Introducing...

I have been thinking of buying a new car for a long time.  My 1998 blue Oldsmobile has 108,000 miles on it and although it runs okay I knew that at some point I should replace it.  I talked to my mechanic who said that it really wasn't bad but it might be time to begin shopping.  Since last spring I've considered various makes and models, watching cars on the freeway to see which ones looked nice and didn't resemble jelly beans.  Then I went to Montana in July and visited with a good friend whose husband was also a paraplegic and died a few years ago.  She told me that when her children insisted she replace her car she bought an Escalade because she knew her husband loved Cadillacs and would want her to drive one.

A light went on in my head.  My husband loved Subarus and I knew he would be pleased if I had one again so I quit looking at other makes and concentrated on Subaru models.  I talked to several friends who own them and to some people who know a lot about cars. and they were all positive in their comments.  Then it became a matter of looking for a dealership that would be fair and not hard-sell, and deciding if I would buy a one or two year old lease-return or a new car.  I settled on a local dealer, crunched some numbers and began searching. 

Have I mentioned that I love online shopping?  It was a great tool for eliminating what I didn't need and checking reviews and complaints.

Wednesday I decided to shop in person.  I did not plan to buy anything, but was just going to look for a bit before I ran some other errands.  Four hours later I was the proud owner of almost what I wanted.  I had wanted black interior and pearl white exterior but that wasn't an option, so I settled for a silver with black interior Subaru Forester.  It is a 2011 but because the 2012 models are arriving they were very willing to negotiate on this one.

I have to mention that the test drive was a kick.  I drove on a highway, then in a gravel pit and then on a freeway and learned a lot about backing up and accelerating on gravel - who knew?

I still wonder if I made a mistake in not buying one with tinted windows but my interest in that (to hide purchases, etc) is offset by the luggage cover and the increased visibility, especially at night or when in reverse.  I can tell that I'll need to use my sunglasses more often!  But if I change my mind they can always tint the windows later.
My first trip was to the cemetery to introduce my new car to Neal.  It was a sweet experience and that's where I took these pictures.  The sunshine was a bonus!
Something to ponder - a name for the car.  I have never named any of my cars but this is also the first brand new car I have ever owned so it feels more like it's exclusively mine.  I had considered Sylvia which is Latin for forest but then my brother suggested Sherwood, as in Sherwood Forest-er.  I think this is more of a "we can handle any situation" kind of vehicle like an efficient female.  I'm leaning towards Sylvia.