In the last five years, I have gotten by without a car. I have my daughters' old wreck in case of emergency, and Ed has his old Geo that could be called forth to service in case the old wreck cannot go, but really, I have had no need for much beyond that. I am a fan of walking, biking and public transportation.
Still, one ought to have a car in reserve and the old wreck is being passed on to daughters next month, and truthfully, they have a tad more affection for it than I do. It is their first and only car (passed on to them by their grandmother who moved as far away from Wisconsin as she could, leaving the car behind; she was not a fan of the great Midwest).
I have been glancing at Craigs List for vehicles under $4000. Prefereably under $1000, but I am keeping an open mind. Here’s the dilemma: a car closer to $4000 will likely be more pleasurable than the junk I’m likely to get for under $1000. But at what price would you place a fleeting moment of pleasure? I spend most waking minutes very very far away from any car. Shouldn’t I reject cars that offer so few rewards?
Sigh... Between cheap car buying and camera negotiations, I am feeling rather out of my element (my element could be defined as one that requires no major purchases of any kind).
And speaking of major purchases, I have recently seen houses listed on the Internet that are as cute as a button. Why am I living in a condo?
[Photos from the walk home: Abe is yet again looking on at the odd world of our century, and further down, the great Midwestern sky makes everything else look puny, even as the very small things in life -- for instance, the wonderful blue dragonfly -- see her, down in the corner? -- are the real heroes. They crack down on mosquitoes, don't they?]
If you want a reliable car for under $4000 I urge you to look at the Jeep Cherokee with a 4.0L inline 6 cyl engine. You should look for and be able to find a rust-free 10 to 12 year old Jeep with a fine body and great looking interior for that price -- or less. NOT the Grand Cherokee, but the smaller Cherokee. The virtually bulletproof 4.0L engine is one of the all-time great engines. It runs forever as long as you perform routine maintenance. Do not buy a car with rust and make sure to have a trusted mechanic look it over before you make an offer on one. If you are picky and take your time you can find an excellent Cherokee for under $4000.
ReplyDeleteI have recommended this vehicle to several friends buying their children a car for their university years and they have all been happy. Another friend bought himself one after seeing how much his daughter liked hers. All seven of these cars were roughly 10 years old when my friends bought them and had anywhere from 120,000 to 160,000 miles on them. A couple of those Cherokees now have 300,000 miles on them and the others all have over 180,000 now.
A Jeep Cherokee is not a Prius or a cute little Smart car, but it is a good solid vehicle that can give you years of trouble-free driving pleasure.
We bought a 1997 Jeep Cherokee for our son and I second Dande's suggestion. Inexpensive, reliable, fun to drive, good for snowy winter days and able to haul things. Oh, that's right, you are forgoing things.
ReplyDelete