Car shopping is in the air...

My old friend Roxanne and I have been through a lot together. She has never let me down, left me stranded, and has kept me safe. Yes, Roxanne is my 1998 Honda Civic DX.
Don't ask me why I named my car Roxanne, or even why I decided it was a girl, I guess it just seemed right at the time. I have had my beloved Honda for 7 years. Its pretty much the only car I have ever owned. When I was learning to drive my parents got me a 1992 Toyota Corolla. Well, after I got my license, being the somewhat snotty teenager I was (sad but true) I decided the old Toyota was just not worthy of me driving it. I wanted something with more spunk. Something more my age. I had been saving money from my jobs for quite a few years, because I was living at home and didn't have any other bills to pay with it. Of course, a lot went to shopping and teenage stuff but I saved a lot too.
For some reason I was drawn Honda Civics. I think because they were young, cute and sporty, just like I was. So right after I got my license I started shopping. I knew I couldn't go into debt because I wasn't old enough to finance a car and even if I was, I didn't have a credit history and my parents absolutely refused to co-sign. So finally one day as I was surfing auto trader I came across a perfect black 1998 Honda Civic DX coupe. I was in love! It was just a hair over my price range, but it was in perfect condition. I drug my dad out to Portland that same night to look at it. The couple that owned it at the time were super nice, and said they loved the car but were selling it because they had a baby on the way. I drove it, and so did my dad. He let me do everything including negotiating the price. Before I knew it we had worked out a deal with them and the car was all mine! The very next day I drove to Portland and picked it up. I was glowing the whole way home!
I have taken very good care of Roxanne. I make sure she gets her oil changed and tires rotated every 3,000 miles. I wash and wax her regularly. I have kept up on all the maitenace including putting a new timing belt in her which cost A LOT of money haha. But she was my pride in joy and I was determined to take good care of her.
Sadly, the time has come that Roxanne and I must part ways. I am no longer the spunky 17 year old I once was. Well, I may still be spunky but I am not 17. I am now the proud mama of a beautiful 5 month old baby girl. Truth of the matter is, I should have got a new car before Alexxa was born. I have been hesitant though, because I love my little car and its paid for and it gets great gas milage. It also runs great and aside from routine maintenance it has never cost me any money. However for the last 5 months that I have been fussing with the seats to get Alexxa in the back and then wrestling with them again to get her carseat out, I realize now that I need a bigger car. I am a tall person and when I put the seat back to where I need it to drive it ends up hitting Alexxa's carseat. I think the infant seat probably takes up more room than the next stage, but still its pretty tight in the back.
Yesterday after I got off work I went over to my parent's house to fix Roxanne up and to get her in tip-top shape for her soon-to-be new owner. I washed the whole exterior, waxed it, shampooed the carpets inside, and cleaned the seats with an upholstry cleaner. And I have to say, now its even harder to part ways because she really looks just like new!
I do dread car shopping though. I am shopping on a budget and planning to use the money that I get from the Honda and whatever I get back from taxes. No car payments for me. After I get my taxes done next week I will have a better idea of what my budget will be. I've been looking around on Craigslist and autotrader, but I haven't really found anything that looks very promising. For the budget range I am in, most cars are either are newer with a ton of miles on them or they are really old. I'm not against old cars except for it needs to have airbags because God forbid if I was to get in an accident I want Alexxa and I to be as safe as possible. But I will just have to be patient and keep looking. I also know I need something with good gas milage. There are so many cute SUV's out there that are roomy and super cute, but I would be spend half my paycheck then on gas, so that is out. I also need something roomy enough in the back seat to eventually fit 2 or maybe even 3 carseats someday.
I hope Roxanne's soon to be new owner will keep her clean, and adore her the way I have. And I look forward to finding a new car that will be my pride in joy.