I've been busy.

Alright, I'm done shopping for cars. I discovered my civic stopped holding its oil so well at the last change. And I needed new tires. And a new timing belt soon. So I made the call that it was time to send the good old boy out to pasture. I tracked down some leads and I pulled the trigger last night. I continued my peanut butter sammich for lunch regiment but midway through I realized that I had not portioned the butter properly and thought I might die on 495. Not from high velocity collision like most people, but from peanut butter asphyxiation. Luckily I choked it down, but didn't finish the sandwich. So it occurs to me that the dealer, not only got our agreed price and a well used 1996 Honda Civic but (whether they know it or not) a bonus half a peanut butter and honey sandwich I'd placed in the driver's side door pocket.

So my first real car buying experience down, I've come to the following conclusion:
Car shopping on the Internet makes you feel like a deep cover agent talking to his handlers in the middle of an op that is blowing up in everyone's face...

"I'm so glad you contacted me, we need you to come in."
"You really should stop by so we can talk in person."
"I'd like to get you in for a test drive, are you busy right now?"

Very mission impossible.

The only downside I can think of to the way this went down is that I had 199,975 miles on the Civic when I traded it in. I only noticed when they wrote down the miles on the trade-in form, otherwise I woulda put the last 25 on there just to see all those 0's click. But other than that I'm pretty happy. I got a 2005 RSX type S. It is smoke. The color is smoke. I love telling that to people and watching the facial expressions of about half of them. Its like a Labrador puppy tasting pop rocks for the first time. Or something.

So the end of an era, the fall of Civic. It was as true a car as any. It only broke down once on me. And I was in highschool then. And on a date. And it was raining. So who's complaining? Yes that car was the finest of wingmen, and I mourn his loss.