Car

Continuing the transportation theme... today I took my car, a 1996 Toyota Camry, in for its 105,000 mile service. The car is still running well, and I take it in to the dealer for all scheduled maintenance. I bought my car used (1 year old) and have been very happy with it. However, it is getting up there in age and mileage and soon the repairs might be more expensive, at which time I will think about getting a new car. Ideally, this won't happen for another two years or so.

I've thought a little bit about what my next vehicle will be. The current top choices are:

1) Toyota Prius. I'm fascinated with fuel efficiency and this hybrid is looking really good. Other more exotic choices would be bio-diesel or electric, but those aren't entirely practical. My only concern is cargo space to fit all my stuff!

2) Toyota RAV4. Maybe this isn't the best looking vehicle, but I've been so pleased with the reliability of my Camry I'd strongly consider this. I drive up to the mountains and sometimes having a 4 wheel drive would be nice. On the other hand, my friend Francesca has a Honda CR-V and that vehicle is a little larger, and gets slightly better reviews. Both should have enough room to store my gear.

3) Subaru Outback. I like the way these look and there are a zillion on the streets in the Seattle area. Plenty of room for gear and comes in 4 wheel drive models. I don't know anybody that actually owns one though.

Well, I have some time before I need to replace my car. Plenty of time to think about it. I'm not in a hurry - I paid my car off 3 years ago and I must say, not having a monthly payment is really nice.