Portland is known for many things but none is more notable than crunchy hipsters. They love organic, upcycle everything from napkins to soup cans, and drive hybrids. SO obviously I have to get one too.
Portlanders have a fierce and vocal sense of national pride and determination for improving the world around them. If I am to integrate, I have to buy a hybrid that was made in the good o' US of A - a Honda Accord Hybrid. I know. Tesla. But I have only been blogging for a few weeks and don't have that kind of money yet. I could wait a few more days until my blog is really big time and someone gets it for me from my Amazon Wish List, but I can't wait. I needed instant gratification. Prius was too small, not to mention I have blind brand loyalty to Honda.
The first and most important part of car shopping is picking the color; you have to look at this expensive machine every day for years to come. The color with define your life and personality, even your driving style. I hate white cars above all other colors, blue and black are the natural options here.. The utilitarian and sterile feel of white makes it look like a fleet car purchased by The Man as a cold and emotionless prison for countless unfortunate drivers trapped in a meaningless life of soul-sucking commutes from A to B to A with no hope of rising up or making for themselves a life of freedom out from under the boot of oppression! Also - practically impossible to keep clean.
The second most important step of car shopping is deciding; are you feeling rich enough to buy new to prove a point OR do you just not care enough about a warranty you won't even need (because you aren't getting a junker) so just get used. With my blogging work and a little travel nursing tax exemption on the side, we were feeling ready for our first new car. We also buy a car every 4 years and drive them to death, so why not start 90,000 miles sooner, it will cost about the same and the gas savings over the years will offset the markedly high initial insurance cost. Random fact: the taxes were actually about the same.
Portlanders have a fierce and vocal sense of national pride and determination for improving the world around them. If I am to integrate, I have to buy a hybrid that was made in the good o' US of A - a Honda Accord Hybrid. I know. Tesla. But I have only been blogging for a few weeks and don't have that kind of money yet. I could wait a few more days until my blog is really big time and someone gets it for me from my Amazon Wish List, but I can't wait. I needed instant gratification. Prius was too small, not to mention I have blind brand loyalty to Honda.
The first and most important part of car shopping is picking the color; you have to look at this expensive machine every day for years to come. The color with define your life and personality, even your driving style. I hate white cars above all other colors, blue and black are the natural options here.. The utilitarian and sterile feel of white makes it look like a fleet car purchased by The Man as a cold and emotionless prison for countless unfortunate drivers trapped in a meaningless life of soul-sucking commutes from A to B to A with no hope of rising up or making for themselves a life of freedom out from under the boot of oppression! Also - practically impossible to keep clean.
The second most important step of car shopping is deciding; are you feeling rich enough to buy new to prove a point OR do you just not care enough about a warranty you won't even need (because you aren't getting a junker) so just get used. With my blogging work and a little travel nursing tax exemption on the side, we were feeling ready for our first new car. We also buy a car every 4 years and drive them to death, so why not start 90,000 miles sooner, it will cost about the same and the gas savings over the years will offset the markedly high initial insurance cost. Random fact: the taxes were actually about the same.
The final important step of car shopping is not paying full price. Shameless Costco Auto Program plug - here - but no link because I to tired from all the car shopping, do the work yourself.
Dealerships are a necessary evil of car shopping. Just like when buying drugs, the user can't buy directly from the supplier so the only way to get your fix is to find a dealer. I admit it was not my favorite way to spend an afternoon, but in the end they took my money and I got a car. And it drives amazing. Of course, they only had white and you should never complain to your shady dealer about the color of the goods.
There are a few hybrid things the brochure doesn't tell you. Yes, you get 50mpg, but only when it's not cold outside. All the energy that was not being used to warm your butt in the summer allows you to hybrid more. Unless you hate yourself enough to parka up in your brand new car, you aren't going to see 50mpg in the dead of winter. Hybrids are full of sweet tech, so peg a curb on a sharp turn in a drive-through and your dash will light up like a Christmas tree. You have to "reboot" your car to get important things like braking and cruise control again. If your wife drives it like a Lamborghini you will hybrid very little, these cars like gentle smooth acceleration and long slow braking.
Overall, it's a great car and I would do it again when I have to do it all over again.