Dear Chevy

Dear Chevy,

I've leased my lovely 2013 Traverse for a year now and I am pretty happy with it so far.  It provided the leg room needed for my 15 year old 5ft 11 son, the 3rd row is awesome for when the 12 yo just needs to sit by himself.

But there are a few design flaws that need to be worked out.

1. Placement of the Hazard lights button.  Ok the placement isn't so bad, but it's SO sensitive. I've turned it accidentally more times then I care to mention.  The answer call button on my phone isn't as sensitive!

2. Speaking of phones.  Not very happy that my droid (galaxy s3) isn't compatible with the USB port. Luckily I was given an older iPod so I can have my own music.

3. Whoever designed the headrest for the front seats did not have siblings in mind.  Being able to just push it forward is making me a bit twitchy... My kids are usually pretty good, but this is one way no sibling can resist annoying the one who called shotgun first!

4.  The invisibility mode button is apparently invisible, but I think I figured out what triggers it.  I think it has something to do with low washer fluid. 

Like most of us, I don't really ever have to add fluid because they do it when they change the oil, but this winter ran my supply low. I picked up a bottle yesterday but didn't get a chance before I went out this morning to add it. Cruising to the beach, I was cut off by a woman who clearly couldn't see me as she ran the red light making a right turn onto the road I was on.  I mean there was no one behind me so she must not have seen me barreling through the intersection at 40 mph.

Then coming back, a township garbage truck decided to straddle both lanes on 35 north while eating & drinking.. I'm guessing the invisibility mode was still on then too.

I was going to add it before taking the 15 yo to hockey practice, but being it is a new car I couldn't find the latch to release the hood (under the hood, not the "button" in the car) so I figured I'd wait until I got home.

Well that almost caused a nice accident as a young woman decided she needed to be in my lane while I was in it! Good thing my brakes only have about 12,000 miles on them and that my horn is nice and loud.

I've filled it now, so hopefully that shut off the invisibility mode & there won't be any further craziness!!!

I really wish this invisibility feature had been explained to me before I left the dealership last year!!

So what car did I get?

We ended up leasing a 2013 Mettalic Blue Chevy Traverse!

In my last post I said I wasn't sure about leasing but we did it anyway.  We did it for 2 reasons.  The space & the money.

While the Equinox provided the leg room our growing teens would need, it was more narrow than my Journey.  I couldn't imagine having to drive somewhere in the back seat with the kids if my dad was in the car with us.

It turns out that the monthly payments work out to be the same if we bought the Equinox or leased the Traverse.

And to be honest, while I am FAR from a princess, my track record shows I don't keep a car more then 4 years anyway. I think once I had a car for 5 years.  But ever since my first new car a fully loaded 1991  Ford Escort GT, I've never not had a car payment, so why not lease?

(not my actual car, not sure if i have a picture of mine)

My Traverse is not fully loaded, I'd say it's about 1/3 loaded LOL. Oh I should mention it's a v6 not a 4 cylinder like everything else! But I think my favorite feature is the handsfree bluetooth.  Phone rings, I touch a button & answer it. Of course it's on speaker phone so no private conversations if anyone else is in the car, but it's pretty cool.  TJSD came home the next day and said he had a bit of buyers remorse because "we'll have nothing at the end." I told him too bad, I already programmed the hands free dialing LOL

It has a 3rd row of seating too.  This was not something in particular that I wanted, but the kids LOVE it.  Last night we went out, one sat in the middle row, one in the back.  While the boys love each other, a little space is good.  They also figured out last night that the car has dual zone temperature control!

One downside, it has a hard downshift. Known issue, but I'll take it because it's a V6. I know they want to have better gas mileage on cars, but offering a 4 cylinder in a larger car just isn't right.  Have you ever driven on a Jersey highway?  No room for a large car without some Giddy up!

So now you need to go to my shop

www.beachwritingsnj.com

and order lots of beach writings & necklaces & such so I can continue to pay for my pretty new car!  LOL