Big news-

(no really)-

Angus and I are delighted new parents.

We have successfully adopted this gorgeous darling. Yes, it's a car.

Oh come on, adopting a car is a pretty big deal. Granted, it's absolutely not as big a deal as adopting a baby, but still-a new car is a new car.

We both are entitled to company cars with the company we work for, but it's a bit of a trick-while we get the company car, the UK government likes to slam us for taxes on taking said car, so we've always opted for the cash option instead of the car.

Well, our crappy Swedish red car we'll keep until it dies. But our Alfa Romeo, while a cute car, just isn't practical-taking Angus' two kids and the dog in it is impossible, as it's only a two door and a hatchback at that. So we decided it was time to get rid of it and get something that we can get Melissa, Jeff and Gorby in without using a shoehorn to do it.

So Angus' checked the re-deployment list of cars. These are cars that have been handed in by employees who have left the company and come at slightly less tax than a new car. We're eligible for basically any car under the sun, and most of the re-deploys are Mercedes and BMWs, but neither Angus nor I are into that kind of car (and besides, the tax on those kinds of cars is murderous.)

So we found a nice car with a top energy rating. It's also a diesel, which is new to me, but which is also better for the environment than a gas-powered car (and the bottom line is, we will always be tree huggers in this house.) It has 7 seats but isn't anywhere near as big as the crappy Swedish red car, and it has one additional perk-the back seat has tv screens built into the rear of the front seats. It also has a DVD player, so Melissa and Jeff will be set when we take our usual Welsh trips (the peace! the quiet! the bliss!)

It's weird to me that I'm all excited about having a family car-not like I'm a sports car kind of girl (because I'm not, I like older cars like Morris Minors, Karmann Ghias, and the VW Thing), but still-this is well and truly a family car. Gorby can ride comfortably in the back and the kids can ride comfortably in the middle and we can have jolly driving holidays.

The car is a Toyota Verso, which I'm not sure they have in the States. We'll be selling the Alfa and will thus be a 2-car family again.

Here's our new baby:

And the backside (with the license plate rubbed out for the picture):

You know what I like most about the car? You don't turn a key to start it. You insert this strange square electronic box like thing and then push a button. I'm going to pretend I'm a fighter pilot when I'm in it. A starter button indeed....

-H.

PS-I can't find my keys, anyone seen them? *wanders around in a daze*

PPS-no, we haven't named the new baby. We don't name cars. I think that's weird.

Posted by: Everydaystranger at 09:50 AM | Comments (14) | Add Comment
Post contains 551 words, total size 3 kb.

1 Alright!! We just bought a new vehicle ourselves. I like the looks of the car. Enjoy the new baby.

Posted by: ~Easy at February 21, 2007 12:11 PM (eVLXY)

2 How lovely! Now you have to start thinking of a name...

Posted by: sue at February 21, 2007 02:49 PM (SDhNB)

3 Heh. You said "rubbed out."

Posted by: Ms. Pants at February 21, 2007 03:59 PM (+p4Zf)

4 oooo new car! though i have to admit, i would have been awfully tempted to take a BMW. i so want one.

Posted by: geeky at February 21, 2007 04:00 PM (ziVl9)

5 My VW Touareg has the same kind of *key*. She is a beauty! Have fun!

Posted by: Steff at February 21, 2007 05:00 PM (uKuUC)

6 Very nice! I wish you all many very happy driving holidays!

Posted by: Lisa at February 21, 2007 05:53 PM (ELUjU)

7 I like it. Very cool.

Posted by: caltechgirl at February 21, 2007 07:14 PM (/vgMZ)

8 That's a nice looking car - and no - we don't have the verso here. Maybe we have it and they just call it something else? My mom and dad bought a car back in 1957 that had push button gears. I got the car years later and one day the reverse button quit working. That was hell till we got it fixed...LOL

Posted by: kenju at February 21, 2007 07:17 PM (L8e9z)

9 I just bought a diesel (nothing as flash as your Verso - a Fiat Brava) but I LOVE it. SO economical. I did 650 miles on a whole tank of diesel... wow.

Posted by: alice at February 21, 2007 08:56 PM (kiYPU)

10 Fighter pilot indeed!! Now you need a toggle switch grenade launcher. Yeah, that would be too cool. Congrats on the new addition.

Posted by: Deb at February 22, 2007 03:01 AM (0lvli)

11 Cute car. Oh, and the VW Thing is the most awesomest vehicle ever. :-D

Posted by: tommy at February 22, 2007 03:18 AM (6CCYI)

12 The VERSO has the same body style as the Matrix made by Toyota in the states. It looks like a cool "zippy" car. Have fun with the new wheels!

Posted by: Heidi at February 22, 2007 06:21 AM (rog21)

13 You are SUCH a tease. Love your new baby.

Posted by: Donna at February 22, 2007 07:38 AM (lQSbL)

14 Sweet ride....

Posted by: Teresa at February 23, 2007 04:20 AM (pkfGe)

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