Cars, Cars, Cars
Along with most of our home, we lost four cars during Hurricane Sandy. Although it did not feel like it at the time, looking back it was actually a funny sight. Each car seemed to become almost haunted as they each began to flood. The electrical systems went haywire, the lights began flashing on and off, the windshield wipers went on as did the horns. After a few minutes of this each car eventually died. We were lucky in that we were able to replace the cars quickly, within two weeks of Sandy.
It is now almost three years after Sandy and the leases for our replacement cars are almost up. So the conversation around our house lately is centering on cars and replacing cars. My husband drives a Ford Expedition, which was very useful to us when we had to take the kids and their belongings to and from college. Now, since they have all of their own cars, he doesn’t need such a big car. He does, however, like an SUV and we do need a car where we can still fit all four of our kids, but he is considering downsizing to an Arcadia or Explorer.
As for me, I'm not a car person. I’ve never been one to covet any particular car or an expensive car. I’ve driven smaller inexpensive SUVs like my current Rogue. But, I have always wanted a convertible and I decided that it’s now time for my “mid-life crisis car.” So, I’ve been looking at Volkswagen Beetle Convertible. I’m nervous about switching to a regular car from my usual SUV but I cannot wait to drive with the top down. It’s the first time I can remember being truly excited about the prospect of a particular car.
Are you a car person? What’s your “mid life crisis car?”

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Nothing I drove since approximated either car. I do like the sound system I installed in my blue Rav4. Shelly told me on the way to dinner tonight I should look into a new car; no real hurry to get a new one but if I do it'll have a sunroof/ moonroof as I prefer the Crossover SUV (model TBD) to any convertible these days (but if there were a modern version of that 67 Impala, I might re-think things. Enjoy your choice!
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The last convertible I had was a 1965 Lincoln Continental convertible sedan-- very similar to the one JFK was riding in when he was murdered. I bought it with only 60,000 miles in 1978 for $2500 (a lot of money at that time), and I kept it until 2001. It took me to college and back, used prodigious amounts of fuel and was without question the coolest car I've ever had. I think I sold it in 2001 or thereabouts to a guy who was going to restore it.
Recently, I was thinking about "The Empress", and I looked what it would cost to buy a decent example. Well, the one I'd want was $50,000-- way, way too much to spend on a toy. Then, I began looking at smaller and far newer models, and I wound up buying a 1995 Mercedes E320 Cabriolet that had spent most of its life in Texas, so it has zero rust. And a reasonably modest odometer reading of 85,700 miles since new. It looks like a very well-cared-for year old car. Everybody loves it, and it's a dream to drive. The cost was a small fraction of its sticker price in 1995-- that was $80,000! And the cars were almost all hand-made.
We have named her "Herta" after a German friend of my mother-in-law. And my wife thinks I should get a vanity plate with that name...
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We do have lovely 2000 Corolla that gets us out of town with some frequency.
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