It was that time of the year again.  Packed up the car and headed to Road Atlanta.  This actually started about a month ago.  My poor old Altima was getting way long in the tooth and I was getting tired with it as well.  I knew it was time for a new car but I was not looking forward to a car payment again.  Yes yes should have saved up and paid cash but that wasnt going to happen, plus I knew it was just a matter of time before the Altima finally would lay down.  The past 6 months Ive been looking on and off for a new car.  I just couldnt find anything that I really liked, and could afford.  The other big thing is a car that I would be comfortable in because I am not exactly small in any way you look at it.  So all my friends had become totally tired of me posting links saying ‘what do you think of this’ at least 3 or 4 times a week.

Over the last month I really sped up my hunt for a couple reasons.  One was the Altima was coming up to need tags and here in Nashville that is over 100 dollars.  The other was a friend offered to buy the Altima off me by the end of the month.  Having that money in pocket was really pushing me maybe a little too much.  I was on a hunt at that point, knowing that selling the Altima quick and easily kinda really was the linch pin.  I started looking at all sorts of full size cars and going to sit in them without much luck.  Few months ago I went and sat in a Honda Ridgeline ‘truck’ and was like ok…maybe a truck/suv.  I had also sat in a friends Titan and really liked it as well.  But I couldnt get over the idea of a front wheel drive unibody truck in the Ridgeline, and well its rear 3/4 is ugly as all get out.  Titan I couldnt find with the right options for the right price.  Murano was up there on the list but the CVT scared me.

Yes Im super picky on my cars :) .  After a long hunt one day I saw this thing on the lot…and my friend kept telling me he had been trying to get his wife to like them….FJ Cruiser.  I went and drove one.  Wow tons of room inside, and well funky looks.  I used to have a Suzuki Samurai so boxy 4×4 is in my blood.  The first one wasnt the one I wanted, but second one I found really fit the bill for options to price ratio.  Its just about the right auto for me it seems.  So finally the search was over.

I have a 2007 Titanium Metallic Toyota FJ Cruiser.  It has the 4l v6, automatic, 4×4, and rear locking diff.  The previous owner painted the roof which is sad, but it doesnt look too bad on this color.  But it fits me, its unique, and its nicer than the ran down Altima.

Road Atlanta was the first road trip in it since I got it just 2 short weeks ago.  It stormed down there like a trooper.  I got around 22mpg on the highway surprisingly which isnt too bad for the size of truck it is.  Back and forth in town its more like 18mpg depending on your foot.  Lots of room to pack stuff in for a single person in it.  If two people were going could lay the seats down for more cargo room but myself I kept the seats up and had tons of room for my bag, backpack and a cooler.

This is just part one…Ill continue later on the rest of the story.