Car shopping

We've taken a break from house shopping. Husband is convinced it is going to be several months before our house is ready to sell and honestly as much as I hate house shopping I'm not going to push the subject. Instead we are car shopping.

Now we've known we needed to get a bigger vehicle since we found out we were pregnant way back in July, but of course we can't do anything in a timely manner, so still no new vehicle. I don't think we'd be looking right now if it weren't for the fact that Husband got into an accident & we've decided not to fix his car & just junk it. The other driver's insurance company has been kind enough to pay for a rental car, but that ends soon, so our options are (1) buy a car right now or (2) try to live with one vehicle while we keep searching.

I have always bought the cars in our family. I love to car shop, we've only been unhappy with one vehicle, so my track record is solid and Husband just doesn't usually care. UNTIL NOW - oh my Lord, I may not be married at the end of this vehicle buying experience. Why, oh why, has he chosen now to get involved.

Let me give you a little background here - Husband & I do not share vehicles well. We've had to do it in the past and it has NEVER ended well. Between our two work schedules and the schedule for pick up & delivery of kids we inevitably have to be in three places at the same time and it doesn't work with 1 vehicle. I am also one who hates the uncertainty of used vehicles. I know some people are completely happy with their used purchase and others who regret it from day 1.

So, back to our saga...Husband has decided he doesn't want a car payment at all. He wants to pay cash for our vehicle. Um, that would be great if we weren't looking at something in the mini-van, crossover market where our down payment gets us something older than what I'm currently driving. I have found us a nice 2010 vehicle for 0% APR for up to 72 months. The monthly payment isn't bad. We'd have to cut back on eating out, but we could do it. Am I excited about having another monthly payment with the baby coming - no, but I also am not thrilled about being stuck on the side of the road with a broken down junker & three kids. So, how will this be resolved?

Right now I am contemplating telling husband to use the cash to buy himself a car & I'll squeeze three car seats into my current vehicle. Then in a few months I will trade mine for something newer, bigger, safer & more reliable and I won't ask him for his input at all.

I'm just hoping that this nightmare is over soon.