So folks, the Mr. and I need some help. We're having a dilemma.
We need a new car -- the Volkswagon's day has passed. After a very costly emergency repair during my trip to Atlanta, our research indicates that this could possibly just have been the first in a lengthy series of costly repairs. We've been advised to get out while the gettin' is good.
The Mr. had been considering either the Volvo S60 (who doesn't love a nice, safe car?), an Infiniti and an Acura TL or TSX. I guilted him into also considering the Prius (isn't the environment worth a little consideration here?). Well, after consulting the EPA's website, we ruled out the Volvo and the Infiniti -- as far as sedans go, they do more damage in terms of fuel efficiency and emissions than some of their counterparts. So, that leaves us with the Acura TSX (as a more fuel-efficient choice than the TL) and the Prius.
This would be an easy choice if we enjoyed driving the Prius. But we don't. I mean, we REALLY don't. It's boxy; it feels somewhat like driving a tin can; the seats are totally uncomfortable; they don't make them with sunroofs (a Tomback family favorite). And then there's Matt's balls to think about. He says that his brains and his balls are conflicted. Apparently, no guy can really enjoy driving a "really dorky looking" 110 hp hatchback that can go from 0 to 60 in 25 minutes. Having no balls myself, this consideration was news to me.
But what are some tree-hugging wannabes to do? We are really, REALLY trying to go green. We have banned plastic bags. We eat organic and as local as possible, and we no longer use any chemicals to clean our house. You won't find any sodium-lauryl or laureth sulfates or parabens in our medicine cabinets. We are starting to do the compact-fluorescent bulb replacement, and launder with only cold water. Much to our neighbors' chagrin, we let weeds take over almost our entire yard rather than use an abundance of chemicals and water to preserve our suburban lawn. I'm switching to glass containers in the kitchen instead of plastic; and we're transitioning from conventional cotton sheets and towels to organic cotton or bamboo fibers. I've even started turning off the shower when I shave my legs!! Etc., etc. So is all this enough to constitute an adequate carbon offset? And where does my beloved (somewhat gas-guzzling) minivan come into the mix in this decision??
The prices of the two cars will be virtually the same. The Prius, however, will use about half the gas, which would reduce the operating cost by about $50 a month (or more, depending on what happens to gas prices -- nothing good, I think).
So people? What should we do?
A) Buy the Acura
B) Buy the Prius
C) Buy Matt a nicer bike so he can ride to the train station (a 15 minute ride, unless he wants to hop on the interstate with his 10-speed)
And we're looking for actual advice here. So make all the fun you want, but conclude with something concrete, would ya?
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12 years ago
19 comments:
I still say he needs a Vespa with a matching shoulder-bag and helmet. Assuming he is still steadfast in his ridiculous refusal to do so, methinks the Prius would be the wiser choice, however effeminate it may seem now.
I enjoyed driving the Prius. I had it for a rental car one day in Hartford during a massive blizzard. I-90 was shut down and I got stuck there overnight. BUt when I was driving on it, it was a champ. It actually was passing pick up trucks and other vehicles you'd think would do better in bad weather.
My advice would be go with what you like driving the most. If you hate driving the prius now, you'll hate it in 6 months form now. Don't force yourself to do it for the good of the planet.
Buying a car is a very emotional event. There's a reason car commercials focus on the visceral elements of driving (speed, power, style) rather than the facts (mileage, emmisions, etc).
I applaud your efforts, but don't kill yourself trying to be the ideal hippie.
Thanks for the advice so far. I'm thinking that I could justify purchasing the less environmentally-friendly car by reducing my carbon footprint in other ways - for example, i could stop burning tires in the backyard, or I can stop using my coal burning coffee maker.
But keep the suggestions coming.
Someone beat me to the Vespa comment. Amanda's going to sell hers, and since Mary has already asserted right of first refusal over our empire I guess that gives you dibs. It's a nice, manly silver/grey color.
Anyway, if you're willing to buy another VW you could consider the new Jetta diesels and go biodiesel. I don't know whether you can buy biodiesel readily in Charlotte, though, and I imagine you don't want to go around town emptying grease traps so you can make it at home (but you could convert your coffee maker from coal while you're at it...).
I can't really say much about either the Acura or the Prius, since I haven't driven either one. I guess I would suggest getting the car that best fits your lifestyle. Do you spend a lot of time in the car? Do you do anything in it but drive to and from work? Will the joy of driving the Acura outweigh the warm fuzzy feelings you'll from owning the Prius?
Personally, I don't much care what I drive as long as it gets me from point A to point B, but my drive to work is short and I don't drive much more than that. But that's me -- your mileage may vary (no pun intended, if that's really a pun at all). If I lived a long way from work or did a lot of driving on the weekends then I might care more about owning a car I enjoy driving.
Here is a strike against the Prius that popped up in my newsreader today....
I'm with Andrew. Go with your gut and get the Acura. Your "carbon footprint" argument is an invitation for Matt to blame you for every problem that arises with the Prius.
Do you know that we have to do a "word verification" to post a comment? Is that really necessary? It's not like I'm asking to check my balance.
how do I change that?
Okay, hold up.
I had to stop reading at "no sodium laureth sulfates." What the heck do you use for shampoo, then?!
Okay, now on to the constructive stuff: First, Mary, don't you have, like, a "settings" option in your blogger account? I would imagine that the word verification would be under "comment settings" or something.
Second, I just wanted to share with y'all a somewhat related anecdote. So J & I saw H&K over the weekend, who were furniture shopping for their new place in Crapnecticut. And there was this really fantastic dining room table that we saw, but H was really on the fence about it because it was made with reclaimed wood and, thus, environmentally friendly! We called him "tree hugger" and "Al Gore" for the remainder of the afternoon to get on his nerves.
Do with that what you will.
I'm a huge fan of reclaimed wood - I love the look, not the price tag (especially if it is petrified wood hand selected from a protected forest, right Brian?).
Back to the car: I like Andrew's reasoning, though I think you have to consider the planet in moderation - balance the green with the driving - so, if you HATE driving the Prius and the Acura is environmentally sound, then go for it.
I like Andrew's reasoning too. He sounds like a really smart, charming, awesome guy. Not like his gaywad brother, who's wicked ugly. And so what if he's lost some weight and is now the "thin" twin? Wait till after the cruise for the return of FatBoy.
Sincerely,
A Complete Stranger
Dear Complete Stranger,
Whatcha up to later?
xoxo a Honda Hybrid-lover
Wow, Mary! So your blog is where Andrew & Harley decided to flirt with each other?!
Um... congratulations!
Dorothy Mantooth is a saint!
So looks like Dorothy has found a fan in my little brother... NICE....
and aren't AHHA frickin' adorable?
The sad thing is that "later" we went to sleep with a toddler in our bed!
P.S. I finally have a name on this thing!
Ha! I've always liked you, Matt (Pelz)!
(You, too, Tomback. Though you're sorely lacking in the humoring me department.)
I say go with the Acura. From someone who drives a gas guzzler because she's waited her whole life to have a speedy car that doesn't scream "MOM" (sorry 'bout that minivan, Mary), I say go with your gut. Or balls, or ovaries or both (?). Then use the car with better mileage for longer trips.
But the vision of Matt on his bike in a suit is also priceless, and could be an option in nice weather (if you bought saddlebags to hold the suit).
Vespas are cool, but not on Matt. Or vice versa.
First, I'd like to thank everyone for your mostly constructive input. Really, it was quite unexpected. Some of the suggestions were actually somewhat serious. Who saw that coming?
Anyway, we bought a car this weekend. Anyone care to guess what we got? The Acura, of course. Eat it, environment!
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