Buying a car can put a strain on your relationship
I hate my boyfriend’s car. It’s a 1987 Toyota MR2. For those who don’t know what that looks like, just think of any movie about the future that was made in the 80s and pick a car from that. The list of reasons for my loathing is endless. First of all, it’s a two-seater, which renders it completely useless for any type of carpooling or furniture-transporting situations. The exhaust has a hole in it so it’s extremely loud and every time Awesome steps out of it he smells like straight gasoline. It has no power steering, the car handle has to be lifted from the outside in order for the door to lock, the speakers on the driver’s side are dry-rotted, the shift handle is exposed, the seats are torn up. And did I mention it is the most obnoxious electric blue color?
Of course, boyfriend thinks it’s the bees knees. He loves the car, loves working on it, loves driving it around, loves that it makes noise and smells, loves that it’s from the 80s, etc, etc. However, not the best car to drive around in the snow, possibly because the frame is bent and the tires are as bald as my uncle. I have finally put my foot down because every time he walks out the front door I wonder if the cops are going to knock on my door to tell me he died in a fiery, electric blue colored car accident. Once I presented my reasoning, which of course included a spreadsheet of expenses vs. value of the car itself, we decided to buy a “new” car (a.k.a. a used car).
The car buying process is probably one of the most terrible things you will have to go through in life. Unless you have thousands of dollars in the bank just sitting around waiting to get spent on a car – then I’m sure your experience will be lovely because all you will have to do is test drive cars until you find a good one. We, however, do not have thousands of dollars in the bank for a car, so we have to get a loan.
I called my bank, and they pre-approved me for a loan and said all we had to do was find a car. Whenever a bank person says the words “All you have to do is…” be very wary. That is most certainly NOT “all you have to do.” In my case, my bank didn’t tell me there were all these rules and restrictions on the loan, like, the car has to be a 2005 or newer, has to have less than 125,000 miles, and can’t come from a rinky dink Mom-and-Pop dealer.
We have now gone through four attempts to buy cars. The first guy had a nice truck but the title was in his business’ name and he couldn’t prove that he owned the business so the bank said no. The second guy had an Isuzu Trooper for $1,000 more than it was worth and the bank caught that and said no. The third car, a Ford Escape, was through a dealer – everything seemed great, they had the car on hold for us, we were going to pick it up right after we got the check in the mail – and then the dealer called me the morning we were supposed to pick it up to tell me that they sold it “by accident”. The fourth one was also a title issue – the guy had it in his business’ name.
This has all happened in the past two weeks. Awesome and I are about to kill each other. Making big decisions like this can really put strain on a relationship. I am in new territory. Making such a huge purchase together is nervewracking. Not to mention, every time we don’t get the car, we just get more annoyed with each other (“Oh, so now it’s my fault the guy put the title in his business’ name!” “For God’s sake Emily thinking the car is ugly is not a reason not to buy it!”)
We started the buying process pretty excited – I was happy we were getting an SUV for traveling and he was happy that his odds of dying in a fiery crash were going down – but now we are just completely deflated. It’s a chore now. I know, I know, rich white girl problem, but really, it’s not. If I was rich I would just go out and buy an Eddie Bauer Ford Expedition with cash and pop bottles of Cristal and pour them all over the new car to christen it. My blog would be a page long complaint about how the seat warmers don’t warm up for a full minute. Instead, we are faced with pouring over Craig’s List, haggling over prices with shady dealers, and narrowly avoiding scams that would cost us our financial identity. I just hope we get though it without committing spousal homicide.
By the way, if anyone would like to purchase a slightly used electric blue 1987 Toyota MR2, I know of someone who has one.
Emily Little (nee Campbell) was a perpetually single girl who recently met and married her Mr. Right. Her blog, Dating Emily, has been a two-year diary of her adventures in relationships. Her life of bar-hopping and casual dating has turned into one of dog-walking, craft-making and budgeting for eventual home ownership. But just because she can make a mean casserole doesn’t mean her adventures are over. As she prepares to become a first-time homeowner and eventually, a mom, she is discovering that the adventure may just be beginning.
