The Luchauers

AHHHHH! I can't believe the van is gone. RIP...

2009-10-26T11:03:03.920-04:00

AHHHHH! I can't believe the van is gone. RIP.

I love the photos! Hope you are liking the fit!

2009-08-31T01:48:20.432-04:00

I love the photos! Hope you are liking the fit!

Hope you are enjoying your new car!! I am sure you...

2009-08-24T12:04:44.518-04:00

Hope you are enjoying your new car!! I am sure you.

Oh man, every time I see a van like the Love Boat ...

2009-08-21T12:05:58.724-04:00

Oh man, every time I see a van like the Love Boat I get warm fuzzy memories of good times with you guys. I will miss it - I know you will too! (By the way, thanks - Sonya - for talking me into getting a dorky minivan and then trading yours in for a hip, coolmobile. ha! No, actually, I love my soccer mom van. But seriously - is it possible that I'm still in my 20s and driving a minivan! How did you guys make the Love Boat seem so cool???)

i think a tear just fell from my face, into my cof...

2009-08-21T08:45:40.857-04:00

i think a tear just fell from my face, into my coffee cup. (sniff, sniff)...but that fit looks just like y'all! love it! and hilarious that you kept the seats from the L.B. freaking awesome.

Ahhhh! So many good memories. Thanks for all the t...

2009-08-21T00:53:46.693-04:00

Ahhhh! So many good memories. Thanks for all the trips back and forth from Searcy to Little Rock. Hope you like your fit.

Go for it!!! Our landlords just bought a Fit and t...

2009-08-16T19:20:27.364-04:00

Go for it!!! Our landlords just bought a Fit and they love it! We got our Honda Element in Knoxville from West Side Honda. But don't ask Aaron anything about negotiating, ha ha ha. We are so glad we got the new car. I remember the first time I drove it a long distance I had so much peace about not breaking down!
We also paid it off in one year! Every month we would set a goal to put all our extra money towards a second payment! We would try to spend as little money as possible through the month to squeeze out extra cash. (Line dry your clothes, only buy things that are one sale, make things from scratch etc.) It was like a competition that we were working towards together and was really good for our marriage!
Anyway as other people said eventually the van will need to be replaced and with this gov. program you will get some cash for it. Can you strip it and sell any of the parts first??? If you are in a place to get a new car right now. I know with you guys in school it may be a stretch. Tough decision!
- Don't know if I helped any...
Amy

Thanks for the comments, mom and Jess! We will mi...

2009-07-28T22:43:18.758-04:00

Thanks for the comments, mom and Jess!

We will miss the Love Boat if we decide to sell it, but doing so while we're still "fond" of it is probably smart.

Mom, in reply to your list:
1. Done
2. Done
...and...
3. I think I might possibly be more anal than you when it comes to this sort of thing. I guess I have you to "thank". Hahah!!

Whatever we end up doing, I'll be sure Sony knows how to change a tire. LOL!

Yes! Now is the time. As much as I love the boat, ...

2009-07-28T21:18:01.283-04:00

Yes! Now is the time. As much as I love the boat, she's not going to last forever. She's had a good life. You can let her go and feel good.

Just get something that will get you to Michigan a...

2009-07-28T18:44:49.186-04:00

Just get something that will get you to Michigan and Florida safely without breaking down beside the road!
1. Make sure you qualify for the rebate.
2. Look at several new car choices to check out all the current offers. (which you've probably done)
My opinion: Ditch the Love Boat while the memories are still FOND!
Your mommy loves you . . .

Very true, Chris! What I really need now are some...

2009-07-28T11:37:58.212-04:00

Very true, Chris!

What I really need now are some tips on car negotiating tactics.

I've heard I should basically go in there not even mentioning the Cash for Clunkers deal, then drop that on them at the very end, after they've given me the "best they can offer" without any sort of trade in.

Got any other suggestions?

Hey- I say trade it. The van isn't going to l...

2009-07-28T10:22:35.007-04:00

Hey-
I say trade it. The van isn't going to last forever, and certainly not without some major work in the next few years. Considering most cars come with at least a two year warranty, you'd likely save money. Plus, at some point the van WILL give out, and you'll have to get a car. Might as well do it while you can get a new car and have part of it paid for. Just my opinion.

Thanks for the feedback Eric! I like the idea of b...

