On February 6th I said goodbye to my car, a mechanical companion of the last 8 years. It saved me during a time of high fuel prices and I practically lived out of it during my move to California in 2015. As part of Volkswagen’s “diesel gate” settlement, I sold my car back to them for a nominal sum of cash.
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| Car being Inspected at Dealership |
A few years ago, when I lived about half a mile from work I had a question on my mind. What would life be like without a car? I’ve been driving in some shape or form for the last 20 years. I’ve dealt with all the financial implications including car payments, fuel costs, insurance, constant maintenance, expensive repairs, and a few driving awards from the state highway patrol. At that time, the harsh winters of Ohio reminded me that…well umm…idea would suck.
I had about a year to plan for this event. Yet, I spent most of that time feeling indecisive. Here were some of the other options…
- Buy the Dodge Challenger R/T I’ve had my eyes on since 2009 – This is a throwback to a dream my father used to have in the 1960-70s. In 2013 I took one of the most amazing road trips of my life. Here are some photos
- Buy the Ford Mustang GT as a throwback (update) to my late teens/early 20s
- Here was my 1996 GT:
- Buy another VW, a Golf GTI, a fun little turbo I rented a few years ago that I really enjoyed driving (strangely enough I actually still like the VW brand, even if they are professed cheaters)
- Buy a cheap used minivan for my ultimate weekend surfing/camping adventures
For the past three weeks, my indecisiveness has meant quite a few walks to and from work (.65 miles one way) and many rides through the Uber App. Going to the Grocery Store requires extra planning as I either have to use a collapsible cart (I feel like a little old lady; absolutely ridiculous) or buy only what I can carry 0.8 miles. Going to my 6am workout on Tuesday and Thursday means starting out on a 1.7 mile run around 5:30am and hopefully having enough energy to run 1.7 miles back for a shower before another 0.6 mile walk to work. Going to the bank means planning a 4 mile round trip walk or bike ride (bike requires additional planning and prep + lock).
On the bright side, I am getting more exercise.
With a few business trips coming up, I don’t feel any hurry to buy something that is just going to sit in the parking garage. Maybe I will rent a car for a day or two….Stay Tuned…
