I bought a 1999 Toyota Camry 4 door that was the first car I looked at last March. I bought it because we needed a car immediately the day our travel pay was deposited. The car that my hubby had shipped from Germany had starting difficulties. If it hadn't been a manual trans to push start, there would have been no way to get it going. Even jumping it wouldn't have worked since we now know the problem was a faulty ignition switch. There's little public transportation and renting a car ate up our money.
I tried to balance safety and what we could afford in an instant decision that I made from limited computer access to Consumer Reports. This town isn't that big and we couldn't head out of it at the time for more variety in affordable vehicles.
I don't dislike this car, but I don't have really any attachment to it. Neutral is what I feel after irritation for certain lack of amnenities, such as the small opening to the trunk when the seats are folded down. First time ever in 21 years of driving that I just don't care about the car I'm driving. It's so bland. The only time it has personality is when I punch that V-6 to get from the short on ramps on to the highway.
Perhaps the distancing feeling I have is because it's an automatic. I've always driven a manual except for work vehicles. It distances me from what's going on with my car, my speed, and it's harder to keep a focus on events around me... as much as I used to be. I understand now why there is such a problem with distractions such as cell phones, makeup, food, etc... With a stick shift, you HAVE to keep focused on what a car is doing. Both hands and 2 feet work constantly if you're in traffic. Odd, but I miss that interaction with my car. I also miss how it would slow down as soon as I took my foot off the gas. Nothing like that with an automatic.
I see everyone on here touting the benefits of keeping children rear facing for years and hope I"m not doing my daughter a grave disservice by having her ff at 3 years old. But there is no way we can fit one of those mondo toddler seats rfing in our Camry without compromising the driver's or front passenger's seating position. Does that make me a bad parent? I hope not. Only time will tell.
I think that as soon as I am financially able to within 2 or so years, I will look for a different car, hopefully, a wagon. Ideally, it would be another VW Passat since the seats support my back better than other cars do. I'd love one of those large wagon/small minivan styles, but the foot position hurts my bad ankle too quickly.
I will keep my daughter in the most comfortable and safe seat I possibly can. I will keep alert for anything out of the ordinary while I am driving. This mantra has served me well in 22 years of driving all over the world with no accidents. I'm not a perfect driver by all means, but who is? We make mistakes at times for many reasons. But by keeping safe reasonable distances and our cars in the best running shape they can be, hopefully our humanness can be overruled.
drive safe,
M