May 10, 2008\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Just two weeks ago I decided it was time to get another car.\u00a0 I loved my Hyundai Santa Fe, but I no longer needed the cargo space and I wanted to drive a car like a regular person again.\u00a0 For the past 15 years I\u2019d driven a van or SUV.\u00a0 I wanted something that got good gas mileage.\u00a0 My last foray into an auto dealership had left me not wanting to repeat the experience – do you know the feeling?\u00a0 Then I was reminded that doesn\u2019t have to be my experience this time.\u00a0 I was reminded that I can prepave what I want my future experience to be.\u00a0 I can envision it and replay it in my head and feel as though I was in the situation already, and \u201cpractice\u201d it into being.<\/p>\n
I had a couple of days off and wanted to do the job quickly.\u00a0 I decided between a Honda Civic hybrid and a Toyota Prius hybrid.\u00a0 I knew to go to www.carfax.com<\/a> to check out any used vechile I was interested in.\u00a0 As I was researching online, I came across Greenwise Motors<\/a> in Melbourne. They carry only \u201cgreen\u201d vehicles and are focusing on hybrids.\u00a0 I got a good feeling about them as I reviewed their used car inventory online.\u00a0 I went in to see them and ended up having the first enjoyable car buying experience of my life.\u00a0 They had a gently used 2007 Toyota Prius hybrid fairly priced and gave me a generous trade in for my vehicle.\u00a0 I would recommend anyone to go see Richard and Gina at Greenwise and tell them what you are looking for.\u00a0 They are fair, honest, enjoyable, believe in their work and talk to you like you\u2019re family.<\/p>\n I\u2019d taken advantage of my giant email list to send a notice out ahead of time to friends asking advice about buying a car.\u00a0 The best advice I received was to arrange for financing ahead of time with the Space Coast Credit Union.\u00a0 They gave me scads of information ahead of time about car values for my car and for the Civic and Prius.\u00a0 They helped me make the decisions that worked my deal.\u00a0 I closed later the same day and drove the new car home.\u00a0 I was delighted when I stopped by the next day, to have their detailer tell me what clean condition my traded in car was.\u00a0 He said he can tell the new buyer that \u201ca lady drove this car.\u201d<\/p>\n Wow, it felt good to hear that!\u00a0 Hearing that makes me want to keep this one clean, too.<\/p>\n I actually began saving money the moment I bought the car.\u00a0 It was almost time for an oil change with my Santa Fe, and I was going to buy new tires.\u00a0 My car payment was due in 2 days.\u00a0 Now my new payment is not due for 45 days, I don\u2019t need an oil change and my tires are almost new.\u00a0 I got gas a few days later and filled the 11.9 gallon tank for $30.\u00a0 I\u2019m told by other Prius owners I\u2018ll get over 40mpg.\u00a0 I\u2019m stoked!<\/p>\n So it felt pretty good to realize that even with something as historically annoying to me as going into a car dealership and negotiating a car purchase, to know that I could consciously and deliberately turn that event around, and turn it into an enjoyable experience, that made me feel powerful.\u00a0 That made me feel I was stretching my wings and could now fly a little higher, that I was a little stronger for the experience.<\/p>\n And it was another example of the law of attraction at work in my life, being applied in a practical fashion to achieve a specific desire.\u00a0 Far out!<\/p>\n 8-8-12 update: \u00a0I’ve averaged 46 mpg consistently the 4 years I’ve had my Prius. \u00a0If I drive an entire tank of gas around town, I’ll get 70 mpg. \u00a0If I drive an entire tank of gas on the highway going with the flow of traffic, I’ll get 22 mpg.<\/p>\n