Back in 1999....

When I traveled to Hawaii for the first time, I rented a Sebring Convertible.

And I fell in love....

But I knew it would be a love that couldn't be...because they didn't sell Chrysler Sebrings in Germany.  

At that point in time I never....ever....thought I would end up in Hawaii.

But Life happened and I wound up in Hawaii and after a few years my car dream came true and I bought my first Sebring

and I named her Gracie. She was cheap and wasn't perfect. She had some many flaws. The hood wouldn't close all the way, not all the windows worked, the top had to be closed by hand.....and, and, and but she was a Sebring and sitting in that driver seat, I felt at home. We had wonderful, topless times together. 

Then, a little more than a year later, October was coming around and the time for her to get the annual safety check getting close. One thing was sure, she wasn't going to pass and the money needed to fix her - the math just didn't add up - so I had to let her go...and missed her every day.

Since we had a 2nd car and we didn't really NEED to have two cars, we opted to be frugal and not to get a replacement.

Fast forward to January 2011 - I was unhappy, always stuck in the apartments, bored out of my gourd and  it was time to get another car. I was lucky and oh so blessed that I was able to get another dream car - A newer model, much better condition

Enter stage left, Dolores, Dolly for short...

Actually won a photo contest with this picture and it landed in a Sebring Convertible Calendar

Daily morning drives to the beach, cruising the Island with the top down - I was me again! Loving Island life, still in love with a Sebring.

Last November hubby had his right of way taken and the accident totaled our other car. Here is the post about that mess.

Hawaii is a no fault state - no fun.

My tip for you, if you are ever here, never, ever have an accident in Hawaii.

Anyway, this time the decision was different. We had other things to take into consideration. We bought the ranch, we might be moving...maybe...having two cars, it was complicated. I didn't want to load a 2nd car if we were going to move...and who knows when that could happen? Sooner? later?.  So No 2nd car for us.

Dolly was our one and only and this time I took it in stride. If I needed a car, I'd drive Hubby to work and pick him up again. On the weekends I got to go for my beach walks and be the driver when we went shopping and such. It was a part time love affair.

Last week I had a friend visiting the Island and I drove Roger to work so I could have the car. We had a great time driving around the Island. Visiting some beautiful places - enjoying topless views. 

This week Wednesday hubby arrived home from work, much later than usual. He said that Dolly over heated and he had to stop several times on the way home. Said she kept dying on him.

So he called in and stayed home from work yesterday to take the car to the shop. They called and said that as far as they can tell there is a part that is broken. It might solve the problem - it might not. they won't be sure until they fix the part they see is broken. I was feeling a bad case of deja vu.

We sunk a lot of money in our Astro van and it wound up dying anyway - losing all the money we put into it.

We weren't about to let that happen again.

So unhappily we went to the dealership and traded Dolly in for a new car. Not a convertible, but for an economical 2011 Hyundai Accent. We don't have a name for her yet.....but that'll come, once we get to know each other better...

Aloha A Hui Hou!