Wherever You Go, Go With All Your Heart: Jeepers Creepers!

OMG!

So Hubby and I went to the dealer to order my new car today...and wound up driving one off the lot!

I've been in love with Jeeps since falling for my best friend's Cherokee a decade ago. I *heart* the Cherokee. I wanted a Cherokee...Icried when Jeep stopped making the Cherokee. It was a sad, sad day.

Imagine my immense joy when I discovered that Jeep was reincarnating my beloved Cherokee in the form of the Patriot! Since that fateful day back in 2005, I have wanted one of these machines. So much so that I have been saving all year and plotting the sale of my Buick in order to create a nice little down payment.

The Patriot is all I've been able to talk about. It's been driving Hubby insane. So much so that he finally gave in and said that we could order my new car on Veteran's Day. A Patriotic act by a Veteran on Veteran's Day, indeed. :D

My local Jeep delaer had a Patriot on the lot that was everything that I wanted, except for the transmission. I wanted a manual, and they had the autostick.

We told the salesman that I wanted to take one for a test drive - and I wanted my Hubby to drive it, so that he would have been behind the wheel of one before we placed our order. (We had stopped by the dealership in July and test drove the manual Limited that they had on the lot, but it was me behind the wheel that time.)

I requested that we test drive a Limited with the convenience package - I wanted to see all the bells and whistles on one in person. The salesman took a look at what was in the front of the lot and didn't see one available, so he drove us around to the back of the lot to look at what was back there. His eyes fell on the Steel Blue Limited, and I told him that that was the one I wanted...but the transmimssion was wrong.

So he got the price of the autostick knocked off for us. And we haggled for a good trade-in on my Buick. Add in a dealership $500 incentive along with a $500 military discount...and the next thing we knew...we were driving home in my little beauty!

I've got my check from the bank on the way. And I've got the UConnect working, the horn-honk turned off when I lock the doors... my splash guards are sitting in the garage awaiting install, and my cargo carpet is on order. Should have it this week.

We wound up purchasing a service contract program, and we upgraded that to get free tires for as long as we own the car. They'll also perform all maintenance (oil changes, balances/rotations) for free. That added a little bit to our final cost, but Hubby thought it would be worth it in the end. Especially for the tires.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...cs1HkA&notag=1

It was starting to get a little bit dark by the time we got home, so I was a bit quick with taking pics. I'll get some more in better light later on.

I already enjoy the higher ride - pulling up in the driveway next to Hubby's car really showed me the difference. And as I was moving things into the Pat from my Buick, I realized that I'm really going to miss the pockets behind the seats. I guess I'll keep my map books under the passenger seat.

Otherwise, it is so nice to ride in a vehicle that doesn't stutter when I drive it. Or leak coolant. Or honk incessantly if you accidentally brush up against the steering wheel with your arm...or a piece of paper.