Fat Girl Friday - 01/12/2024 - Week 2 - New Car, Who Dis??

I have been stuck in my equinox since basically the day I got it. I was freshly broken up with the revolving ex (IYKYK), had a credit score just above 300, no money down, and the car my ex "helped" me get into had just been diagnosed with a transmission that would cost more to repair than the bluebook Value… oh and did I mention I still owed $9,000 on this ticking time bomb? After expressing to The bank I needed a personal loan to repair the car. The bankman probably used all his will power to hold back laughing as he explained that they wouldn't approve a loan big enough for the repairs, especially with the high mileage mixed with the age of the car.

I had a friend from work, Charlie who overheard me crying on the phone with the bankman and told me he knew a guy. I met him at the car dealership, Camp Chevrolet, and it turned out.... I knew a guy too! The salesman was a man that had briefly worked with me years before I met Charlie. Shay was his name, and he was probably the most upbeat and positive person I had ever met and when things aligned for me to get into a brand new 2016 Chevy Equinox I was SO excited and really thought my chance at a life I'd only dreamed of had finally arrived.

Little did I know that at 120,000 miles and 36 days out of my warranty on the Equinox EVERYTHING would start going wrong. From August of 2023 to January 2024 I financed just over $4,000 and paid in cash close to another $1,000 in repairs and Maintenace. And I was maxed out so if ANYthing else happened... I was super fucked.

Still owing $11,000 on this money sucking vehicle AND having overwhelming and uncontrollable anxiety every single time I drove it (because I know if ONE more thing happens and I wouldn't have a vehicle and keep in mind the nature of my "job" consists of transporting children to court ordered family time visitations so I have to have a special kind of insurance and don't have the option to borrow someone else's vehicle or getting a ride to work). I had to jump into survival mode.

I begun my journey by calling the bank, they "couldn't help me" I attempted a couple different car lots (Camp Chevrolet and Carhop), they both could help me but either wanted a significant down payment (Who has $8,000 just sitting in the bank?!) or wanted to get me into a 2nd car loan for a car that not only was a downgrade from the Equinox but wouldn't be able to be used for my side hustle (Lyft) so in the event of a money crunch I wouldn't have that option to pull some right now cash.

Then my brother, Dalton, recommended me to Northtown Auto Insurance (Know the giant blow up Dog car dealership in Macklemore's "Downtown" video... it's ACTUALLY THIS PLACE) and I went in open minded but very doubtful.

They were very easy to work with, and Zabrina connected with our salesman, Jason. While I filled out all the paperwork he was kind enough to help keep her distracted with crayons, fidgets, and playing games with her. This was a new feeling I've never had at a used car dealership.

They got us into a 2016 Ford Explorer and I was THRILLED, no not that it was an Explorer - that was too big for my liking to be honest, BUT to have an option aside from the Equinox. Maybe I could finally drive with peace of mind.

Keep in mind that my mechanic has looked at the Equinox and told me very openly that I had made all the repairs and the car should be good to go, I just couldn't handle the anxiety of "What if something else goes wrong".

Plus.... When I bought the Equinox I wasn't in a very good point in my life, especially when it came to my self esteem and loving myself. Not to mention through the 7 years I had the car... so many toxic situations had happened and the car wreaked of bad decisions and regret.

2 days later I took the Explorer to my mechanic, you know for a 2nd glance, and was devastated when they brought the keys back 10 minutes later and said there was a blown head gasket. ALL I could think was that I really fucked up this time.... I signed for As Is and would end up stuck with this just like I had with the car that forced me into the Equinox.

I called NTA and spoke to the general manager. I explained that I was really upset, and he requested to have his mechanic look at it. He asked that I schedule an appointment with their shop and when I explained to him that I had already had to take the afternoon off (because I can't very well transport children in a vehicle I know the head gasket is blown in) and couldn't afford to miss any more work, he told me to bring the car and they would see what they could do that day.

It turns out the Explorer had so much they'd have to fix before they could even tell if there was actually a head gasket out, and they had another car on the lot that they wanted me to test drive. It was a 2016 Kia Sorento. Of course I said yes, anything is better than a blown head gasket and I was beyond ecstatic that they were working with me.

I drove her once and I fell in love. I noticed some of my same anxieties that happened in the Equinox, bumps in the road, a tilted street causing the car to pull, the shaking cars do when they are idling (I know it's not really a shaking but this is how it feels to me) but she drove easy. I took her home and when I dropped off the Wifey (Alicia - Who had so graciously came with me the day prior to my Mechanic (Rons) but also to test drive this new car). I said I wanted to name her, without missing a beat Alicia said "Ruby" and that's that.

So even though it's not the soundest financial decision, and I still have the Equinox and it's payments and insurance to figure out. I now also have Ruby, the car that checked out at the mechanics and was so destined to be mine she took the Explorer out of commission (Teehee that's what I tell myself anyways!)

I love her, I'm comfortable driving her, the mechanic says they won't be seeing me for awhile aside from regular Maintenace and most importantly.... Zabrina loves her.

I'm really hoping that this is the beginning of the biggest glow up year EVER!