Purchasing the Obvious

So I have been looking for a car. My old one let loose this horrible grinding noise as its dying utterance in December. I’ve never been much of a car person. I prefer to avoid driving whenever possible. If StarTran ran a line out to my job-site I would have no need or desire to replace my old clunker. My workplace, however, is in close proximity to nothing but cornfields which makes the purchase of a new car necessary

My family tree is littered with purchases from the used car lot. If you have ever seen a vehicle broken down on the side of the road or wheezing its way to the repair shop, odds are there was a Landis behind the wheel. We've never been picky about the cars we purchased. That's why I was so surprised by the level of interest people took in the demise of my old station wagon only because it put me in the market to buy a new one.

McKibbin drove me around several used car lots. He kept thinking I would like a Nissan. They’re sporty, efficient, and reminiscent of arachnids which makes them easy to parallel park. (Thanks, hon!) After skirting the issue several times I had to level with him: I hold a deep vendetta against Nissan since that’s the microscopic car he drove when we were pregnant. Any car that makes me feel like a beached whale of a pregnant lady inspires all kinds of irrational feelings; none of them positive. Smartly, my husband has avoided uttering the word Nissan ever since.

My daughter wanted to weigh in on the car purchase. Who would think the product of McKibbin and myself would hold strong (if not versed) opinions on the matter?

The guys I work with also took a keen interest in my decision. Several of us were sitting around a table one morning and the group began to troubleshoot my automotive future. They had a rapid fire of questions for me: What kind of cars had I driven before? Would this be a family car? A commuter car? Stick shift or automatic? Where did my preferences lay along the horse-power v. fuel efficiency spectrum? What qualities would a good car have?

It was like I had logged on to match.com and was knee deep in a personal compatibility test for my next vehicle. After gathering my personal preference data, engaging in a colorful deliberation of options, the group unanimously suggested I purchase a Mini Cooper.

The car I ended up purchasing, a 2003 Toyota Prius, shocked absolutely no one. It’s an environmentally responsible vehicle that I could afford. No stick shift, and no drag racing. Naomi was disappointed that the color wasn’t green. There was also a moment of silence at my Monday morning staff meeting as I announced the Prius decision. Everyone stared at their shoes and thought of what might have been.

Alas I found no inner hot-rod willing to spend the money for a Mini. But the group did laugh as I mentioned that my second choice (or runner-up if the winner is unable to perform its duties...) was a Ford Focus. Its an affordable, fuel efficient vehicle I had seriously considered. Leave it to the engineers among the group to let me know the Ford Focus design team was slapped into this bad ass “third-age suit” which takes young people and makes them feel old. For the specs on how the car courts aging drivers checkout this article in Mechanical Engineering. http://www.memagazine.org/backissues/membersonly/apr03/features/grandma/grandma.html

So to sum it up: I’m not hip enough for a Mini, too scarred by beached-whale-pregnancy-flash-backs for a Nissan, unable to purchase within the proper chromatic group for my daughter, and not old enough to enjoy the finer qualities of a Ford Focus. The Prius wins by default. If you see me in my Prius broken down on the side of the road, stop and give me a lift, okay?