The Volvo Story

Where does one begin in some stories?  This one has so many twists and turns… a few headaches and a few laughs.  It began when Rich’s car DIED.  Like, he coasted off the freeway because it would not go one mile farther – an unrepairable problem.

The hunt began for a replacement car.  In an effort to not take on more debt Rich wanted a car he could pay cash for and that he could drive for… well in his mind, forever.  A workhorse.  As he searched for a car and set money aside we were a one car family.  It wasn’t all bad as he could car pool some days.

Now I have to say right here that I am a die-hard American car, Chrysler, girl.  My Dad worked for them for over 40 years and I remain loyal.  Rich loves Chrysler too and has bought them since before me… until now.

Some guys at work started talking to him about Volvo’s and how they last forever.  He talked with owners of Volvo’s who had them for 200,000 – 300,000 miles.  He researched and decided this was the car he wanted.  Craigslist became his place to be whenever he had a free moment.  He showed me pictures and I could only say how UGLY it was.  He only laughed and tried to win me over.

And then he found it.  The car that fit the bill.  Because he knew he was buying an older car he was mainly searching in the south so that he could avoid the rust our weather does to cars.  His find was in Tennessee and after a few phone calls and photos exchanged with the lady that owned the car he made the decision to buy it.  The final choice was a ’87 Volvo 240DL with only 100,000 miles on it.

Now he had to find out how to get there.  He had offers from my Dad to drive him there, and from friends from church.  However, he didn’t want to burden any of them.  He decided to take a Greyhound bus there, which would be less expensive than gas in a car and he could get down there and back in just over 24 hours.  And here are where the headaches and laughter begins {he will regret not taking up the offers for sometime…}.

His ticket was to Knoxville, TN where the car was located.  He had stops and bus changes along the way, but leaving at 6pm would get him there at 5am the next morning.  The lady he was buying from would meet him about 7, do the exchange of titles/keys and he would be on his way home.

Clearly, Greyhound had other plans for my husband.

I woke Saturday morning to an email from Rich.  It was long and clearly he was upset.   It seems upon getting to Cincinnati, there was some driver issues… too many hours driven.  After waiting for 2 hours, I believe, a driver was found and the bus loaded and headed out to Louisville where they would get a bus then to Knoxville.  Next bus loaded in Louisville and then… wait for it….. the driver announced:

“This bus is headed to Texas with stops in NASHVILLE…. yada, yada”

WHAT????  Rich quickly got out of his seat and went to talk to the driver.  He was told he had no idea why they took a bunch of people who wanted to go to Knoxville to Louisville because there is not a bus that goes between those two cities.  Now this was about 10ish in the morning.  By the time he would get to Nashville and then onto Knoxville it would be after 6 in the evening.  Not good… not good at all.

Upon getting to Nashville he called me and we brainstormed what to do.  We knew no one in that area that could help him so I suggested he rent a car and maybe some of those other stranded Knoxville destined passengers would want to split the cost with him.  He found a rental place he could walk to and, oddly, two ladies that would split the cost with him.

Off they headed on a very quiet awkward drive making it to Knoxville 1:50pm.  By the time he returned the car and met the nice lady {a 60+ belly dancer!} who waited all day for him with the car, the BMV was closed.  So all she could do was sign the title to him and he headed home.  He debated about stopping over in Cincinnati and spending the night with an old friend of mine, but he ending up driving up to his brother’s house instead.

He finally arrived home Sunday morning and as he rolled by the front windows I happened to be walking past.  I was hoping when he brought the car home I would like a little bit more.  But it was not and will not be.

It is one ugly car that will get him back and forth to work and where he needs to go.. but it will not be a car I ever drive.  I won’t say never…. but I will not willingly ever drive it.

He loves it…. men.

Notes:  All the boys in our house LOVE the car.  The girls are on board with me.  Ms. S was, however, quite intrigued by the handle one uses to roll up the windows.  And yes, it has an amazingly bright blue interior, and it is a stick.  I do know how to drive a stick, but like I said, I’ll never need that skill in that car.  Oh, I have nick named it the Beast, and my car the Beauty!  Greyhound also agreed to pay back most of Rich’s bus ticket.