I had a peculiar musing driving into work today. I’ve gone through three vehicles this past year; one simply because it was time. The car in question was a 02 Monte Carlo SS. Nothing really special but I had invested in some aftermarket goodies that made it a quite formidable ride. I confess it was a man-crush car thing. I loved this car and hated to part with it but a dying tranny, a skipping motor and bad front end signified they typical death of a GM front wheel drive vehicle. I traded the SS in last May for an 07 pickup. I drove the pickup for awhile getting killed by the gas mileage and the effing creaky seat panel that I could never silence. I loved the truck, the minor annoyances aside and figured I could get by with the V-6 versus the V-8 and I’d be okay. It was a guy thing, ya know! The cool car or the manly truck. I mean... I’m a guy and my ride is a natural extension of my manhood… right?
Okay… so now I drive a little Toyota Corolla with a whopping 125 hp four cylinder engine with four doors. The car is practical; it gets me to work and sips fuel rather than inhaling gasoline by the gallon. But, I’m having difficulty coping with the whole man/car image thing. I’ve always been, admittedly, impractical with my vehicles the past eight years. They’ve had to be a cut above because I always believed that they reflected something about their owner… ME! Look, you can’t wear the dark shades and the leather jacket and look cool driving this four cylinder matchbox. You can’t wear work boots and jeans in this car cuz your boots get stuck between the brake and gas pedal. What is a ‘Guy’ supposed to do?
So I’m in a conundrum. Do I continue to endure the barbs of my colleagues regarding my fuel efficient, practical, plain transportation or do I look for a more stylish ride? Truth be told I like the savings and I don’t totally hate the car. As my father would say… “It’s just transportation from point A to point B.” But the less practical me wants the big truck to haul my stuff and sit above the peons or the fast car to zip by the peons. I never thought I’d actually BE a peon in a plain car. I’m now one of the unwashed masses. It’s been a reality check. I can’t run a big truck which would be my first choice and I can’t afford another SS (Which are a bitch to maintain). Practical me says I’m a middle aged father of three and have a ride that suits me. There’s no one I need to impress with the exception of my male insecurity. The ‘Man’ in me is shaking his head and hiding his face in shame thinking no amount of bling can salvage this car.
I’m stuck in the middle. I went out and chose this car for all the right reasons. I was having a sane moment.. wasn’t I? As I commute back and forth I see dozens of my cars puttering back and forth… populated by men in their 60’s or some middle aged woman. Then I look in my rear view mirror and I see ME! Is this what I’ve become? Yuch!.
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This is a weird issue, but heres my 2 cents.
ReplyDeleteWhenever someone talks about cars passionately, as you do, I always have to do some mental substitution. To me a car is a gas guzzling money sponge, and I dont care how ridiculous it makes me look as long as I don't die @ the pump.
So when I hear people talk about how much they love cars, my gut reaction is to think its stupid, its just a car, get over it. But of course, its not, its a passion and an interest to that person, the same way computers and technology is to me. So now, whenever someone talks about cars, or anything I don't particularly care for, I always substitute it in my mind for something I care about, to try and better understand their position.
Now, on to your question: What to do about the car. Well, if I were to substitute "MacBook Pro" for "Monte Carlo" and "Piece of crap budget PC" for "Toyota Corolla" the answer becomes clear to me:
Dump it*
That asterisk is VERY important however, as there are some conditions that I always try to remember when upgrading my technology. The most important aspect is to NEVER BUY SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T AFFORD. I always make sure before buying a new notebook or cell phone that I can swing it, whether that means selling some stuff or whatever it may imply. With cars this becomes a much more complex equation, because you rarely buy a car outright (my '97 Lumina notwithstanding), but make sure that you can actually afford it before making a purchase.
The other thing is making sure its something you're going to use. Now, because this is your passion, obviously theres going to be a good deal of "want" here, and not "need." I don't need a new iPhone or Palm pre this June, but I do want one. So I'm gonna go for it. However, even though its not a need, its still going to be used all the time, its not a purchase thats just going to sit around or not be worth it. And thats the key when buying stuff you like, indulge yourself, but keep it in check. So, when getting your new car, make sure you dont let your desires go to your head. Get something nice, but keep it utilitarian.
So, what should you do? If you love cars man, get a cooler car, to hell with what may be more sensible, this is about something you care about. Just make sure its financially feasible and not an overindulgence and you'll be fine.