This will have to be a short entry because it’s a little after 8 o’clock and my alarm clock is set for 3:58 tomorrow morning. Shortly after that time, I’ll hit the road for Waukegan.
Today at work was relatively hectic. In addition to a training class that’s been going on for the last week – and will continue for three more – (I am constantly interrupted to open the doors for trainees because they don’t have badges and I am the gatekeeper), I was being slammed by the IT department to put together workstations for them, get others fixed for them, and discuss ways that I could keep them informed of workstation problems in the future. I also had to complete a completely stupid “what did I do last month” spreadsheet for the finance department, which apparently hasn’t figured out what should be counted as a capital expense in our department and so has had us doing this STUPID busywork for the last couple of months (“On February 9th, I spent 3.2 hours reading email…”). While doing all this stuff, I was also attempting to debug some code for a project I’ve been working on for the last 6 weeks or so, help technicians with installations, and keep one eye on a conversation going on with the rest of my group about next week’s launch of our 24×7 schedule in order to make sure that I don’t get stuck with an 8pm-7am shift of something (and that’s not a joke…15 freaking years in this business and now I’m trying to avoid getting a shit shift that should be worked by somebody 1/3 of my age with 1/10th of my experience).
But I made it through the day. Got home and got packed for the trip, and am currently sitting in bed thinking about sleep.
So. Cars that I’ve considered purchasing. Top of the heap is still the Subaru Outback, but – mainly because I hate the idea of dropping 25 large for that car, I’m leaving the door open for other makes and models. The Nissan XTerra looks good, and I’ve also eyed the Toyota 4Runner and Sequoia, various flavors of Jeep (Cherokee, Liberty, etc. – not the Wrangler, though that would be a great thing to have in the woods), and a couple of Hondas (Pilot, CRV).
Basically, what I want is a car lets me do all of the following: cruise around the city in relative comfort and quiet – not a lot of road noise, leather seats, decent stereo, Bluetooth, aux in for ipod or phone, etc. However, I also need a machine that I can take into the woods several times a year. By that I mean, while not technically off-roading, about as close as one can get. The places that I go to camp are generally approachable only by hiking or by twisty, rocky, rugged, washed-out, narrow dirt roads. Yes, I have taken most of my former cars on these roads, but I haven’t enjoyed it. The Audi particularly makes me cringe every time I hit a washout or drive over a section of corduroy. I want something that’s close enough to being a truck – and that has enough ground clearance – to make me comfortable on these mountain forays. Next, I want something that I can sleep in in relative comfort. I want the back seats to lay down flat, and I’d like the front passenger seat to do likewise. This was one thing that I really liked about my PT Cruiser. When the seats were laid flat, I had an 8-foot bed in the car, and I could pull into a campsite during a football weekend, string up a tarp, and not have to bother with a tent. I also want a car with decent gas mileage – not spectacular, but 30+ – and without a massive cost of ownership (a la the Audi). Last, it has to be a manual transmission. I’ve done the automatic bit. I’m over it. I want a clutch and a stick shift (actually, I’d love to have a column shifter, but I don’t think anybody makes those anymore).
So, as I continue to wonder if I should or shouldn’t get a new vehicle, I’ll also continue to winnow down the list – or maybe expand it – of potential cars. I’ve owned a lot of cars – but I want to get it completely right the next time around.
TWD