A perfect ‘Fit’

Last Friday I had to say goodbye to my (formerly) beloved Mini Cooper – or as I fondly called it, MC. I say formerly because this was my 2017 “post minivan,” blue and white, sporty, stick-shift, zippy little vehicle with a sunroof. For the first few years, it was fun and a pure joy.

After that … it slowly became a money pit. Maybe some of you have experienced the same thing with a vehicle, home, or other large purchase. I’m not sure if this is true of all MCs, but this vehicle, which was paid for, began to drain $1,000 to $2,000 a year from our account.

Finally, my husband John and I declared “enough” last February after the last repair. I began to do my research online to find a more reliable used vehicle. My plan was to buy this car after a client that pays me for all 12 months ahead of time paid me in the fall. I wanted to avoid car payments.

Well … we all know how plans sometimes don’t work out. My client hasn’t worked with me as much as usual this year, so their next payment won’t be until February or March. I just prayed that MC would hold on until then.

In the meantime, I found exactly what I was looking for – a Honda Fit. This would still meet my requirement of zippy, little, and sporty, although not necessarily a stick shift with a sunroof. But I figured I’d survive.

Every so often I’d look online to see what was out there for the most reliable years – 2012, 2017, and 2019. They were all blah colors – black or grey – and most didn’t have a sunroof or stick shift. And, of course, they were rarely close by.

Then … last Thursday afternoon … I noticed a puddle under MC, and it wasn’t from rain or snow. Antifreeze had leaked onto our garage floor. For one moment, my chest tightened.

But then, a sense of absolute peace and calm flooded me. I went into John’s office and declared, “I’m done.” We both looked online for Honda Fits that evening and were surprised to find both a 2012 and 2017 model at a dealer in … Fishers!

I scheduled a test drive for both at 11 a.m. last Friday. Surprisingly, the 2012 one had less than 60,000 miles, looked great inside and out, and had excellent history with no accidents. It was truly better than the 2017, which had 30,000 more miles and a minor accident in its history.

Oh … and it was red.

Two hours later, I had traded in MC (which the dealer commented had “issues” … that was putting it mildly) and walked out with my perfect “Fit.” John took my photo alongside it. Despite the unexpected timing of everything, I felt like this all worked out according to God’s plan. I’ll only have to make a couple of payments before my client renews.

Our columnist found her perfect Fit last week. (Photo provided)

I think that’s what we have to do with money pits and similar situations. We must do our own work and planning, but ultimately, it’s all up to Him to show us the right path for improvement.

I look forward to feeling more secure with greater peace of mind when I’m out and about this Christmas – and beyond. I hope if you’re facing a money pit situation, make sure you give it to God. He’ll help you find your own perfect fit.

Amy Shankland is a writer and fundraising professional living in Noblesville with her husband John, two sons, two dogs, and a cat. You can reach her via email at amys@greenavenue.info.