The path found has ended

Just a quick message tonight to share that we bought a new car. Yes, our beloved Pathfinder, the first car I ever bought solo and an 11-year veteran of the Mehl Lifestyle, was traded in prior to its imminent, fluid-leaking death. Combined with year-end tax planning, the time to move was now. After a weekend of intense research and test driving, the crossover shortlist went from the Nissan Murano, Ford Edge, Land Rover LR2, Volvo CX90 and Mazda CX-9 to a clear and convincing winner:

The New Car

If you feel like dinking around at that site, we got the Copper Red paint with Sand Leather interior. It looks really sharp. The SUV of the Year, you know? My first non-gray (or white) car ever. I'm not sure I've been as excited about a new car. Could be all the gadgets packed into it. GPS, moonroof, DVD entertainment center, Bluetooth hands-free, iPod jack...ahh. All those new buttons to learn.

The Durango goes to Lori for whom, I swear, I will get a new car as soon as it makes financial sense. It has a few good years left in it, I hope. It's a 2000. To be honest, I'm a little jittery about getting this car now while still adjusting to having a mortgage, but it was either that or start plunking money down on repairs for a dying vehicle. We'll be fine.

We all went to pick the car up tonight and Emelie, bless her sentimental heart, wept quietly in the back seat after coming to the realization that we traded away the Pathfinder. It was quite sweet.

I'll try and get some pictures of the actual car posted soon.

Zoom-zoom.