A "New" Van

With my new career, I was given a company vehicle. One of the other guys just got a new Chevrolet Impala. Usually when you get a new vehicle, you turn your old one in. Instead of giving it back, he held on to it and I received it when I started.

I am dirving a 2002 Chevrolet Venture Van. It is really nice and has 74000 miles on it. In the month that I have had it, I have grown attached to it. The van drives well and has a good, strong engine. This is quite the step up from my previous vehicle, a 1992 Ford Ranger.

On Christmast eve, I received the paperwork to order a new vehicle. The van I am driving is a temporary, since it has already been replaced. It was kept around so that I would have something to drive.

I was given the choice of four vehicles. A Pontiac G6, Chevy Malibu, Chevy Impala, or a Chevy Uplander mini-van. It was a tough choice, but I chose the Uplander. I have some pretty rugged and remote locations to travel to and want something that will do better in those locations. I couldn't see taking a car to the top of a mountain on a snow packed road.

The only other part I was able to choose was the exterior and interior colors. I sent the paperwork in to my boss for his approval and he passed it on to the folks that order the cars. Now it was time to sit back and wait until the spring when my new van would arrive.

Thursday evening, my boss called and said that he had received word that there was a 2007 Uplander available and the fleet folks were wondering if I would be willing to take it instead of a new one. He didn't know the colors or the mileage. What was I supposed to say? I of course said yes. He sent me a message a bit later with the colors and the mileage.

The van is Light Amethyst (silver) with Gray interior. It has 6740 miles on it so far. It should be delivered on Monday or Tuesday. So much for sitting back and waiting.