Back in August of '06 I bought my very first new car...a Malibu Maxx. Those at SEBFs know this car was a good one, and suited me well. What didn't sit well with me was the interest rate I got on it..That, coupled with the fact it has a crappy resell value now for some unknown reason, made me want to get rid of the car just for sheer financial reasons.

So I went to the dealer we went to last month for Karens car (the uber-loaded '06 Grand Prix SE that thinks it'* a GT) since we had a real good experience with them. I told them what I wanted to accomplish, to which the sales manager tells me...straight-up...that my options are VERY limited. I have 3 choices basically...

1) To lower the car payment, I have to get something that is going to soak up alot of negative equity but is extrememly base. Something along the lines of their bare-bones Trailblazer. I told them no-go on that because I didn't want an SUV with todays fuel prices and the lower demand for SUVs, as that would put me in the same situation I am in now with the Maxx.

2) Keep the Maxx...but i would still have to spend about 700 bucks for new tires, PLUS around 3 grand for an extended warranty, which would equate to well over 800 bucks a month total. Plus, I still have the massive depreciation curve to deal with. So that isn't an option either.

3) Spend a little more each month and get a car that I like, holds its value long-term, can soak up about *half* of the negative equity of the Maxx with no issues, and will be worry-free for many years, since I will have to keep the car that long

Option 3 it is. Not good for the short-term financial, but much better in the long-term than keeping the Maxx.

So what did I get?















2008 Impy SS :P

Pics to come later.

I was wondering what the heck happened.

Can't wait to see the Impy

You only mentioned the Maxx being released...You still holding on to the 94 SSE?

For the moment.

But it HAS to go w/in a few weeks. The dealer only wanted to give me 500 in trade for it. I told themI can put down 500 more and keep the car, and sell it outright to make up the money.

I have some money coming back from GAP that I can use to offset the down payment, and I can hold off on this months car payment for the Maxx, so that'* half of the payment right there. I just need 1000 to make up the rest. I am hoping I can sell off the rest of the parts I have to make up some of that, but if push comes to shove, the SSE will have to go for a cut-throat price.

Mmmm....LS4. Congrats on the new addition.

Compared to what I have owned in the past....it'* scary fast. You plant that right foot down, and it feels like a 200 mph gust filling the sails of a sloop. But in 4 cylinder mode, I pulled about 26 mpg on the highway this morning. Not bad at all.

Sorry......but I had to!

Let me see if I can borrow the work camera and use the work memory card to upload pictures while I am at work

Here we go....

...and to think I wanted to fit THAT into the Malibu