Cap'n Jack a victim to high gas prices...

By Guest Blogger Bill Mullen

As gas prices rose to $4.00 per gallon and beyond, my daily commute got more expensive everyday. It got to the point that I would feel guilty every time I had to fill The Cap'n up, costing around $85 every week. I knew a change was needed, so I went to see my friends at Nissan of McKinney. They were so helpful! They took one look at The Cap'n and closed the doors. They said they would not take it if I gave it to them. You see, everyone else is aware gas prices are high too! Nobody goes in to a car dealer this summer and asks "Hey, you got any used Titans with a V8?". Everybody is trading their trucks in on the low mileage vehicles which is exactly what I needed to do. So I leave thinking I am out of luck. A few days pass and I see Bankston Nissan of Dallas has a few Versa's. Bankston is right down the road from where I work. The Versa is the best mileage car Nissan has, and we are a Nissan family. Even if my father-in-law recently bought a Toyota, I know where his allegiance truly lies. Anyway, I digress. I went to Bankston Nissan on Thursday the 3rd with every intention to get a Versa, and I was not leaving until I did.

Turns out, when you buy a truck in March, and then try to sell it in July, when gas prices have nearly doubled, you end up with NEGATIVE EQUITY. Oops. Turns out the bank won't loan me enough money to get a Versa and bring in the negative equity that I had in Cap'n Jack. But the finance guy, very slick he was, says the bank would give me more options if I get a little more expensive car. Turns out they got a brand new Sentra SL off the truck that day. It still had the protective covering all over it. My Salesman, Karl, said lets go look at it. Okay, I say, beats going back to work!

Before I tell you about the Sentra, I should mention what the Versa came equipped with. It had a sunroof, upgraded Stereo, black paint, alloy wheels, and beige cloth interior, but it was a sedan, and the hatchback gets better gas mileage, but I would have been happy with it getting about 30 mpg. So Karl takes me back to look at the Sentra, and sure enough, it still had the protective covering all over it. I did not even sit in it, or could I tell what color it was. Then, I look at the options. Sunroof, XM satellite radio, upgraded Rockford Fosgate Stereo, 6 disc changer, hands free bluetooth, intelligent key, and wait for it, LEATHER seats, and it gets nearly the same gas mileage as the Versa Sedan. I personally have never owned a car with leather seats. Steph had a Quest and now a Pathfinder with leather (told you we are a Nissan family). But all 3 Sentras and my Titan had cloth seats. So I tell Karl, let's do it. So we go in, sign all the papers, and voila. I am the proud owner of a 2008 Nissan Sentra SL. Yep. My fourth Sentra. I have owned a 94 E, a 96 GXE, and a 2006 Special Edition. This one beats the others hands down. I thought Boomer (my 06 Sentra) was awesome, but nothing can beat the intelligent key system, handsfree bluetooth, and saddle leather. The leather is called saddle, because it is kind of brownish and makes the interior look very expensive, I joked it looks very Italian. So I named it Leonardo, after my favorite painter, Leonardo Da Vinci. So I present to you, Leonardo, or Leo for short.