Warning. Cool story bro ahead next 10 miles. Probably boring.
I just don't care about cars anymore. I'll try to explain the line of thinking which led to this conclusion.
My daily driver is a 1996 model. This is not a beater; I've had it for many years. It's in fantastic condition and has no issues. The body, interior and the function of the engine, transmission, etc, etc is perfect it even smells like a new car, which is to say, it doesnt stink. I have taken care of this car and it has served me well. This car is nearing 180,000 miles and frankly it drives like new. All things considered it could continue to serve me well for another 180,000 miles and relative to a new car payment costs essentially nothing to maintain per month. It's amazing how well made modern cars really are and what they can accomplish if cared for.
I'll also mention I have a 2002 SUV, a 2004 convertible sports car, a 2006 "luxury" sedan and a 1967 classic pony car. These are not cars I merely have access to, they're mine, and I own them. Not trying to horn toot, and my small automotive fleet is really nothing too special to toot about anyway, just some background info.
Despite having a great daily driver and for lack of anything better to do along with money burning a hole in my pocket and my desire for material advancement, I've been shopping for a new car for about a year. Yeah, that long. I've driven probably 30 new cars over the last year of every sort, sedans, sports cars, trucks, yadda, yadda, yadda. It dawned on me leaving work last night as a coworker and I walked to our cars. He has just bought a 2010 BMW 5-Series, V8, 6Spd manual, all the toys. It's a great car; I've driven it and drove one just like it at the dealer about six months ago. It dawned on me that when all is said and done I just don't care, Im perfectly happy with my old 1996.
I started to think what the new BMW had which my daily driver didn't and the list was short. Heated seats, integrated sat-nav with Bluetooth, HID head lamps, LED brake lamps, 160,000 fewer miles, $1,000 month car payment, black paint and "the ultimate driving experience". Maybe the prestige of owning a new car but I've never worried about this and bought several cars new. Oh, and a warranty.
So what about things my car has in common with the BMW? V8? Check. Full leather interior? Check. RWD? Check. 8-Way power driver and passenger seat with memory? Check. Power-everything else with sun roof? Check. Will easily exceed 100 MPH and go faster than I'm going to drive it? Check. Able to cart myself and my family around safely and comfortably? Check. Tackles 1,000 miles car trips with ease? Check.
Now, I'm not trying to say that my 16 year old car is as good as a new BMW. It's not. I'm not saying that. But these cars side by side, driving to and from work, carting the family around and what they realistically offer me, there is no difference. And for the few minor advantages the new car has, I just dont care. Dont take this thread as a slight on BMW, theyre great cars. Its more a slight against cars in general. What does a new car offer? Well, safety and fuel economy beyond that they all drive. For my specific car, which is still in production, its not even safety as this car was one of the safest built in 1996.
I guess Im waiting for that leap forward in cars to make me want to go get another one. This is why the new TDI Passat caught my eye. 43 MPG highway without a complex hybrid system (which causes more pollution to manufacture than it ever saves on the road). Sweet. Even that disappointed though.
Theres no real closing to this post.
I just don't care about cars anymore. I'll try to explain the line of thinking which led to this conclusion.
My daily driver is a 1996 model. This is not a beater; I've had it for many years. It's in fantastic condition and has no issues. The body, interior and the function of the engine, transmission, etc, etc is perfect it even smells like a new car, which is to say, it doesnt stink. I have taken care of this car and it has served me well. This car is nearing 180,000 miles and frankly it drives like new. All things considered it could continue to serve me well for another 180,000 miles and relative to a new car payment costs essentially nothing to maintain per month. It's amazing how well made modern cars really are and what they can accomplish if cared for.
I'll also mention I have a 2002 SUV, a 2004 convertible sports car, a 2006 "luxury" sedan and a 1967 classic pony car. These are not cars I merely have access to, they're mine, and I own them. Not trying to horn toot, and my small automotive fleet is really nothing too special to toot about anyway, just some background info.
Despite having a great daily driver and for lack of anything better to do along with money burning a hole in my pocket and my desire for material advancement, I've been shopping for a new car for about a year. Yeah, that long. I've driven probably 30 new cars over the last year of every sort, sedans, sports cars, trucks, yadda, yadda, yadda. It dawned on me leaving work last night as a coworker and I walked to our cars. He has just bought a 2010 BMW 5-Series, V8, 6Spd manual, all the toys. It's a great car; I've driven it and drove one just like it at the dealer about six months ago. It dawned on me that when all is said and done I just don't care, Im perfectly happy with my old 1996.
I started to think what the new BMW had which my daily driver didn't and the list was short. Heated seats, integrated sat-nav with Bluetooth, HID head lamps, LED brake lamps, 160,000 fewer miles, $1,000 month car payment, black paint and "the ultimate driving experience". Maybe the prestige of owning a new car but I've never worried about this and bought several cars new. Oh, and a warranty.
So what about things my car has in common with the BMW? V8? Check. Full leather interior? Check. RWD? Check. 8-Way power driver and passenger seat with memory? Check. Power-everything else with sun roof? Check. Will easily exceed 100 MPH and go faster than I'm going to drive it? Check. Able to cart myself and my family around safely and comfortably? Check. Tackles 1,000 miles car trips with ease? Check.
Now, I'm not trying to say that my 16 year old car is as good as a new BMW. It's not. I'm not saying that. But these cars side by side, driving to and from work, carting the family around and what they realistically offer me, there is no difference. And for the few minor advantages the new car has, I just dont care. Dont take this thread as a slight on BMW, theyre great cars. Its more a slight against cars in general. What does a new car offer? Well, safety and fuel economy beyond that they all drive. For my specific car, which is still in production, its not even safety as this car was one of the safest built in 1996.
I guess Im waiting for that leap forward in cars to make me want to go get another one. This is why the new TDI Passat caught my eye. 43 MPG highway without a complex hybrid system (which causes more pollution to manufacture than it ever saves on the road). Sweet. Even that disappointed though.
Theres no real closing to this post.