We are now a single car family. Err “family.” We knew we didn’t need two cars here, left hers in VA (sold a few months ago) and have been getting around in the GTI ever since. Except only I really got around in it. The manual transmission bit wasn’t in the cards for Mrs. Heather, and that’s okay, because most of my driving nowadays is taking her to work in “traffic” so the automatic is much easier than clutch-pumping with the “bad” knee. …Serious air quotes today, eh?…

I posted about the new car a few weeks back. Once we had it, I threw the GTI on Craigslist, and waited, and waited, and waited. I was patient because I knew it was a highly sought after car and it was costing next to nothing to keep since we weren’t driving it and the insurance company was informed of that. I received a couple of lowball “cash” offers from what were likely car flippers, and then one week the real interest suddenly hit.

Within a single week, I had two test drives. The second made an offer on the spot for $500 less than I was asking (still above KBB because that’s what the actual market is) including the roof rack ($500 new), I accepted without thinking twice (very fair to both of us), and within a couple of days I had a a check in my hands.

Volkswagen really nailed that car. For what it is, it is perfect. Not to say it is perfect for everyone, but if you’re looking for something that is sporty, well-built, and has relatively good utility, it should be at the top of your list. Faster than necessary, 35mpg on the highway, great seats, super smooth, and can fit nearly as much cargo as the massive FX35 the buyer was replacing with it (at half the price and double the fuel economy). I loved that damned thing, but I really don’t miss it. It treated me well, but as I never turned a bolt on it, there was no emotional tie. Hoping the new owner is smiling ear to ear on his commute every morning. I know he is.

The car turned out to be a true bargain too. I bought it for $23,000, drove it for four years and 30k miles, didn’t put a penny into it, and sold it for $17,500. For new car depreciation, that’s amazing. My numbers are rough, but $115/mo of ownership. Heather’s Mini on the other hand, $200/mo over many more months and a number of repairs (not including a massive one right after we sold it…). In case you couldn’t tell, I hate Minis.

…

Having paid the car off a year ago, I had money burning a serious hole in my pocket. What to do? Retail therapy! We (mostly me) now own some pretty cool stuff we likely wouldn’t have purchased otherwise.

Ridley X-Fire Red – My dual-duty cyclocross and commuting bike wasn’t cutting it anymore. I was constantly swapping parts out to ride it for ‘cross and it is a pretty atrociously slow for racing. I also needed a rain bike for road riding in inclement weather. This new bike is a Ferrari; they really don’t get much better. If I don’t win a race, it is squarely on my own shoulders. That’s refreshing. In buying such a nice bike (this is nearly a $4k bike two years ago – I paid less than half of that), I kind of failed in getting that beater/rain bike, but I may end up making the old cross/commuting bike more road-worthy so it may check that box.

Roomba 770 – Vacuuming is our nemesis. This thing costs far too much, but we did it anyway and couldn’t be happier. Longevity is the question as they only used to last people 1-2 years, but I haven’t seen such reports on the latest models. Possible that they’re too new to have hit that age? Anyway, super cool gadget. We’ve likely been running it more than necessary, but it keeps coming back to us with a full tray. Love it.

Specialized S-Works Road – I last bought road biking shoes over a decade ago. They were tired after 20k miles. The velcro stopped holding, seams started popping, and the rain started adding some stink. I’ll keep my oldies around for rain riding,  I spent far too much for some shoes, but couldn’t be happier. They are feather light and transfer what seems like 100% of energy to the pedals thanks to “stiffness index 13.0.” My feet are still adjusting to the lack of flex, but on climbs and sprints I can truly feel a massive difference. Will be very interesting to get out to the usual hills this week to see what a difference they make.

Thule AeroBlade Edge – With the GTI gone, I had no way to haul the bikes. I needed a way to haul the bikes. Fast. A hitch rack was considered, but swiftly tossed out because the options are limited and ugly or ridiculously expensive and only a ball. Back to roof racks. I stopped in at the local Rack Attack, told them I wanted the Whispbars (what I had on the GTI), supplied the part numbers, and no luck… Recalled in mid-2013 because they flew off a few cars. Okay. So. Umm… I really didn’t want to be stuck with round or square bars because they’re really noisy. Luckily, they stocked a bar I didn’t know anything about, the Thule AeroBlade Edge. $100 cheaper (they also price match Amazon if you mention it) than what I had been shopping for and arguably better constructed. Very happy. I think they look good. I chose to mount them as rearward as possible while not having the trunk hit the bike trays so they obstructed as little of our sunroof view as possible. Great success.

So that’s it for purchases. My credit card is smoking, but even after these purchases we’ve still come out ahead selling the two cars and switching to one. Brilliant!

Look for a post about the house soon. We’ve been busy!