Conjuring up the Past to Buy a New-Used Subaru

I just replaced my beloved vehicle. My eagle gave me wingspan and safety for my travels. I was one with it in escape and it was a nest I could come home to and count on.

I dremeled it to hell and back. Filled holes, painted, duct-taped and sealed parts to keep rust at bay. It cooperated most of the time.

But…eventually the under-frame cracked and I had to let it go. Not just let it go to another owner, either. I had to sell it for parts. I didn’t want a young (or old) family to get into my vehicle and have it fall apart and hurt anyone. It was tempting, for the money…but…I know I did the right thing. Sometimes I have to force myself to follow my heart. 

I spent many, many hours formulating what I wanted in a used car. My brother, Tim, suggested looking at Consumer Reports (it was well worth the subscription). You were right, Baby Brother! I researched and researched what I wanted, what I could pay and how I was going to go about finding another vehicle. My daughter Elizabeth said it simply, “Think about what you want to use it for.”

It sounded silly to me at first. “I want to go places,” I thought. “Pretty clear-cut.” As we were talking on the phone I wrote down on an empty piece of paper “What do I want to use my car for?” Once I got down to making lists. I could see she was suggesting I reflect a little deeper than “Transportation”.

 

I made deliberate considerations:

1/ How safe is this for travel? 

     a. All four seasons

     b. Accidents

2/ Can I travel unpaved roads?    

     a. Exploring state and federal parks

     b. Getting to the Great Lakes shoreline to snorkel/rock-hunt

3/ Will I have enough cargo space to pack up and leave the city?

     a) long distance travel

     b) long periods of time

4/  Will it be quiet?

      a) loud city driving

      b) quality sound system— feel like I’m floating on the clouds.

      c) Will a passenger be able to talk to me without shouting for 500 miles.

5/ Will I be comfortable?

      a) My aging body parts

      b) length of trips/leg room

I chose three possibilities -Toyota RAV4, Subaru Forester and Honda CRV. Consumer Reports was a help on what to watch out for in sale strategies I might run into. I won’t bore you with another list but I studied each suggestion. 

I went to several dealers and I’m glad a close friend suggested I keep notes on my impression of salesmen/dealerships in order to remember in case I return to buy.

I made some mistakes.The worse was when I let salespeople distract me in my search. It compounded my already high stress level.

I felt incompetent at times and forced myself to lead conversations toward my needs. It was a tight-rope being able to listen to expert recommendations and know the difference between that and being snowed. I stuck to my plan not to test-drive until I narrowed down my search.

The last dealership (Dunning Subaru) I was greeted by Darren. He guided me and listened to me. It took hours for me to make a final decision. He was patient. He used no dazzling strategies to keep me there or sway me to buy. He actually gave me several “Outs” to borrow a Subaru and spend the weekend thinking about what I wanted to do.

The experience in buying my used Subaru was important. I drew on my guitar-buying experience when I made my final decision. I’d like to tell you a story.

In 1970 I was in Detroit with my mom and my sister Karen, who lived there at the time. We were there visiting her to find a new guitar. I had some money from working (mostly babysitting) and was ready to spend it when I found what I wanted.

I held and played at least 30 new, shiny, mouth-watering guitars. Some several times. My small frame could hardly bend over some of them to play. I remember sales man's patience and the guilt I felt for having him reach up and over so many times to have me try another guitar. 

When I played the small-size Martin guitar none of the others made a sound this one did, not even close! I could feel it through my ribs. It fit me. I remember tears coming down my face when I handed the guitar back and tried others that were top on my list. 

I knew I couldn’t afford $500. I didn’t want any of those others. (I was only 13 at the time so I was sure of what I wanted) I was ready to leave without a new guitar. 

Before we left the store Karen and Mom had me call Dad at home, 300 miles away from the music store. I told my him I’d let him know how it went and what guitar I bought. I told him I wasn’t going to get a new guitar and why. He told me to buy the Martin if I felt so strongly about the sound. I reminded him I couldn’t afford the Martin. (I'm sure Karen and Mom were big influences on staying at the store and leaving with the Martin in hand).

               Photo taken of me by Hilda Ryerse in the 70s.

He offered to lend me the money, to buy the Martin. He was a on-the-side, after-his-day-job carpenter and valued good tools. He explained to me how important it was to trust the guitar’s sound to accompany my voice. “You won’t regret getting what you think is the best for you. I think you should buy it. ”

Being so young I couldn’t imagine being in debt, especially to my parents. But I walked out of that enormous music place in Detroit with my new baby in a hard, silver case. I could have waited until I earned enough to go back and get my baby, but probably it would never had happened. At thirteen I was already saving for college. I didn’t know at the time my paying gigs would pay for the Martin over and over.

I know the guitar helped me improve the quality of my voice. I unconsciously paired with the sound of the guitar. This new-used Subaru will begin to bond with me. It won’t be my baby. Only my guitar can have that spot. But it will be part of my close family and accompany me as I my needs evolve.