Sara's Silly Subaru Saga
1999 - buy white Subaru Legacy Wagon brand new, "Brighton" bottom-of-the-line loss leader model from Shingle Springs Subaru (negotiate great price using techniques so excellent Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook, former head of National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration once asked me to help her negotiate car purchase).

2002 - tree limb falls on roof, comprising passenger cage. Sara is convinced by auto safety expert Rosemary Shahan that car cannot be safely driven again. Cannot get declared totalled. Car is impeccably repaired under close supervision. Then we purchase 1998 white Subaru Legacy Wagon 75,000 miles, lotsa options from Shiller's Subarus.

2004 - (two weeks ago) Sara rear ends a car that rear ends a car in a classic mommy driving kids to school accident. "Mommy, you didn't fill out this permission slip!" "What permission slip, oh, that one...wait, look out!..." CRASH

Car being fixed. Have PT Cruiser rental paid for by insurance--woo hoo! Look at us in the PT Cruiser!

Oh, it's "totalled" (as in, they can recoup enough by selling it for scrap to offset cost of settlement). Back to Shiller's Subarus .

(last week) This time I buy a 2002 silver Subaru Legacy Wagon, 89,000 miles loaded.

Sam Shiller grows used Subaru's on his little farm outside of the Sonoma County Airport. I've known several people who have bought from him. It's well worth the trip. He and his wife are the salts of the earth. They certify these vehicles have never been crashed and they get them in top condition for you. They sell them to you at the bottom of the dealer blue book price and don't dicker.