The one about cars

I miss my car.

I mean, I have a car, but I miss MY car.

I have had several cars over the course of my driving lifetime. The original car: The Jetta. It was older than I was, only one radio station came in and that was only because I had a giant nail in the place where antennae should have been.  There was black electrical tape along the side of the back driver side door so it would match the rest of the siding (the car was white but had black strips on the sides).  It was the car that left a puff of black smoke behind as it pulled away AND the windshield leaked when it rained! I live in Western Oregon. IT IS ALWAYS RAINING!!!!! (that’s why my dad drilled a hole in the floorboard, he rocks)

That car was my first taste of freedom. It was mine and I could come and go as I pleased (okay I was 16, so obviously there were restrictions on my coming and going). That car was a tank (them Germans know how to make a durable, sturdy car) and I adored it.

My second car was a suzuki esteem wagon, named Tabitha, lovingly called Tabby. I had Tabby in college and you could cram all your crap into her at the end of the school year and make the long trek home. You could cram her full of drunk college girls and make 2am taco runs.  She braved snow storms and flying rocks aimed at her windshield.  Tabby was a great car who will always be associated with great college memories.

My current car is a toyota matrix (not one of the recalled ones). I purchased it because the payment were less than my other car payment and I needed a smaller car payment so I could make a mortgage payment and not have to eat ramen noodles everyday.  I bought it from a friend who sold it because they were getting a minivan to accommodate their growing family.  It is a peppy, zippy little car and gets pretty fabulous mileage (bonus since I now commute 75 miles to work, each way, everyday). But I have no emotional attachment to this car. I needed a car and this one does the job. It’s just a car. 

The car I had to let go when I bought my house is the car that had my heart. It was a beautiful dark blue honda civic.  It was brand new. I drove it off the lot with only 3 miles on the odometer.  I knew I “shouldn’t” buy a new car because it loses value the minute I leave the dealership.  I didn’t care.  I don’t have any kids and my two biggest financial responsibilities were rent and student loans, I wanted to splurge on me! I had done research and test driven several different makes and models and this was the car for me.  I loved it. That car was my baby.  When my mom’s bike fell over in the garage and scratched my shiny new hood, I wept.  Then paid to have it buffed out and painted.

Have I mentioned how much I loved that car.  There was an ache in my chest when I realized I was going to have to part with it. 

Yes, I know, it was just a car.  But it was my first big, “I’m a grown up” purchase. Besides my college education it was the most money I had ever spent on anything.  It was mine and I did it on my own.  I really loved that car.

I ended up selling it to my soon to be sister in-law and I am hope she enjoys it as much as I did.  I am happy I was able to give her a great deal on a fabulous car.  But I am still a little sad.

Several people I work with all drive civics and every time I see them pull in or I spot their car parked in the parking lot, I get a little nostalgic.  I remember the feeling of my first NEW car. 

It’s ridiculous to feel this way about a car, but I do. 

Sigh, one day I will get another one, maybe even the hybrid version (my inner hippie just cheered) (I am already planning and saving).  Until then I will continue to drive my matrix and put all the miles onto this car that I have no feelings for.  And I will work on paying it off so that I have more flexibility in my future car options.

Do you have a favorite car?

P.S. I found out today that my car needs a new catalytic converter, awesomeness...