Now we wait; I was told that the wait would be anywhere from 30-60 days. The following two months were a wave of internet research. I consumed as much information as I possibly could. I registered to any and every forum with any semblance of connection to the TDI. I must have looked through google images for hours on end, considering the options, planning for what was to come. I was boiling over with excitement, the days passing like they did when I was younger and waiting for Christmas morning. My truck was amazing, make no mistake, but I was ready to cut back on transportation expenses.
Throughout the process, my sales rep would provide updates via email. The updates were lacking but I tried to ignore it, understanding how long communication chains are in an operation like auto manufacturing. The end of December finally arrived and I call the dealership. After seemingly fifteen minutes on hold, they find out that the order was “pending” at the factory and that the order for the car had never been accepted.
Simply put, “My Car” didn’t exist and hadn’t been started at the 60 day mark in the sales cycle. I was disappointed. The dealership began to scramble. A few hours later, the dealer calls. My rep did some digging and found a car with the same spec as my order on a container ship that was due to arrive any day. The dealer put in a request for this car and was accepted; Finally making some progress.
January 13, 2013 I received the call. I could barely contain my excitement. This was the first car I had ever purchased brand new for myself. I had been driving every sort of beater until the Duramax and was excited to have a piece of the new car smell for myself. I pop into the dealership and handle the paperwork. Per the usual, my arm was cramped from signing away all the documents that go with a purchase such as this.
Part of the agreement that I made with myself in order to bear the expense of depreciation on a new vehicle was the intention to keep this car for 10 years plus. If I could keep the car for an extended period of time, buying new should/would balance out over the long term. I also expected the diesel to have a longer life cycle than the gasoline equivalent and see higher fuel economy in the process. These factors sold me on the idea of spending the extra money at the time and I was happy with the decision. I was also a diesel fanboy, couldn’t help it. The raw power and torque that the truck could put down sold me on the diesel platform.
Stay tuned for Part 3!