For the last few years (maybe more) I've not looked forward to - dreaded is too strong a word, but I think it's maybe leaning in that direction - car registration. The reason for this is my 1993 Honda Accord - which I will refer to as Green Magic (because it's magic that it's still running).
I love my car. It's unnatural how much I love my car because it's so old and who knows how long it will last (hopefully forever, that would be perfect). But really, I love my car. We have a long history together. My grandma bought it new, and a few years later took me to the DMV for my drivers license test. I took the test - and passed - in that car. I drove it senior year of high school when my parents bought it from my grandma and she got another car. I saw my sister scratch the tinting on the back windows with her cello when she'd load and unload it for school. My sister then drove it her senior year and then my brother bought it after his mission (the timing was perfect since my parents wouldn't have another driver in the house for a couple of years). After my mission I bought the car - with my sister - from my brother for $2400. The following summer I bought the half from my sister because she had gotten married in May. I've been the sole owner for about 9 years now.
I love this car.
But on to the stress.
I've actually been looking into buying another car. This past Friday I found what looked like some good prospects online and on Saturday drove out to see a few of them. I won't go into details, but just yesterday I figured out that the one I was leaning toward wouldn't be panning out after all.
I decided that I should take my car in for the safety and emissions check since my registration needs to be renewed this month anyway. I figured if it passed, it would buy me some time before having to get another car. I figured if it didn't pass I had a couple of more weeks to really search and find a viable replacement.
I took it in.
This is the stressful part. Over the years I've had to put some money into getting it up to standard. A couple of times it was tires (I had the alignment fixed earlier this year, so that should help in keeping me from needing to get new tires sooner than I should have to), and other times... I don't remember. But it seemed like I was almost always putting money into it to get it ready to register.
This year I really did not have high hopes - but I had lots of prayers! - for it, but I figured it needed to be done anyway.
I had a coupon for Jiffy Lube safety and emissions, so I went there. I took it as a good sign that when I told the employee who came out to meet me that I was there for safety and emissions he didn't just start laughing at me.
After waiting, then talking, then waiting again, the guy gave me this -
After hearing the reason I headed over to O'Reilly's and paid this (JL didn't carry the part or I could have gotten it replaced there) -
The super-helpful O'Reilly's employee (they really have been awesome at this location - and I've gone in more often than I would have liked - maybe they're awesome everywhere) went out and installed it for me and I went back to JL where they gave me this -
Love live Green Magic.
So now, according to the state, Green Magic is required to run for at least another year.
That's what it means right?
I love my car.
