baronessekat | fighting the panic attacks

I FREAKING BOUGHT A CAR!!!!

so, the credit union called me this morning and gave me how much I could get approved for and how much it would be for a 5 year loan (the max I could get given that I was looking at a 2014 and their policy is 10 years - age of car = max length of loan up to 6 years).

So on my lunch today I started surfing the local dealership websites. I put in a request to test drive a 2014 van that is the make and model of my current one (just 7 years newer). I make the appointment for after work.

However, I get there to discover the van was sold about 30 minutes before I got there. I was bummed but accepted that that's the breaks. But... the good thing is that it's 2 days to month's end and they have quotas and stuff. So I talked to one of the guys. Said what my max was (with the taxes/fees/registration costs). He looked at their inventory and found a 2016. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles the other one, or mine, has. No push button open sliding side doors, no power seats, no display to tell you the temp/miles to empty, etc. I pointed out that the sticker price was at my max budget. He sent me on a test drive with "let me talk to the boss". So I drove it. It handles well - no deciding that 1st gear is optional and good breaks, etc.

I got back and he said that with my current car as trade-in (which I was surprised they would take given it's condition) and a little bit down from me (which was less than I was figuring I would have to fork over as down payment) they got it down to 83 cents above what I said was my max. They basically took almost 2 grand off before the trade in and down payment.

So I signed the purchasing agreement. tomorrow I contact the credit union and send them the info they need, I'm hoping that being a little below what they pre-approved me for and now the ability to go for a 6 year loan my monthly payment will be less than what I was originally quoted, and wait for the dealership to call me. They are waiting on the title to them to arrive from NYS in order to transfer it to me. So the hope is Tuesday or Wednesday of next week I will be able to pick up the new van.

He's white with black interior. Definitely a he personality. Baron P suggested TK-421 as a name as he does have a very stormtrooper feel to him. but I pointed out that TK-421 wasn't at his post when needed. But then I noticed that the sales dude was wearing blue suede shoes and I had the name. My new van will be Elvis. (I admit that I ordered a blinged out Elvis blue shoes ornament to hang from the mirror because reasons https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AY9OFKC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 )

So yeah... I bought a car. Now I have to not have the money panics.