The Smart ForTwo Passion

We are in love. Don't try to stop our forbidden passion! The Honda Fit tried and failed to separate us due to its chintzy interior (although it was a smoother, quieter ride).

Joe and I went out car-trying today. I started out at Carmax with the mini coop from BMW, and it was fun but cramped. Then we moved on to more conservative cars: a Nissan Versa, a Honda Civic Hybrid, and a Honda Fit. The Honda Fit stood out as the best of them all, so we trotted over to the Honda dealer to try a standard shift (as I abhor automatics--I'd like to keep that extra three miles per gallon, thank you).

On our way to Honda, though, Joe got excited at the sight of the Smart Car dealer growing like a tumor off the side of Mercedez and wanted us to take one for a spin. The little bumble bee cars made me giggle, they were so wee!

Then I got to drive one.

It gets 40 mpg on average, the highest non-hybrid MPG you can get.
It has a hybrid transmission that works like a manual, only the car controls the clutch.
It has no back seat, which I never use! Hoorah!
It is made with a high percentage of recycled materials and is mostly (if not all) recyclable itself.
Mercedez quality and safety. Sweet.
RED INTERIOR UPHOLSTRY. I mean, do I need to say more?

Two of them fit in a parking space! They are so cool!

And it costs about as much as a Fit.

After our little adventure, we got back to Honda, and I tried a beautiful red standard-shift Fit. And it was just lovely. Only, after driving the little Smart car around... I just couldn't fall in love again. It felt cheap inside, and bigger than it needed to be. In short, it didn't feel like a Mercedez.

There is a hiccup, though.

Although the awesome dude at Sears got Ruby's spark plug out AND retapped the socket (I love him for this and am so glad I left her over night) and she is running again, she's running rougher than she did. I worry about her failing me again, as she has been nothing but trouble for the past three months. I fear a repeat of this debacle. Coworkers and bosses can be but only so patient and sympathetic.

So it behooves me to get this baby now. They have the one I want in Raleigh, waiting for my beckoning. But...

We are house shopping. We want to buy a house in the next 90 days. We will eed to secure a loan. Joe is a veteran, so he's very sure the Veteran's Association will make it so we cannot be turned down, but the the advisor at the bank told me making such a large purchase so close to house buying would be a bad thing to do. The man at Honda countered that such a purchase would not be visible on my records for 30 days.

So I don't know what to do? Bite the bullet and take the plunge, ensuring my safe travels? Or cross my fingers that Ruby hangs in there and keep going until we close on a house? What to do? I want a damn car that I know isn't going to strand me 45 minutes from my home or work!

And Car Max appraised Ruby for $300. Her tires are worth more! Yeah, she's going to NPR. At that price, I'd rather give her away and bless the whole transition with good karma.

Le sigh!