2009-07-27T23:18:33.538-04:00

Thanks for the feedback Eric! I like the idea of biking or walking to work, but having that condo would be a necessity for that to happen. And besides, the $8,000 credit is for first-time home buyers, so we don't qualify.

As for the monthly cost, I calculated it to be right around $170 for the new car (after rebate and small down payment). If you take the $67.5 that we'd be saving per month on gas, then the monthly cost for the car hovers right around $100.

The maintenance cost for the van is about $20 more per oil change because I use the high-mileage oil. Also, I'm soon due for a radiator flush and new brakes, but nothing major (knock on wood).

Does that change your suggestion/response?

So you're going from a car with no car payment...

2009-07-27T22:58:25.500-04:00

So you're going from a car with no car payment to one with roughly $300/m.

So you'll pay $300 + $82.5 = $382.50 a month for the Honda Fit.

So currently you're paying $150/mo for the Love Boat vs. $382.50 for the Honda Fit.

Now, I don't know how much you pay a month for the up keep of the Love Boat, which given the age might be significant. I don't know if it's $230/m significant (difference of $382.50 and $150). I envy the fact that you don't have a car payment. Though a brand new shiny car is alluring.

If it was up to me I'd tell you to go buy that condo downtown, buy an awesome bike for $500 - $1000 and commute to work. That'll drop you gas cost down to $0/m plus you'll get that awesome $8000 rebate for buying a home. Of course you're not that eco-friendly are you?

Brett, there are too many inappropriate responses ...

2009-07-05T14:27:03.030-04:00

Brett, there are too many inappropriate responses that I want to use, but I'm going to refrain from them all.

I miss you, my friend!

climbing mountains works for me! great cardio, and...

2009-07-03T03:56:24.748-04:00

climbing mountains works for me! great cardio, and the view is better than looking up at two giant black balls and hoping they don't fall on your head :)

. . . and a good time was had by all. The latest e...

2009-06-23T10:44:38.047-04:00

. . . and a good time was had by all. The latest episode was indeed a great start to what looks to be a great season. Top Gear's universal appeal was best demonstrated, I think, when Jeremy Clarkson visited Iraq. A group of young nomadic Arabs approached him to ask about the true identity of the Stig. Now, that's "market penetration!"

Thanks for posting the Fiesta clip. That is an excellent example of what makes the show so fun to watch.

Okay, these photos are HILARIOUS! I was cracking u...

2009-05-29T12:00:18.399-04:00

Okay, these photos are HILARIOUS! I was cracking up all by my lonesome in the house. Hee hee. Just got back from Mexicali. I hope you two are well!
Kelly Kamm

Thanks for your comment, Chad. You're right, we S...

2009-05-20T10:13:31.112-04:00

Thanks for your comment, Chad. You're right, we SHOULDN'T have to define our faith by these modern labels...it's ultimately about the heart.

Don't the Romans get you down. Jesus would have b...

2009-05-17T08:10:00.000-04:00

Don't the Romans get you down. Jesus would have been neither a conservative, liberal, or moderate in this time.

Rather, he was more concerned about the substance of one's faith. As a result, he eschewed labels.

That's something that today's Christians could learn alot from. Being a "liberal" Christian is no better than being a "conservative" one if we define our Christianity through the prism of modern labels like those two.

Frankly, Jesus would have been impossible to label since he would have taken such a seemingly disparate (at least in how we define things today) collection of both liberal and conservative views on a wide variety of issues that both sides would probably have thrown up their hands in confusion.

Amazingly "unlabel-able"...

My LOLcat will meet your LOLcat in the same book! ...

2009-05-16T19:44:00.000-04:00

My LOLcat will meet your LOLcat in the same book! See my blog www.mylifehaha.com

This video just messed up my life for the day. UNR...

2009-05-07T10:49:00.000-04:00

This video just messed up my life for the day. UNREAL!!!!!

BEEDIE RULZ!!!!!!!!!!

2009-05-05T20:58:00.000-04:00

BEEDIE RULZ!!!!!!!!!!

We love catching up on the blog, always learn grea...

2009-04-28T03:21:00.000-04:00

We love catching up on the blog, always learn great stuff and have a few laughs. We love and miss you guys. A & A

Now this is a story I can get on board with. Way ...

2009-04-15T15:50:00.000-04:00

Now this is a story I can get on board with. Way to go minivans!