Time for a New Car

I love to drive. I really enjoy it, long trips or short, it doesn’t much matter. I’ve driven Mercedes-Benz, trucks, SUVs, compacts, station wagons the typical gamut. Yet, I wouldn’t really call myself a car enthusiast. I like cars but I don’t like to spend money on them. I used to dream about having a Ferrari 308 GTB but since then I’ve decided that I didn’t want the headaches associated with maintaining and driving a valuable item that could be stolen or destroyed so easily. So, I let others bear the risk of expensive cars and I enjoy them from afar. Instead, I’d rather spend my money on travel.

I love to travel more than I love to drive. Now, some people say they like to travel but what they really mean is they like to arrive. They don’t really like the process of traveling. They travel only to arrive at their destination. I actually like the process of traveling, from the time I leave my front door take the train, the shuttle, the airplane, the metro and finally the cab to my new temporary residence. I’ve traveled from Rome to Hokkaido, enjoying every minute of it. When I flew to Tokyo I was so excited by the flight that I didn’t sleep the whole way. I traveled with a group of friends. After we landed, we boarded a bus to go to our hotel. Once on the bus, I fell sleep immediately and missed Disneyland Tokyo :-(. Travel memories can be treasured in a way that a car can’t. Besides memories can’t be dented. Memories don’t rust. They don’t depreciate in value. They never leave oil stains on the driveway or leave you stranded on the side of the road.

So what does all this have to do with a car. I get a lot of miles out of my cars. I don’t think I’ve ever put less than a hundred thousand miles on a car; new or used. Well, I bought a used card about 8 years ago. When I bought it, it already had about 200,000 miles on it. I’ve put another 60 or 70 thousand miles on the car.. Sadly, it’s starting to show its age. So, I need a new car, but I hate to spend money on cars. Never-the-less it is time to start shopping.

If someone were to plop 50,000 dollars in my lap, what would I do? Buy a BMW or maybe a fuel efficient Toyota or Honda? No, I’d probably put 5,000 on a good used Mini Cooper and put the rest of the money toward a trip for my family. What can I say, travel is in my blood My ancestors probably came up through Mexico with Coronado. Some have suggested leasing, which is just a tricky way to say renting. You pay for the whole car but don’t get to keep it. If you use it just a little too much they’ll sock it to ya when it’s time to turn it in.

I’ve also heard the phrase “invest in a car.” Hah! I say. A car is not an investment unless it’s a collectible. An “investment” is something that increases in value. Unless you make a profit when you sell the car it is NOT an investment. I’m analytical enough to know that a good car is worth the money. But, darn it, I’d still rather spend the money on a good trip with family or friends.

I took my son on a trip to Paris, Chartres, London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dublin, Limerick, Cork, and Avoca. It was a whirlwind of a tour in a tiny car. We covered about 2,500 miles in a week. We spent less than $2,000 on a collection of memories and stories that will last a lifetime. Cars are fun. And I admit, I’d love to drive a new BMW 325i but I’d rather spend a month in Europe and Asia showing my family the sites for the same amount of money. What’s most important to you? Are you taking steps to get it?

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