on the Beastie and realized she had just turned over 150,000 miles. She only had 54,000 when I bought her, so that means I have put 96,000 miles on the clock in 6 years and 3 months. That’s an average of 2,000 a month! I drive way too much. Especially in a 20-year-old car.

So, a call was made, and I have an appointment to see a dealer tomorrow afternoon. I will probably end up buying either a new Kia Rio, or maybe something a little better in a certified-used model. I was planning on waiting until my tax returns come back so I can have a down payment, but the guy at the dealership says he can still get me a decent payment with no down – I can always make a heavy payment later.

Why a Kia? Simple – they’re cheap. With my credit, I will probably get hosed on the interest rate, so I need to keep the capital down.

Why new? It’s actually easier to get financing on a new car than on something like the Beastie was when I got her. Lease-return cars are much the same. With most leases having a 12,000-mile-cap, you’re still getting quite a bit of use, and someone else has already eaten the depreciation. That will be important at trade-up time.

Yes, trade-up, not -in. The new Beastie’s replacement will only be about two years down the road. This means I will be making car payments for about the next 7 years, but it is a good way to build your credit rating – something I obviously need.

So, wish me luck, kids. I’m off to sign my life away.