Today’s Post by Joe Farace
“Ask me no questions, and I’ll tell you no fibs.”― Oliver Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer
I always enjoy hearing from this blog’s readers; especially those that have questions about photography, this blog, my cars (or lack thereof) or whatever else may be on their minds. If you have any questions or a request for me to address a specific car-related topic, look at a certain piece of equipment or even explain or explore a technique, click on CONTACT and let me know.
While I didn’t get much email about my book On Photography, I did get questions on a bunch on other topics and so here are a few of those other questions along with my answers, stating with the most asked question…
Q. What’s the latest on your car search?
A. Here’s the long answer: It has been 22 months since I sold my Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 and to answer another question I often get: I don’t miss it. In the interim I have been borrowing my wife’s Beetle convertible. And to answer yet another question: I don’t hate it but don’t love it either. It’s a pleasant enough car and Mary loves it which is the most important thing about it. The next most important thing is that it has been really reliable (knocks on wood) and affordable to own, other than Colorado’s usurious annual license plate fees.
A. continued… As I’ve mentioned in these posts and in some video updates on this topic (more videos to come real soon now) the best selling cars in Colorado are Jeeps and Subaru’s, and while neither mrque excites me enough to buy one, I could be tempted by a WRX wagon. And I am not really interested in driving an SUV, although, once again I could be tempted by an older, squarer Range Rover Sport, with the CarMax warranty of course, or an any-year, any mileage Mercedes Benz G-wagon. I found one each of these vehicles earlier in the year but the timing (and money) wasn’t quite right.
Q. So where does that leave me? (It seems like I’m asking the questions now.)
A. I expect and maybe fear this will be the last car that I will ever own, so I’m not going to settle for something like a Camry. I tried to explain this to Mary’s foster father last week, when he asked why I would consider something so undependable as a Range Rover that I had to buy an insurance policy for it, instead of a Tacoma like he drives. I’m not interested in any pick up truck, although I could be tempted by an old Ford SVT Lighting, if the price and condition were right. The Raptor has no appeal. So, in short, I’m not sure where this leaves me. This is something I’ll try to addressing my next vlog, which if all goes well I plan to record tomorrow.
Q. What about Mary? Does she mind you driving her Beetle?
A. Mary is the most sweet and loving person on this planet, so no. In fact I have been trying to find an older Miata in any condition for her as a present but everything I’ve looked at has been junk or way too overpriced, which seems to be the state of used cars these days.
Her birthday is tomorrow. Last year she was sick for her birthday, this year its in the middle of a pandemic. If you’re on Facebook tomorrow maybe you can wish her a Happy Birthday to cheer her up.