Zoom Zoom Zoom

After two hundred and some odd thousand miles, the Maxima is on its last leg. I think that moving from Connecticut was the straw that broke the little Nissan’s back. Well, not really, I guess it just made us realize the terrible shape that it was truly in.

Because of some serious corruption, the car inspection system in Connecticut was disbanded, and you could pretty much drive anything that would run regardless of the amount of carbon monoxide it produced. Moving to New York and attempting to register it in the Empire state proved to be an odyssey.

We found a place that could do the inspection within walking distance of both our home and the train. This proved a wise move, as this venture took nearly an entire week. In the end, the car never passed inspection, the Maxima is enjoying new spark plugs, and the lovely gentlemen at the shop are nearly $ 600.00 richer. I thought that paying such an outrageous amount and still having a car below New York’s standards was enough for them to give it a proper burial. Alas, the inspection required a temporary registration, which required the title. That translates to an elder piece of useless machinery that now sits in our only parking space at home waiting for its “papers” for a proper funeral service.

All that mess meant that I was in the market for a new set of wheels. While it was sad to part with the Turrets inflicted Maxima, buying your first new car is quite a thrill. Patrick and I spent hours pouring over online pricing, customizations, and reviews. The final decision left us with a beautiful new Velocity Red Mazda 3, complete with six CD changer, sun roof and a racy spoiler.

This sexy little beast—aptly named Esmeralda—and I have been tearing up the roads as far north as Boston, and south as Virginia. Stay tuned, we may soon be found “Zoom Zoom Zoom-ing” in a neighborhood near you.