Thank you, Zen. I'm glad you can keep us updated.

Ginger, so much ~ma is headed your way.

Hey lisah -- I just found a check you wrote me months ago, so I am going to cash it!

Last night's whiskey was The Dalmore 15 year old which was really... interesting. In a good way. I liked it. It was complex. The reviews make it sound a bit like the cilantro of whiskey. [link]

I need to get out and run all the errands.

We're ready to buy a car, and neither one of us is any good at negotiating. But I don't want to just cave and pay the list price because I'm a wimp.

Also? For real, I don't know the answer to this because I've always financed my cars in the past. We're paying for it outright (we've been good little savers), but what do you do when you've reached an agreement to buy the car but need to get a giant check cut from the bank? Leave a down payment and go get the sacks of cash with big dollar signs marked on the outside?

Buying a car is one thing that is not in my adulting wheelhouse. I've only ever bought 2 cars in the past, and in both cases I REALLY needed them, so I didn't negotiate, and I financed them. This is a totally different process now. We need a newer car, but not so much that we MUST buy the first thing we see.

Any advice on this process would be SUPER welcome.

(We have our choices narrowed down to a Corolla, a Civic/Civic hybrid, a Fit, or a Soul, all 2012 or newer.)

I wouldn't give a downpayment unless they're letting you drive away with it. If you're going to pay all of it at once, they should be willing to hold the car for a business day or so. Though I think they make more money if you finance.

Also, a cashier's check or something would probably be the way to move that much money around.

Though I think they make more money if you finance.

They totally do, but we've been good little savers and don't want a car payment.

Also, a cashier's check or something would probably be the way to move that much money around.

I figured that, but I just wasn't sure what the process was, once we've decided on a car we want and agreed on a price, we obviously won't have a cashier's check with us at that moment (because we couldn't know the final price until we negotiate), so mostly I was wondering what's required to get the dealer to hold the car for us and not sell it to the next person who comes along while we're at the bank.

You know, it'd be fun to pay for a car with cash.

ION, last night Anne and I finally decided that we're in a relationship.

Use Kelly Blue Book ( [link] ) to get a sense of the price point you should be expecting. There are some used car places - maybe cars.com? - that are no-negotiation. Or you can look on craigslist and have your mechanic check it out. My sense is that dealers are expecting negotiation and price high accordingly, but there are ways around the dealer.

Steph, the dealership should be able to give you the information necessary for an easy wire transfer. Ask your bank what would be required on their end.

Not as much fun as plunking canvas sacks with $ signs painted on them down on the manager's desk, but super quick and easy.

You should be able to write a personal check. If it doesn't clear they have a car they can repossess.