New car, new job in The Mundane Ramblings of an Insane Mind

I’m about to take on a car payment. We already pay $400 a month for my wife’s car (used 2015 Dodge Grand Caravan). I’m currently driving a 1993 Mercury Tracer station wagon (think Ford Escort), that I paid $500 for a year ago. It’s held up pretty well… but while it starts, runs, and drives, nearly everything else is broken on it:

No A/C
Heat barely works
One seatbelt doesn’t work, it’s really loose. This is a major concern.
Windows are electric, but I have to literally PULL up the driver’s side to get it to close.
Right rear door doesn’t open from the outside.
There’s a few leaks.. but only when it rains, haha. But seriously, my left foot gets wet (I only noticed when I was wearing sandals one day), then another leak, maybe from between windshield and weather stripping), noticed this the other day.
Temperature gauge has NEVER worked…good thing I’ve never overheated
Radio works, but speakers are shot
Can’t fill up gas tank.. there’s a leak, so I smell gas. Yeah, that’s safe.
Left rear door doesn’t actually lock. Fortunately it’s not a car anyone would actually want to steal.

Still, I kind of love the car, because:

1. It’s a stick shift. I LOVE driving stick shift (5 speed)
2. Very dependable.
3. Pretty good gas mileage.
4. It’s American. I hate foreign cars.
5. It looks cool. OK, no it doesn’t.
6. Insurance is pretty cheap, even in NJ
7. Since it’s made before 1995, it doesn’t require inspection (which is only emissions in NJ now anyway)
8. It’s PAID FOR.

So, anyway, our friends just bought a used 2018 van yesterday. I’ll be buying their old car… a 2007 Toyota Highlander Limited Hybrid.

Yeah, it’s a foreign car. No, it’s not stick. My two pre-requisites.

But, everything works on it. It’s got some nice options, like leather interior, JBL speakers with 6 CD changer (and cassette!), dual power heated seats, power moon roof. It’s a hybrid so it gets 27 city, 25 highway. The heat and A/C both work. As well as all the seatbelts. It’s all wheel drive, and has new tires. And it seats 7 people. So I may start doing Lyft again. But not Domino’s.

So, we’re kinda broke. The retail price of this car is between $6-7000. The trade-in value is about $3,000. My friend is selling it to me for $4,250. The main reason I’m buying it is because he’s letting me make interest free payments of $500/month until I’ve paid it off. Plus it’s a good car, even if it does have 177,000 miles on it. But I know they take good care of their cars.

And then there’s the new job. Which I don’t exactly have yet. It’s been a slow process. Basically, I’ll be driving for Fedex, but for a sub-contractor. I had to have a physical, drug test, the whole works. I passed everything. Getting my DOT medical card tomorrow. Then they’ll schedule a driving test. Hopefully that will go well. $625/wk for training. $750/wk. during probation, then $850-$1250 a week after that. Which would certainly help me pay off the “new” car fast.

And I plan to keep the old car, but I’m sure my wife will protest.