Why You Should Always Buy A Car You Love to Drive

From the first car to the one you buy after retirement, It's always been common knowledge that everyone you'll speak to when you're talking about buying has always centered around three main topics: fuel economy, practicality and reliability. That's all well and good, and for those who aren't interested in cars all that much outside of a mode of transportation, that advice comes in handy. But having this conversation with a car enthusiast can be a bit difficult because we don't really like the common every day econo boxes that you see on the road, and we especially do not like to be bored behind the wheel - so don't expect us to give in to the idea of driving something like a Prius or your grandmother's old Cavalier - for us, it's just not in the cards. Why? Because like a woman has a knack for quality makeup that makes her look and feel good, we have a strong affection for finding the car that does just the same - we want to enjoy what we drive - fuel economy and practicality be damned.

That especially hits home for me currently. Let me give you the back story - My first car was a red 2004 Mazda RX-8 with a 6 speed manual transmission and rear wheel drive. She got 15 miles per gallon, the clutch wore out after just 15,000 miles (possibly because this was the first time I'd driven manual, so I'll take some blame there) and in terms of trunk space, a weekend trip was a big ask for just 2 luggage bags. Add the fact that there was no spare tire equipped, and you had the perfect recipe for your typical sports car - and I absolutely loved it.

 

But like all lustful relationships, it eventually got expensive, and after having to shell out 2 grand for the new clutch, in addition to what I found out were bad ignition coils, I eventually parted ways with my beloved Mazda, and for the first time in my life, I gave in to the whole practicality speech, which puts me where I am now - in a 2010 Nissan Maxima SV.

Now, don't get me wrong, I really like my Maxima. It's comfortable, has a panoramic sunroof, paddle shifters, navigation and enough trunk space to keep all of my outdoor gear in and bring home a week's worth of groceries, and the well-styled interior has more space than the skies of Montana. But then there's the drive - it has front wheel drive, it can get a little twitchy in the corners, the steering is responsive, but it lacks feedback, instead feeling soft and numb, and even though it has paddle shifters, you don't even really feel motivated to use them - and the couple of times that I have in the past 3 years of owning it, I never really felt any reason to continue using them after. The shifts were numb, boring, and, well, flat - to say the least - and that's the thing; even though it was a spacious, practical, and even an economical car (26 mpg!) I don't enjoy driving it. When I get in the driver's seat, I never really feel myself smiling like the road ahead of me is Leguna Seca and I have my favorite set of driving gloves on - it just feels like a normal car. Add the fact that I was a fresh graduate and I have a job that at times, like any can be quite stressing, especially in the design and Marketing industry, and you begin to understand why the big execs and higher ups like to have a car that brings them back to the days of staring at the posters in their rooms as children - it takes all of the modern difficulties of life away, and for once, we can concentrate on being 12 years old, albeit with a drivers license and a monthly car payment.

This is why, after three years, I'm again forgoing the way of practicality and going back to my old habit of driving a sports car that isn't quite roomy, or practical, or even economical. Instead I'm trading these common values in for what I look for in a car - speed, handling and looks.

If I were looking for a date, I'd come off as shallow, but hey, that's not the case here so I'm sticking to my guns, because in the mind of the common car enthusiast, I think I can speak for more than just myself when I say that I'd rather break down on the side of the road and look good doing it, than successfully complete a journey swarmed in comfort and luxury - because what is life if you know what's going to happen next? I think that's the part of being a car enthusiast that others don't understand - we don't mind the breakdowns really, because at the end of the day when you're cracking open a cold one with your buddies, at least you'll have a great story to share about that time your clutch burnt out while you pulled out into the middle of an intersection, only to shortly discover that you were in the direct path of a Fire Truck you didn't see or hear coming because of how much you were revving the engine just to get it going.

My advice to anyone buying a car that loves to drive? Sure, consider the practicality, economy and dependability, but REALLY consider how you feel when you drive it - because wasting money on a car you don't truly love is a bit like buying a dog when you're allergic - it just doesn't make sense in my mind.

Share your thoughts! What do you look for in a car?