It's funny how attached we become to things, isn't it?
I just sold our van today for a paltry 400.00. It's really not worth much more than that. It's 13 years old with just under 200,000 miles on it. My husband had to tear up the carpet a few years ago because of a mold problem while we lived in Washington. So it has Home Depot carpet in it. The sliding door won't close if you open it too far. The driver side door clunks when you close it. The rear lift doesn't lift any more unless you put some effort in it. The air conditioner doesn't work and the speakers are shot. And it clunks in the rear when you turn corners. And it probably needs new tires.
I feel like I'm talking myself into being happy about this by reminding myself of all the problems. Because now that it's gone I'm heartbroken. We bought this van just before Seth was born. It was five years old then and only had about 80,000 miles on it. We've had 8 years to fill it with memories and kids.
When we first bought it, Faramir really couldn't figure out how we were going to fill it. I solved that problem quick by being a taxi for incoming travelers for my brother's wedding. There were also the times when all the girls in our four-plex would load our kids in the car and go shopping or exploring. We could still all fit in then.
Then I had Seth and things got a little more full. Then our other car died and this van became our car. We moved to Oregon, then to Washington and finally back to here, and the van came with us. It traveled back and forth to visit family. It took us to the beach and to the fair and to the zoo and campgrounds.
It was fun to fill with people—from temple trips to little girls having a party. I would fill it time after time going grocery shopping—preferably with friends. We ultimately filled it by ourselves by adding two more children to the fray. We drove it and drove it and drove it. We've replaced the transmission and the tires (more than once) and various oil changes and such. It was never pretty. It's an indiscriminate gray/tan/silver color. But it went and went and went for us.
We've had our new car for a few weeks now, but it was always just a bit re-assuring that our old van was sitting in the driveway. Maybe something else would happen and we would need it again. There it was.
Now it's gone.
And I'm beginning to wonder if 400.00 was enough, and if there was ever an amount that could have been enough.
I just sold our van today for a paltry 400.00. It's really not worth much more than that. It's 13 years old with just under 200,000 miles on it. My husband had to tear up the carpet a few years ago because of a mold problem while we lived in Washington. So it has Home Depot carpet in it. The sliding door won't close if you open it too far. The driver side door clunks when you close it. The rear lift doesn't lift any more unless you put some effort in it. The air conditioner doesn't work and the speakers are shot. And it clunks in the rear when you turn corners. And it probably needs new tires.
I feel like I'm talking myself into being happy about this by reminding myself of all the problems. Because now that it's gone I'm heartbroken. We bought this van just before Seth was born. It was five years old then and only had about 80,000 miles on it. We've had 8 years to fill it with memories and kids.
When we first bought it, Faramir really couldn't figure out how we were going to fill it. I solved that problem quick by being a taxi for incoming travelers for my brother's wedding. There were also the times when all the girls in our four-plex would load our kids in the car and go shopping or exploring. We could still all fit in then.
Then I had Seth and things got a little more full. Then our other car died and this van became our car. We moved to Oregon, then to Washington and finally back to here, and the van came with us. It traveled back and forth to visit family. It took us to the beach and to the fair and to the zoo and campgrounds.
It was fun to fill with people—from temple trips to little girls having a party. I would fill it time after time going grocery shopping—preferably with friends. We ultimately filled it by ourselves by adding two more children to the fray. We drove it and drove it and drove it. We've replaced the transmission and the tires (more than once) and various oil changes and such. It was never pretty. It's an indiscriminate gray/tan/silver color. But it went and went and went for us.
We've had our new car for a few weeks now, but it was always just a bit re-assuring that our old van was sitting in the driveway. Maybe something else would happen and we would need it again. There it was.
Now it's gone.
And I'm beginning to wonder if 400.00 was enough, and if there was ever an amount that could have been enough.
Isn't it funny how attached we can become to a CAR of all things?
I remember how sad I was when we sold my husband's subaru wagon to a neighbor. It was the car we courted in. I remember how my heart skipped a beat every time I saw it pull up in front of my house. Really hard to let all that go.
I felt the same way about my best friend's black honda accord. It wasn't just a car -- it was our Escapemobile! So many happy adventures linked to that car! So as happy as I was for her to finally get a minivan, I was sad to see that one go too.
The upside? Is hopefully you'll make lots of wonderful memories in your NEW car now....
I cried when my VW Golf drove away with it's new owners a few years ago.
And when I sold our wedding dishes on Craiglist (long story).
It's weird, but I don't know. There's sentimental value to lots of things. So I understand!
Some things truly are priceless. I think they become so in that moment where they cease to be just things.
$400 was enough for it. Just write some ode to it with your whole family and you'll have a fun memory and not the van. (I did that with the suitcases stolen from your house and it made me feel so much better.)
xoxo
I don't know how a post about your van made me tear up, but...it did. I echo what Kimberly said wholeheartedly. You captured this really well.
I completely sympathize. I felt that way about our old car. It's not really the car but the memories it is attached to. It felt like an end of a chapter. Although I hope there's somebody out there close to where we live who's willing to part with their "memories" for $400. My son is 16 soon and wants a car :-)
What a sweet post! :)
Go make lots of memories in your new van! :)
I love this post. And I think 400.00 is enough for a machine... the memories and the adventures, definitely not enough!
It's been a week, and I'm missing you! I hope you're doing all sorts of productive things and have had a fabulous week! Praying for you! :)
Oh, I totally understand! I did something similar a few years back. It was a little sad for me, but REALLY sad for hubby, because it had been his car in high school and college and then when he married me and then with our first two children! We took like a thousand photos right before we gave it off to its new owners, as though it were a member of our family who was dying. haha.
And hey! I just saw a new comment from you, right in the very moment I was commenting here! Awww, we were thinking of each other at the same time! What are the odds?!
Isn't it crazy the sentimental things we attach to sometimes?
What kind of new car did you end up getting?