Farewell Old Subaru...Hello Elegant New!

Well,  We did it!   It took a little bit more effort than we had hoped, but we found the Subaru of our dreams!   And now it is ours!  We had our eye on it since New Years Eve, But we decided last Thursday that we should make the effort to make it ours.   I have to tell you,  it was a bit of a nail biter driving all the way to Chicago with the old Subie,  but we pulled it off and the old guy pulled through for us one last time. 
A true champ all the way to the end.  It's a little sad to think of losing the old Subaru...It felt like a part of our family.  However,  the power steering was gone, the right tail light kept shorting out, there was an unknown grinding sound behind the left rear tire ( mechanic could not find anything wrong...but it worried me!) And I was having these night mares where we were going to work and the transmission dropped on the car!   Not to mention the rust was eating away at the front fender to the point we would lose chunks of it whenever it got Icy.  Cheryl thought we were going to lose the whole thing and have the frame of the car drop on the road.  There were many other "issues"  that are minor,

but they all add up and I think the car did it's best to warn us that things could get ugly if the situation stayed the same.    Just like my old Subaru that died suddenly and stranded us in Iowa City...alone, lost, and frightened!
   Looking back,  the purple Subaru gave us plenty of signs that it was on it's last legs,  but  you know me...300,000 MILES BABY!  YEAH!   Just how far can I take this thing?!?!   Well the answer is 320,342 miles and with everything failing on the way.   So!  With those memories fresh in our minds,  Cheryl said goodbye and we traveled to the distant lands of Chicago seeking a replacement. 
   I called on Friday to make sure the car was still in stock and then made arrangements to go there today.  ( Saturday)  What else is there to say,   the roads were clear, the skies were sunny, and the old Subaru trudged on to it's final voyage with us at the helm.  Fine'!
   Hello New Subaru Legacy!   It is everything and so much more than we had hoped!   Plus POWER STEERING!  A 2003 with 120,000 miles.   We were driving it home within and hour of shaking the guys hand.   It was the greatest, fastest, most effortless purchase of an auto that I have ever had.  I'll have to post more pics later when it is light out again and I can snap some more.   Let's just say it drove home in the snow without a hitch.  It's been so long since I drove a New-ish car...with POWER STEERING!
   And What trip to Chicago would be complete if we did not stop in to IKEA?  We didn't buy anything of substance,  we mostly just celebrated our successful venture with some Chicken fingers, fries, and LOTS AND LOTS of Honey Mustard Sauce!
  So there it is...The New Subie still has to be felt out a bit...but I like what I see so far.   We are planning on going to get the plates on Monday, and then it will be official!   YEAH!  DARE COMPLETE!