Last Saturday, when we went on a family outing to SM Taytay, I came across a car exhibit again. This time it was Hyundai that’s showcasing their two flag carriers - the Grand Starex and the 2008 Getz. I figured we could never afford the van so I chose to look at the econo car instead.

At first, I was excited to see that the car was on promo. I mean, for as low as 98,000,  you can bring it home already. It sounded really nice but after thinking about it carefully, I realized that’s still one heck of an amount. Not to mention, we’d still have to pay around 10k every month for  5 years even if we took the lowest installment plan available for the cheapest Getz model.

I realized, a brand new car is definitely not an option for us, at least not right now. That’s why I’m starting to give up hope. Instead, I’m trying to look at a different option - restoration. You see, andrea and I have agreed that the most affordable way for us to secure a vehicle is to put our faith on the old one - the red car (an 89 series GLX Lancer). All we need to do is to find a good detailing or restoration shop to make it road-worthy again. And I’m not just talking about city-driving-worthy, but close to brand new road-trip-capable kind of worthiness. I mean if we’re going to spend a small fortune anyway, I’d like the car to run the distance.

So if there’s anyone out there who knows of a good car detailing or restoration shop that’s a bit friendlier in the pocket than others, please, I need your help! I’m not dreaming of pimping my ride (although that sounds really nice too). I just want a worry-free, baby-friendly ride for me and my family.