My littls car and the American dream

I may be in the minority here but I like little cars. My fans outside of the US may not understand this statement, because it’s a bit ambiguous. In many places of the world All Cars are Little Cars. That may be true, but we here in America love to embrace our stupidity and buy cars too big for our roads that we will never be able to pay for. This is called the American Dream; To not own a vehicle that hugs the road, but own a vehicle so huge. gravitational forces being what they are, the road / earth literally hugs our cars.

Then there’s the cost of such cars. If you go to a dealer, they’ll tell you this is no problem. They have a special numbers guy who will quickly figure out exactly how much you can afford, and call sales to make sure you spend more than that. Then again, if some guy wants a supercharged, big-tired, snazzy sports whatever, and his wife objects, I’m told this guy can arrange divorces as well.

Do Not Mesh!

It’s gotten so bad, that we no longer buy cars. The dealer leases you a car. Woo Hoo! Now you can make payments for four years, and get nothing. Is this a great country or what? Then you turn in that car, and do it all over again. This way you get to make payments to the car company forever, and never get a car. Boy, I’ve always wanted to do that. What happens to the car that you had? They sell it to someone for nearly full price. You lose, the next guy loses by getting an overpriced used car, and the car company makes a ton of cash. It’s the American way.

We buy vehicles we don’t even use. We get great big trucks and sport-utility-vehicles that can carry huge loads and drive in six inches of mud. Then we wash them all shiny, and curse anyone who would dare ask us to carry anything in them. Why? Because the truck is the symbol of the American spirit, and we need that bold, rugged, individualism to go to the salon, and get our hair done. If you have a truck and use it, great. If not, you might want to rethink your choices.

My cars are old

 However, I am not here to insult American’s choices in cars. If you can afford to make payments forever more power to you. Me? The last new car I bought I kept until it was twenty-years old. I sold it and got one that was fifteen. That one was run over by a truck when it was twenty-two. Not kidding, I have pictures. Insurance replaced it for a nine-year-old youngster which is currently fourteen. I keep my cars for a long time because I really don’t like making car payments. This is much to the chagrin of my two driving sons who feel my choice in cars leaves a lot to be desired. They would prefer something sportier, more macho, perhaps from this millennium, and far more expensive. In a word, something that attracts girls. That was four words, but you get the drift.  

I ask them if my little cars get them where they want to go. They answer, “Yes, but is a little style so wrong?” I am a thorough believer in style. I have a great style and am complimented for it several times a day. It’s just that to me a car is only a way to get my style from here to there. They however, would like to get there with people turning their heads. I tell them their wish is granted. My car turns heads. They say, “Sure, but it also draws pitying looks.” They wany everything and I’m just not an everything kind of guy. But I’m getting off topic.

But My children dream they were new

Anyway, then it happened. Something so unthinkable I truly never thought about it, although in retrospect I probably should’ve. It came time for my second son to go to college. The thing was he didn’t go to the same college my first son did. Now, my first son was taking most of his classes on line, so he didn’t need the car all that much. He used it primarily in the evening to go on dates with his girlfriend. Things were good. I was able to drive my car most every day and most nights. Therefore, I gave him a key and pretty much let him use the car whenever he liked. Sunshine, roses, and rainbows did abound in my life.

Then my first son got his job. You can almost hear the thunder crash. Can’t you? He now needed the car on some days. Well, being the great and wonderful father I am, we worked out a schedule that was mutually beneficial. I would be able to use MY car when he didn’t need it as long as I checked with him first. I will confess I did drive to the market a few times without checking in. Ohh, what a devilish rogue I am!

The thing is They’ll drive it anyway

Sadly, now I had two sons who needed a car, and schedules were never going to mesh with my one little auto. A solution had to be found or I was going to become a full time, unpaid, taxi driver, and that was certainly not part of my plans. I suggested to my working son that he should buy a car. I would help him and would be allowed to use it when needed. My second son would have use of my car to get back and forth to school. It was a good solution, I had access to two cars and they each shared one.

Before I go on, a word about my wife’s car. That word is ‘NEVER’. We established that hers was hers and mine was mine. Then the boys learned to drive, in mine because it was smaller and older. I have been relegated to sharing and she has hers. It’s a good system. In fact, she loves it. Now back to our story, already in progress.

So I helped my son buy his own

I put forward a few grand and helped my son purchased a very nice, rather sporty vehicle. He gave me a key and we were on our way. The thing is our little system had a slight shortfall. My college-bound second son joined several clubs, and organizations, and attracted a very good friend. As a result, he leaves early in the morning and comes home sometime around Friday. This shouldn’t be an issue. I’m still sharing my other son’s car. Or Am I?

Who knows why, either way I still lose

You see he suddenly became very possessive about HIS car and doesn’t want me to drive it. My wife agreed, stating it was his symbol of independence. So here I am, the owner of three cars and unable to drive any of them. Unless of course, one of them needs gas. I am totally allowed to fill any of those tanks whenever I want, as long as I pay and bring the car right back home.

I’m seriously considering buying a bicycle, but then I saw my daughter stretching her legs, and decided it was cheaper just to walk.