Wheels: Trading Up

This story of my conversion to a Volvo driver is from the spring of 2002.

Both the loan and the extended warranty for the Subaru were for two years. I paid off the loan early, and started thinking about my next generation of automobile. When I bought the Subaru I vowed not to keep it for years until it had no resale value. At six years old with 80,000 miles it still had some value. But I was just toying with the idea of moving on.

Then I saw the commercial that changed everything. There on the TV screen was a shiny new Volvo, my desire of two years past, and what’s more, it was a convertible. “Volvo makes a convertible?” I shouted to the birds. They were equally surprised. The Internet quickly showed me that the automobile, which Volvo had only started making in 1998, was not very available. Various auto web sites indicated all of three used models available at dealerships within a 100 mile radius. The most notable was a blue on in Westport, becuase the price was a little lower than the others.

I told myself not to be impulsive. I told myself that the Subaru was still quite servicable. I reminded myself that I didn’t want to drive it into the ground. I reminded myself of my decades-long desire for another convertible (still missing the Landspeeder).

I picked a Saturday to go to Westport (about 40 miles east) to see it.

And I bought it.

Sure, when the salesman opened the door to reveal the suede interior, I thought “I can’t buy such a car — it has a suede interior, for God’s sakes!”

When I played with the electric seat adjustments, seat heaters, and 3-cd player (not yet knowing of the 6-disc cartridge in the trunk), I thought “This car is over the top. Ten speaker surround sound — can I possibly?”

When I parked and pressed the button to lower the top, it was all over. I simply had to have it. Fortunately, Volvo finance was agreeable, and I picked her up a week later.

And if you think there are a lot of Subarus on the road around here, start watching for Volvos!