Use It Up, Wear It Out

Our 12-passenger 1995 Ford Econoline served us very well over the past 11+ years, But as we anticipated our trek west this summer, we knew it would need some major work.  With over 303,000 miles on the odometer, no cruise control, no horn and no A/C, with a tailpipe held on with a piece of wire, a leaky roof, holes rusted through the floor, and a recent mysterious shake, we had our doubts and wondered if it was worth the money it would cost to be road trip worthy.

So Jeff started looking for a replacement. It's not an easy task when you consider we need something that fits all of us, but can also serve as a work vehicle for Jeff. His summers are filled with all kinds of construction/maintenance/fixer-upper type projects and he needs a vehicle that can haul all kinds of equipment. Jeff decided on a Suburban (after all, you can fit a 4'x8' piece of drywall in the back) and then set out to find one. We had great luck on Craigslist last fall when we replaced our 1994 Honda Accord with a 2007 VW Passat so Jeff started there. He found a few possibilities, but he ended up finding a great vehicle listed on Kelley Blue Book when he went there to look into pricing. At a car lot about 45 minutes from here, was a 2005 Chevy Suburban with all the bells and whistles. Leather interior, squeaky clean, great condition, runs like a dream. The price was fair and Jeff was able to get $500 for our van as a trade-in.

We're ready for our big summer trip and the kids can even watch movies on the built-in DVD player. That's a perk we've never had before. :) Jeff calls it his "truck" - it drives like one - and is really happy with it.

The Passat lost a
headlight among other
essential things. Rats!

This couldn't have come at a better time. Within a week of the Suburban purchase, Spencer was in a little fender bender with the Passat (not his fault) that put it out of commission for a while. We rarely ever drove the van anymore, mostly because the A/C was broken, so it's a blessing that we have a comfortable vehicle we can all ride in together.

A couple of the kids had a really hard time getting rid of the van. There may have even been a few tears shed. We've covered a lot of miles in there! But if all goes well, there are plenty of memories and miles waiting for us in our "new" truck.

Let's get this show on the road!!