Tales of Cars and Driving Them

I think between My husband and I, we have owned 30+?cars.

This count is starting when he was 16.

I currently drive a 25 year old land cruiser. I have about three things I want in a car.?Working windows aren’t completely necessary, but enjoyable. Its going to be fun to get pulled over by a cop at some point and the windows won’t roll down.. Talk about feeling like a red neck already.

Here’s my list:

1. Air conditioning
2. Tinted windows
3. That is drives and fits us all.
4. I’m adding one more, heat! My husband recently replaced a thermostat in the car and now it has heat again! Kind of important in a 0 degree winter. (The man can do anything.. well maybe not brain surgery.)

Now. I like new cars and nice things. But, in all reality, my kids kind of trash things. And strangers key cars, ice spins us into trees and rocks hit windshields.

I was one time driving my dads truck to do an errand for work. Cruising along at 55 MPH and a semi truck in the opposite direction threw a rock into my windshield so hard, there were splinters of glass all over my lap and dash and seat. Its a wonder the windshield didn’t implode! (Thank you Jesus)

I have never owned a brand new car. I guess its never been real important to own a new one. I’ve driven a lot of nice cars. But, for whatever reason, we wanted to not have payments anymore on cars, so the best we could afford with just cash at the time we needed it was this land cruiser. And, its been getting us here, there and back again.

This summer, I happened to have been driving it with all of us heading to a family reunion of all things. Coming down the Portland side of Mt. Hood at 60 MPH, I just happened to look down at the engine heat gage to see it OVER the red mark!

As I am flipping the heat on full blast, and looking to pull over to the side of the road, the engine shuts itself off and the power steering goes dead and we coast to a stop.

It was nothing short of Jesus keeping us safe. Can you imagine cruising at that speed and your engine shutting down? It was a miracle I even looked at that gage!

I have a cousin that is a mechanic that lives near Portland. He was also headed to the reunion that day, but made a stop at a auto parts store and came to the side of the road and helped us fix the car. That the car could even be fixed was an amazing thing. The water pump gave up the ghost on Mt. Hood.

Chris replaced the radiator on it this Fall too.

I really don’t mind driving the red beast. I am a little nervous about it leaving us on the side of the road again, but we have triple A.

I like AAA. They are a source of comfort when driving around in 30 year old RV’s and 25 year old land cruiser’s.

We are in the process of thinking about selling his car or the family car for a possible upgrade to a family car.

I figure, If I can be happy with the car I’m driving, any upgrade is welcome! As long as it has the 4 things on the list! Temperature is very important for the sanity of the driver and tinted windows for privacy and a spot for each little rump I have to pack to soccer and dance!

Ok, one more thing. I prefer a vehicle with 4 wheel drive. You just never know when you are going to have to hike up the skirts and jump a log in the road! I’m all about preparedness, thats why we carry flares, water and a toilet in the back! No, we don’t have a toilet in the back. Unless we are talking about the RV. Then we do.

We are always going to have problems with cars. Might as well by something cheap so we can afford to fix it!

I am looking forward to a car who’s windows work in the winter, its really amusing to pull up to the drive thru at the bank and it takes a full minuet to get the window down, then using your hand to push it back up is fun too!

I am thankful for my car. And the faith building thing that it is.

Happy Driving!