It was time to add another 4-wheeled cash-burner gas-powered vehicle to our increasingly crowded driveway, what with a nearly 18-year old son encroaching on the usage of my faithful Mazda, so I started my usual methodical strategy of researching and weighing alternatives.
Then I saw it. Parked at the bottom of an exit ramp in town. An existential moment not fitting into my carefully laid planning methods.
Now I should make clear that there were certain pre-conceptions with which I was approaching this decision. Specifically, a few things that my next car would NOT be:
– Trendy. Not into trendy. No respect for trendy.
– Black or white exterior. Black is too somber. White always looks dirty.
– Standard shift. Though I’ve enjoyed driving stick in the past, too many years of commuting in NJ made me think that I’d not enjoy it any more.
So what made the rather rapid movement from a parking space on a nearby street, to its new home in my driveway?
A black, standard-shift, (once trendy) PT Cruiser!
Turns out that a few weeks ago, I’d rented a car for a couple days, and it happened to be a PT Cruiser – the first I’d ever driven. I found myself quite surprised by how nicely designed – and roomy – the interior was. And, this PT with the For Sale sign on it actually looked quite classy in black. Add the fact that it was immediately available, immaculate, loaded with options, priced aggressively, and being sold by someone who was a straight shooter, and I did what is quite rare for me – made an almost immediate and unexpected decision. And, it is fun driving a stick again!