Your bio now reads “perpetually single”, and this blog posts details you removing a fun hobby from your boyfriend. You sound awful.
Buy a Miata.
girlfriend a shit
Fucking fabulous car, Mr. Awesome has excellent taste.
… In cars
If you don’t like MR2s then I don’t know what to tell you.
maybe you’d “find mr right” if you let him enjoy a hobby instead of writing selfish, snarky blog posts about them
“She’s ready to find mr.right.” If he does what she tells him to do!
Everyone I know that has sold their MK1 MR2 has regretted it.
“So here I am, torn up and neglected. I’m rare and badass, but I need to be taken care of. I got this dude driving me around, and he does his best when dealing with my private parts. He loves me at least.
His girlfriend is a pain in the ass though. Let’s see how SHE looks after being left out in the elements, abused and forlorn for 27 years. While she gets saggy and old, I’ll still be sharp and sexy with just a little polish and love.”
-The MR2
hahahahaha
You sound absolutely horrid, I hope he sees the light and moves on.
Why don’t you put $400 into new tires, $30 into new speakers, and let him enjoy hooning the shit out of an awesome car? It’d be cheaper and more fun then putting another crappy SUV on the road.
Your boyfriend should dump your ass and find a girl who appreciates his interests.
Yup he needs a new girlfriend. Myself owned a 87 mr2 and my girlfriend drives a 86 (which is pink and automatic). How could you take away something that means so much to him?
You’re a terrible, despicable, selfish person. And how delusional, off your rocker you must be to think that putting this article out into public view would get you support… F#)($ing lunatic.
She has horrible taste in vehicles. A Trooper? When is the last time Isuzu even made the Trooper? And an Escape or Expedition? Awful, awful, awful.
I’m glad I have a wife that doesn’t tell me what to drive and understands my passion for cars.
Wow, you men are harsh! What’s wrong with traveling safely? It’s not like she didn’t offer to let him keep his car as well! Pipe down brothas.
I’m glad my wife isn’t a shitty significant other.
I’m glad you haven’t updated your profile from being “Single” because that’s what your status will turn out.
Actually, he was the one who made the ultimate decision to buy a new car because he almost wiped out in the car several times. And also, I told him he could keep the MR2 as a second “hobby” car but he declined that. But thanks for your feedback, good to know you are reading 🙂 Good luck finding a girlfriend!
Lol.. “good luck finding a girlfriend”
Okay, intern, thanks. And good luck affording a car more than $2000.
I had no problem at all finding a wife that isn’t a snarky vapid twat
She also knew my mid 80’s sports car meant a lot to me, so she didn’t change me to suit herself, but simply bought herself a newer “safer” car
With age you’ll come to learn that younger you was a terrible person…
Emily Im not going to bash you….no, yes I am. You know you pushed him to get rid of his deuce. I have a 1990 VW Corrado so you have it easy. What gets me is how your thinking. The MR2 is a collectors car. Some people buy cars all shinny and complete….thats you. Then there is that rusty, oxidized paint with chips. dents and broken glass…you boyfriend on the other hand see Glossy electric blue. with black on blue interior. he hears the supercharger screaming as he pulls out of a turn on fresh tires and some slick polished wheels. Emily you see that wife house with the dog and kids dont you? its really the same thing. You spent the time writing up a pros and cons on his pride and joy…smh. thats sad, because you could of been sitting with him writing up a parts list and prices and help him find smart plan for his build….I had a VW cabby that let water in the floor and one time it soaked my girl friends purse she flipped on my and that was ok but when she started yelling at my car and kicked it….well she is my EX now. If you love him then you need to accept what he loves because Emily….this is as truthful as truth gets….YOU WILL NEVER COMPETE WITH A CAR!!!!
Ah, so you failed to write a decent, accurate blog post and then sniped at people assuming you were deeply unpleasant… By being deeply unpleasant! Nice work on convincing people you don’t suck.
Time for a new girlfriend
Tell your boyfriend it’s time for a new girlfriend, because you obviously don’t enjoy letting him do what he loves.