Saturday afternoon I "traded" in my old Bomb for $100, and got a nice new 2004 emerald green Saturn Ion 4-door sedan.
It doesn't stall at intersections. It doesn't rattle. It has a CD player instead of a broken cassette deck, and the speakers don't hiss. It runs like a dream. It had only one previous owner, and he kept seat-covers over the seats, so the interrior looks new. My 8 year old son said, "It smells like soap!" It's got 61,000 miles on it already , but I drove the other one well past 180,000.
It's automatic as opposed to manual-shift, but it's less than 48 hours since I got it, now, and I've already adjusted.
We'll be financing it so long, that in the words of my husband "there goes your raise," but in my opinion it was well spent.
I don't miss the psychological drama of wondering if I 'd have to be towed back from each trip I take out of my driveway.
The sales person asked, "How long do you intend to keep this car,before trading it in again?" I answered, "Until the same thing happens."
My daughter is only 14 years old, now, but a year from now she can get a learner's permit and learn to drive on it!