Goldie Honda

My husband and I dislike buying cars. So when we need to buy a vehicle, we want it to last a long, long time. In our thinking a car or truck that has 200,000 miles on it is just getting warmed up.  If it can't easily surpass that milestone, well, it's not worth purchasing.  As long as it's still running safely, we can't see any reason to get rid of it for something shiny and new (and expensive). 

These enduring family vehicles represent so many memories. Take Goldie Honda, for example. Purchased new in 1995, Goldie has over 400,000 miles on the original engine. Our daughter was 7, our son was 9 when we drove it off the lot. They are now 25 and 27. There are specific dents along with a loose front bumper - remnants of our teenagers' first driving experiences.  For five years our daughter drove it and then relinquished it two years ago when she decided to purchase her first vehicle: a Honda Civic. We took it back into our care once again and it faithfully "carries" my husband back and forth to work. Of course Goldie has an understood "DNR" order in that if there is a major mechanical failure, we will no longer pay large sums of money to keep her running.

Someone once told us that the most economical car to drive is the one that's already paid in full and parked in your garage. Eighteen years. I think we got our money's worth.