Caitlin's New Wheels

Kate has been lobbying for some wheels for a while now. We considered selling her the CR-V next fall (it is well over 100K now, and Ann has been eyeing the new CR-V or another Prius), but we decided to hold off on that as our current vehicle is likely to last another 60-80K at least before major repairs are required. Besides a car with better gas mileage would be better for Kate. So, we did a 5 year cost analysis of used Toyota Matrix or Toyota Rav-4 vs. new Honda Fit, or new Prius, and believe it or not, the Fit came out on top, when considering all costs. It is a new model, very hard to get (she had to wait nearly 6 weeks, and that was the best she could get after visiting 4 dealerships), and very innovative in that it is small on the outside, but amazingly versatile on the inside. They've moved the gas tank forward so the floors in the back and rear seating areas are very deep. So despite having that small car feel on the outside, and zippy driving feel, it has quite a bit of space on the inside. And it has the quality feel of a Honda. I think she will definitely like this car. If she gets a job as a raft guide on weekends this summer, she will no doubt really enjoy having it for commuting to Ohiopyle. She can also fit her new kayak inside. Still have to figure out a rack system for snowboards (though they will go inside too) and boats. Anyway, here is a first look at it. She wasn't at home, or I would have posed her next to her baby. Enjoy!