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My 1997 Honda Civic coupe in Milano Red.  I loved that car.  It's 11 1/2 years old, has 223,000 miles.  Been super dependable.  At the time I bought it I toyed with getting a Miata instead, because I've always had a thing for roadsters, and the two cars were similarly priced, similar gas mileage, and similar projected reliability.  But a two-seater with a small trunk would have been too impractical.  So I got the Civic, and loved it.  It's been a workhorse:  I've carried an extension ladder and 2x4s sticking out the sunroof (the concession to the part of me that wanted a convertible).  I've managed to carry bulky items like a big TV and a laser printer.  I've managed to fit a pre-assembled cat tower into (with some creative maneuvering and the help of a PetsMart employee--it was even harder to get out when I got home).   When I bought the car my boss called the color "ticket-me-red", but I only got one speeding ticket in all those years.  It was when I put Pirelli tires on it that I got a little carried away.  Sensible, yet a hint of sportiness.  More recently it acquired a roof rack, which means it's less sporty looking (but helps me be a little more active and sporty). 

But when it comes to cars, I'm a guy, and an insensitive jerk of a guy, at that.  I've long said that while the car I chose to live with day-to-day was sensible that a good-looking car would always turn my head, I'd always be happy to take one out for a test drive, and that if I could afford it I'd keep more than one.  As part of my midlife crisis, I realized that since I now have a pickup truck (mom's, but she can't drive anymore) I didn't really need a trunk anymore.  I realized that I could afford a reasonably priced used car.  I had been eyeing a used BMW Z3 when a Toyota MR2 Spyder showed up at a local lot.  The more I read about it the more I knew I had to check it out.  A test drive and I knew even if I didn't get this one I'd be getting another MR2.  Wow.  I love this car.  Not just a hint of sportiness, but a real sports car.  I love hugging those curves.  I love it when it's topless.  I love just being seen with it. 

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Date: 04/17/2009 Views: 239

I kept the Civic, because I still have a great deal of affection for my Civic, and the MR2 is way too impractical to be an only car.  The Civic still has the roof rack for my windsurfing gear.  It's still a good car.  Okay, so I've had a few oil leaks repaired recently, it's getting up there in age, but still a good car.

Now I'm supporting (i.e., paying insurance on) three vehicles, my Civic, my MR2, and mom's truck.  Something's gotta go.  While I don't really like the truck it can haul more than the Civic.  But I still really like my Civic.  I drove the 60 or so miles down to St. George Island two Saturdays in a row, one week carried my windsurfing gear down there, twisted my knee, and left the gear with a friend.  This past Saturday, went to pick up the gear (the original plan was to stay down there for the day, but with the twisted knee just came home).  I figured that since I'm not going to be on the water a few weeks with my knee this would be a good chance to put all the gear into my storage unit so that I could clean up the Civic and get it ready to sell.  Saturday evening I was driving to the storage unit, when my trusty old Civic died on me.  Lost power and wouldn't restart.  Had it towed, the mechanic just called while I was writing this blog.  Oil leak drowned the ignition coil and igniter.  Not gonna be cheap.

It knew.  You live with someone 11 or 12 years, and you know.  It was already jealous of me running around with that sexy, younger thing.  But when I started seriously planning to ditch it--it decided it wasn't going to go gracefully, it was going to make me pay.  At least it waited until I was just a couple of blocks from home, I'm grateful it didn't die on the way to or from St. George.  Some kindness for old times sake--we did have a lot of good memories, didn't we?

I guess the lesson here is if you're going to dump your faithful old car for a trophy car, sell it first or trade it in before it gets a lawyer and asks for alimony.