Search for Prudence

I think I've already mentioned this, but I'm getting a Prius for my birthday. (It will replace my ginormous 16mpg seven-year-old Lexus as my daily driver.) What I might not have mentioned is that all of our vehicles have had names, just like children; they can be as frustrating and temperamental, but just as much fun and entertaining as children. We have had Tessie the Tercel, Lucy the Lumina, Emilio the M3, Paschal the Porsche, Lexie the Lexus, etc. Although we haven't found her yet, we've decided that the Prius will be named Prudence, for many reasons, both obvious or otherwise.

Of all the traits of my husband's that make him both endearing and annoying are his fastidiousness, his love of all gadgets-great-and-good, and his Virgo tendency to want to be in control. As such, car-buying with him can be an exercise in frustration.  If there is an option that can be added to a car, the man will have it. (I'm talking big options; he doesn't piddle with cupholders and doodads and such.)

We have been to the local dealership & driven the Prius. We both really liked it: the prescient way the motor switches from electric to fuel, the bright and pretty displays, the back-up camera, the eerie quiet at a stop light. Once we established that we did, indeed, like it enough to buy it, all that was left to do was pick one. Being the Great Red State, there were only a couple of available Priuses (Prii?) there on the lot. (there was un chingo of big ol' redneck, gas-guzzling pick-em-ups, though.). None were what we wanted.

The final configuration for Prudence is as follows: Barcelona Red, Touring Edition (cooler, larger wheels and sporty suspension...option$, anyone?), Package 6 (top-of-the line options), with Bisque interior. The only slight problem with that configuration? There are a total of THREE cars like that available in the entire country right now. Nevermind that if I were patient enough to wait several months, we could simply custom-order one; give me the challenge of tracking down this car like a bloodhound! (When buying Lexie, I tracked down a dealership in Fort Myers, Florida, that delivered her to my front door in Georgia for $6000 less than any dealership within a hundred miles would even consider.)

I've talked to salespeople in Georgia (where my family lives), in Missouri (where hubby's family lives), in Tennessee (where we'll be going on vacation in July), and in Oregon (where my friend is spending the summer in Blue-State Bliss). I figured, if any state will have a plethora of Priuses (Prii?) to choose from, it would be somewhere like Oregon or California.  So far, my  man Rex in Oregon has worked himself like a dog trying to find this car. He is negotiating a trade with another dealership for this car (fingers crossed, everyone). If he is able to get it, I will fly out to visit with my friend in Oregon (and maybe drive up to Portland to meet Molly for drinks one night?), pick up Prudence, and drive back home.

Now, try not to think too hard about the leather interior, which hubby insists on because he doesn't want to replace cloth seats every year because they get stained and spotted and generally gross. I tried to explain that it just doesn't feel quite right to be driving an environmentally friendly car and be sitting on a dead cow, but utility plays a lot into the choice, and like most things, I can see both sides. And try not to think about the flight to Oregon to pick up the car; Toyota won't deliver the car to me, like Lexus did. And try not to think about the fact that we could go for fewer options; that Smart Key System will save my ass, I know it will, and the high-intensity discharge headlights are far superior to Lexie's piddly lights, and everyone knows that cooler wheels will make all the difference, right?

(NOTE: Please excuse any typos you may find in today's post. Hubby's display was struck by lightning last night, and I can only see about 50% of anything. Of course, he will now replace it with a 30" monitor.)

Comments

[Blue Like the Sky]

So in which of our lovely blue towns is your man Rex?

[Blue Like the Sky]

and if it helps your conscience any, it is so very unlikely that any cows were killed JUST to make your seats...think of yourself as a recylcer or a prudent user of a steak eater's castoffs...better under your ass than in some fancy $1000 high heels, no?

[Shawn]

Un chingo! I love it. Don't underestimate the importance of cupholders, they can make or break a car :)

[Holly]

Good luck with that! I have a Prius and my one regret is that I didn't splurge for the leather. The cloth seats are getting kinda ehhh after less than a year!!

[vanessa]

Congrats! I wish I could afford a Prius... they're so cool. And it's all about the leather seats :)

You have to take a pic when you get it! Love the name Prudence too.

[RedMolly]

I am so totally looking forward to cruising the mean streets of PDX with you in your stylin' new ride.