Notes from a Fiery Nest

We're getting a new car soon... the old Mazda 3 is near on 310,000 km, so it's about time. So, we're selling it to a guy for not-a-huge-amount-of-money, but still more than the trade-in value, and buying a new Mazda 3.

This will probably be our last gasoline-powered car, as I read the technology curve!

When the garage calls to say that both front wheel bearings need to be replaced, to the tune of $640 plus tax, and that it's not covered under the powertrain warranty, I'm very happy to find that they are mistaken, and it is indeed covered for my 2009 Mazda. I got them to check again, and they came around to my way of thinking.

So the old car is finally gone, with a happy ending to the whole story.

Yesterday, a bunch of folks (thanks again!) helped shove the Volvo out of the garage; today, I got Tow Truck Guy to pick it up at last; he didn't show up yesterday. The original deal with $WRECKER_1 was that I would get $50 for it, but while Tow Truck Guy was hooking up, Random Guy saw us and said that his buddy $WRECKER_2 would want to take it, and could beat $WRECKER_1's offer; Tow Truck Guy was skeptical, citing his expenses, but I smelled a deal, so we waited for $WRECKER_2 to arrive. Sadly, $WRECKER_1 is closed Sundays, so he couldn't counteroffer, but $WRECKER_2 offered $100 to me and I asked for $50 more for Tow Truck Guy to cover his expenses (he'd had to come here twice, etc., etc.), so everybody came out ahead except $WRECKER_1, who made the mistake of lowballing his bid!

Getting rid of the old Volvo is proving more cumbersome than originally anticipated, because it's in the parking garage and the wrecking company can't seem to organize their way out of a wet crepe paper bag to get a suitable tow truck.

Thus, next Saturday, I would like the help of a few people to push it out of the garage. Fortunately, it's downhill, so this will not require the Largest Army Bonus; I think that with 5 or so people plus myself, it should be relatively painless.

I'll need:
3 people to push;
1 person to open the garage door;
1 person to guard a parking space in the visitors' lot; and optionally,
1 or 2 people to relay information.

(Since I know the car and the garage best, I'll steer; once we hit the first ramp down, the rest should mostly be coasting!)

Only the people doing the actual pushing need to worry about exertion, of course.

I'm thinking to gather people at 1:00, and be done by 1:30 or 2:00 (depending on when people arrive), then following this with gaming etc. I'll try to get the tow truck people to come and pick it up from outside the garage that afternoon. (General gaming announcement to follow once this is figured out!)

Volunteers, please form one orderly queue and reply here or by email! Those of you who are constitutionally unable to be orderly, but still wish to volunteer, mill about and reply here or by e-mail. Thanks in advance!

In other news, I'm getting close to buying the new car, and will likely close tomorrow. Does anyone have last-minute input on how good a price $20,000 CDN for a 2009 Mazda3 GX with Auto, Air and Comfort package, including taxes, freight, PDI etc. really is?

Well, the old '94 Volvo has finally passed away peacefully in its sleep, after more than 15 years and almost 350 000 km. It's fixable, but the cost of fixing it is considerably greater than the car's residual value.

We will likely want to replace it with a less thirsty car; my inclination is to get something like a 4-year-old Mazda 3 with automatic transmission (at soul_diaspora's request!).

I have a few requests for y'all:

• Recommended ways of getting rid of the old car, preferably receiving some cash for it.
• Recommended sources for a vehicle, and/or for specific kinds of vehicle.
• Recommended mechanics etc. to check out prospective vehicles.

What does the great LJ brain trust have for us?