Hammer Time: Maine Cars
Retirement. We all dream of that day when we can take our cell phones and chuck them in the ocean… forever. Some folks dream of painting Tahitian nudes after that beautiful moment. Others simply want to live in a planned community with everything but kids and ‘stuff’. As for me? I just want solitude. A good axe for chopping wood. A nearby library. A garden… and the seasons. Oh, and a car.
Recently there were three cars that seemed to fit this idealistic vision of tomorrow. If I could only enjoy it in the here and now. Car number one is a standby. A 1990 Volvo 240 that had spent it’s entire life in a non-rust, garage kept environment. I would need a trailer for hauling wood in the later years but otherwise, it’s absolutely beautiful in it’s simplicity. Car number two is a 1991 Suburban that still looks showroom new… on the inside. A few outside dents and scratches are there but with 142k and enough space for hauling almost anything, it would inevitably be used in my golden years as a huge pickup with an enclosed bed. Car number three really is no car at all. A 1994 Toyota DX pickup with an automatic and power nothing. It doesn’t have anywhere near the charm of the other two. But it would likely outlast them both. Choose a beater. Or offer a better alternative? The only criteria is that it has to be at least 12 years old and relatively easy to repair.
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In my retirement, I plan to buy a couple of new cars and dump them on some sucker more inclined to work on them when they reach 12 years old.
Volvo + Subaru (Brat) = Volvu! Always gets there - regardless the weather. Has great seats!
I'd suggest a jeep cherokee or ford ranger. If we are talking newer than 12 years as well,a 1st gen xB or Honda element might be nice. Is it just me or does this seem like a Paul Niedermeyer question?
I'd take the Toyota. A lot less "charm" than a Volvo, but cheap to keep. The 'burban will use a lot more gas, but it depends on how much you intend on driving. Personally, I also like to keep the firewood, etc. outside, thus, prefer a pickup to SUV.