Sunday, April 14, 2013

New Ride needed

I am in the market for a new car.

My current ride is a 2003 Nissan Murano - which is a good car, and "only" has 140K miles on it, but it's getting to that point of having to bring it in every month or so for some little thing, or some big dollar thing.  I'd rather sell it now while it still works and let someone else put money into it.

This Murano was the second new car that I'd ever bought. Up until around 1985, I always had old cars passed down from my dad.  And they were all Buicks - except for one bright red, 8 cylinder, red leather interior Cadillac - which Dad bought in a fit of craziness.  Dad's best friend in Brooklyn was a Buick dealer, and I'll leave the story of that dealership for another time.  After all those old Buicks, I thought I never wanted another one until the day when I went to a dealership in my little MA town, and found "Creampuff"  - a Baby Blue Buick Skylark which (according to the salesguy) had only been driven on Sunday by a litte old lady.  He didn't say if the Little Old Lady was driving Creampuff to Church or to a casino...and I didn't ask.   I drove that car for years, and only got rid of it after I got nearly killed by a flying sheet of ice which came ramming into me from a truck that hadn't cleaned off it's roof that winter.  Totalled the car!

After Creampuff died, I had an affair with a Saab for a few years, and finally gave it to my husband when I got stopped for speeding for the 3rd time. That car just kept getting away from me!  Honest officer, it wasn't me...it was the car!  To tone myself down a bit I bought my first new car - a Jimmy Blazer truck with 4 wheel drive - white with chrome. Wooeee - I loved that car.  My young nephews named it "Frosty" and we had some good trips and good times in that baby.   But it went the way of most American cars - rusty and worn out, and we sold it to a cowboy from the Western part of the state.  We were starting to get a bit older by this time, so we bought the Murano - a large SUV type car, with room for kids and dog...only by this time the kids were moved to NH, and the dog was gone.  But it's turned out to be a good car, with room for two bikes and lots of gear.  But now it's getting old and it's time for a replacement.

But picking a replacement is not so easy!  Do I want another SUV?  What gas mileage do I want to get? Do I want a hybrid or a regular gas vehicle? and how much do I want to spend?  And the key question - what image do I want to project?   Do I want to drive the luxurious Lexus SUV, with all wheel drive, and ton's of perks and give the image of "oh yes, my husband bought this for me while I was vacationing in Aruba - isn't he just the sweetest guy?"  Or an Audi SUV with the image that I know how to drive a serious car and could easily go 200 mph on the highway.  Or the earth friendly Subaru, with plenty of room for kids and dogs and bikes and picnic baskets and balloons.  Or should I go for a little two seater Roadster, and keep the top down, wear sunglasses and look mysterious and aloof.

This is not easy people!  I have to live with this image for the next 10 years or so and I've got to get it right.  What if I buy a Lexus and find out that Comic Artists Don't Drive Lexus'.  They might kick me out of Comic Class!  Or I might be driving down the highway in my Audi and some hotshot decides to challenge me to a drag race and if I don't take part I'll be humiliated forever. The pressure!!  But if I buy the Subaru and then decide to become a Born Again Radical Religious type...I'd have to sell it and buy the Lexus!  (if I become a Radical Born Again Jewish Religious type, I should start out with the Lexus ...hey I can say it...I'm already Jewish)

These decisions are weighing on me.

I might just have to buy a Buick.

9 comments:

Lisa at Greenbow said...

You are tooo funny.

Lori ann said...

cant wait to see what you get!

kj said...

I have stone proof sage advice: buy what you love. Go for comfort and pizazz in whatever way makes you smile

JB had a used Mercedes (appropriately named prissy) who had high repair bills and hated the winter. But she drove like perfection and no outside sounds ever reached her cushy leather seats. JB bought a sturdy Honda after prissy and the joy fun deminished

Test drive that Lexus Mim.

Love
kj

Hilary Mosberg said...

My current ride is a Subaru AWD wagon. Not sexy, turning radius not so good but it goes and goes and goes. Never having had a flashier ride than a Honda I recommend it highly. It is currently over 230,000 miles and it's been over 2 years since anything other than an oil change was needed.

Annie Coe said...

I am on my second Subaru outback and I will never drive another car, I hate SUV"s, why waste all that gas! And if you don't need a big car, why have one? I don't go in much for image, I go for comfort and reliability and I think they are a handsome car. Built to last and go for 350,000 miles. Having said all that it is your car, get what you love. xoxo

Lynn Cohen said...

I can see your comic class is making you a true comedian!
Maybe you need a car that 100 clowns can topple out of ....

You didn't ask, but I have always driven either a Toyota or a Honda. Must have something for Asian-made!
They last and last and last, they turn well, they last too did I mention that? I drive them till they die for 15 years or so...
Currently I drive a silver (my 'image' color) Honda CRV! Just my size! Practical and fairly good on gas.

I think OUR next car, when I retire and we widdle down to ONE car between us, is going to be one of those real gas saver things! Is that the Priasus? Something like that? In the meantime, my 'non-imagine' as I don't really give a damn what anyone thinks of me for driving what I drive, is happy in silver-Asian-made-CRVism. Let's hear it for small, compact, with a long life and no failings.

sukipoet said...

so many choices for sure. i drive a toyota matrix, very practical. although it is red.

have fun choosing.

studio lolo said...

I always used to be a Chevy girl back in the Camaro days, but as I got older I had Subaru's. I now drive a Mitsubishi Outlander, a medium sized and very good on gas SUV. My brother who is a serious vintage car collector said Mitsubishi's have the best engines. Who knew? It was my first new car and it's soon coming up to 100,000 miles.

I say buy what feels good. And what feels safe. Read consumer reports. And don't have a concern what other people think. You are not what you drive ;)

xo
Lo♥

Snowbrush said...

Your dilemma reminds of Sarah Silverman's skit, part of which is about Jewish people driving German cars. If you value political correctness, don't watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF81-dHxVwU