Well, a week ago I was on my way to making a deal on a SXT V6 and roll in what's left owing on our Dakota into that payment which would be about $4000 more on the sticker price, and the finance lady at the dealer said I had to trade the vehicle with the loan to do that. What?? Put $4000 more on sticker to pay off truck, and then give them the truck to trade for the Challenger??? I walked out of the dealership, and told them they were nuts if they think I'm going to 'give' them my truck, and then add $4000 more to the sticker price. I guess they were hoping I couldn't see straight enough and was too excited about the prospect of owning a challenger that I would miss that. Especially considering I was not buying a Hemi.

Move up to last Monday I have a meeting with the plant manager that he needs to lay me off til June, due to retooling issues and supplier issues. Ok, I can deal with that, and qualify for unemployment benefits, but we all know what it's like to have to wait for the government to process these claims these days and get paid. So, I was relieved that I didn't do the deal. Tuesday the salesman at the Dodge dealership called to apologize to me about the finance lady's response to my offer to do the deal, and said that he's worked on a way to make it work the way I want. Hmmm, I am tempted because I really do want one of these cars, but I let him know about the job situation and that my plans are on hold temporarily.

So here's my plan....I'm going to try really hard to knock out the $4000 I owe for the Dakota, it should be paid for by fall with the payments, but I want to get it over with sooner than that. Then, since I was originally going to have that amount added on to the final price of the car, I may as well go full Monte and get the RT with the Hemi anyways. Why not, I am still going to drive it in the winter, this is going to be my driver, and people out on the street give me grief about driving it in the winter I'll just tell them to go get their own and do whatever they want with their car. My car is going to get driven...period!