A Second Car Fight

Biceps and I are realizing quickly that not touring means being at home. Duh. What we are also realizing is that when he needs to go somewhere for work-I can’t always go with him. They sort of frown upon firefighters bringing their wives along-I don’t know why.

That leads me to this point: we think we need a second car. I know-it’s decadent, provocative and immensely American of us. But, this frugal household might just spring for “Four more wheels! Four more wheels! Four more wheels!”.

This is what Biceps wants-not because it’s necessarily cool, but very practical:

B-O-R-I-N-G.

A Prius. I think Rory Gilmore drove a Prius. I think that kid sitting across from me at the coffee shop that smells like Patchouli drives a Prius with his soul patch riding shotgun next to his caramel-no whip-soy latte.

Practical?-Yes. Good gas mileage?-Yes. Boring?-Yes.

This is what I want-a 1964 1/2 Mustang.

I don’t care if it’s candy apple red, avocado green or midnight blue-as long as it’s original. With white Pony Leather interior, 289 D-Code 4v Engine, Automatic Transmission, and factory air-what more could a girl want?

(I hear you in the background saying, “Electric windows/locks, seat heaters, a faab, airbags, murmur, murmur”. Don’t think I don’t.)

When I was 14, I saved up and bought this car-a 1966 Ford Mustang. It was a complete lemon-everything fell apart on it-the transmission, the horn, the brakes. But it was mine, and I loved it.

I would even give up the Mustang to drive a more practical vehicle like this-a 1963 Wagoneer. This gets about 9 mpg’s, so we wouldn’t really drive it-just look at it.

Or this-a 1978 Mercedes wagon. It gets better gas mileage (19 mpg) and it’s still pretty cute.

But really, what we need as a family is something classic, something practical and very affordable. With its 19 mpg’s on the highway-it’s downright economical. And let’s not forget that I’m recycling an old car instead of demanding a new one. And, I’m keeping local small businesses open with my never-ending need for repair parts.

This is just downright embarrassing-with its automatic locks, airbags, great gas mileage and resale value-only a goofball would buy this. Seriously, what am I going to do with Biceps?