On Dec 8th, 2010, just over a week after my 1984 Honda Accord blew the head gasket, I took ownership of a 2008 Ford Escape hybrid from the fine folks at Auto World in Mission Viejo, and immediately drove 400 mi back up to San Jose. It had around 54k miles when I started with it.
I never thought I'd drive a Ford, but after using a 2007 Escape as a company car several years ago I was favorably impressed. The 2008 model styling is more muscular and cleaner inside and out, and I knew I wanted a hybrid for my 40 mile city+highway daily commute. The main challenge was finding one in white with the nav system and premium sound. I had been watching Carmax.com periodically over about a year but didn't see that combination come along. Plus my nearest Carmax is in Modesto which is hardly exciting. But once I was without car I intensified my search and expanded beyond Carmax.
On Auto Trader I managed to locate exactly the vehicle I was looking for, albeit in Southern California, at Auto World Mission Viejo. The price was right and with some help from USAA bank I secured a great loan and arranged to fly down and purchase it the following Wednesday.
Mostafa and the guys at Auto World Mission Viejo were top notch, and even arranged to pick me up from the Irvine airport when I arrived. I checked the vehicle out and found it very clean and exactly as described on the web and over the phone. I think I was in and out in under an hour, including all the paperwork! Thus began a wonderful 6 hour drive home. When you've only owned cars from the 80's and you suddenly upgrade it's a little like being a kid at a carnival, even the smallest things are exciting. In one moment I fast-forwarded through 25 years of automotive history and development.
When I started out the onboard computer said 30.6 MPG average, and it didn't change over the 400 mile drive home up I-5. I didn't intend to reset it, but accidentally did while showing off the nav unit to my wife that evening. Oh well.
