Let’s say you need to buy a car, but not just any car, one that’s very, very special. This car will be the last one you ever buy, and the one that you will have to drive until you make that big pit stop in the sky. Which car would you choose, and why?
Over the past 20 or so years, I’ve owned about two dozen cars, many of which I regretted selling, some of which I regretted buying in the first place. But I don’t think any of those would be my choice to enter into a long-term monogamous relationship with. I guess I’m sort of a car slut, as even while I’m driving in my current car – which I like just fine – I’ll be secretly ogling the newer three-series next to me and thinking, yeah, that might be nice.
But of course were I to somehow get the three I’d be looking at something else, probably on the drive home from buying it, and start scheming the next purchase. But what if there wasn’t a next purchase, what if the car you bought had to see you through the rest of your life? There’s no reason why an individual can’t do that, and many people do – you frequently hear about someone who has just turned a million miles in their beetle that they’ve owned since McCarthy era.
But if you did have to buy a car that needed to last you the rest of your life, you’d need to choose wisely. Obviously, unless you’re planning to go to sleep with your head in the oven within the next month or so, a Lancia might not be the best choice. No, it’d have to be something with some legs, and the ability to get it repaired if and when something does wear out or fail. That means something like the aforementioned Beetle which is dirt simple and still has pretty ubiquitous parts availability.
Not everyone, however, wants to drive a Beetle for the rest of their lives. In fact, some of us might put up with the frustrations that driving something a bit more engaging might require. I for one, could see driving a Ferrari Lusso or Aston Martin DB4GT as my eternal highway partner, but I recognize that neither may be the most forgiving mistress.
So have about you, what car would be your choice if it was the last choice you ever get to make regarding your daily wheels? Would you go for passion and fire over sensibility and reliability? Or, if you found out you were so limited in your future driving experiences, would you just go and stick your head in the oven?
Image sources: [webshots.com, impawards.com]
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