Tidbit Tuesday

I love Plan B days.  Those are days you do a U-turn and end up doing something totally unplanned and unexpected.  Unless that Plan B day cancels out a ride on the bike.

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Memo to talking heads: For all that is holy, stop starting sentences with "so".  For that matter stop that "look" and "listen unless you are directing someone to look or listen to something.  

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Hey Duluth: Just exactly what do you mean when you advertise guys undies as "No pinch, no stink, no sweat"?

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I was watching a very good British who-dun-it.  One of the detectives used a great phrase I hope to adopt: "What a monumental cock-up."

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At Sam's Club.  That is no hat.  

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I know people who can rattle off song lyrics to fit almost any situation.  Me - never learned any.  

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Autowize Car Sales is a one man operation, two if you include his mechanic.  It abuts Bedlam on the North side and I go by it all the time.  I kind of got a hair brained idea to search for a van type cheap vehicle so we can all ride together when we do things on weekends.  Often we have to take two cars and if we do have the chance to ride together someone gets to get scrunched in the back seat between Alfred and Norah.  It isn't fun if that someone is me.

Which all brings us to that nice little number above.  It is a 1999 Lincoln Navigator.  It has three rows of seats - enough for our crew.  It has 160,000 miles on it but even with the age and high miles it would probably work for the limited miles it would be used.  I checked Kelly Blue Book and it should sell somewhere around $2000 - $2500.  The price they had on the windshield was $4495.  Okay, that's pretty steep for something that should be in the Smithsonian rather than in my apartment complex.  

But every time I went by Autowize, there it was.  Then I looked on line to get some more details on it.  They had an online price for $3995.  Well, this could get interesting.  But I waited.  And waited, and after a few weeks I checked the website again and they had dropped it another couple hundred.  That old gas guzzling relic was now $3795.  The price on the windshield never budged.  Still $4495.

A few more weeks went by and and the price dropped again to $3495.  Okay.  They bought it and needed a profit, sure.  Maybe they put a new part in it or something, and maybe it was worth that in today's market.  What do I know?  The last new car I bought was in 1996 and that was a Ford Ranger.  It was time.  I mentally came up with a plan.  I'd take the keys for $3000.  The car was worth  2 maybe 2 1/2 and their profit.  It had been sitting for a long time - I'm sure they wanted it off their lot.  I steeled myself and walked over.  Not spending a great deal of time on chit-chat, I told what I wanted and he tried to steer me to a GMC van for $10K "maybe 11".  Shall we try 12?  Nice try, buddy.  My budget is small and this is a niche purchase, not a daily driver.  I finally said what's the absolute lowest he'd take?  You know what he said?  $4000.  Yup.  Even when it was advertised on the website for $600 less.  No: what will it take to get you to drive it home.  No: let me do some figuring, I may be able to come down some.  I said I might buy if it was under 4K and even that didn't budge him.  Couldn't even take it for a test drive - the thing didn't have a battery and he didn't seem to be in much of a hurry to get one.  He said he'd put one in in the next day or two.  

$4000.  I should have told old Davey that he was a crook and that the starting price should have been $3495, not $4000, and then asked him if he discriminatory pricing for dumb old guys.  But I'm from the Midwest where we don't challenge or insult.  

And so that's where it sits today.  And is still sitting.  But this is Florida.  Someone will buy it.  Someone will get their tax refund and buy it.  Probably for $4495. 

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My cabin in the woods awaits.  It won't be long now.

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Finally went to Prompt Care and I have an upper respiratory infection.  Damn Floriduh.  This place will kill ya if you don't get out.   I have my annual physical next Friday so maybe I can shake some of this state off me and get ready for Northlandia.

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And Finally,

Norah is preparing for Red Nose Day.  Not exactly sure what that is  (legitimate charity or corporate promotion?) but they have these noses at Walgreens, and why not be silly, huh?