So I bought a vehicle yesterday. Begrudgingly so. I like to have cash in the bank, I do not like it sitting outside in the drive way in a giant metal box that rapidly depreciates value with each year. Anyway, as I was driving away from the place that I picked it up at last night I was thinking of how many cars I have owned and what phase I was in my life at the time.
1981 Toyota Corolla – Four door sedan, masquerading as an overland off roading vehicle for the exploits of my senior year in high school. Some guy offered me 1000 in cash one day to buy this car. I immediately accepted. Sad day.
1989 Jeep Comanche – The time I was trying to go to college, dating my wife, and contemplating the universe. Grateful Dead. When Jerry died, so did the heart and soul of this truck. May it rest in peace.
Lame Care I Cannot Remember, perhaps a 1987 Chrysler Lebaron? – A red car we bought when we were first married. The transmission gave out. Cost me more then the car to repair. It was the first and last GM car I would buy. I was learning how to be a husband then. I barely remember this time and this car. I was working multiple jobs, in school, and our one bedroom apartment that were paying 550 a month for did not leave enough money to repair it. So I traded it in for a Ford Escort. I think we got $25 for the trade in.
1999 Ford Escort Sedan – I cannot believe I made my wife drive this car around. My practicality knows no bounds. I think this is the first car we strapped a car seat in. My wife used it to commute to school and work. I hang my head in shame on this one.
1998 Ford Ranger – Absolute base model. Do not think it even had air conditioning. XL model I think, single cab – no extra anything. I bought the vehicle cash, I was a high roller now. I thought at the time that I was making pretty good money, and with great pride slapped the cash down at the table on the dealership and walked away with a stripped down, no frills base model truck. I think this might have been the first new car I ever bought.
2002 Ford Expedition – My wife was fed up with the Escort. This was our first family car. A big gas guzzler. However, probably the best vehicle to date that we owned. We had a lot of fun trips in that thing!
2004 Toyota Avalon XL – Yes, guy was big man now. Owner of a company, professor at a college. I need an executive car – right? Well my cheap self went out and bought a Toyota Avalon. Basically a grandpa car. Man I was cheap, still am.
2011 Toyota Sienna XLE – I made my wife buy a mini van. Turned out this was a good purchase. We would end up putting several hundred thousand miles on this car. We sold it to a family that Lori met in law school recently. I was sort of sad, this was one of the most versatile cars we owned. Lori hated driving the mom car around, and I knew that one day I would pay the price – coming soon in this list.
2014 – Ford Fusion – Hybrid – Another cash purchase. I got this thing cheap, my negotiating prowess at it’s height. Still have this car. This will be the one my son gets, if he will ever get his driver’s license!
2019 Mercedes Benz GLS 450 – 577 HP monster. Time to get rid of the mini van. Mommy is getting out of law school. Time for an upgrade! We were going to buy something completely different – but we happened to be in a dealership looking at a new Audi or something like that and I saw this car get pulled off a transport truck. I asked them if they would take 50K for it right then and there, no questions asked. They said yes, and well that is what we have now. Only regret is trying to replace tires in the middle of the desert!
2020 Ford Expedition MAX – I found one of these, they are impossible to find. Low mileage, used, but great condition. Giant gas guzzler, but I am feeling very American right now. I might just load a 50 caliber machine gun on the roof and go full Red Dawn. Probably a stupid impulse buy, but it can tow somethings and more importantly, it has tons of leg room. I need an overland attack vehicle and this is it. Lock and load kids, Wolverines!
That is 11 vehicles. I am 1 car purchase away from the average. It is said that you will buy 12 – 14 cars in your lifetime. By some strange coincidence, you will also have 12 – 14 jobs in your lifetime as well. The bureau of labor statistics says that you will average 10 careers in your life time as well. Looking back at my life (since today is my birthday), I realize that I have had 9 (restauranteur, librarian, audio visual specialist, transportation engineer, trainer, professor, consultant, business owner and now sales executive). Guess I am 1 car and 1 career away from statistical average. Wow. The possibilities in the next half century in my life are amazing.
Guy Reams
