The Burdens and Blessings
of an Old Car

I had to take my car in to the shop today. Nothing major... just the 3-month check and a change of brake pads. I don't realize how important my car is to me, or how much I take it for granted, until times like this when I don't have it around. But then, aren't we all guilty of that? Think about it... our cars are very important to us. We go to work, play, shopping, worship , and who knows what else. Some people go so far as to say that our cars are an extension of, and a reflection of, ourselves. I don't know if I believe that... after all, I drive a noisy little thing that hates cold weather and... wait a minute.

I'll admit, I make fun of my car a lot. It's a 1985 Chevy Spectrum that has seen better days. But even though driving an older car does have some disadvantages, it does have some perks that makes it worthwhile.

This is not to trivialize the problems. Far from it.
The big problem is maintenance. I have to take my car in for checkups even more religiously than do people with newer models. The repair bills can be pretty nasty. And of course, when do the major problems show up? Right before a major road trip. Recently I had to major road trips, one to Ohio and one to Missouri... and I had two major car problems which almost cancelled both trips.

A less expensive, but far more annoying problem is the comments I get from people. Not a week goes by when someone doesn't say "Your car is so olllllld! Why don't you get a neewwwwww one?" (Ya gonna buy it for me?) Even my mechanic was in on that act until I reminded him that if it weren't for *my* car, *he* would be out of business.

The problems aren't that big a deal, really... the good outweighs the bad. My car is comfortable and familiar. I've got that seat set just right, leaned back just so, got the radio at just the right volume and set to my stations. I've got it just the way I want it. Not so with old cars... did you ever stop to think that maybe the "break-in" period is as much for the driver of the car as it is for the car? Even though I do gripe when the car needs repairs, the truth is that my car is actually pretty dependable and no more trouble than anyone else's. Even some of my car's problems have unexpected benefits. I've got a broken door handle, and I didn't have the money to fix it. One day, as I was jiggling the handle and turning the key to get in my car, I realized that nobody was going to try to steal a car they couldn't get into. This broken handle wasn't a problem... it was a security device!

I've also had a lot of memories made thanks to my old car. (Get your mind out of the gutter!) Not a lot of people know this, but I had a major driving phobia. My mother was almost killed before my eyes by a drunk driver when I was 15 and I didn't want to drive after that. A friend of mine, Jeremy, had his car die and he needed someone to do his driving. Guess who got elected? I drove him around town, and one time, he made me drive to Bedford and come back on country roads. I wanted to kill him for that... but if it hadn't been for him, I never would have made my roadtrips to Ohio, Missouri, and even a 900-mile trip back to Florida by myself. My memories don't only come from the long trips... I have many fond memories of cruising around town, long discussions with my friends, and sitting on the hood of the car looking at the stars. My friends have helped create some memories, too. One day, I looked in my rearview mirror and saw Jenny* and John* kissing in the back seat. And Tara* and Fred*. And Matt* and Beth*... wait a minute. Everyone has made out in the back seat of my car except for ME!

I know the fun can't last forever. I know that one day, I'm going to have to get a new car. To be honest, I'm not looking forward to it. But until that sad day comes, when you hear the rattles and see my car (rest assured it will be in that order), just smile and wave. If you don't like the way I drive my old car, then stay off the sidewalk!

* Names changed to protect the not-so-innocent