The old car still has its charms
Ever since my wife and I got a new car last June, I’ve found myself switching being two automobiles on a regular basis.
Sometimes, because of the parking situation at our apartment, I’ll ride to work in the morning in my 2008 Nissan Versa, and then come back from my lunch break with a 2019 Hynduai Sonata. I feel like I’m in a spy move, trying to shake someone who’s tailing me.
To be honest, I’m still not sure which vehicle I like better. While I do love the smooth ride and comfy interior of the Sonata, the ole’ Nissan has a certain charm that only comes with age. I’ve taken to calling it “The Old Grey Mare” based on its dulled silver paint and slightly haggard appearance. It still gets me where I want to go, and I’ve definitely grown accustomed to all of its quirks and blemishes.
There’s rust forming around a couple of the wheel wells and some of the paint is bubbling up, but it still looks respectable — at least from a distance. The rug under the gas and brake pedals has this very noticeable gouge in it, created by years of me digging my heel into the bottom of the car as I pivot my foot between the two pedals. There’s also an odd stain on the roof, just behind the driver’s side. I’m pretty sure it came from someone opening up a pop can that had been shaken, but if you didn’t know any better, you might mistake it for blood. Thankfully, I don’t often have any backseat passengers, so I don’t have to explain that my car was not, in fact, a crime scene.
The Sonata, on the other hand, is in nearly pristine condition, especially compared to the Mare. This makes me more afraid to drive it, or to even enjoy a beverage that could create a stain. My wife, who is the car’s primary driver, makes sure that we always park and eat if we happen to go through a drive-thru. The idea of munching on a cheeseburger while driving — something I do occasionally in the Nissan — is unacceptable in a two-year-old car. It also gets treated to more car washes than its 13-year-old cousin, but that’s to be expected.
The biggest difference between the two is the on-board technology. Like all new automobiles, the Sonata has a touchscreen with all sorts of options for connecting to your phone and running various apps. At first, I was excited by the prospect of accessing limitless amounts of music and podcasts. After nearly a year of driving it, though, I still prefer the old-fashioned CD player in my Nissan. Since the majority of my trips are short ones, it’s just easier to slide in an plastic disk than it is it plug in my phone and scroll through digital playlists.
The next time I buy a car, though, I may not have the CD option anymore. That’s when I’ll really miss the simple pleasures of The Old Grey Mare.
OUT FOR A WALK
KEVIN O’BRIEN
EDITOR
