My car hit 80000 miles yesterday. I've had it 4.5 years, and like the other cars, I already have fond memories of this car... most of them are driving back and forth to Tennessee and going on trips with my husband. (We love to travel together, and we are good travel buddies.)
It got me thinking about the 4 cars I've had since 1984 when I graduated from college. My beloved dad picked out my first car for me, and it was, you guessed it, a Ford. (Daddy loved Fords!) I came home one day, and he asked me if I knew how to drive a stick shift. What do you say? Well, I said, "Sure." (How hard could it be?) I chug chugged around for a few days in my nice used Ford Escort until I found the gears' sweet spot, and after that I didn't look back! Stick shifts are so fun to drive! I babied that car too. Daddy was such a firm believer of regular oil checks, and I drove that car until it reached almost 100,000 miles. (Not many el cheapo cars like that can make it as far.)
By the time I got my second car, Daddy was fairly sick. My brother helped me pick out a car. We got a Dodge Shadow, another stick shift. (I think this one had 5 gears!) I felt a little guilty for not getting a Ford but I knew that Daddy wouldn't really be able to help me maintain it like he had with my first car, so I moved on. Besides, the car was at a good price and I was able to pay cash for it. It lasted me about 6 years. Once again, I babied it.
Third car was a red Lexus. (Yep, you guessed it: by that time I was married to a very generous man.) It was spur of the moment. A man was checking over my car and he said that the car was literally on its last few miles. (I thought that was pretty extreme, because the car was driving fine.) My husband was a little more alarmed than I, so off we went to Carmax and it took us just a few minutes to pick out the car and drive off the lot. That red Lexus glided over the roads. I remember driving home from school the following Monday almost giddy over my magic carpet ride! We still have that car too: my husband drives it, because when his black Lexus gave out a few years ago, we bought a new car and he let me drive the new one. (My husband is pretty thoughtful too.)
My current car, the 80,000 mile white Lexus, is also a smooth ride. I'll probably still be driving it in 2015, and maybe beyond. My favorite feature is the GPS. I'm amazed at how helpful it's been. But just a warning, when the GPS lady confidently tells you "In 200 yards, turn right," just make sure there are no cars coming!
What about you: do your cars conjure up good memories for you too?