The last car

Carl showed me his new car, a VW hardtop convertible. I would’ve expected a hybrid, given that he’s a staunch environmentalist. I raised my eyebrows and he understood the question. “It may be my last car, so…” He shrugged.

Morbid thought, but I knew what he meant. He’s a few years older than me, but the thought had crossed my mind. In the past few weeks, I’ve lost some friends who were younger than I am. That adds a “why wait?” component to your decision making process, at least in my mind.

My present car carries 90,000 miles. It doesn’t have any problems, but that doesn’t prevent me from entertaining the idea of replacing it. It’s more the question of what to select for that last fling. However, I doubt of I look at it the same way Carl does.

It won’t be the fiery two-seater. Been there, done that and I’m too into comfort, now. The pony car? Possibly, but I’ve also gone that route and consider the bad weather handling more now than I did then.

What about the hot rod mid or full size car? One company who makes one has had severe quality problems for decades. The other’s offering is too bland. If there was a modern day GTO or SS 396, I’d have to take a long look at it.

What about pure luxury? My present car nudges this class, so I don’t know what I’d have to gain. And, going to the extreme isn’t my bag. I’ve had one of the prestige marques and it just isn’t me.

No, I think I’d break new ground in some way. Always wanted a school bus. It just seems like a big, blank canvas you could work with and exploit the many possibilities. Urban parking could be a hassle.

The mintrucks you see in Asia are very cool. I did go to the trouble of researching availability here and found a dealer in Indiana. Unfortunately, they don’t qualify for road use in this country.

Going from mini to micro, I’ve toyed with idea of an old VW bus. I see they’re reviving it but that’s not the same. The new Beetle didn’t capture the quirkiness of the original and I doubt if that would be the case with the bus.

Then there’s the tractor, as in front end of a semi. One maker made it a somewhat practical proposition by grafting a giant pickup bed onto the stern. Way cool but six figures is a bit steep for a pickup truck.

And finally, a Rolls Royce. You’d be surprised how many are available for under 30 grand. Probably be a little tough finding parts at Nationwide, though.

Don’t look for me to be tooling down the street ensconced in English leather or anything other than my current vehicles in the near future. Too many other things that provide more enjoyment come before that.