Car Shopping

You know, it was just so darn hot today that I couldn't even think to take pictures with my phone!

Our car is 4 years old with 60,000 miles. It's a Yukon XL, so it drinks gas at 13MPG. It's a bear to drive around town, but on the other hand, it's great for long trips and hauling people *and* stuff when necessary. We call it our sofa on wheels. I love the thing, I really do, except when I fill up.

So, hubby and I have been talking about new cars. There's a lot of ifs, ands, and buts about the situation, so we don't know what to do. Do we keep the current vehicle, which is paid for, and just keep filling up. Do we get something new with a little better gas mileage (16-18MPG) that's a bit smaller and easier to handle?

We looked at a Buick Enclave, a Lexus RX350 and a Toyota Highlander today. So far, the Enclave is winning out. We still want to check out the Acura MDX, the Mazda CX7 and CX9 and the BMW X5. We have a BMW 328 convertible, and we really love it. The down side to the BMW is that it takes premium. So, while I may get better gas mileage, gas costs me more. I didn't think to ask about the grade of gas for the Buick or Lexus today. I would think the Lexus would take regular like it's sister car, the Highlander. I also think the Buick would take regular, too.

We could get something smaller and less expensive, but we've gotten to the point in our lives where we want certain things in our cars. Yes, they are just transportation to and from someplace, but we want to be comfortable and have fun.

Normally, when it's time to car shop, I don't even want to go to a lot unless we know we are buying in the next month. But, my cars are usually 6-7 years old at that point and nearing 100K miles. This time it's a little easier because I don't *have to* get a new car, and I still really love my Yukon. I don't have that "new car lust" right now, and I am actually enjoying just looking. Maybe it's because I haven't fallen in love with a car yet??